Nemours Taps Veteran Leader Laura Kowal for Delaware Valley Presidency

WILMINGTON, Del. – March 24, 2026 – Nemours Children's Health has appointed Laura Kowal, a seasoned executive with a uniquely diverse background, as the new President of its Delaware Valley operations. The announcement solidifies leadership at a pivotal moment for the pediatric health system, which is embarking on a historic regional expansion and pioneering new models of care.

Kowal, who holds degrees in both physical therapy and law, has been a leader within Nemours for over a decade. She has served as the interim Delaware Valley President since July 2025 and previously held the role of Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. Her appointment signals a strategic move to leverage her multifaceted expertise to guide the institution through a period of significant growth and transformation.

"Laura offers a distinctive combination of clinical experience, business acumen, and legal expertise that will have a tangible impact on pediatric health care in the Delaware Valley and beyond," said Mark Mumford, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for Nemours. "Drawing on her significant leadership experience with Nemours and deep understanding of the region, Laura will drive growth and best-in-class care for generations of children."

From the Clinic to the C-Suite: A Nontraditional Path

Kowal’s journey to the presidency is anything but conventional. Before entering the legal and corporate worlds, she spent 12 years on the front lines of patient care as a physical therapist and certified wound care specialist in hospital settings. This hands-on clinical experience provides her with a ground-level perspective on patient needs and healthcare delivery that is rare in executive leadership.

She later transitioned to law, earning a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law with a certification in health law. Prior to joining Nemours in 2014, Kowal was a health law attorney at the national firm Ballard Spahr LLP, where she handled complex corporate transactions, mergers, and regulatory matters for healthcare clients. This combination of bedside experience and boardroom-level legal strategy has defined her career at Nemours, where she has been responsible for all legal matters and advised on corporate governance.

Her unique career trajectory, from treating patients directly to shaping the policies and strategies of a major health system, positions her to lead an organization that is increasingly focused on integrating all aspects of a child's well-being.

Driving a $130 Million Regional Transformation

Kowal takes the helm as Nemours Children's Health launches its largest-ever one-year capital investment in Delaware, a $130 million commitment aimed at dramatically expanding high-acuity services. This ambitious plan is set to reshape the landscape of pediatric and maternal care in the region.

A cornerstone of the investment is the creation of a groundbreaking Maternal and Fetal Health Program, which will include new labor and delivery suites and operating rooms. This initiative is designed to provide advanced care within Delaware, reducing the need for families to travel out of state for complex procedures.

Further investments will fortify the system's nationally recognized programs. The plan includes adding 14 new inpatient rooms to the state's only Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), expanding its capacity to 45 beds. Additionally, 2025 will see the opening of the 24,000-square-foot Lisa Dean Moseley Foundation Institute for Cancer and Blood Disorders, a state-of-the-art facility designed to advance treatment and clinical trial participation for children with cancer and sickle cell disease. The historic Alfred I. duPont Institute building is also undergoing a major revitalization, preserving its architectural legacy while modernizing it for future use.

A Landmark Shift to 'Pay-for-Health'

Beyond physical expansion, Kowal will oversee a fundamental shift in how Nemours is paid for its services, a move that could set a national precedent. In January 2025, Nemours and the State of Delaware launched a first-of-its-kind pediatric global revenue budget model for the 120,000 children covered by Delaware's Medicaid program.

This innovative payment structure moves away from the traditional fee-for-service model, which incentivizes the volume of procedures, to a model that rewards keeping children healthy. The global budget encourages Nemours to invest in its "Whole Child Health" model, which addresses non-medical factors that impact health, such as food insecurity, housing, and behavioral health integration. The partnership has been lauded by state officials, including Governor John Carney, as a "transformational new effort" to make Delaware's children the healthiest in the nation.

This strategic alignment of financial incentives with health outcomes places Nemours—and Kowal's leadership—at the forefront of the national movement toward value-based care, aiming to improve long-term health and reduce unnecessary medical costs.

Navigating a Complex Healthcare Landscape

Kowal's leadership will also be tested by the challenges of a competitive and often contentious healthcare environment. While Nemours is the largest pediatric provider in Delaware, it operates in the shadow of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a national powerhouse in the broader Delaware Valley region, creating a competitive dynamic for attracting patients and talent for specialized services.

Internally, Kowal will inherit the responsibility of navigating sensitive policy decisions. In June 2025, Nemours drew criticism from Delaware's Attorney General after the health system decided to stop accepting new patients for hormone and puberty blocker therapies for transgender youth, citing evolving federal guidance. The decision highlighted the complex intersection of medicine, politics, and public advocacy that modern healthcare leaders must manage.

In her new role, Kowal expressed a commitment to the institution's foundational mission. "Nemours Children's carries 90 years of distinguished history in Delaware, built on a foundation of excellence and strengthened by our commitment to the health of children beyond our walls," she stated. "I am honored to build on our legacy and continue advancing our nationally recognized care, elevating our academic preeminence, and driving optimal outcomes for children and their futures." Her ability to leverage her deep institutional knowledge and diverse skill set will be critical as she guides Nemours through this period of unprecedented opportunity and complexity.