Meet the Team
Learn more about the team at Diligent Consulting.
Sarah Spilman
Sarah Spilman brings more than 25 years of cross-sector experience spanning state government, nonprofit organizations, higher education, healthcare, and trauma systems. Her career has been defined by strong leadership in research, data strategy, project management, and operational excellence.
Sarah began her professional journey in Minnesota state government, leading a multi-agency legislative reporting initiative. She then transitioned to the nonprofit setting, where she transformed complex data into compelling research reports and marketing materials. After attending graduate school at the University of Iowa, she served as a data manager and project director for a longitudinal research study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
From 2012-2020, Sarah worked at a Level I Adult and Level II Pediatric Trauma Center in Des Moines, Iowa, where she directed all aspects of the trauma research program. Her responsibilities included study design, data collection, statistical analysis, writing, publication development, and dissemination of research findings. She also played a central role in trauma registry oversight, performance improvement, TQIP reporting, and ACS verification. She has deep, hands-on knowledge of trauma program operations within a competitive trauma market.
Since 2021, Sarah has worked as a trauma consultant with Bishop+Associates, partnering with trauma centers nationwide to assess capacity, support new trauma center development, and address complex financial and operational challenges. Her work has supported organizations across diverse healthcare markets throughout the United States.
A highly diligent project manager, Sarah excels at facilitating collaboration, aligning stakeholders, managing timelines, and guiding teams through complex trauma center processes. She is especially known for her ability to translate sophisticated data into clear, actionable reports, visuals, and presentations that drive strategic decision-making.
Sarah holds a master’s degree in sociology, with specialized training in healthcare management (Vanderbilt University) and research methodology (University of Iowa). She has published 30+ academic papers, contributed to more than 35 regional and national presentations, mentored more than 30 residents and medical students, and collaborated with more than 100 co-authors across medical and academic disciplines. She also brings more than a decade of nonprofit board experience and remains actively engaged in community service.
See the Curriculum Vitae for more of Sarah’s accomplishments.
Get to Know Sarah
How would people describe you?
I hope my family and friends would say that I'm smart, dependable, encouraging, organized, and prompt. Clients would say that I am adept at relationship building, meeting facilitation, project management, and effective communication.
Why should clients work with you?
I've been told I have a unique skillset that combines attention to detail with strategic thinking. I love a good challenge, thrive on bringing order from chaos, and value relationships. I feel honored to work in the field of trauma.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I read 100+ fiction novels a year and constantly have my Kindle with me so I can utilize every spare minute in line to read a few more pages. I try to exercise and eat well, love to travel, enjoy a good game night, and love to try new foods.
What was your favorite job?
My favorite job was working in the college mailroom (back in the 1990s, when people actually sent and received postal mail). It combined a love of organizing and sorting with the ability to interact with people when they came to get their mail!
Tell us about your family...
I have been married to my husband for 25 years. We met in high school and have been through several moves, a military deployment, and a graduate degree for each of us. He works as a senior architect in Des Moines. Our college-aged son is a pre-engineering student who loves to golf, talk about golf, and watch golf (and every other sport) on tv. Our teenage daughter is is active in high school cheerleading, show choir, golf, and youth group. We also have a lazy cat and a energetic black lab.
If you had $10,000 and a passport, where would you go?
I would fly to Italy and split my time between a rented villa in the Tuscan countryside and an ocean-front property on the Mediterranean sea. I would primarily eat, watch people, and soak up the sunshine (probably while reading a book on my Kindle, see above!).