Leadership

There’s no greater motivator than improving children’s lives by utilizing real time genomic sequencing. I am unbelievably lucky to be part of such an amazing mission driven organization.”

Following his retirement as President and CEO of Rady Children’s Hospital in 2019, Dr. Kearns brought his considerable knowledge and leadership to the RCIGM executive team. During his tenure as Rady Children’s CEO, Dr. Kearns led the hospital to several noteworthy achievements including being nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report in all ten of the pediatric specialties surveyed.
Dr. Kearns was also instrumental in fueling the vision for the founding of the Genomics Institute and enlisting the philanthropic support of the Rady family that ultimately made establishment of RCIGM possible through a transformational $120 million gift. As a member of the Institute’s executive team, Dr. Kearns plays a pivotal role by leveraging his vast experience in governmental relations, philanthropy and healthcare system leadership to advance the Institute’s strategic initiatives. Dr. Kearns began his career as an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat surgeon) at Rady Children’s in 1987 and spent the next 30 years helping restore children’s health and in successive leadership roles.