A Leadership Gift for the Future of Care

When investor and venture capital leader Shahan Soghikian learned that his 5-year-old son had leukemia, his family entered a world they had never known. Nights in the hospital, long stretches of uncertainty, and the rhythm of care became part of daily life.

What stands out to him now is not only the clinical care his son received but also the people who made it possible — the nurses, child life specialists, and staff who supported the entire family. Decades later, he can still recall their names. That experience stayed with him and shaped a lasting desire to give back.

Years later, after returning to the Bay Area, Shahan found his way to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals — this time not just as a parent but also as a community member committed to supporting children and families facing similar challenges. He joined the Board of Directors in 2013 and has served as Board Chair since 2017. Over more than a decade, he has remained a steadfast leader, drawn by the people who power the mission and by the work of sustaining and growing a pediatric health system that can serve Bay Area families for generations.

As plans for our new hospital building in Oakland took shape, Shahan and his family considered how they could make a deeper investment. Their decision to make an exceptional leadership gift reflects both a long-standing commitment to children’s health and a belief in what this new hospital will make possible. In recognition of that gift and his leadership, the Songbird Garden — rendered here — will be named in honor of the Soghikian family.

For Shahan, the garden itself is deeply meaningful. During his son’s treatment, Shahan remembers stepping outside to a nearby park. Those moments offered space to breathe, to be together as a family, and to feel, briefly, like life had returned to normal. He sees that same possibility reflected in the gardens — spaces designed to help families find comfort and calm within care — and in what this new hospital will make possible for families in the years ahead.

"This is about building something that will serve this community for decades," he says. "We are so proud to be part of this next chapter and what this hospital will make possible for children and families across the region."

Shahan has brought a rare combination of clarity, steadiness, and strategic insight to this organization for well over a decade. He leads with both discipline and warmth, and that has shaped who we are today. That kind of leadership matters, and this gift to the new hospital building is a powerful reflection of it.