Accomplished physician and digital health leader to accelerate innovation across research, digital health and care delivery
SAN DIEGO AND ORANGE, Calif. — Rady Children’s Health has appointed Pravene A. Nath, MD, MSE, as executive vice president and chief innovation and physician executive, a key leadership role that builds on the strengths of its founding organizations and advances the health system’s ambitious vision to transform pediatric care through innovation, discovery, and clinical excellence. With more than two decades of experience in academic medicine, digital health and healthcare transformation, Dr. Nath will help accelerate scientific breakthroughs, technological advances, new models of care and innovative treatments that together can improve outcomes for children and families.
Dr. Nath most recently held senior leadership positions at Walmart Health, overseeing digital health ventures, artificial intelligence and data-driven healthcare solutions. Previously, as chief information and digital officer at Stanford Health Care, he led major technology initiatives, including an enterprise electronic health record implementation and the launch of Stanford MyHealth, a digital platform that expanded patients’ access to healthcare services. His career also includes executive positions at Roche, Mindstrong Health and NYU Langone Medical Center. Board-certified in emergency medicine and clinical informatics, Dr. Nath earned his medical degree and a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan and his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Duke University.
At Rady Children’s Health, he will work across clinical and research disciplines to guide long-term strategy and help translate scientific discoveries and emerging technologies into advances in patient care.
“Our physicians, researchers and care teams have spent decades setting the standard for excellence and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in pediatric medicine,” said Kimberly Chavalas Cripe, president and chief executive officer, Rady Children’s Health. “Dr. Nath brings an exceptional combination of clinical insight, strategic leadership and experience turning innovative ideas into meaningful change. His appointment gives us an extraordinary opportunity to build on that work, pursue bold new ideas and accelerate the translation of life-changing advances to children and families.”
The appointment supports Rady Children’s Health’s broader strategy to expand access to specialized pediatric care, strengthen clinical programs, accelerate innovation and advance research that leads to new treatments and cures. The health system is also pursuing new care delivery models, artificial intelligence and technologies that can improve quality, safety and the patient and family experience, while extending the reach of its expertise across Southern California and beyond.
“There has never been a better time to be involved in healthcare technology and scientific discovery,” said Dr. Nath. “I’m excited to work with the talented clinicians, researchers and teams at Rady Children’s Health to bring promising advances safely into everyday practice, support the people delivering care and make it easier for more children and families to benefit from new approaches to medicine.”
As chief innovation and physician executive, Dr. Nath will partner with physician, nursing, technology, research and operational leaders to help establish enterprise clinical priorities and strengthen physician collaboration. He will provide strategic leadership for innovation and discovery, digital health, clinical informatics and emerging technologies, while advancing partnerships with academic institutions and industry leaders.
Rady Children’s Health has a longstanding record of advancing pediatric medicine through clinical research, genomic science and technological innovation. Its capabilities include the Research Institute, the Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine, the Sharon Disney Lund Medical Intelligence, Information, Investigation and Innovation Institute (Mi4), the Helen and Will Webster Foundation 3D Innovations Lab, and clinical and scientific research programs across the health system.
Recent advances illustrate the breadth and impact of this work. Rady Children’s Health physicians administered one of the world’s first treatments using a newly approved gene therapy for children with a rare, inherited form of hearing loss. Researchers also helped develop a highly personalized treatment targeting the genetic cause of a severe form of childhood epilepsy, with one teenager experiencing a 90% reduction in seizures and gaining the ability to walk independently for the first time. Other milestones include introducing gene therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and sickle cell disease, along with discoveries that could lead to more targeted treatments for childhood cancer.
Dr. Nath will begin his role on November 16 and report directly to Cripe.
About Rady Children’s Health: Rady Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest pediatric healthcare systems, recognized for excellence in clinical care, research and innovation. Established in January 2025 through the merger of the parent companies of Children’s Hospital of Orange County and Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego, Rady Children’s Health brings together two nationally recognized, award-winning pediatric organizations with a combined legacy of more than a century of caring for children. With three hospitals, a growing network of primary and specialty care centers across six counties, and two of the region’s Level 1 pediatric trauma centers, Rady Children’s Health provides exceptional, compassionate care to children and families throughout Southern California and beyond. Building on its longstanding strengths in scientific discovery and advanced medicine, the health system is dedicated to advancing hope, health and healing through leading-edge research, innovative treatments and expanded access to specialized pediatric care. For more information, visit radychildrens.org.
