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Administrative Fellowship Program

Administrative Fellowship Program

The Administrative Fellowship Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a one-year rotational program intended to transition top graduate students into healthcare operations management positions.

As valued members of the CHOP team, Administrative Fellows contribute to and manage a wide variety of projects across the enterprise and participate in leadership and executive meetings, among other professional experiences designed to help jumpstart a career in healthcare administration. 

CHOP Enterprise Administrative fellows report to and receive mentorship from the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the CHOP Care Network and other CHOP senior leaders. Throughout the experience, fellows gain valuable knowledge, skills, and abilities to address the complex challenges of today’s healthcare environment while helping to advance CHOP’s mission 

Informational webinar

Join us at one of our upcoming informational webinars to learn more about the CHOP Enterprise Administrative Fellowship: 

Application and selection

The Administrative Fellowship meets all of ACHE's criteria to participate as a program. Our goal is to find a candidate who will be the best fit for the organization and will benefit most from the experience.

The fellowship begins in July of each year. Ideal candidates for the position will meet the qualifications below.

Education requirements:

  • Minimum of a master’s degree, attained within one year prior to application or by the fellowship start date, such as: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Health Services Administration (MHSA), Master of Public Health (MPH), or a related field.
  • Candidates with a master’s degree focused in healthcare administration from a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) are preferred.

Experience:

  • Healthcare industry experience such as an internship, externship, fellowship, or relevant employment highly desired.
  • Record of leadership and teamwork, and demonstration of excellent verbal and written communication skills required.

Other qualifications:

  • Possesses broad knowledge of current and historical perspectives in areas such as: healthcare business management, administration, clinical practice management, finance, human resources and/or information systems.
  • Candidates must be self-starters willing to work in a fast-paced, multidisciplinary, system environment.

Please apply by 11:59 p.m. on September 21, 2025, via the Workday link on the official CHOP careers page. The following items, to be submitted through Workday as one compiled PDF, are required:

  1. Current Resume (2 Pages Maximum)
  2. Personal Statement of Interest (500 words maximum)
  3. Official Graduate and Undergraduate Transcripts
  4. Three (3) Letters of Recommendation: (1) Academic, (1) Professional, and (1) Other (Academic or Professional)

If, for whatever reason, you are unable to provide one or more of these application materials, please email CHOPAdminFellowship@chop.edu.

Mentorship

Primary Executive Leadership Preceptor: Kisha Hortman Hawthorne, PhD, FACHE

Kisha Hortman Hawthorne, PhD, FACHE

Dr. Hawthorne is the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Care Network at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). In this capacity, she serves as the operational and strategic leader for the hospital’s primary care network and Urgent and Specialty Care Centers (SCCs). Prior to her current role, Dr. Hawthorne served as CHOP’s SVP and Chief Information Officer (CIO) for seven years. As CIO, she was responsible for strategic leadership of the Information Services (IS) department, managing a $50 million capital budget, a project portfolio of more than 90 large and mid-size projects, and 550 full-time staff members, ensuring organizational information security and protection of patient and family health data. As an executive leader, Dr. Hawthorne serves on various strategic CHOP committees including the Growth, Ethics, and Patient Safety committees.

Current fellows

Matty Crager

Matty Crager 

Matty is a recent graduate of the Master of Public Health program at Penn State College of Medicine. Before joining CHOP, Matty served as a full-time speech writer and editor in Penn State’s Office of Development Communications. Throughout graduate school, they also interned as a food access specialist with Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine. Most recently, Matty completed training in data and policy analysis and program evaluation as a fellow with Penn State’s Research Translation Platform. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from Penn State in 2017, Matty began their career as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant and Regional Program Coordinator in Curitiba, Brazil. They are thrilled to be at CHOP for this next chapter in their professional career and are looking forward to being immersed in every aspect of pediatric healthcare administration. 

Carlos Maas 

Carlos Maas

Carlos Maas graduated from the University of Miami in December 2024 with a Master of Health Administration and also holds a Master of Science in Psychology. His professional experiences span neuropsychology, peak performance training, process improvement, research, and administration. Prior to joining CHOP, Carlos worked at behavioral health clinics, the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and, most recently, at Valuate Health Consultancy. Carlos is board certified in neurofeedback and has earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. Carlos’s early professional experiences in behavioral health fueled his passion for working in pediatrics and is eager to continue to learn and grow in the field as an Administrative Fellow at CHOP.

Contact us

For additional information about the Administrative Fellowship program, please reach out to CHOPAdminFellowship@chop.edu.

Previous fellows

Salonia Brown

Salonia Brown

System Vice President of Revenue Cycle, Mount Sinai Health System

Salonia (Sal) Brown was CHOP’s first administrative for the 2008-2009 year under the former executive fellowship program. CHOP served as his introduction to healthcare, which quickly spawned into his passion. During his tenure as an executive fellow, which Sal likens to a rapid experiential leadership development program, he had the opportunity to shadow some of the institution's most esteemed and accomplished senior leadership. At the end of the fellowship, Sal stayed on and joined CHOP within its Revenue Cycle Management division. Over the next several years, Sal moved into several leadership roles within CHOP.

Post-CHOP, Sal has more than 15 years of experience in progressive roles within the healthcare finance and revenue cycle management industry. His experience spans directly across the healthcare provider and RCM vendor side, leading RCM operations for health systems as well as large RCM engagements from the vendor side managing operations, P&Ls and ultimately customer success.

Today, Sal serves as System Vice President of Revenue Cycle at Mount Sinai Health System. Previously, he held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for a New Jersey-based RCM services and technology company. In addition to his corporate accomplishments, Sal is also the founder and CEO of HC Data Exchange LLC, a specialized revenue cycle consulting firm. This boutique organization is committed to assisting healthcare providers in enhancing their processes and delivering unparalleled end-to-end results. HC Data Exchange offers comprehensive, innovative and tailored RCM solutions that cater to clients of varying sizes, enhancing financial performance and driving operational excellence. Sal received his B.S. from Penn State University in Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Business Management and his MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management.

Kerry Mackey, DBA

Kerry Mackey, DBA

Vice President of Hospital Operations, Women & Children, NYU Langone Hospital Long Island and NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine

Kerry Mackey, DBA, is the Vice President of Hospital Operations, Women & Children, NYU Langone Hospital Long Island and NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine. Currently, Kerry oversees the financial and operational performance and the strategic development of the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Dental Medicine, Chaplain Services and Community Outreach.

Before joining NYU Langone in 2014 as Associate Director of the Cobble Hill Emergency Department, Kerry was a highly decorated Captain in the United States Air Force. After completing his active duty commitment in 2009, he joined CHOP as an administrative fellow, distinguishing himself with his excellent leadership and collaborative spirit.  At CHOP, Kerry was the Operations Supervisor for Orthopedic Surgery (Children’s Surgical Associates) and the Operations Manager in Cardiac Nursing (CICU, CCU, CPRU, Cath Lab and Cardiac OR).

Kerry works hard to build his expertise continually and holds a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration and Planning from Tennessee State University, a Master’s Degree in Administration with a concentration in health services administration from Central Michigan University, and a master’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from La Salle University. He recently earned his doctorate in business administration from Temple University.

Maggie Ann McCabe

Maggie Ann McCabe

Maggie Ann McCabe was among the first Administrative Fellows after the fellowship program was revived in 2024. As a fellow, Maggie Ann worked on projects across the enterprise, from physician budgets to cybersecurity and performance improvement. Since finishing her fellowship, Maggie Ann has accepted a position in the Care Network at CHOP as an Operations Performance Specialist, where she will work with outpatient practices to increase access, improve financial stewardship efforts, and increase efficiency.

Maggie Ann graduated from UNC Charlotte in May 2024 with a Master of Health Administration. While in school, Maggie Ann interned at PMMC, a healthcare revenue cycle company, as an Account Management Intern, where she worked for two years before starting full time in August 2023. In the summer of 2023, Maggie Ann worked at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C., as an Administrative Intern. While at Children’s National, Maggie Ann found a passion for children’s healthcare and looks forward to pursuing this passion further while continuing her career at CHOP.

Nick Vicidomini

Nick Vicidomini

As an administrative fellow last year, Nick Vicidomini contributed to high-impact initiatives across the enterprise, including optimizing resident moonlighting schedules in the Emergency Department, improving room utilization through the Innovation Catalyst Program, and standardizing the Care Network dress code policy. Recently, Nick accepted a new role at CHOP as Manager of the Bryn Mawr Specialty Care Center, where he will oversee daily clinical, operational, and financial management of one of the Care Network’s newest practices. 

Nick is a graduate of Penn State University, where he received his Master of Health Administration in May 2024. Nick spent his Administrative Residency at Penn State Health, completing data analysis for the health system’s finance department. Additionally, he completed a yearlong internship with Four Diamonds, a nonprofit organization for childhood cancer research, where he specialized in family and community engagement. Nick has had a wonderful experience thus far with CHOP and hopes to continue to contribute to the organization’s commitment to excellent pediatric care.

Kamilah Weems, MS

Kamilah Weems, MS

Director, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)

Kamilah Weems, M.S., is the Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). She has extensive experience in the areas of project and program management, operations, and strategic planning and in this role, she oversees the development of new initiatives to advance the continuum of medical education. Since joining the AAMC she has led initiatives to develop cross continuum competencies in telehealth as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and has led awards and grants programs to highlight innovative curriculum in substance use disorder and pain management. Kamilah was also the inaugural chair of the AAMC’s DEI Council, which advises and provides recommendations to the organization’s senior leadership team.

Prior to joining the AAMC in 2018, she spent nine years at CHOP in several leadership positions. The Administrative Fellowship solidified her commitment to health care and her goal to work toward improving health for all. After completing the Administrative Fellowship, Kamilah was the Manager of Operations for the Ambulatory Care Network, followed by the organization’s first Special Assistant to the CEO and finally as Administrative Director for the office of entrepreneurship and innovation. In these various roles, she gained extensive experience working with clinicians and other frontline staff to develop innovative ideas to improve patient safety and the overall quality of care.

Kamilah holds a Master of Science in Biomedical Science and Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana.

Equal opportunity

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer, committed to creating an environment where all people feel valued and respected and can contribute to their fullest potential. A non-discrimination and harassment policy is strictly enforced. No applicant for employment shall be subjected to discrimination because of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation or family status.

Other requirements

To carry out its mission, it is of critical importance for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) to keep our patients, families and workforce safe and healthy and to support the health of our global community. In keeping with this, CHOP has mandated all workforce members (including trainees) onsite at any CHOP location for any portion of their time be vaccinated for COVID-19 as a condition of employment.

This mandate also applies to workforce members or trainees performing work for CHOP at non-CHOP locations. Additionally, all workforce members based in, or regularly scheduled to work at, any New Jersey location are mandated to be both vaccinated and boosted for COVID-19, with booster timing consistent with applicable guidelines. The CHOP COVID-19 vaccine mandate is in alignment with applicable local, state and federal mandates. CHOP also requires all workforce members and trainees who work in patient care buildings or who provide patient care to receive an annual influenza vaccine. Employees may request exemption consideration for CHOP vaccine requirements for valid religious and medical reasons. Please note start dates may be delayed until candidates are fully immunized or valid exemption requests are reviewed. In addition, candidates other than those in positions with regularly scheduled hours in New Jersey, must attest to not using tobacco products.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category. CHOP is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor seeking priority referrals for protected veterans.

CHOP is committed to building an inclusive culture where employees feel a sense of belonging, connection and community within their workplace. We are a team dedicated to fostering an environment that allows for all to be their authentic selves. We are focused on attracting, cultivating and retaining diverse talent who can help us deliver on our mission to be a world leader in the advancement of healthcare for children.

We strongly encourage all candidates of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply.

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