Leadership

We at Children's Hospital Foundation believe that all children should have the best that healthcare can offer. Our experienced leadership and dedicated staff reflects Children’s commitment to excellence in everything we do. 

Frank Tiedemann
President and Chief Executive Officer

Frank joined Children's Hospital as president and chief executive officer in 2005. Before coming to the hospital, Frank presided over St. Mary's Health System, a $330 million regional system that is part of Ascension Health in Evansville, Indiana. This facility includes 540-licensed acute beds in two acute care Catholic hospitals with a full array of services. During his tenure in Indiana, Frank used his strong background in strategic planning and business development to launch the region's first trauma center.

Previously, Frank held the position of president at St. Paul Medical Center in Dallas, Texas and senior vice president of system development at Yale-New Haven Health System in New Haven, Connecticut. He has also served as a senior vice president of corporate development at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, California.

Gary Chawk, CPA, MBA
Chief Financial Officer

Gary joined Children’s Hospital as its chief financial officer in 2009. Gary has experience in the adult hospital world in the Midwest and New England. He first held the position of chief financial officer at Manatee Hospitals and Health Systems in Bradenton, Florida. He later spent 13 years with Catholic Health East, advancing from positions with St. Joseph’s/St. Anthony’s Health Services in Tampa, Florida, to the job of southeast regional chief financial officer, with fiscal responsibility for 16 Southeast hospitals.

Gary has also been chief financial officer for Saint Mary’s Hospital in Saginaw, Michigan, part of Ascension Health System, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system, and most recently, at Fletcher Allen Healthcare in Burlington, Vermont.

Gary has a BA in business administration and an MBA from the University of South Florida in Tampa. In addition to being a certified public accountant, Gary is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Healthcare Financial Management Association.

Brad Barber, JD
Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer

Brad joined Children's Hospital in August 2006 as senior vice president and chief development officer of the hospital's foundation. Brad came to Children's after more than 25 years fundraising for the University of California, where he was the Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement for the University of California System. From 1994, he worked in the UC Office of the President, playing a critical role in helping to advance the University's private support programs and policies. Under his leadership, private support to the University increased from $417 million in 1994 to $1.2 billion in 2005. Brad is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley and the Boalt Hall School of Law.