Her Story
About Cynthia C.
Cynthia C. Long is a Senior Director of Clinical Services at TriHealth in Cincinnati, Ohio, where she brings more than two decades of progressive leadership to a broad portfolio of service lines, including hospitalist medicine, critical care, pulmonary, sleep medicine, orthopedics, sports medicine, and physical therapy. In this role, she guides a workforce of 50 to 60 physicians and 80 physical therapists and therapist assistants across more than a dozen locations, while also working to grow the organization's athletic training offerings. Her career reflects a steady climb through operational leadership, shaped by accountability for budgets, patient access, performance improvement, and team development across complex, multispecialty environments.
Long's path into executive leadership began in 1996, when she entered the field as a physical therapist assistant, a role she held for a decade before moving into clinic and practice management. Over the following years, she progressively assumed responsibility for larger operations, first managing a single outpatient physical therapy facility, then overseeing all of TriHealth's physical therapy locations, and eventually taking on oversight of physician teams as well. By 2016, she had risen to lead the entire TriHealth Orthopedic and Sports Institute, and she has since advanced through the roles of Director and, most recently, Senior Director of Clinical Services, a position she has held since 2024.
Long holds a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from Colorado State University Global, which she completed with Summa Cum Laude honors, along with an Associate's Degree in Applied Science from Professional Skills Institute, also earned with Summa Cum Laude distinction. Her contributions to patient care have been recognized through a Pillar Award for expanding healthcare access during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as top-decile patient satisfaction results. A member of the American Physical Therapy Association, she also supports the American Heart Association through charitable giving, and credits her mother's example in the healthcare field as the inspiration behind her own career path.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Cynthia C.
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to nearly 30 years of dedication to healthcare, beginning in 1996 as a physical therapist assistant and progressing through management into my current role as Senior Director of TriHealth Orthopedic and Sports Institute, where I oversee 50 to 60 physicians and 80 therapists while helping expand our athletic training services. My mother's example in healthcare first inspired me to enter this field, and that passion has stayed with me throughout my career. As a healthcare administrator, I manage physicians across specialties including critical care, hospitalist medicine, pulmonary, and sleep medicine, and my core responsibility is making sure our physicians have everything they need to succeed — from budget and strategy management to maintaining external relationships across the hospital system. I genuinely enjoy the variety this role brings, since no two days look the same, whether I'm working through compensation models or reviewing capital requests.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Rather than a single piece of advice, one of my proudest professional achievements was leading strategic decisions during COVID that allowed us to beat budget expectations despite the shutdown of elective surgeries. I accomplished this having started with an associate's degree from Professional Skills Institute, which later motivated me to pursue my bachelor's degree in healthcare administration from Colorado State University.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I'd tell young women that you truly can make a difference in healthcare, and it is one of the most rewarding fields to be part of, because health is wealth. My mother's influence is what first drew me into this career, and that same purpose has led to recognitions like the Pillar Award for healthcare access work during COVID and top-decile patient satisfaction scores. I hope my path shows that meaningful impact and career growth can go hand in hand.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Since I've only been in my current Senior Director role for about two and a half years, I'm still navigating and growing into the full scope of its challenges and opportunities.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
What matters most to me is being able to truly make a difference in the lives of others, both through my work and in my personal life. Outside of work, I cherish time with my three adult children and one grandchild, and when I'm not with family, I love to travel.
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