Leadership at Arkansas Children's

President and Chief Executive Officer

Marcy Doderer, FACHE 

Marcy Doderer, FACHE, is president and chief executive officer at Arkansas Children’s where she leads the state’s only pediatric health system serving the children in Arkansas and beyond.

A dynamic leader, Marcy is focused on improving child health by advancing patient care, building community and championing excellence through digital transformation, engaged and efficient partnerships and bold child advocacy.

Marcy has stated, “Arkansas Children’s will not stop our pursuit of improving child health until Arkansas is the safest, healthiest place to be a child.”

Marcy transformed Arkansas Children’s from one hospital in the center of the state, into a health system, with two hospitals, a research institute, a philanthropic foundation, regional clinics and alliances, telemedicine and statewide outreach programs to serve children in all 75 counties.

In roughly a decade at Arkansas Children’s, Marcy has significantly extended the health system’s reach through an expanded physical footprint to better serve the children and families of Arkansas. Most notably through the building of Arkansas Children’s Northwest, Arkansas Children’s Hospital Southwest Little Rock Clinic and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Pine Bluff Clinic. In addition, the Arkansas Children’s Hospital Jonesboro Clinic was renovated to better serve the community needs.

A true champion for children, Marcy led the creation of a state-wide pediatric centric Clinically Integrated Network – Arkansas Children’s Care Network (ACCN), to advance quality initiatives for children across the state of Arkansas. Her efforts to cultivate networks and build partnerships locally, regionally and nationally have resulted in reaching more children where they live, learn and play. She does this all while leading the Arkansas Children’s team with an unwavering focus on the core values of safety, teamwork, compassion and excellence.

She has always had a passion for healthcare administration and is a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE). Prior to Arkansas Children's, Marcy served as a member of senior leadership for CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System in various capacities since 2002. She became CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital administrator in 2008 and led the effort to transform the facility into the free-standing Children’s Hospital of San Antonio. Her previous leadership experience includes positions at CHRISTUS St. Joseph’s Health System and McCuistion Regional Medical Center, both in Paris, Texas, and Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, Dallas, Texas.

Marcy is active in many professional organizations and currently serves as the Chair of the Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety Board of Directors. She is a member of the Audit and Compliance Committee and the Public Policy Committee for the Children’s Hospital Association Board of Directors. She is also a delegate to the American Hospital Association’s Regional Policy Board 7. Within Arkansas, Marcy is a member of Fifty for the Future and the Little Rock Regional Chamber Board of Directors.

Recognized for her leadership both at the local and national level, Marcy has been named one of Modern Healthcare’s “Top 25 Women Leaders” in 2021 and Becker’s Healthcare “26 Women CEOs of Hospitals and Health Systems to Know” in 2022. In Arkansas, she was named “Woman of the Year” in 2020 by Women & Children First, “Woman of the Year in Business” in 2018 by the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas and continues to be listed in the “Arkansas Business Top 250”.

She obtained her BS in Finance from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, and MA in Hospital and Health Administration from The University of Iowa.

Click here to follow Marcy on Twitter.

Women & Children First – 2020 Woman of the Year

In 2020, Marcy Doderer was named Woman of the Year by Women & Children First. This honor highlights Marcy’s leadership efforts in working to make Arkansas the safest, healthiest place to be a child.

Arkansas Women’s Foundation – 2018 Woman of the Year in Business

In 2018, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas recognized Marcy as the Woman of the Year in Business, giving recognition to Marcy’s leadership in improving healthcare for children in Arkansas.

Leadership at Arkansas Children's