Teri Wahlig, MD, MBA, serves as president and CEO of ChildServe, Iowa’s only children’s specialty hospital. Her leadership has been transformative — both for the organization and for the care provided to some of Iowa’s most medically complex pediatric patients. A neonatologist by training, Wahlig is known for the rare balance of vision, innovation, and clinical insight she brings to her role as a physician-leader. 

Wahlig credits “rocket ship ideas” as the inspiration behind the organization’s growth.  

“What motivates us at ChildServe is believing in the spirit of a child,” she says. “It’s that spirit of curiosity, determination, resilience, and hope that allows a child to see a cardboard box as a rocket ship.” 

ChildServe provides services for children with developmental delays, disabilities, injuries, and other complex health needs. The organization operates five locations statewide, with a sixth set to open in early 2027. 

Under Wahlig’s leadership, the organization has launched several “rocket ship” ideas. Over 15 years, she has helped ChildServe achieve licensure as a pediatric specialty hospital, led two $10 million capital campaigns, expanded the state’s only pediatric rehabilitation unit, and strengthened behavioral health services and long-term care for children and young adults. 

The organization has more than doubled its revenue and now serves nearly 6,000 children and families annually across 83 counties. 

“That’s a lot of what we do at ChildServe. We tap into innovation, curiosity, and determination to accomplish things that once seemed impossible,” Wahlig says. 

After earning her medical degree from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Wahlig completed her pediatric residency at Northwestern University and a fellowship in neonatology at the University of Minnesota. She went on to serve as a neonatologist at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, including nine years as medical director of the neonatal intensive care unit.  

She joined ChildServe’s board of directors before becoming medical director in 2011. She earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business in 2015, was named ChildServe’s chief executive officer in 2018, and assumed the additional role of president in 2025. 

Her foundational training as a neonatologist continues to shape her leadership. 

“Children born prematurely or with critical illnesses often face ongoing developmental challenges, and that’s where ChildServe steps in,” Wahlig says. “I see it as a continuation of my medicine career — expanding my impact from individual patients and families to health care organizations and, ultimately, the broader system.” 

She values collaboration across Iowa’s health care community.  

"We have outstanding acute-care hospitals, including University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital leading the way with a depth of specialties. But as a rural state, we face real workforce challenges," Wahlig says. "There is an opportunity to design a pediatric health care ecosystem that elevates Iowa nationally. That would be a real rocket ship idea."