Robert Steele

Dr. Rob Steele is Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer for Children’s Mercy Kansas City.

After earning his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Dr. Steele earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University. He served as Chief Resident at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and then worked as a practicing pediatrician at Mercy Springfield where he consistently ranked in the 97th percentile in patient satisfaction scores.

After seven years working as a pediatrician, Dr. Steele was asked to chair the Mercy Springfield Health Plans Board, which he did before assuming the role of Senior Vice President of Market Growth and Development for Mercy Springfield. He soon was promoted to President of the $1.5 billion integrated health system.

In 2014, Dr. Steele was recruited to Arkansas Children’s as Chief Strategy Officer. There, he developed and executed the hospital’s five-year strategic plan; developed the business plan for building and operating a new children’s hospital in northwest Arkansas; established from scratch the nation’s first statewide pediatric clinically integrated network; and established the Arkansas Children’s Medical Group, the Nursery Alliance and the hospital’s telehealth department.

Since joining Children’s Mercy in 2019, Dr. Steele has led the development of the health system’s new five-year strategic plan, designed to move the institution closer to its goals of top decile performance in patient outcomes, quality and safety. In addition to Strategic Planning and Development, Dr. Steele also leads the health care system’s Marketing, Philanthropy, Governmental Affairs, and Diversity and Equity efforts.

Dr. Steele is a member of the board of directors of Vibrant Health, the largest non-profit Federally Qualified Health Center in Wyandotte County. He is a member of the board of directors of Keystone Community Corporation developing the Keystone Innovation District. He also serves on the Education Committee of the Kansas City Health Commission.

Rob, and his wife, Renee, have five children, and live in Overland Park, Kansas.

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