Since 2010, Sabrina-Lynn McDow, LMSW, has been the chief executive officer of the Children’s Health Center of Columbus, Inc., a full-service emergency and preventive medicine clinic providing children and families in the Columbus area with compassionate and cutting-edge care since 1984. Established by Ms. McDow’s father, the Children’s Health Center of Columbus grew from a simple pediatric clinic to include an in-house laboratory and radiology department, allergy and ADHD diagnostics, and an urgent care department capable of treating injuries and routine outpatient procedures. For more than 35 years, the Children’s Health Center of Columbus has been a cornerstone of the community, providing parents and families with a range of health care options and support for managing long-term childhood conditions without excessive specialist care referrals.
Growing up exposed to her father’s work left Ms. McDow with a strong sense of the impact that access to reliable and high-quality medical care can have on individual patients and the community as a whole. A strong communicator with a natural sense of empathy for others, she found herself drawn to a career in social work and youth services. She began her career in 1999 as an assistant girls’ dean at Jefferson Adventist Academy, which further reinforced her dedication to the value of strong and supportive leadership. Ms. McDow completed a Bachelor of Science in social work at Andrews University in 2002, and continued her education at the University of Alabama, where she was awarded a Master of Science in 2004. Ms. McDow holds a licensed master social worker credential, and is committed to ongoing professional development as a part of her commitment to her staff and the patients at the Children’s Health Center of Columbus.
While studying, Ms. McDow began helping her father run his clinic, taking on a variety of administrative and management roles. After completing her postgraduate education, her parents asked her to join the Children’s Health Center of Columbus full-time, and in 2005, she became the practice’s human resources manager. for the next five years, she helped to establish and develop a formal human resources department to better serve the growing practice, eventually hiring a separate human resources coordinator in anticipation of the office’s continued growth. Since its creation, the Children’s Health Center of Columbus was always a family business at heart, and during this time, Ms. McDow’s brother had served as the company chief executive officer. When he stepped down as chief executive officer in 2010 in order to relocate, Ms. McDow moved into the role, which she continues to hold.
Building on her background in social work and human resources, Ms. McDow brings a team-focused and growth-oriented ethos to her work as chief executive officer of the practice. She continues to manage finances, communications, and other administrative tasks while coordinating with practitioners and the current human resources director to ensure that the company continues to move forward and upward. Ms. McDow considers future planning and staff development to be among her greatest strengths as a leader, and takes pride in finding the untapped potential in others. She credits her success to the strong personal and professional support networks that have guided her along her path, noting that even her teachers and colleagues have been instrumental in her growth.
Looking forward, Ms. McDow hopes to position the Children’s Health Center of Columbus to offer family medicine services and transition from solely a pediatric provider to a familiar clinic where older patients can continue to seek care. She is a former regional representative for the National Association of Social Workers, a professional member of the Society of Human Resources Management and the Medical Group Management Association, and is affiliated with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Mississippi Medical Association. In recognition of her work on behalf of both her clinic and the community of Columbus, Ms. McDow has previously been named a Marquis Who’s Who Woman of Influence. In her personal time, she is an active volunteer with the Humane Society, and enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters.
