Health Care: JAMES D. DAHLING

As president and CEO of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters health system since 2003, Dahling is passionate about pediatric mental health services.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, CHKD put plans in motion to address increasing demands for mental health services among children, and between 2018 and this year, Dahling grew its mental health team from 30 to 200 employees.

In April, CHKD opened a 14-story, $224 million Children’s Pavilion to house outpatient mental health care, primary care pediatrics, sports medicine, and laboratory and radiology services. This fall, the hospital will open the first of 60 inpatient psychiatric beds in that building.

CHKD employs 3,700 workers in Virginia and North Carolina and grossed $529 million in revenue in the 2021 fiscal year.

Formerly chief operating officer of CHKD and senior vice president of Richmond Memorial Hospital, Dahling serves on several state and regional boards, including the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association and Virginia Beach Vision.

WHAT MAKES ME PASSIONATE ABOUT MY WORK: Knowing that what we are doing is making a real difference in the lives of children, their families and the community.