Biography

Steven Leonard, M.D., is a cardiac surgeon at Children’s Health℠ treating newborns, infants, children and adults with heart defects that require heart surgery. Dr. Leonard is dedicated to optimizing surgical outcomes and improving the overall experience for his patients and their families. He is especially experienced in treating single-ventricle heart defects, a group of complex congenital heart conditions, such as hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tricuspid atresia and double inlet left ventricle. “I treasure the relationships I develop with patients and their families, and I love working with a great team of talented professionals,” says Dr. Leonard.

As a board-certified surgeon in both general and thoracic surgery, Dr. Leonard is highly qualified to perform complex heart surgeries on young patients. He received his Bachelor of Science in Physical Sciences from Colorado State University and his medical degree from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver. He then completed residencies in general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery, as well as a fellowship in pediatric cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard University. Dr. Leonard holds a certification in congenital heart surgery from the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Dr. Leonard is passionate about his work and helping families in their time of need. “It’s a privilege to be intimately involved with patients and their families in treating cardiac conditions that may be life-changing or life-threatening,” he says. “What we do today will impact countless individuals for generations to come.” 

Dr. Leonard is an invited lecturer and has presented on surgical topics, including cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy during cardiopulmonary bypass, at the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. He’s also presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery on congenital heart disease. 

He is the author of numerous book chapters and journal articles. His research has been published in scientific journals, including the Journal of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery and The New England Journal of Medicine. 

In addition to his medical work, Dr. Leonard is a person of faith who sees his work as a calling and ministry. When he's not performing surgeries, he enjoys spending time with his wife, children, their spouses, and grandchildren and pursuing his hobbies of reading and music. “I feel truly blessed by my patients and their families,” says Dr. Leonard.

Biography