Chief Hospital Support and Community Engagement Officer
“We break every stereotype one might expect of a safety net hospital in Englewood. Once you enter our doors, meet the people and experience the personal touch we deliver here, you understand why we are essential, why our culture makes the difference – and why we believe we will thrive for decades to come.”
Creating vital connections between the Hospital and a host of various constituencies, Diahann Sinclair has been an internal and external ambassador for St. Bernard since 2012. As Vice President of Organizational Support and External Affairs, her work ranges from day-to-day Human Resource functions and the operations of all employees and executive staff; stakeholder engagement among key outside audiences, including patients and customers, neighborhood groups, and legislators; management of the real estate portfolio; oversight of philanthropy; and responsibility for a variety of initiatives.
Sinclair’s imprint can be found on some of the organization’s most successful projects. She managed many aspects of the construction and operations of the gleaming new Ambulatory Care Center, incorporating significant feedback and involvement from staff and community stakeholders, which influenced space design, ambiance and amenities and resulted in an overall increase in outpatient volume since the opening in 2016.
Keenly focused on preserving and building on the family-like culture St. Bernard is known for, Sinclair has championed major service training initiatives and retooled front-line staff behaviors to improve interactions with customers and between employees. The Hospital’s creation of a Patient Family Advisory Council for Quality and Safety has become one of the national models for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Sinclair joined St. Bernard in 2012. Her prior work as Vice President of Operations for Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and Vice President/Programs Coordinator for Park Bank Initiatives focused on implementation of new systems for this start-up, including information technology, human resources, accounting and marketing functions. At its predecessor, Park Bank Initiatives, her work centered on planning and implementation of numerous housing developments around Englewood and other south side communities. A Commercial Loan Officer for Pullman Bank and Trust from 2001-2003, she managed a $354 million loan portfolio and ensured loan regulatory compliance.
Sinclair has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Bachelor of Science from the University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. She is a board member of numerous community organizations, including Teamwork Englewood and Greenwood Archer Capital. Catholic Charities honored her with the Anthony DeSantis Award in recognition of service to the hungry. In addition, Sinclair received the Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago Neighborhood Hero Award for her work to improve the quality of available housing in the Roseland/Pullman community. She was named a Crain’s Chicago Business 2022 Notable Black Leader and Executive.