Ascension Illinois leadership is excited to announce it has named Ellis Hawkins, FACHE, as the president of Ascension Alexian Brothers in Elk Grove Village.
Hawkins will rejoin Ascension Illinois two years after having joined the organization as the president of the former Ascension Saint Mary – Chicago, which became part of Prime Healthcare in early 2025. During his tenure there, Hawkins helped improve the facility’s length of stay index, saw the hospital through a Magnet redesignation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, enhanced the consumer experience and restructured the family medicine residency program.
“Following an extensive national search, we found exactly what we needed right here in Ellis,” said Polly Davenport, D.Sc., RN, FACHE, senior vice president and ministry market CEO for Ascension Illinois. "Ellis is a highly qualified leader with extensive knowledge of healthcare in general and Ascension in particular. I'm happy to welcome him back to lead our largest Chicagoland hospital."
Hawkins possesses more than three decades of healthcare experience. Prior to his first tenure with Ascension, he served as president of Touchette Regional Hospital in Centerville, Ill., where he led the design and construction of a replacement hospital and oversaw the restructure of the hospital’s behavioral health service line. His previous experience also includes roles as president of SSM Health DePaul Hospital in St. Louis and SSM Health system service line executive for cancer care.
A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), Hawkins completed his MBA at Webster University, Webster Groves, Mo., and received his bachelor’s degree in workforce education and development from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
Hawkins joins the Alexian Brothers team at a time when the facility is regularly earning accolades and recognitions for its cardiovascular care. Over the last year alone, the facility earned recognitions from the American Heart Association for its continued efforts in improving cardiac and stroke care. It was also awarded a Gold Plus recognition through the AHA’s “Get With The Guidelines” program for cardiac and stroke care, demonstrating a dedication to ensuring all stroke patients have access to best practices for heart and brain care.
