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Prior to being named chief operating officer (COO) of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Christopher A. Gessner served as Children's vice president of ambulatory services and president of the Community Care Pediatrics (CCP) practices.
As president of CCP, which is the largest pediatric and adolescent primary care medical network in western Pennsylvania, Gessner oversaw 91 pediatricians in 25 locations across six counties. Joining Children's in 2000 as president of CCP, Gessner assumed the additional role as vice president of ambulatory and professional services in 2001.
In his duel role, Gessner's areas of responsibility included the Department of Pediatrics, surgical practice plans, satellite ambulatory care/surgery centers, and transplant services to name just a few. Gessner also serves as the chairperson of the hospital space/facilities committee which oversees and coordinates all moves and construction projects. In addition, he led the facility planning for the ambulatory components of the new Children's building project, currently underway in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh.
As COO, Gessner will oversee all aspects of the hospital's day-to-day operations including development, operating budgets and facilities planning. He also will oversee execution of the strategic plans for the hospital, which U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks among the top pediatric hospitals in the United States.
Gessner previously was the vice president of health services administration for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield and served as the vice president of business development for Penn State Geisinger Health System.
Gessner holds master's degrees in Business and Healthcare Administration from the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor's degree in Economics from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA. He makes his home in Pine Township with his wife, Jane, and their two sons and a daughter. | 