Cincinnati Children’s dedicates new promenade in honor of Jane Portman, former board chair

Monday, April 29, 2024

Cincinnati Children's has dedicated a new outdoor space on its Avondale campus in honor of Jane Portman, a former longtime member of the Board of Trustees. Portman was the first woman to serve as Cincinnati Children's board chair. Over nearly 20 years as a trustee, her leadership helped the pediatric health system rise to being ranked No. 1 in the nation.

The Jane Portman Promenade includes a landscaped walkway that links an intimate outdoor amphitheater with an alfresco dining area for the soon-to-open Kaleidoscope Café. The north end of the promenade offers a scenic view of the new William Joel McCray Community Park, which was developed across Erkenbrecher Avenue by Cincinnati Children's in collaboration with Avondale residents.

The new promenade stretches for 100 yards adjacent to the Critical Care Building, which opened in 2021 and serves the most medically complex patients from Greater Cincinnati and around the world. Portman helped oversee construction of the building as board chair from 2017 to 2020.

During a dedication ceremony for the promenade on April 27, Portman said it has been a privilege to help guide Cincinnati Children's and serve as an ambassador for the health system.

"During the two decades I've spent here on the board, we have witnessed extraordinary growth and accomplishments - all in the name of helping children live their best possible lives," Portman said. "Today, Cincinnati Children's continues to grow and thrive and advance as a global leader in improving child health and as a treasured resource for our local community."

Each year, Cincinnati Children's has over 1.6 million patient encounters, and Portman noted that includes local kids as well as children from all 50 states and dozens of countries.

Evaline Alessandrini, MD, chief operating officer of Cincinnati Children's, served as master of ceremonies during the dedication of the Jane Portman Promenade.

"Thank you, Jane, for being a relentless advocate for the world-class care and incredible experience we provide for patients and families," Alessandrini said.

"Jane's authentic, compassionate and visionary leadership is based on a deep understanding and appreciation of the important role our teams play in the care of both our patients and their families," Alessandrini told guests invited to the ceremony. "Her impact continues to endure."

Liza Smitherman, current board chair, said Portman's legacy and impact can be felt throughout the health system's new and improved facilities, but even more so in the experience and outcomes achieved for patients and families.

"I'm thrilled that Jane continues to be a highly engaged ambassador for all that we do here and in our community," Smitherman said. "I've reflected on not only my own experiences with Jane, but also on words that others have used to describe her: caring, committed, inclusive, a trailblazer."

Cincinnati Children's had fewer than 10,000 employees when Portman joined the board in 2004, and it now has over 19,000. Smitherman noted that Portman prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion on the Board of Trustees and throughout the organization.

Today, women constitute 79% of all employees at Cincinnati Children's, including more than half of the physicians. About 24% of employees are people of color, and so are one out of four physicians. Half of the members of the board are women.

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