Rosario Ocampo serves as Director of Research and Director of Operations for Pediatric Neurosciences at CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital, the only standalone children’s hospital in South Texas. With over 20 years of experience in clinical research and nursing, Rosario leads clinical and community-based research initiatives focused on improving pediatric health outcomes, particularly among underserved populations in the region.

She operationalizes research projects across all pediatric specialties—from inpatient units such as the NICU and PICU to ambulatory services in genetics, neurology, hematology/oncology, endocrinology, and more. Her leadership supports a research portfolio of over 214 IRB-approved studies, including NIH R01 and CPRIT grants, and AHRQ. Rosario oversees planning, data analysis, and provider engagement, ensuring that research efforts translate into meaningful improvements in clinical practice.

Her responsibilities include direct leadership of the clinical research team, development of departmental policies and workflows, grant support, regulatory compliance, budget development, and institutional feasibility assessments. Rosario is certified by the Society of Clinical Research Associates and has experience with NIH Assist and ClinicalTrials.gov reporting.

She co-chairs the CHRISTUS Children’s Research Steering Committee, Annual Research Symposium, and the Longitudinal Research Education Curriculum—a 12-month integrative teaching series on research methodology and practice.

Rosario holds a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

Email Rosario