Spotlight of the Week: Dr. Jonathan Thackeray – A Champion for Child Safety and Health Advocacy
In this week’s spotlight, we recognize Dr. Jonathan Thackeray, a highly esteemed advocate for child safety and health with an unwavering commitment to innovative child protection. As Chief Medical Community Health Officer at Dayton Children’s Hospital, Dr. Thackeray also serves as the Vice-Chair of Pediatrics at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. With extensive expertise in child abuse pediatrics, Dr. Thackeray leads initiatives that bring lasting, preventive change to children’s lives and families facing vulnerability.
Dr. Thackeray’s professional journey is grounded in rigorous training and specialized knowledge. He attended the Medical College of Ohio in Toledo for medical school, completed an internship and a residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at Indiana University, and pursued a fellowship in Child Abuse Pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. His dual board certifications in Child Abuse Pediatrics and General Pediatrics enable him to address complex cases with compassion and skill, making him a trusted authority in child welfare.
His career has been marked by recognition from esteemed organizations, such as the William H. Cotton Pediatrician Advocate Award from the Ohio American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in 2013 and the Columbus Business First Forty Under 40 Award in 2014. Dr. Thackeray chairs the Subboard on Child Abuse Pediatrics at the American Board of Pediatrics and is an active member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Ray E. Helfer Society, and the Academic Pediatric Association. These affiliations allow him to lead, mentor, and innovate within the field.
One of Dr. Thackeray’s primary motivations for choosing this specialty is his belief in prevention, particularly for children experiencing abuse or in foster care. “So much of what I see clinically is preventable,” he explains. “We have a unique opportunity to care for children and families in new and innovative ways that affect determinants of health and prevent them from ever having to walk through our doors.” His drive to change the landscape of pediatric care fuels his focus on community health initiatives that proactively address risk factors.
Beyond his clinical work, Dr. Thackeray is a family man, married with three young boys. He spends his free time cheering them on at hockey rinks, enjoys biking, reading, cooking, and rooting passionately for the Cincinnati Bengals. His dedication to children’s health and advocacy is both professional and personal, embodying his belief that all children deserve a safe, healthy future.
This week, we honor Dr. Jonathan Thackeray for his leadership, compassion, and dedication to preventive child health and community well-being. His work has transformed countless lives and exemplifies the positive impact that dedicated professionals can bring to society.
