T H E S TAT E | PI NHSI ILDAENRT H R O P Y Executive director Kathy McCracken channels her personal experience into caring for Oklahoma’s chronically ill children. Photo courtesy CHF
Close to the Heart
Kathy McCracken, executive director for the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital Foundation, advocates for the state’s most vulnerable.
K
kids are seeing respected, talented and athy McCracken knows what it’s dedicated doctors every day.” like to have a chronically ill child and all the stress and work that CHF supports more than 20 sections of comes with finding care. pediatric medicine and research and, in That personal connection to specialty 2021, funded $3.1 million to ensure that docpediatric healthcare, coupled with experi- tors stay on track with their critical work. ence working in community engagement As executive director, McCracken and fundraising, are invaluable to her role spends a lot of her time team building as executive director for the Oklahoma and brainstorming with her staff. She also Children’s Hospital Foundation (CHF). works with volunteer groups to increase visibility in the community and create “There is nothing in life as comforting new ways to reach donors to as a research physician who raise funds and meet goals. recognizes the symptoms “Most of my day is filled your child is experiencwith meetings and phone ing when other physicians calls connecting with people haven’t,” she says. “I know who are interested in helphow these parents with ing us achieve our goals to chronically ill children feel Kathy McCracken grew up help sick and injured kids,” – I want to connect with in Lawton, Oklahoma. She she adds. them and tell them they went on to earn a degree in McCracken often starts are in good hands with our Mass Communications from checking emails at 5:30 a.m. partners. I want to support Oklahoma City University. to “see what’s on tap for the them and those kids during Before joining the foundaday” and ends it writing their journey.” tion, McCracken gained personal notes and thank The foundation focuses experience in community you letters to donors. on raising funds to enhance engagement, fundraising, “We are so grateful for all research, educating future human resources, public our donors, big and small, pediatricians and caring for relations, advertising and for their financial gifts and Oklahoma’s kids. According accounting. their time,” she says. to McCracken, most funds In 1998, after 15 years in Mentors eventually secured flow directly to the development at a local helped McCracken target research physicians working university, McCracken was her talent, creativity and in the labs across from the recruited to the Children’s passion into working in a CHF offices. Hospital Foundation to field that involved making a “Ultimately, our goal is serve as its executive difference. to keep Oklahoma’s sickest director. “Working in philanthropy and medically neediest kids “When I was hired, I hit has led me to what I conhere in Oklahoma, near the ground running…so my sider the epitome of success: their families, friends and ‘can-do’ spirit jumped into doing what you absolutely communities of support,” high gear, and I haven’t love and getting paid to do says McCracken. “We are looked back in 23 years,” it,” she says. meeting that goal and have she says. ALAINA STEVENS been for almost 40 years –
ABOUT MCCRACKEN
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OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | MAY 2022
