Blank Children’s Hospital has appointed Dr. Wendy Woods-Swafford as medical director of Blank Children’s Hospital and Women’s Services. She assumes day-to-day leadership responsibilities today, succeeding Dr. Ken Cheyne, who will become director of the Pediatric Residency Program.

“I am very pleased to announce Wendy Woods-Swafford as the new medical director of our organization,” said Dr. Steve Stephenson, president and chief operating officer at Blank Children’s and Women’s Services. “Dr. Woods-Swafford is a proven leader within our organization who lives our values each and every day. I have great confidence in her ability to take on this new level of leadership for our team.”

Women’s Services includes three maternity centers, midwife services and the perinatal center at Blank Children’s Hospital. 

Woods-Swafford has worked as medical director of the Blank Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center for nine years. She has been with the organization for a total of 13 years, including three years of residency. 

She graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, and completed a fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University. While there, she also earned a Master of Public Health and completed a clinical research project on the epidemiology of pediatric glioma.

Cheyne will be stepping into familiar territory with the pediatric residency program. He has been at Blank Children’s Hospital for 23 years and served as medical director for 10 years. He previously was director of the Pediatric Residency Program from 1999 to 2009. In his new role, he will also spend more time in clinical practice in the Blank Children’s Adolescent Medicine Clinic.