Pedro Cons

Rising to a CEO level can be a balancing act between professional life and home life, said Pedro Cons, who is the chief executive officer of Adelante Healthcare, a leading healthcare organization in Phoenix.

“There is a lot that leaders sacrifice in moving up the ladder, initially it was my family time in the beginning of my career,” Cons said. “I very quickly realized that you do not get that time back, so having a work/life balance has become a major component of my leadership philosophy.”

Adelante Healthcare, which began over 40 years ago as Clínica Adelante serving migrant workers, has grown to nine locations in Maricopa County. With Cons at the helm, the organization provides comprehensive healthcare services, including adult and family medicine, pediatrics, women's health, nutrition services, dental and behavioral health, with a commitment to serving diverse patient populations.

Cons was recognized as a Virginia Piper Fellow, awarded by the Virginia Piper Foundation, in 2022. Inspired by past fellows, Cons said he aims to leverage this opportunity to drive organizational change within Adelante Healthcare and share his learnings with his professional network. He plans to consult with other top-ranked Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) across the country to develop strategic plans for effective communication, staffing, diversity, employee development, training and performance management.

Cons said successful leadership involves a number of traits, including mindfulness and coaching acumen.

“There are many attributes I believe that a leader needs in order to be successful,” Cons said. “A leader needs to be mindful and deliberate so that they can create and innovate. A leader needs to balance managerial effectiveness and leadership in providing organizational direction and creating focus on key priorities, promoting innovation and strategic thinking, leading change, decision making, building community and communicating with impact. They also need to develop their coaching abilities to assess interpersonal skills, goal setting, performance management and developing leadership skills in others.”
In addition to his role at Adelante Healthcare, Cons actively participates in the Phoenix Titan 100 as a board member. This engagement allows him to contribute to improving engagement and enhancing the experience for current and future Phoenix Titan 100 colleagues. Cons, who is named to the Phoenix Titan 100 list for the second time, also values the opportunity to connect with fellow CEOs and organizational leaders, sharing experiences and insights that contribute to personal and professional growth. Cons is also a volunteer at Project Cure.