Dina Cicillini Birdsall
Valley Stream
Summary
Visionary nurse executive with 20+ years leading in complex health systems, nationally ranked hospitals, and community-based programs. Trusted C-suite partner and board advisor known for advancing enterprise strategies that elevate quality, strengthen financial sustainability, and deliver organizational success in value-based healthcare.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President, Quality Management & Performance Improvement
Catholic Health / Good Samaritan University Hospital
12.2022 - Current
- Directed enterprise-wide quality and financial strategy, reducing HAC penalties by 75% ($1.1M savings) and HRRP penalties by 82% ($1M savings).
- Designed and implemented an integrated performance infrastructure, aligning governance, accountability, and cross-departmental decision-making.
- Consolidated Quality and Performance Improvement into a single high-impact division, accelerating system-wide improvement cycles.
- Achieved measurable clinical transformation: 70% reduction in hospital-acquired pressure injuries, 60% decrease in PSI-90 composite rates, and 45% reduction in PSI-4.
- Established governance tools (scorecards, transparent metrics) to institutionalize accountability and strengthen service-line performance ownership.
Vice President, Clinical Operations
JCCA
05.2021 - 12.2022
- Defined organizational clinical strategy, driving integration of health and behavioral health into a unified enterprise model of care.
- Led transition from fee-for-service to value-based reimbursement, positioning the organization for sustainable growth under Medicaid managed care.
- Strengthened compliance and risk posture through centralized performance management and audit governance.
- Oversaw $100M in program revenue, aligning financial and clinical goals with organizational strategy.
Director, Quality Management & Patient Safety
Northwell Health / Lenox Hill Hospital
09.2019 - 05.2021
- Partnered with C-suite leadership to redesign quality and safety programs across a 632-bed academic hospital, advancing CMS Star Ratings and national benchmarks.
- Embedded high-reliability principles into governance structures, enabling system leaders to make data-driven decisions.
- Reduced hospital-acquired harm through front-line empowerment, transparent dashboards, and outcome-focused accountability.
- Fostered nursing-led innovation by creating forums for unit-level redesign of care delivery.
Chief Nursing Officer / Associate Executive Director
Northwell Health / Cohen Children’s Medical Center
09.2017 - 09.2019
- Executive leader with system-level accountability for nursing strategy, workforce, and financial performance across 1,000+ FTEs and a $50M+ budget.
- Sustained staff engagement in the 75th percentile and exceeded national benchmarks for RN certification (clinical 53%, leadership 79%).
- Delivered $867K in operational savings through innovative workforce optimization, reducing overtime and agency reliance.
- Outperformed national benchmarks in nurse-sensitive indicators (CAUTI, CLABSI, falls, VAP) by embedding a zero-harm culture.
- Served as key decision-maker in capital expansion, guiding service-line growth and the planning of a new four-story acute care pavilion.
Senior Administrative Director, Patient Care Services
Northwell Health
01.2014 - 01.2017
Director, Pediatric Emergency Services
Northwell Health
01.2010 - 01.2014
Pediatric ED Administrator / QM RN Coordinator / Nurse Manager
Northwell Health
01.2005 - 01.2010
Staff RN / Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator
Long Island College Hospital
01.1996 - 01.2002
Education
Doctor of Nursing Practice -
Baylor University
01.2027
MBA - Health Services Management
Hofstra University
BSN - Nursing
Molloy College
Skills
- System Strategic Planning & Governance
- Quality, Safety & Performance Improvement
- Value-Based Care
- Change Leadership & Culture Transformation
- Clinical Integration & Nurse Practice Models
- Financial Stewardship & Cost Management
- Talent Development & Workforce Engagement
- Regulatory Compliance & Accreditation
Selected Publications And Presentations
- Cannava, P., Cicillini, D., Higgins, M., McGrath, A., & O’Leary, J. (2010). Response to H1N1 influenza outbreak in a pediatric children’s hospital. Journal of Pediatric Nursing.
- Posters and podium presentations at national forums: HAI conferences, ENA, CHA, NSLIJ, PEM Symposium.
Timeline
Vice President, Quality Management & Performance Improvement
Catholic Health / Good Samaritan University Hospital
12.2022 - Current
Vice President, Clinical Operations
JCCA
05.2021 - 12.2022
Director, Quality Management & Patient Safety
Northwell Health / Lenox Hill Hospital
09.2019 - 05.2021
Chief Nursing Officer / Associate Executive Director
Northwell Health / Cohen Children’s Medical Center
09.2017 - 09.2019
Senior Administrative Director, Patient Care Services
Northwell Health
01.2014 - 01.2017
Director, Pediatric Emergency Services
Northwell Health
01.2010 - 01.2014
Pediatric ED Administrator / QM RN Coordinator / Nurse Manager
Northwell Health
01.2005 - 01.2010
Staff RN / Assistant Nursing Care Coordinator
Long Island College Hospital
01.1996 - 01.2002
MBA - Health Services Management
Hofstra University
BSN - Nursing
Molloy College
Doctor of Nursing Practice -
Baylor University
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