Christian Leon

Christian Leon’s journey to the role of president and chief operating officer of Happy Kids Happy Kids Pediatrics and Feliz Care Centers was built on a simple vision to provide quality care to children and families in underserved communities.

Leon shared that mission with Dr. Jose Carrazco, who founded the company.

“When Dr. Carrazco founded Happy Kids Pediatrics, he had a vision of providing access to high quality, culturally compassionate, whole-person care to children and families in underserved communities in the Phoenix-metro area,” Leon said.

“To achieve Dr. Carrazco’s goal, I developed a unique model that brings healthcare clinics into supermarkets located in low-income Hispanic communities throughout Phoenix. This model allows families to get care in a convenient, accessible and safe environment staffed with bilingual healthcare providers. Within four years of implementing the model, Happy Kids increased the number of Medicaid patients they served from 13,000 to 45,000.

“Today, Happy Kids and Feliz Care Centers combined employ approximately 145 caregivers across 13 locations and serve more than 70,000 patients overall.”

Happy Kids Pediatrics takes a team-based approach, involving pediatricians, parents and patients in delivering the highest quality of care. By fostering collaboration and comprehensive preventative care, Happy Kids ensures the health and well-being of children from infancy through adolescence, the organization said.

Feliz Care Centers shares the same commitment to providing high-level medical care for patients of all ages. The team at Feliz Care Centers works closely with patients to create customized care plans tailored to their unique needs.

Leon’s upbringing and personal experiences have played a significant role in shaping his empathetic approach to leadership. As an immigrant who arrived in the United States as a child, he understands the challenges faced by underserved communities firsthand. Leon’s own journey has fueled his commitment to providing access to quality healthcare for those who need it most, his team said.

Under Leon’s leadership, the company's revenue increased from $4 million to an impressive $23 million within six years, and Leon has ambitious plans for the organization's future. He aims to expand with three additional Happy Kids locations and four more Feliz Care Centers locations in Arizona over the next five years. Leon envisions opening primary care practices in high schools in low-income, underserved Latino communities. These care models will offer access to behavioral health professionals, recognizing the importance of emotional well-being alongside physical health.

“While (being named a) titan would be a great honor — and a first for Christian since he's never won an award before — the real reward is the awareness it will raise to help children and families in need,” Leon’s team said.