Teri Nestel Named Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals’ President and CEO

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH (Sept. 11, 2020) — Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals on Friday announced Teri Nestel, a 30-year leader in the children’s charity, as its next president and chief executive officer. Nestel, the organization’s first female president and CEO, was unanimously selected by the Board of Trustees. She had been serving as interim president and CEO and chief administrative officer. 

“Teri stepped into the interim president and CEO role during a challenging time. She led the organization through the sudden loss of past president and CEO John Lauck, obstacles of a global COVID-19 pandemic, an economic downturn and movements for social change,” said Nana Mensah, chair of CMN Hospitals’ Board of Trustees. “Under Teri’s leadership and stewardship, through these challenges, our organization remained strong and proved its capability by sustaining significant fundraising for children’s hospitals.”

As interim president and CEO, Nestel established a COVID-19 Impact Fund to meet the urgent needs of children’s hospitals during the pandemic and appointed the organization’s first senior vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring its commitment to these values. She also introduced the charity’s new vision: Change Kids’ Health, Change the Future.

“I am honored and proud to continue leading an organization in which I so strongly believe,” said Nestel, of Salt Lake City, Utah. “Particularly in this past year, we have proven we can change and adapt to meet the ever-growing needs of our member hospitals. Unrestricted funding for children’s hospitals has never been more important than in today’s environment. I am most excited to partner with a distinguished Board of Trustees, as well as hospital, corporate and program partners across our network to fulfill our mission.”

During her more than 30-year tenure, Nestel led corporate and development fundraising initiatives, doubling revenue for children’s hospitals between 1994 and 2004. Most recently, Nestel served as chief administrative officer, leading strategic and annual planning, information services, finance and accounting, human resources and legal and compliance. She also developed the former Cure Kids Cancer brand and served as chief operating officer of the former Children’s Miracle Network United Kingdom and Ireland.

To support the role Nestel is leaving, she has appointed Clark Sweat to chief operating officer. Sweat, who had been serving as the organization’s chief experience officer, has more than 26 years of experience building partnerships to support children’s charities, including 21 years with CMN Hospitals. Under his leadership, fundraising revenue over the past decade has grown to more than $400 million annually.

As a leading children’s charity, CMN Hospitals raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada, funding research, critical treatments, medical equipment and charitable care to treat more than 10 million kids a year. Through award-winning fundraising programs and partnerships with more 125 corporate brands, the organization rallies communities to raise funds for local children’s hospitals. In 2019, more than $444 million in donations — unrestricted to support the greatest needs — helped children’s hospitals give kids the care they deserve. In turn, their families and communities are healthier.

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About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $7 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the charity’s Miracle Balloon icon. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Find out why children’s hospitals need community support and identify your member hospital at CMNHospitals.org.