Lucinda M. ("Cindy") Baier

Lucinda (“Cindy”) Baier is the former President, Chief Executive Officer, and member of the Board of Directors of Brookdale Senior Living, the nation's premier operator of senior living communities. As of year-end 2024, the $3 billion company operated 647 senior living communities with 36,000 employees and had the ability to serve approximately 58,000 residents through its independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities.

Ms. Baier served as Brookdale’s President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors for more than seven years. During that time, she established Brookdale as the industry’s clinical and operational leader, earning the most senior living community “Best Of” recognitions from US News every year that the award has been given. Under her leadership, J.D. Power recognized Brookdale twice as #1 in customer satisfaction in assisted living/memory care communities. Ms. Baier was very focused on creating a positive culture, which resulted in Brookdale being certified as a “Most Loved Workplace”.

As Brookdale’s CEO, she led the company through the largest public health crisis in 100 years by prioritizing the health and well-being of its residents, patients, and associates. Ms. Baier led Brookdale's efforts to negotiate and restructure leases with its largest REIT partners, which resulted in the portfolio generating positive cash flow rather than the $70 million of negative cash flow for the portfolio the year she was appointed as Brookdale’s CEO. She led the company through the sale of assets, including Brookdale's interest in the unconsolidated entry CCRC ventures and its home health, hospice, and outpatient therapy business. These deals unlocked significant value for Brookdale and shareholders.

In 2022, Baier published her first book Heroes Work Here: An Extraordinary Story of Courage, Resilience, and Hope from the Front Lines of COVID-19 in which she shares how she and her team led Brookdale through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Baier has served almost two decades as a board member for public and private companies. Currently, she is on the board of directors of the Nashville Health Care Council, where she serves as Chair. Ms. Baier also serves on the board of the Tennessee Business Leaders Council, where she co-chairs the Policy Committee. She also serves on the Vanderbilt University Medical Center Board, including as Chair of its Quality and Safety Committee and as a member of its Audit and Compliance Committee.

A number of organizations have recognized Ms. Baier, including two awards by the CEO Forum Group as a Top 10 CEO Transforming Healthcare in America; Nashville Medical News’ Class of 2021 “Women to Watch”; Corporate Citizenship 2020 Award from the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board; one of McKnight’s 2020 “Women of Distinction”; and Nashville Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEO” list for five years in the public company category. In 2025, Ms. Baier received a Damehood for the Royal Order of Francis I. Before becoming CEO of Brookdale, Ms. Baier was the company's Chief Financial Officer beginning in December 2015. In addition to experience as a seasoned chief financial officer for several companies, she has been responsible for multi-billion-dollar operations, the chief executive officer for a publicly traded retailer, and served as an executive officer of a Fortune 30 company.

Ms. Baier is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of Illinois State University, with Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Accounting.