Dr. James Shmerling
James E. Shmerling is the President and Chief Executive Officer at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, a nationally recognized leader for driving innovation in pediatrics and cutting-edge pediatric research. Connecticut Children’s serves as the only hospital in Connecticut dedicated exclusively to the care of children. For over four decades, Dr. Shmerling has served in management roles in children’s hospitals, devoting his career to advocating for children and healthy communities. Dr. Shmerling is a nationally recognized leader in issues concerning children’s health and wellness and most recently was identified in Hartford Business Journal’s Power 25 in Health Care.
Prior to joining Connecticut Children’s in October of 2015, Dr. Shmerling served as the Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Hospital Colorado, one of the top ranked children’s hospitals in the nation. Earlier in his career, he served in various leadership roles at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, Indiana University Hospitals, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children and the Children’s Hospital of Alabama, where Dr. Shmerling’s career in children’s hospitals began.
He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education from the University of Tennessee in 1976. In 1980, he was awarded a Master of Science Degree in Hospital and Health Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Samford University in 1984 and his Doctorate of Health Administration from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1999.
Dr. Shmerling is a Fellow in the American College of Health Care Executives (ACHE) and is an adjunct faculty member in the Hospital Administration programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Shmerling currently serves as a member on the Pediatric Home Services Board of Directors, Biostage, Inc. Board of Directors, Abe’s Garden Board of Directors, and the Hartford Board of Education. He is active in several national healthcare organizations including the Children’s Hospital Association and Connecticut Hospital Association.
Dr. Shmerling is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and is married to his wife of 43 years, Debbie Shmerling. He and Debbie have four children and eight grandchildren.