Ive been told I have a servants heart, so healthcare and senior living have always felt like the perfect fit for me. The ability to join residents, families, and team members on this journey isnt something I learned in school. For me, its a hands-on labor of love.
I joined the Walker Methodist team in 2014. With a background in music therapy, I always look for creative ways to meet the needs of others and remain focused on providing individualized care. As executive director, I do my best to ensure residents at Care Suites of Edina have what they need to be happy and healthy. I serve as the main point of contact for residents, families, team members, and others in all areas of our community.
When Im not working, I enjoy spending time with family and friends. As part of a loving church community, Im fortunate to have friends in and around the Twin Cities. Sharing a homemade meal is one of my favorite ways to entertain. I also enjoy cooking for my churchs youth program several times each month.
With previous experience in hotel sales and corporate housing sales, I am known for building relationships. I genuinely want to get to know people, hear their stories, and serve seniors and their loved ones. Helping people make the important decision of choosing a place for themselves or their loved ones to live is an honor.
On a day-to-day basis, I meet with families looking to move their loved one into an assisted living community. I also connect with referral sources, including hospital discharge planners and social workers.
I've been with Walker Methodist since 1997, when I started as the social worker for memory care residents at the Health Center. Before I became the director of resident services at Care Suites, I served as the resident services director. With years of experience in the senior living world, specifically in assisted living and adult day care programs, I am passionate about serving older adults.
In my free time, I enjoy going on bike rides with my family, scrapbooking, or curling up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa and a mystery novel. My family is very important to me, and I am happily married and have two wonderful daughters. As a family, we enjoy going on picnics, playing with our pet rat, walking at the park, taking bike rides, and playing table games.
Ive been at Care Suites since 2012, serving as the director of life enrichment. Before joining the team in Edina, I worked at the Walker Methodist Health Center in Minneapolis. I bring experience working with the YMCA, Regions Hospital, assisted living and memory care communities, adult day cares, and home sharing programs.
As director of life enrichment, I help guide programming that provides life-enriching opportunities to residents. This programming includes exercise, music, intellectual and creative groups, outings, spiritual opportunities, and more. I also train and work with volunteers. I truly enjoy spending time with residents and love listening to their backgrounds, stories, and historical perspectives.
Outside of work, I enjoy church fellowship, outdoor activities, sporting events, and contemporary Christian music concerts. I also love spending time with my daughters, Hannah and Sarah, their families, and my young granddaughter. My wife, Jackie, and I also enjoy taking trips together.
As director of culinary services, I manage the day-to-day operations of the kitchen and dining room as well as cooking, creating menus, and ordering food. I am known for preparing delicious gluten-free meals and baked goods. Cooking for residents brings me joy, and I love seeing peoples' reactions when they see and taste my food.
I was named Community Champion by Minnesota Life College, an organization supporting adults with disabilities and autism spectrum disorders. At Care Suites, I hire people from this organization and work closely with job coaches to ensure the success of these team members. In addition, I open the Care Suites kitchen and lend my time and expertise as part of Minnesota Life Colleges development plan.
Coming from a large family, I grew up in South Minneapolis. I have five sons and 13 grandchildren. In my free time, I enjoy many outdoor activities, especially fishing, and volunteer with food packing programs serving children.
My journey with Walker Methodist began when I was in elementary school, growing up within walking distance from the Health Center. As a young girl, I volunteered at the Health Centers gift shop. Then, I worked as a housekeeper and in the beauty salon during high school. In 2013, I joined the team at Care Suites as a concierge, later becoming lead concierge. Ive served as the business office manager since 2019.
On a daily basis, I oversee billing, daily concierge duties, and more. I also assist with new team member orientation. I love helping out with Care Suites annual spring fundraiser and connecting with the community.
Each day, I love getting to know people and seeing those around me grow. Im grateful to work in a place where I can accomplish goals with others. With 10 years of experience in adult foster care, I joined the Walker team in 2021.
On a daily basis, I oversee all operations at Highview Hills. I meet with leadership, residents, families, and team members regularly. I address problems and encourage collaboration, varying as the communitys needs change. I also work on developing emergency policy.Known for attention to detail, I am quick to solve problems and respond to emergency situations.Because of my long-term vision and outlook, I can see how decisions might affect all people involved.
WhenImnot at work, I enjoy gardening and smoking meat in my smoker. I also love canning fresh vegetables from my garden. I live with my husband, Chris; my two stepchildren,Veraand Tristan; and our two dogs,Jeffand Abbi.
Since 2017, Ive served as Director of Health Services at Highview Hills. Energized by the constant challenge of being a nurse, I am also thrilled by the career opportunities offered by Walker Methodist and LeadingAge.
Known as a leader at Highview Hills, I maintain medical and service needs of residents. In addition to completing assessments, planning care, and communicating with physician teams, I connect with residents and families about care and services. Passionate about personal and professional growth, I also mentor other team members.
My husband, Matt, and I have two children: a daughter and a son. We enjoy boating and going to Minnesota Wild hockey games. I want to be remembered as a person who was willing to give all of herself to make a difference.
A graduate of LeCordon Bleu, I have been working in the culinary industry since I was 15 years old. Starting as a young server at a senior living community, I knew right away Id found the place where my passion and skill met. I continued to advance, serving as cook, culinary director, dining services coordinator, and general manager. In 2020, I joined the Highview Hills team.
As director of culinary services, I oversee food orders, update menus, plan special events, and ensure quality standards are being met. I also lead a team of waitstaff, servers, chefs, and more, filling in as needed. Whether Im serving a simple meal or elaborate dessert, I love seeing residents smile.
Among team members and residents at Highview Hills, Im known for managing stressful situations with poise and excellence... and for my delicious desserts, especially cheesecake. Residents at Highview Hills enjoy my tradition of baking old-fashioned Christmas cookies, just like they used to make, during the holidays.
In my free time, I enjoy cooking, camping, and spending time with my boys, Connor and Finn. I can often be found at my parents farm. At the end of the day, Id like to be remembered for my passion and kind heart.
Each day I come to work, I am motivated to bring joy to each and every resident at Highview Hills. With previous experience in senior living, I joined the team in January 2020. Serving with compassion is one of my values, and I love bringing creativity to my role.
As director of life enrichment, I am known for my adaptability, especially during stressful situations, and strive to enrich the lives of residents each day. My responsibilities range from making calendar and planning activities to connecting with residents and families, writing newsletters, and finding creative ways to celebrate.
Outside of work, I can be found spending time with my daughter, Brooklyn, and my black lab, Maxusually outside. I hope to be remembered as a kind-hearted, passionate, and loving person who always gives her all.
I joined the Highview Hills team in 2021, but my own journey with senior living started years ago. My father moved into a senior living community in 2009, after my mom passed away. Since he had Parkinsons, my family decided it would be best for him to move to a place that offered community, healthcare, and a little extra help. He loved his home! Im so grateful for the compassion I received from others during this journey. My sister and I had peace of mind knowing my dad was in good hands. Now, I get to help others along similar journeys as they navigate the world of senior living.
On a daily basis, I connect with families and potential residents, helping them understand options and decide what is best for themselves or loved ones. I collaborate with our team to make our community the best place to live for our current and future residentsand the best place to work for our team members. With a passion for communication, I love making people feel comfortable and relaxed, right from the start. By listening and understanding, I strive to help create solutions that bring unity.
In my free time, I enjoy downhill skiing, camping, and boating with my family. I also enjoy hosting parties and traveling. My husband and I have two children, a son and daughter. We also have a beloved cat named Tazzie.
Years ago, I volunteered in senior living communities and loved every minute I spent with older adults. Working as an aide for residents in memory care only confirmed what I already knew: this is my calling. I joined the Highview Hills team as resident services manager in 2018.
From leading resident-family meetings to communicating with others, I am passionate about helping residents live fully. At Highview Hills, I also coordinate and lead Parkinsons initiatives such as education, events, and activities. An advocate for residents, I serve as the point-person for family members and promote integrative programs like aromatherapy.
In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, exploring new restaurants and coffee shops, and cooking dinner for friends. I am married have one daughter, with a baby boy coming March 2021.
In college, I worked as a home health aide. Through this experience, I fell in love with working with older adults. Wanting to combine managerial responsibilities with my passion for serving residents, I discovered the resident services manager role is everything I dreamed of and more. I joined the team at Highview Hills in 2019.
Working in the memory care neighborhood, I communicate with residents and family members. I develop and update service plans, advocate for residents, lead resident-family meetings, and facilitate programs including support groups, Music & MemoryTM, and aromatherapy. I am also a Struthers Parkinsons Champion.
Serving older adults is what gets me out of bed in the morning. Passionate about building relationships and making a difference, I feel blessed to create moments of joy for residents, especially those in memory care. Dementia can be a difficult journey, but there are still so many moments of joy to recognize and experience.
In my free time, you can find me with my family, playing the piano, practicing calligraphy, or reading with mug of coffee. I earned my B.S. in psychology from the University of Minnesota, Duluth and my Masters Degree in gerontology from Saint Cloud State University.
I first experienced the welcoming, vibrant community at Highview Hills as a college intern. Spending time with residents, I quickly fell in love with their personalities and was fascinated by the wealth of knowledge they have to share. So, after graduating, I joined the team as a fitness specialist.
My favorite part of my job is working with residents to improve their overall fitness, making their lives better. In addition to leading group fitness classes, I work one-on-one with residents as a personal trainer. My motto, kept in a frame on my desk, states, 'Success: achieved through effort, determination, and perseverance. With this in mind, I strive to be a stand-up individual who puts the needs of others first.
Outside of work, I enjoy sports. Most days you can find me on the golf course, playing baseball, or camping at various Minnesota state parks. I also support Defending the Blue Line, an organization that helps ensure children of active military members have the opportunity to play youth hockey.
As business office manager at Highview Hills, I believe a job in the senior living industry is so much more than a job. Completely immersed and involved in the community, I strive for excellence each day.
My background includes more than three decades in accounting and management. I have served at Highview Hills since 2009. At our community, I am the go-to person for anything associated with the business office. I create monthly statements, manage hiring, and maintain resident and team member files. Known for completing tasks on time, I find satisfaction in my job and knowing I am making a difference.
Outside of work, I enjoy reading and traveling. I can often be found spending time with my family, including my three children and one grandchild. I hope to be remembered as someone who genuinely cares about others and makes time to help them.
My background, more than 30 years in management, gives me unique insight into the senior living landscape. I joined the Walker team in 2017, and now I manage our Kenzie community. I complete recertification for each resident, address everyday issues that may come up, and oversee our team. Each day, I love knowing my work has a positive impact on the life of another person.
I love knowing I help residents and improve their quality of life daily. After working in the banking industry, I havent looked back since I joined the Walker Methodist team in 2018. Working with older adults is rewarding for me.
My background in the apartment industry helps me as I oversee happenings at Lyndale. On a day-to-day basis, I meet with residents, lead activities, manage teams and vendors, meet with families, help residents with income recertifications, and so much more.
Professionally, Im known for my expertise about HUD, as well as my passion for researching and understanding processes.Im passionate about creating systems and thinking through steps to solve problems. In 2020, Icompleted Walkers LeadershipDevelopmentProgram.