Nicklaus Children’s Announces New Regional Structure to Meet Growing Healthcare Complexities of South Florida Children

Published on: 12/19/2025

Katz, Urquia, Aftab Named to Regional Senior Leadership Roles

In response to the evolving healthcare needs of families across South Florida, Nicklaus Children's announced a new regional operating structure. The new model is designed to enhance and expand care for families across South Florida and to address increased need for complex care closer to home for thousands of children.

Nicklaus Children's is realigning the health system into a regional structure divided into three markets: South Market, which includes the Miami campus near Coral Gables and outpatient facilities throughout the county; North Market, which includes the inpatient services at Broward Health as well as Nicklaus Children's outpatient facilities throughout Broward County; and Developing Markets, which includes Collier and Palm Beach counties - providing care from coast to coast across South Florida.

As part of this strategic shift, Mr. Yair Katz, MHA joined the organization as president of the Broward market, while Ariana Urquia, MBA, FACHE has promoted to president of the Miami-Dade market. Reporting to Marcos Mestre, MD, MBA, SVP and chief clinical officer, both leaders will oversee regional operations and strategy, aligning services and partnerships to enhance access and quality of care for children and families in their respective regions.

"This new regional model strengthens our ability to deliver the right care, at the right time, in the right place," said Dr. Mestre, senior vice president and chief clinical operations officer of Nicklaus Children's Health System. "By empowering local leadership and aligning clinical resources within each market, we can better anticipate community needs, expand services thoughtfully and continue advancing the exceptional pediatric care that families across South Florida rely on."

Katz brings over two decades of healthcare leadership experience to his new role, having most recently served as chief executive of Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach, Calif. His expertise in strategic growth and operational excellence will be instrumental as Nicklaus Children's expands its footprint and services in Broward County. Urquia, a long-standing leader within the organization, most recently served as vice president and chief financial officer of Nicklaus Children's Hospital. With nearly two decades of experience in healthcare finance, operations and strategy, Urquia will lead initiatives to support innovation, deepen community engagement and enhance access to subspecialty care across the Miami-Dade market, home to Nicklaus Children's flagship hospital and numerous outpatient centers.

Saima Aftab, MD, MBA, FACHE, FAAP, a practicing neonatologist, has served as the organization's Chief Strategy Officer. She joined Nicklaus Children's eight years ago. Reporting directly to Nicklaus Children's Health System President and CEO Matthew A. Love, Dr. Aftab will continue in her role as SVP and chief strategy officer while also overseeing the health system's efforts to increase services for families in emerging markets including Palm Beach and Collier counties. In her expanded role as President of Network Services, she and Mr. Love will work closely to identify and build lasting affiliations and partnerships with healthcare providers across South Florida.

"Our regional structure model will allow us to be more nimble and responsive to the evolving needs of the communities we serve," said Love. "Through this new structure, we are ensuring that our mission to inspire hope and promote lifelong health is supported by local insights, strong partnerships and the highest standards of pediatric care."

This regional structure is part of Nicklaus Children's broader commitment to bringing world-class pediatric care closer to home for all South Florida families-wherever they live and whenever they need it.

For more information about Nicklaus Children's and its services, visit www.nicklauschildrens.org