Sienna Senior Living

As the National Vice President of Operations for Retirement Living at Sienna Senior Living, Sylvia Scott-Waters combines strategic insight with deep compassion to drive performance and purpose. With over two decades of leadership experience across hospitality, healthcare and franchised services, she has cultivated a model of operational excellence that’s both data-driven and people-first. At Sienna, she oversees the full operational spectrum for retirement communities, guiding cross-functional teams and optimizing service delivery models that prioritize resident well-being, operational resilience and long-term growth.

Empowering Frontline Leaders to Drive Change

When Scott-Waters stepped into her role, the retirement sector at Sienna Senior Living was in recovery mode. Communities were still navigating the aftershocks of the pandemic—families were hesitant, staff were exhausted and operations were uneven. Scott-Waters knew rebuilding would take trust, empathy and steady leadership more than process tweaks.

She started with stabilizing frontline operations. That meant listening to teams, understanding the pressure points and creating consistency across communities. Rather than impose rigid controls, she worked to equip site leaders with the tools and clarity they needed to lead effectively. Along with streamlining operations, this approach reignited purpose and pride among staff, leading to stronger engagement and improved resident care.

Growth with Purpose

For Scott-Waters, growth was about ensuring each step forward aligned with what residents and communities needed. Using her wealth of experience from the consumer world, where their insight drove performance.

She applied her strategic thinking to the retirement space, using data and demographic trends to shape long-term strategies at Sienna. One of her key contributions has been integrating operations, leasing and marketing around the resident journey. Tailoring services to each community’s unique strengths and aligning teams around shared goals, Scott-Waters helped Sienna become more responsive and relevant in an increasingly competitive sector.

Balancing Innovation and Humanity

As Sienna continues to evolve, Scott-Waters’ focus has shifted to long-term transformation. She’s leading efforts to modernize operations through digital tools, more intelligent forecasting and better data use, keeping people at the center. Her leadership is marked by an ability to balance performance with empathy. Whether rolling out new initiatives or mentoring leaders, she combines strategy and compassion. This balance has helped Scott-Waters become more agile and resilient while staying true to the core values of care and connection. Under Scott-Waters guidance, Sienna proves that operational strength and human-centered leadership can work hand-in-hand while shaping a future where senior living is both efficient and deeply meaningful.