Denise San Antonio Zeman is a dynamic, outcome and mission-focused professional with over thirty years of executive level experience in philanthropy, health care administration, human services, and higher education. She is currently serving as a member of the Leap of Reason Ambassadors Community, a national group established by Mario Morino (author of the widely acclaimed book Leap of Reason) that is dedicated to supporting high performance nonprofits. Her career achievements include two successful hospital turnarounds and building a new community-based private foundation organization from the ground level. She has had a successful track record in planning and execution, governance and board development, management of complex organizations, implementation of strategic restructuring, financial management, institutional investment management, quality improvement, outcomes measurement, public speaking, and customer and employee satisfaction.
Ms. Zeman’s professional experience includes fourteen years as President and CEO of Saint Luke’s Foundation of Cleveland, Ohio and seven years as President of Euclid Hospital, a regional hospital affiliate of Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Earlier in her career, Ms. Zeman served as Executive Director of MetroHealth Hospital for Women; Director of Patient Services for Saint Alexis Hospital; and in professional admissions and public affairs positions at Ursuline College and Bowling Green University.
Long active in volunteer leadership positions, Denise currently serves as Chair of the Board of the nonprofit arts organization Groundworks Dance Theater. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Better Health Partnership of Greater Cleveland, and was appointed to the Citizens Police Review Board, City of Cleveland by Mayor Frank G. Jackson. Ms. Zeman’s other volunteer experience includes director-level board positions in health, human services, the arts, and education. She was the founding chair of the Cleveland-based Catholic Hospice Network and led its successful merger into Hospice of the Western Reserve. She was also the first chair of the Catholic Charities Services Corporation which functionally merged operations and governance of 26 separate Catholic human services agencies in the Diocese of Cleveland.
Education:
Master of Arts Degree, John Carroll University
Bachelor of Arts Degree, Magna cum Laude, Ursuline College
Executive Program in Philanthropy, Stanford University