Children’s Mercy Names Jeanne James, MD, Pediatrician-in-Chief

Children’s Mercy announced today that Jeanne M. James, MD, FAAP, MBA, has been named Pediatrician-in-Chief, and the new Chair of Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Mercy, the UMKC School of Medicine, and the University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Most recently, Dr. James served as Chief of Cardiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and held the Leigh Gabrielle Herma Endowed Chair for Cardiology and served as the Medical Director of Cardiology for the hospital.

Before joining MCW in 2017, Dr. James spent more than two decades at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University of Cincinnati advancing through the academic ranks, ultimately achieving the rank of Professor and earning progressive leadership roles. She began at the academic rank of Instructor in the Department of Pediatrics, a faculty position accompanying her appointment as a Proctor Scholar in the Department and a post-doctoral fellow in the laboratory of Jeffrey Robbins, PhD.

Throughout her career in Cincinnati, Dr. James continued working with the lab and developed many productive research collaborations. In addition, she served the Heart Institute as Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship Program Director, Medical Director of Cardiovascular Genetics and Director of the Mouse Echocardiography Core. Among other roles, Dr. James served the University of Cincinnati as chair of the Department of Pediatrics Reappointment, Promotion and Tenure Committee and was a member of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Institutional Review Board.

Dr. James earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry at West Virginia University and went on to the West Virginia School of Medicine. At 20 years of age, she was the youngest member of her class, but was widely recognized not for her age, but for her early achievements and leadership. She completed her pediatrics residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, followed by her Fellowship in Pediatric Cardiology, also at Vanderbilt. During this time, she was a Research Fellow in the Molecular Physiology and Biophysics lab of Michael M. Tamkun, PhD.

“She is a strong, experienced and accountable leader with a proven track record in advancing an organization’s clinical, research and educational interests,” said Robert Lane, MD, MS, Executive Vice President, Physician-in-Chief, Children’s Mercy. “Dr. James operates from a foundation of integrity and respect for others. While she always holds the overall best interests of the institution above department-specific requests, she never shies away from speaking truth to power and tirelessly advocating for her faculty.”

Upon her arrival, Dr. James will hold the Joyce C. Hall Eminent Scholar in Pediatrics chair. She will be invested this fall.