The Mentor's Voice

The Mentor's Voice welcomes back Derek Cheung!

In our latest episode of the Mentor's Voice, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Sharon Sullivan, an influential figure who has been shaping the experience of LeadingAge events for almost 30 years. Sharon's expertise in planning and executing events has been instrumental in creating unforgettable experiences for attendees at all LeadingAge events, most notably, the LeadingAge Annual Meeting. Tune in this week as we talk with Sharon; you won't want to miss it! 

Join us this week as we have the pleasure of hosting Mary Myers, a retired leader in the healthcare industry with an impressive career within the Johns Hopkins health system. Mary will be sharing her story and advice on how to navigate the healthcare world successfully. Her roots as a front-line nurse have shaped her leadership philosophy, and she will talk about how this experience has influenced her career and leadership style. If you're looking for inspiration and guidance in the healthcare industry, be sure to tune in!

We're thrilled to welcome Liam Goddard, Director of Wellness at Aldersgate, a Life Plan Community in Charlotte, North Carolina. Listen in as Liam shares his insights and lessons learned throughout his education and career journey.

Tune in for this week's mentor, Kim Brathwaite. Kim is the Director of Center Operations at Edenbridge PACE at Skyland Town Center. She is a licensed administrator with over 15 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Not only that, but she is an adjunct professor at both George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University! In episode 7 of The Mentor's Voice Kim shares her life experience and the wisdom she has learned along the way.

In Episode 5 of The Mentor's Voice, we are joined by Michele Potter, the Executive Director of Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Michele shares her insights on advanced education, management and leadership. Tune in to gain valuable knowledge and tips from Michele's extensive experience in the field.

Check out the latest episode of The Mentor's Voice featuring Sena Quist! 

Season 3 Episode 3 features Jill Vitale Aussem, the President & CEO of Christian Living Communities, who has over two decades of experience in the senior living industry. She is a licensed nursing home administrator, a LeadingAge Leadership Academy Fellow, and a Reframing Aging facilitator. Jill is also the author of "Disrupting the Status Quo of Senior Living: A Mindshift" and speaks internationally on culture, leadership, and ageism. 

Katie Smith Sloan is the President and CEO of LeadingAge. Katie leads an association of over 5000 providers of services for older adults nationwide.  Katie is interviewed by Molly Wylie, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Massachusetts Boston.  Welcome to Season 3!

Todd Andrews, President of the Community Living Division with Asbury, has served older adults for over 30 years, beginning in his work in high school at a nursing home his mother served at.  His role is focused on driving innovation, operational excellence and wellbeing for the 3000 residents and 2000 staff associates in 9 communities Asbury operates.  Karina Perez, Master of Health Administration candidate at Columbia University interviews Todd at the conclusion of her summer internship at Asbury.

James Bernardo is the 2022 Award of Honor winner for his exemplary leadership, countless contributions to our field at the local, state, and national levels, and his unfailing commitment to compassionate, vibrant, and supportive communities for older adults.  Since joining Presbyterian Senior Living (PSL) in 1985, Bernardo has been an administrator, executive director, regional operations director, and executive vice president. He became president & CEO in 2019 and retired in November 2022.  After receiving his award, James sits down with Shakerrie Allmond, a Master of Health Administration candidate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Bunny was one of the first women to serve in the U.S. Air Force, enlisting in 1950. Bunny's stories about her experiences, including her long marriage to her husband, who enlisted and served with Bunny at the same time, inspired HunterGirl's song, “Who Woulda Thunk It,” about how the world has changed since then. With Bunny sitting by her side on stage, the artist's performance of the song brought the house down at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado.  Christopher Mohrman, President and CEO of Markentum, interviews Bunny at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting.

Christy and Chris reflect on all that's happened on The Mentor's Voice during Season 2 and look forward to Season 3! The guests, the topics, and all the exciting things that have happened over the past year. 

Christian Grunder is the Vice President of Human Resources for Givens Communities, located in Asheville, North Carolina. Christian has worked at Givens Communities since 2007 and started as a Programming Assistant in Assisted Living.  Christian shares her time and wisdom with Adam Snyder, MHA Candidate at Columbia University.

Chanel Jenkins is a registered nurse by training with experience as floor nurse, staff education, and director of nursing.  Recently she has served as Infection Control RN handling the response to COVID-19.  Her current role is the Director of Talent Development and Retention and she is focused on employee engagement. Chanel is a 2021 Larry Minnax Leadership Academy graduate. 

Tanisha Mojica is the Director of Clinical Services, Providence Mount St. Vincent.  Tanisha is a Nurse Practitioner.  Providence Mount St. Vincent, affectionately known as “The Mount,” is a vibrant living care community for older adults in West Seattle. 

Brian Lawrence is the President and CEO of Fellowship Senior Living, a senior living organization in New Jersey.  He began serving Fellowship Senior Living, Inc. as Chief Financial Officer in 1999 and became the CEO in 2009. Brian has served as a mentor with the LeadingAge Summer Enrichment Program for two years.

Rob has 20 years of progressive experience in Human Resources and Organizational Development in aging services.   Rob is committed to developing an accountable and engaged workforce that finds purpose in their work each and every day.  He thrives in organizational cultures that allow for humor and a little bit of weirdness and he uses humor and personal transparency to manage conflict, engage individuals and groups, and facilitate learning.  Rob found his passion for serving seniors at the age of 16 while working as a dietary aide in a nursing home and he continues to foster that passion today.  

Amanda is the Executive Director for The Wesley at Home, a new continuing care at home program, in Baltimore, Maryland. She has been working in aging services for over 18 years with the last 7 spent operating continuing care at home programs. She is currently a Ph.D candidate in Gerontology and Leadership at Concordia University Chicago working on her dissertation on the wellness coordination model in continuing care at home programs.

Carola Cardenas is the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Aldersgate in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Carola has been with Aldersgate since September of 2021.  Previous to joining Aldersgate, Carola dedicated 17 years to the YMCA.  Adam Snyder, MHA candidate at Columbia University interviews Carola in this episode.

Rob Liebreich is the President and CEO of Goodwin Living.   Prior to joining Goodwin House, Rob was the executive director of the Asbury Methodist Village (AMV), a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He has also held senior positions in marketing and operations for senior living organizations in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area and the Pacific Northwest.  Rob studied Business Administration and International Business and Marketing at Georgetown University. He earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Senior Care and Housing from Johns Hopkins University.

In this episode, Derek Cheung interviews our mentor, Meaghan B. McMahon.Meaghan is currently the Director of Strategic Development for Linked Senior. She is also the Founder and Director of MBM Consulting which she began in July 2015. Since that time, she has worked as a social impact consultant with local government agencies, for-profit, not-for-profit, and start-up organizations in both the Washington D.C. metro area and San Francisco. 

Andrew Applegate has served as President and CEO of Arbor Acres United Methodist Retirement Community in Winston-Salem, NC since October of 2016. Prior to coming to Winston-Salem, Andrew served in various leadership roles within the faith-based not for profit senior living field.  Andrew started his career at age 16 serving as a certified nursing assistant.  Raaed Sayed, a rising senior at Rutgers University, returns to The Mentor's Voice as the student interviewer.

 Dean Palombaro is the Divisional Executive Director for the Northern Region at Ohio Living. Prior to Ohio Living, Dean held various positions with Eliza Jennings Senior Care Network, including Executive Director of the Eliza Jennings Home and Administrator of skilled nursing and rehabilitation for The Renaissance. His career in aging services began as an Activity Assistant.  Kelly Black, a Master of Health Administration candidate at Virginia Commonwealth University joins The Mentor's Voice team to interview Dean during the LeadingAge Leadership Summit in March.

Kendra Roberts is currently the Vice President of Operations for HumanGood Affordable Housing.  In her role, she oversees the Northern California, Washington and Oregon portfolios which consist of 50+ communities and is responsible for the compliance of complex housing programs, staff development/training, and every aspect of operations. 

Ms. Holt joined The Forest in January 2015. Ms. Holt is a seasoned professional in the field of aging services with more than twenty-five years of executive leadership in continuing care and senior living communities. She is an advocate of innovation and strategic service and program development which responds to the emerging needs of older adults. Ms. Holt holds a Master of Public Health from Boston University/SPH and is a proud graduate of Northeastern University.

Jack York is co-founder of iN2L (It's Never 2 Late), a company dedicated to helping older adults realize the full benefits of adaptive technology. Molly Wylie, doctoral candidate and UMass Boston, have a conversation about entrepreneurism and aging services technology.

Christopher Ridenhour is the Creative Engagement Officer at Inspired2Results.  Over his career, Christopher has served as a driving force at creating organizational cultures defined by exceptional, measurable outcomes. To that end, he develops and delivers high-impact training and coaching focusing on World Class Hospitality, DEI, Elevated Employee Engagement, New Supervisor Training, Inspired Leadership, Total Team Commitment, among other critical workforce competencies. 

Marvell Adams is the Chief Operating Officer of Kendal Corporation.Marvell's career began over 15 years ago in Rochester, NY, where he trained and completed the requirements to become a licensed nursing home administrator. When the opportunity to serve Collington – A Kendal Affiliate arose, Marvell, a native South Carolinian, was happy to move back toward warmer climates. Recently, Marvell was given the distinguished honor of becoming a member of the LeadingAge Board of Directors, a national association of not-for-profit aging services providers.

Sara Kyle, Ph.D. has spent the last 14 years researching, designing, writing, and implementing resident well-being programs across the continuum of care. From leading and overseeing programming across 108 skilled nursing, assisted living, and memory care communities to overseeing the charge for Holiday Retirement to transform their resident program in 260 communities, Ms. Kyle thrives in challenging settings. She is relentless when it comes to urging individual point solutions to integrate and share resident data in one location. While best intentions and knowledge at the corporate level craft well-suited programs, the most effective programs originate from research and collaboration with residents, staff, families, and future prospects. Ms. Kyle is widely known and respected in the industry. She presents at national conferences, pens articles in notable publications, and serves on various advisory boards.Kelly Stranburg, M.Ed. has worked with aging adults for over 20 years, with 14 of those specific to the senior living industry. Over the years Ms. Stranburg has worked in or supported CCRCs and AL/MC communities. Her most successful roles have been new positions she has created from the ground up which has enabled her to analyze and identify needs and gaps and then create and implement solutions for the greater good of the residents which in turn supports the operators' objectives. Ms. Stranburg is experienced with new developments from start to finish, highly involved in acquisitions, and daily operations (sales, dining, hiring and training, programming, facilities, and community outreach). Ms. Stranburg is the creator of award-winning Argentum Best of the Best Wellness Program for 2010, 2011, and 2012. She has been a featured author in the Journal on Active Aging and been a selected speaker at national senior living and active aging conferences. Ms. Stranburg is an innovative leader and emphasizes wellness incorporated into all aspects of an organization in order to truly exude wellness and well-being for both residents and employees.

Melissa is Executive Director at Valle Verde, a HumanGood Life Plan Community (LPC) in Santa Barbara serving more than 400 residents and 300 team members.  Previously, Melissa was Vice President, Clinical Services at American Baptist Homes of the West (ABHOW), where she partnered with ABHOW's 11 CCRCs to uphold the organization's person-directed care philosophy statement. Before joining the ABHOW family, Melissa worked as a Project Guide for The Green House Project, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-funded national program transforming institutional long-term care.

Gayle M. Kvenvold, the recently retired President and Chief Executive Officer of LeadingAge Minnesota, joins The Mentor's Voice to chat with Molly Wyllie about her career in the field of aging.  Gayle held the post of President and CEO since 1989 and devoted her career to helping improve and transform services and supports for older adults.

 Zeta Smith, CEO, Sodexo Seniors North America leads a team of 3,600 who deliver food and facilities management services to more than 500 senior communities throughout the country. Also a member of Sodexo's Healthcare and Seniors Global Executive Committee and the North America Regional Leadership Committee.  Beryl Bannerman, Penn State, Master of Health Administration candidate has a conversation with Zeta about her move to aging services from Starbucks.

James Lee, Co-Founder, and CEO of Bella Groves is the 3rd mentor for season 2 of The Mentor's Voice.  James has served the senior living industry for 13 years and counting.  He started his career as a caregiver and has held six community roles including Resident Programming and multiple Executive Director roles.  Derek Cheung, Cornell University, Master of Health Administration student, has a conversation with James about the workforce, innovation, and more.

Deke Cateau is the Chief Executive Officer at A.G. Rhodes, a nonprofit organization providing therapy and rehabilitation services, short-term recovery and long-term care at three metro Atlanta locations. Deke has a conversation with Beryl Bannerman, a Penn State MHA candidate and 2021 Summer Enrichment Program Intern.

Mike King is the national president and CEO of Volunteers of America, an organization with an annual budget of more than $1.1 billion, approximately 16,000 employees and one of the nation's largest affordable housing portfolios with more than 25,000 units.  Mike King is the incoming Chair of the LeadingAge Board of Directors and is interviewed by Jonteja Venning, a graduate student at Tulane University and a 2021 LeadingAge Enrichment Program Intern.

Chris and Christy recap Season 1 and discuss their experience at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting in Atlanta.  Learn about the student program at Annual Meeting and what to anticipate for Season 2.

Carol Silver Elliott is the President and CEO of the Jewish Home Family, located in northern New Jersey.  Silver Elliott began her career in acute care, serving strategic roles in marketing, planning and public relations.  Entering the world of older adult services in 2007, she immediately became involved on both a State and national level.  In 2012 Silver Elliott joined the board of LeadingAge, and is currently completing her two year term as chair.

Andy Siegel  is the Chief Business Development Officer for Goodwin House Incorporated, which is a Senior Housing and Healthcare organization, serving older adults in the Washington Metropolitan Area.  Andy has a conversation with Derek Cheung, Master of Health Administration candidate at Cornell University.

Tiffany Nicolette is the Vice President of Housing & Services for Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc. (CHAI).  She leads a diverse team of housing and supportive services professionals, helping older adults remain independent and age with dignity in the home of their choice. Tiffany has a conversation with De'Ara Graves, a recent graduate of Georgetown University.

Scott Crabtree is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Broadway Services, Inc., a non-profit senior living management company operating Lambeth House, Inc. in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Scott shares his unique experiences leading Lambeth House through world-changing disasters including Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Debra Carter is the Director Of Employment Services, National Caucus and Center on Black Aging (NCBA).  Debra oversees the Senior Community Service Employment Program(SCSEP) for NCBA.

Tina Sandri, is the CEO of Forest Hills of DC.  Tina integrates the values of compassion, respect, integrity, inclusion, growth mindset, and sustainability into her teams and organizations that she serves.  A 30 plus year licensed NHA, she has successfully worked in CCRC, Assisted Living, Nursing Home and Memory Care environments with for-profit and not-for-profit organizations.

Traci Bild is the Founder and CEO of Bild & Company, a national senior living consulting firm providing sales and marketing advisory services on new development projects, property conversions, and underperforming assets.  Molly and Traci have a conversation about finding your passion and living your purpose.

Joe Velderman serves as the Vice President of Innovation at Cypress Living As VP of Innovation Mr. Velderman has an external focus, leading IT-powered digital innovation while building and supporting the innovation capabilities of the organization. Derek Cheung, Cornell MHA student, talks to Joe about his career journey and the innovative work he is embarking on at Cypress Living.

Steve Nash is the President and CEO of the Stoddard Baptist Home Foundation.  Stoddard Baptist Global Care, a 259-bed facility, The Marigold Assisted Living and former Stoddard Adult Day Care Center, a 55 participant Adult Medical Day Treatment Program.