Meet the first woman selected to lead the Indiana Chamber of Commerce

For the first time, a woman will lead the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. 

The organization announced Thursday that Vannessa Green Sinders will fill the role of President and CEO after Kevin Brinegar retires in January 2024. The chamber’s board of the directors approved the hire Thursday morning, according to a news release.

Sinders will start her role as president and CEO-elect Oct. 16. She will take on the full role Jan. 5 after Brinegar’s retirement. 

”I am honored by the opportunity to lead the Indiana Chamber and build on the organization’s strong record of success that has helped position our state as a place where people want to live, work and do business,” Sinders said in a prepared statement. “As a believer in the power of collaboration and working together, I look forward to engaging with stakeholders across the Hoosier state to identify and advance new opportunities that maximize the Chamber’s impact.”  

Sinders, an Indianapolis resident, comes to the position with experience as a policy strategist and leading a Fortune 100 company. 

She was senior vice president for government affairs at Charter Communications and Spectrum and was a department head for government affairs at the American Hotel & Lodging Association. She also has experience working with elected officials in Washington D.C., including time as chief of staff for Scott Brown, the former U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. 

Sinders relocated to Indiana last year with her husband and two sons. She founded Green Sinders Consulting, a firm focusing on crisis management and coaching services. 

Contact IndyStar’s state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany.