Laura Crooks was named as the first Chief Executive Officer at Yakima Children’s Village in January 2019. Children’s Village provides 35 pediatric specialty healthcare services to children with medical and behavioral health needs and their families throughout the Yakima Valley region of Washington State.

Prior to joining Yakima Children’s Village, Laura spent 25 years at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She started as an Occupational Therapist, with a focus on serving children with complex medical needs and their families. Over the course of her tenure at Children’s, she had oversight for more than 15 departments including palliative care and hospice, child abuse and neglect, spiritual care, and the center for diversity and health equity. In 2017 she was named Senior Director of Experience, leading the Hospital to understand the intersection of the human experience of care between providers, staff, patients and families.

Laura was among the founding members of the International Pediatric Rehabilitation Collaborative, bringing healthcare organizations together to develop best practices that assure children with special needs receive quality care regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status.

On a personal note, Laura and her husband Todd created the Chad’s Legacy Project. This not for profit organization focuses on advancing care for those living with mental illness through professional and non-professional education, eliminating stigma, and research for effective treatment and cures.