News — Tara O. Henderson, MD, MPH, will be named the Founders' Board Centennial Chair of Pediatrics at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, effective March 31, 2025, following approval by the Lurie Children’s Board of Directors at its meeting in late March.
Dr. Henderson is currently the Arthur and Marian Edelstein Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Chicago. In addition to directing the Childhood, Adolescent and Young Adult Survivorship Center at UChicago Medicine, she co-leads the Comprehensive Cancer Center Prevention and Control Program and serves as Section Chief of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation in the UChicago Comer Children’s Hospital. She also is Chief of the Cancer and Blood Disorders Service Line of the Chicagoland Children's Health Alliance.
“We are excited that Dr. Henderson will spearhead our Department of Pediatrics at Lurie Children’s given her impressive accomplishments as a clinician, researcher, educator and staunch advocate for children’s health and wellbeing,” said Tom Shanley, MD, President & CEO of Lurie Children’s. “In her role, she will be integral to propelling us forward in pursuit of our multi-pillar mission. We are excited to have her leadership in advancing the care of the children we serve.”
An expert in pediatric cancer survivorship, Dr. Henderson's research focuses on understanding childhood, adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer outcomes, including characterizing the development of and screening for subsequent cancers in survivors. Her National Institutes of Health-funded research has impacted policy and practice to integrate cancer care with primary and sub-specialty care from diagnosis to long-term survivorship.
“Lurie Children’s and the Department of Pediatrics in the Feinberg School of Medicine are national leaders in cutting-edge care and research for children’s health. To be part of that team is an amazing opportunity. I am thrilled to join Lurie Children’s and Northwestern to focus on improving the lives of all children and adolescents throughout Chicagoland, the nation and the world,” Dr. Henderson said. “I can’t wait to get to know the amazing students, doctors, scientists, nurses, and staff, and share my joy and excitement about the critical field of pediatric medicine.”
Dr. Henderson completed her medical degree at the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago and her Master of Public Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. She completed her hematology-oncology fellowship at the Boston Children's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Combined Program, her health services research fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital and her pediatrics residency at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
After finishing her master's degree at Harvard, Dr. Henderson received the 2005 Conquer Cancer Foundation Merit Award for her research on sarcomas as a subsequent malignancy in survivors of pediatric cancer, conducted as part of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.
Dr. Henderson was selected for the 2018 class of Presidential Leadership Scholars, a highly competitive and prestigious national program organized by the presidential center of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Lyndon Johnson, designed to learn lessons from the four presidencies and develop a personal leadership project intended to increase the social good.
She also served on the American Society of Clinical Oncology Board of Directors from 2020 to 2024, has been named an American Society of Clinical Oncology Advocacy Champion, and was elected to the American Society of Clinical Investigation, a medical honor society of physician scientists in 2021.
“Tara’s extensive experience, unwavering dedication to children's health, and visionary leadership make her an exceptional addition to the Department of Pediatrics,” said , Vice President for Medical Affairs and Lewis Landsberg Dean at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We are confident that under her guidance, the department will continue to excel and push the boundaries of pediatric care and research.”
Dr. Henderson will succeed Estella Alonso, MD, who served as Interim Chair for the Department of Pediatrics. A long-tenured Lurie Children’s physician, researcher, educator and leader, Dr. Alonso oversaw the recruitment of 74 faculty and expanded education programs in key areas, including the prestigious Pediatrics Residency Program, while she continued to serve as Medical Director of the Siragusa Transplant Center at Lurie Children’s.
“I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to Dr. Alonso for her contributions. She stepped into her interim role with grace, compassion and an unparalleled knowledge of the workings of the Department of Pediatrics,” said Dr. Shanley. “Her unwavering commitment to Lurie Children’s mission was constantly evident. I look forward to working with her closely as we transition the role of Department Chair of Pediatrics to Dr. Henderson.”
Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago is a nonprofit organization committed to providing access to exceptional care for every child. It is the only independent, research-driven children’s hospital in Illinois and one of less than 35 nationally. This is where the top doctors go to train, practice pediatric medicine, teach, advocate, research and stay up to date on the latest treatments. Exclusively focused on children, all Lurie Children’s resources are devoted to serving their needs. Research at Lurie Children’s is conducted through Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute, which is focused on improving child health, transforming pediatric medicine and ensuring healthier futures through the relentless pursuit of knowledge. Lurie Children’s is the pediatric training ground for Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. It is ranked as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals by U.S. 麻豆传媒 & World Report.
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