L to R: Geri Ann Swenarton, CSH; Megan Granozio, CSH; Kate Cattani, CSH Foundation; Christy Caracciolo, CSH; Matt Skurbe, CSH Foundation Board of Trustees; Kelly Keefe Marcoux, CSH; Matt McDonald, CSH; Colin O’Reilly, CSH; Tom Biga, RWJBH; Chuck Chianese, CSH; Alissa Memoli, CSH Foundation; Leslie Logan Taylor, CSH Foundation Board of Trustees; Amy Mansue, Inspira Health; Ruth Bash, Inspira Health
West Orange, NJ, May 11, 2026 – Dr. Matthew B. McDonald III, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Children’s Specialized Hospital (CSH), part of the Children’s Health network at RWJBarnabas Health, was honored by the New Jersey Health Foundation and EJI Excellence in Medicine™ with this year’s Outstanding Healthcare Executive award at a ceremony on May 6, 2026.
The EJI Excellence in Medicine awards program recognizes and encourages excellence in medical care and healthcare for the citizens of New Jersey. The awards are regarded as the highest honors within New Jersey’s medical community. They are awarded annually to honor extraordinary physicians and leaders whose dedication to medical care, education, research and public service has significantly impacted the delivery of healthcare in New Jersey and around the nation. Proceeds from the evening awards ceremony support scholarships for future leaders in healthcare.
Dr. McDonald is known for his passion for advancing pediatric care, his commitment to innovative care delivery, and his unwavering dedication to children with special health care needs. At CSH, Dr. McDonald has demonstrated a rare blend of visionary leadership, clinical expertise, and compassionate care. Serving over 40,000 patients with unique health challenges annually and employing over 1,700 people across 14 New Jersey locations in addition to a partnership with Rady Children’s Hospital in California, Dr. McDonald has cemented CSH as a national leader in pediatric rehabilitative and specialty medical care.
Dr. McDonald recently completed the execution of a robust $90M three-year strategic plan focused on significant ambulatory expansion, improved outcomes and enhanced research, and innovation through key strategic partnerships. Emphasizing synergies and operational excellence and culture, Dr. McDonald led the reduction of serious safety events by 50% and raised patient experience scores to a three-year high.
He has been a true advocate of CSH’s philosophy to provide patient-and-family-centered care and rounds with patients and families daily to hear what could be improved; meets monthly with employees of the Family Faculty team, which is comprised of current or past caregivers of CSH patients; and he serves as the executive sponsor of CSH’s Family Advisory Council which has been recognized by The Institute for Patient- and Family-Centered Care for creating inspiring and innovative partnerships among patients, families and health care professionals.
Under Dr. McDonald’s leadership, CSH’s Center for Discovery, Innovation and Development (CDID) has also thrived in their pursuit of projects aimed at social drivers of health (SDOH) to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for children with special health care needs and their families. In 2024, CSH conducted over 25,000 SDOH screenings and provided over 4,000 bags of foods to 3,000 families with this work being recognized by organizations like the Children’s Hospital Association and The Joint Commission. Most recently, CSH clinicians, patients and families partnered with BILLY Footwear to design BILLY Limitless, an adaptive shoe that specifically benefits individuals with autism, diabetes, gout, arthritis, cerebral palsy, brace wearers, and those with other sensory needs.
Dr. McDonald’s commitment to CSH’s purpose to ensure every child can reach their full potential has led to many other strategic partnerships and collaborations as well. This includes a joint venture with Children’s Specialized ABA to address a gap in autism services across New Jersey and beyond, a partnership with FeedUp™ Feeding Solution which is a first-of-its-kind device designed to give people of all ages the freedom to move, live, and feed with independence, and a collaboration with Union County Educational Services Commission (UCESC) to support workforce training for individuals with special health care needs. For the past several years, CSH has hosted UCESC trainees in various departments throughout the hospital including operations, facilities, dietary, security, health information management and the foundation.
Dr. McDonald was also instrumental in creating the RWJBarnabas Health pediatric strategic plan aimed at the alignment of five pediatric hospitals and enhancing access for 600,000 children across the entire market area.
Along with Dr. McDonald, the organization honored exceptional leaders and physicians from institutions around the state.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 45,000 employees, contributing more than $7 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit rwjbh.org
Contact:
Carrie Cristello
Carrie.Cristello@rwjbh.org