Ms. Ellender leads a team of more than 400 healthcare professionals as CEO of St. Bernard Parish Hospital, overseeing strategic planning, clinical service expansion and operational efficiency, including deployment of the Da Vinci robotic surgical system. She brings more than two decades of healthcare experience to the role, having previously served as assistant vice president of hospital operations and director of operations for specialty clinics and surgical services at the hospital. Since becoming CEO in October 2025, she has guided the hospital to a Leapfrog “A” grade for fall 2025 and the LAMMICO “Patient Safety Award for Sepsis Care.” The hospital has also earned a CMS 4-star rating in the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey and, according to CMS scores, has among the lowest C. difficile rates. Her leadership has positioned the hospital with services spanning cardiology, robotic surgery, behavioral health and outpatient rehabilitation. Ms. Ellender chairs the hospital’s Lean Council, working to embed process improvement into daily operations.
