Jean Vander Sanden, PT

About Me

As Vice President, Clinical Operations, Jean Vander Sanden, PT, manages a variety of patient-care areas, as well as the administration of efficient clinical operations — focused on inpatient therapy and ancillary services; inpatient access; quality and outcomes; clinical regulatory functions; accreditation; and allied health professional development. She leads a diverse team of clinicians to ensure a best-in-class experience for Shirley Ryan AbilityLab patients. 

In addition to overseeing inpatient operations, Jean works with the hospital’s Alliance organizations in Chicagoland and nationally to ensure the extension of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s care, best practices and culture.

A Physical Therapist by training, Jean joined Shirley Ryan AbilityLab two decades ago. For five years, she oversaw the organization’s DayRehab program, including the redesign and build of several sites. Additionally, for three years prior to her current role, she served as Executive Director of the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab alliance with UChicago Medicine, which she helped to establish and grow. In this role, she was responsible for inpatient acute rehabilitation at UChicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial and for medical-surgical and outpatient therapy throughout the UChicago system of care. 

Jean received her Bachelor of Science in Health Science from Benedictine University, her Master of Science in Physical Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis, and her Doctor of Physical Therapy from Des Moines University in Iowa. Since 1998, she has served as a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.