Golisano Children's at UK Leadership

Growing up in Leslie County as the son of a coal miner, Dr. Day came to know the unique challenges Kentucky faces. He attended the University of Kentucky for both undergraduate studies and medical school. He completed his residency and critical care fellowship outside of Kentucky and practiced medicine around the country before returning to the Bluegrass in 2011.

As physician-in-chief, Dr. Day has overseen a reorganization of hospital administration to better support physicians and recruited more than 80 faculty members. Under his leadership, Golisano Children’s at UK has become the preeminent center in the region for pediatric care.

Dr. Day’s leadership goes beyond hospital walls. Motivated by his wife and four children, his faith and a desire to leave the world better than he found it, he has championed programs that extend care across Kentucky and into global communities through the organization Worldwide Hearts and Hands in Kenya.

 

With over 19 years of experience in higher education and philanthropic leadership – five of those in healthcare strategy – Jenni Decker is a seasoned fundraising executive known for strategic vision, donor relationship building and organizational impact. Serving as assistant vice president for Golisano Children’s at UK Alliance Development and executive director of philanthropy for the UK College of Medicine, she leads a team of professionals across major gifts, annual giving, graduate medical education (GME) engagement and college philanthropy initiatives. She has played a pivotal role in elevating philanthropic giving to Golisano Children’s at UK.

She holds a master's in strategic management and organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University and a bachelor’s in economics, math and professional management from Albion College. In addition to her professional roles, she actively serves on the Lexington Public Library Foundation Board and the Make-A-Wish Speakers Bureau.  She also supports initiatives in her hometown to preserve small organizations in rural communities.

 

Dr. Ragsdale is a professor of pediatrics and serves as chief medical officer of Golisano Children’s at UK and Maternal Services, where she provides executive leadership for clinical quality, patient safety and operations. Grounded in the principles of patient safety and family centered care, Dr. Ragsdale brings the values of pediatric palliative medicine to the boardroom – emphasizing compassionate communication, shared decision making, and systems designed around children and families.

As CMO, she leads hospital wide safety and quality initiatives and partners closely with frontline clinicians, patients and families to ensure reliable, high quality care. Her leadership is distinguished by a deep commitment to psychological safety, interprofessional engagement, and aligning operational excellence with human centered care.

A nationally recognized leader in pediatric palliative care, Dr. Ragsdale has spent a decade and a half advancing the field through program development, scholarship, education and professional leadership. She is division chief of pediatric palliative care at the University of Kentucky and has held multiple elected national leadership roles within the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, including service on the board of directors.

Her work has shaped national curricula, quality improvement collaboratives, and best practices in serious illness communication, symptom management and safety culture. Through extensive national speaking, peer reviewed publications, and mentorship of emerging leaders, Dr. Ragsdale is widely known for bridging bedside expertise with executive leadership – advancing care models that honor dignity, safety and the lived experience of patients and families.

 

Kathy Isaacs is the chief nursing officer at Golisano Children’s at UK, where she provides executive leadership for nursing practice, patient care delivery and clinical quality across the organization. In this role, she partners closely with senior leaders and interdisciplinary teams to advance strategic priorities, strengthen workforce engagement and ensure high standards of safe, patient-centered care.

A respected healthcare executive, Isaacs is recognized for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to nursing excellence. She focuses on aligning evidence-based practice with operational performance, developing nurse leaders, and fostering a culture of accountability, compassion and continuous improvement in support of the organization’s academic and clinical missions.

 

Sarah Heck serves as chief administrative officer for Golisano Children’s at UK. In this role, she provides executive leadership for hospital operations, financial performance, quality and safety, patient experience and key enterprise functions, including maternal services and case management.

Sarah has been with UK HealthCare since 2009 and has held progressive leadership roles across finance, strategy, service line development and hospital operations. Her prior positions include assistant operations executive, director of the Joint Pediatric Heart Care Program and director of enterprise strategy. She was a lead author of UK HealthCare’s 2015–2020 Strategic Plan and has played a central role in advancing pediatric and women’s services, care progression and complex discharge operations across the enterprise.

Sarah earned both her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and her MBA from the University of Kentucky. She is actively engaged in the community, serving on the board of directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass and the March of Dimes Kentucky Market Board.

 

Matthew Horn is the director of pediatric ambulatory clinical operations at UK HealthCare. He has worked at UK HealthCare since 2005 and in pediatrics since 2010. Mr. Horn has a master’s degree in human services with an emphasis in community agencies. He has a bachelor’s degree in Spanish.

Mr. Horn was born and raised in Kentucky and is proud to be from the Commonwealth. He is passionate about providing quality care to Kentucky’s children and their families.

 

Dr. Sylvia Y. Ofei completed her undergraduate education at The Ohio State University in Columbus before earning her medical degree from Wright State University. She then returned to Columbus to complete her residency in general pediatrics at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where she also completed a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology. In addition to her clinical training, Dr. Ofei earned a Master of Public Health with a focus on health services management and policy. Her interests in healthcare finance and system operations further led her to pursue a healthcare-focused MBA.

In August 2016, Dr. Ofei joined the University of Kentucky as an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition. Her clinical work encompasses a broad range of gastrointestinal disorders, with a particular focus on inflammatory bowel disease.

Dr. Ofei has held key leadership roles within the organization. She serves as the ambulatory medical director of the Pediatric Specialty Clinic, the largest structural clinic within Golisano Children’s ambulatory enterprise, a role she assumed in 2022. She currently serves as the inaugural assistant chief medical officer of ambulatory pediatrics at Golisano Children’s and UK HealthCare. In this capacity, she provides executive oversight of ambulatory pediatric services in a highly matrixed environment, partnering with operational, physician and administrative leaders to improve performance, align strategic priorities and advance system-wide goals. Dr. Ofei is committed to strengthening organizational performance, supporting growth, mentoring emerging leaders, and advancing a shared vision for high-quality pediatric care across the health system.