Chanda Chacon joined Children’s Nebraska as its president and chief executive officer in 2020. She leads the independent hospital’s workforce of more than 4,200 people, who provide children with reliable, high-quality health care.
Chacon’s decision to dedicate her career to children’s health care was personal. “I was in a car accident as a child living in Texas,” Chacon said. “I needed medical care afterward, and even though I was in a city that had a children’s hospital, my family never went there because we didn’t know that it existed. This was more than 35 years ago, and there wasn’t as much awareness of the uniqueness of pediatric health care then.”
Chanda Chacon poses for a portrait in Omaha, Nebraska. Photo by Gary Barber.
When she joined the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s Omaha Branch Board of Directors, in 2026, she saw it as another opportunity to make a positive difference for families in her community.
“I’m passionate about the work I do at Children’s Nebraska because it matters to people and communities. Making an impact in pediatric health care truly changes families and changes communities for the better, and that same passion for changing communities is what I hope to bring to the Omaha Branch Board.”
What appealed to Chacon most about serving on the Omaha Branch Board was the chance to help the Federal Reserve build strong regional ties and collect local insights, which funnel up into monetary policy decisions.
“As a CEO of a children’s hospital, I see every day how economic conditions directly impact families, workforce stability, access to health care and long-term community health,” Chacon said. “This is a unique opportunity for me to bring those real-world experiences that I’ve had in health care to a broader dialogue about the economy while also learning from leaders across other industries who are equally invested in the strength and resilience of our communities.”
Health care is a critical community service, but it’s also a large economic driver: Children’s Nebraska is one of the largest employers in Omaha. Because of this, Chacon said, she’s able to offer perspectives of the families who receive care from Children’s Nebraska as well as information about the workforce shortages, inflationary pressures and supply-chain issues that the hospital navigates.
“Hospitals see firsthand what families face related to issues like affordability, childcare, housing, transportation and access to mental and behavioral health services,” Chacon said. “And I want to help contribute the perspective of a mission-driven organization that’s focused on long-term outcomes. Children are 22% of the nation’s population, but they are 100% of our future. When we invest in pediatric health care, we’re not just investing in the kids we care for — we’re also investing in the families that care for those kids, creating a healthier population and a healthier future. Health care organizations like Children’s Nebraska operate in highly complex environments, and those experiences will be valuable to the Omaha Branch Board to inform the broader economic discussion of what’s happening in our region.”
The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City or the Federal Reserve System.
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