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Early in Dr. Rolando Figueroa Roberto’s career, he learned that there is joy to be found in the world of healthcare.
He worked at Camp Goodtimes, a summer program for children with cancer, and an Easterseals camp, where he worked with children who had muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy. As a biology student at UC Irvine, he volunteered at the university hospital, where he copped to some “unsanctioned” wheelchair races.
“I just thought, ‘What a great vocation — to take care of other humans,’” Roberto said.
Just before starting medical school, Roberto visited his uncle, a neonatologist who ran the largest neonatal intensive care unit in Guatemala.
“He was a kind man, with a good heart, who wanted to give back to his country,” Roberto said. “It just seemed like a great career — to devote your life to the care of others.”
Nowadays, Roberto is “Dr. Ro,” to his patients, and chief of pediatric spine at Shriners Children’s Northern California. The hospital treats about 175 major pediatric spine cases per year, sparing patients from pain, and in some advanced cases, degraded lung function.
Changemaker Dr. Rolando Roberto, chief of staff of orthopedics, medical director of the pediatric spine program and an orthopedic spine surgeon at Shriners Children’s Northern California, poses for a portrait on Friday, July 10, 2026, in Sacramento PAUL KITAGAKI JR. pkitagaki@sacbee.com
Roberto’s patients have gone on to become cheerleaders, dancers and skaters. One just finished training to become a firefighter. For Roberto — himself a skier, swimmer, runner and backpacker — it’s a rewarding proposition.
On a recent afternoon, a hand-drawn thank-you card was taped to the whiteboard in Roberto’s office, from a foothills patient with severe scoliosis. A Spiderman sticker covered most of the doctor’s badge, affixed there by a patient. As he circulated through the hospital, Roberto greeted one of his patients, and asked: “Are you having fun today?”
“It’s a lot of fun, making rounds here,” Roberto said. “They can play. They can go to school. It’s actually enjoyable for most. It sounds rotten, but kids are pretty resilient. And they seem to have a ball. There’s a lot of joy in taking care of kids, and particularly helping them through a very stressful period of time in their life.”
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Annika Merrilees is a business reporter for The Sacramento Bee. She previously spent five years covering business and healthcare for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.