Introducing Jane Portman, new Chair of the Board of Trustees
Jane Portman began her term of office as chair of the Cincinnati Children’s Board of Trustees at the board’s October 17 meeting.
Portman joined the board in 2004. Her service to Cincinnati Children’s includes being a member or chair of all committees of the board. She also has been a member of the Family Advisory Council, the Children’s Hospital Foundation board, and the capital campaign cabinet. For the last year, Portman has been the board’s vice chair, a new position created as an “on-ramp” to smooth the leadership transition as outgoing chair Tom Cody neared the end of his tenure.
“I consider it an honor and privilege and a great responsibility to be part of the Cincinnati Children’s team,” Portman says. “I tell people that Cincinnati Children’s is a place of heart, smarts, and dedication. It’s a place where the best and brightest — and some of the nicest people — come together to improve child health. I have enormous pride in the organization.”
Portman credits Cody with energizing the board and partnering effectively with management. “I need to say a big thank you to Tom for his leadership. I so appreciate his help shepherding me into this role.” Now she is excited to work with active, engaged trustees who are knowledgeable ambassadors and stewards. She looks forward to supporting Michael Fisher and his team, and all employees, in pursuing the medical center’s vision and mission.
“I know it’s not easy being one of the best,” she says. “We’re not perfect. We sometimes make mistakes. But we’re always working together to be the best at getting better.”
Portman’s priorities for the board include maintaining the focus on quality and safety, nurturing the patient/family and employee experience, and continuing to build relationships with our neighbors in the surrounding community, across the region and beyond.
Portman is a 1982 graduate of Vanderbilt University and attended graduate business school at George Washington University and Xavier University. She served as director of communications for the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and for 12 years worked part-time at the Eureka Ranch, a marketing and idea-invention firm.
She has a long record of community service. She was a volunteer tutor in elementary programs in Cincinnati Public Schools for seven years, including mentoring two Vietnamese students at the Academy of World Languages. She was a driver for Meals on Wheels for 12 years. She has served on the boards of Beech Acres, Cincinnati Nature Center, Cincinnati Arts Festival, and on the advisory board for Tender Mercies. She volunteered with the group that brought the first “Race for the Cure” breast cancer awareness event to Cincinnati in 1997, and is a member of the Congressional Families for Cancer Awareness.
In 2014, Portman was one of the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Women of the Year and also was named Tutor of the Year by the English Language Learning Foundation.
