El Paso's very own Dr. Cindy Stout, president and CEO of El Paso Children's Hospital, embodies the power of local upbringing fused with determined ambition. A graduate of Andress High School's Class of 1985, Stout's roots in the community run deep. Reflecting on her ascension that began when cleaning houses at the tender age of 12, she told El Paso ISD, "But anybody has the ability, if they listen and work hard, to become whatever they want to be."
Against the grain of her not-so-affluent beginnings, Dr. Stout embarked on a career path that led her to become the first nurse to launch a hospital-based radiation oncology center in her region right after turning the pages of her chapter at Baylor University and completing her degree at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. Her journey didn't just halt at her master's degree from The University of Texas at El Paso; it catapulted her towards a doctorate in Nursing Executive Practice from Duke University.
The arsenal of knowledge and experience Stout accumulated during her two decades at Del Sol Medical Center came just in time for a significant leadership role. After her tenure at University Medical Center, she stepped into the CEO spot at El Paso Children’s Hospital, which had seen a revolving door of six CEOs over five years before her. With Stout at the helm, the hospital has seen a transformation in the past seven years into a beacon for family health care.
Stout expresses her belief in the power of education as a defining factor in cultivating future leaders. As she reflected on her journey and the lessons from El Paso ISD, she remarked, "Team sports and fine arts teach you how to collaborate and work with others. Those lessons are just as important as what you learn in the classroom." Today, Stout is adamant about the importance of education, particularly in preparing the youth to be future custodians of the community.
