New Chief of Staff at Shriners Children’s Southern California

Shriners Children’s Southern California is pleased to announce that Ozgur Dede, M.D., is the new chief of staff effective January 2, 2026.

Dr. Dede served as associate medical director of Shriners Children’s Erie from 2016 to 2021 and has been chief of staff there since 2023.

“I am looking forward to continuing my tenure with Shriners Children’s and to serving our children and their families in Southern California,” Dr. Dede said. Chief Medical Officer Fran Farley, M.D., said she is delighted to have Dr. Dede as the chief of staff in Pasadena. “Dr. Dede is a seasoned leader who has already shown a long commitment to the Shriners Children’s mission. I’m confident our patients and staff at Shriners Children's Southern California will continue to thrive and grow under Dr. Dede’s leadership.”

Dr. Dede earned his medical degree in 2001 at Hacettepe University School of Medicine in Ankara, Turkey. After completing his orthopedic surgery residency at the same institution, he pursued fellowship training in the United States. Dr. Dede completed fellowships in spine surgery at the University of California, San Francisco; pediatric orthopedic surgery at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC; pediatric orthopedic surgery at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware; and adult and pediatric spine surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Following his professional training, Dr. Dede joined UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in 2014. He was promoted to associate professor in 2019 and has served as the division chief of pediatric orthopedic surgery since 2024.

Dr. Dede's orthopedic specialties include general pediatric orthopedics, neuromuscular disease, spine deformity, and foot and hip deformity in newborns and children. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America and Scoliosis Research Society.

With a strong commitment to research and education, Dr. Dede published topics ranging from fractures to spinal deformity and contributed chapters to several books, particularly on the topics of scoliosis and skeletal injury. He has been actively involved in medical school teaching, resident and fellow training, and mentoring. He serves as a reviewer for the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics and as an associate editor and reviewer for Acta Orthopedica Traumatologica Turcica.