05/04/17  Portland, Ore.

It is with great sadness that we relay the news of the passing of Ann Sinclair, L.C.S.W. Ann died in April complications of pulmonary fibrosis. 

Ann began in our department in 1980 as a research assistant and then moved into a faculty role. After receiving her social work degree, she served as Director of Behavioral Medicine until her retirement around ten years ago. Ann was a prize winning poet, a weaver, and a wonderful educator. In the Department, Ann was a strong advocate for Family Medicine and Behavioral Health integration.

As a believer in the strength of doctor-patient relationships, she was highly respected in the Balint world, hosting several training conferences in Portland, acting as president of the American Balint Society, and helping to midwife the Balint Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Ann was known for being incredibly intuitive and kind. Her voice in our department meetings served as a strong moral compass, and she inspired everyone around her to continue striving toward what is right.

Before her passing, Ann requested that any contributions go to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.