Alexandria, VA – The Argentum Leadership Advancement & Development (LEAD) program, sponsored by Direct Supply, is proud to celebrate the class of 2023, a cohort of 15 senior living professionals. The cohort was celebrated at the Argentum Senior Living Leadership Summit for completing a year of training and education.
The select group of senior living professionals at the regional or corporate level is nominated by senior living executives and given opportunities for development in support of their career goals.
This year marked the first year that Dr. Mildred Charles was leading the program. Dr. Charles is a career coach and the founder of Career Mindset Coaching, a people-centric coaching and consulting company that supports the personal growth and career development of individuals, employees, and teams. She holds a BFA from New York University, an MA from American University, and a PhD from Howard University. In addition to her academic training, she is a Board-Certified Coach (BCC), Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF) and a certified practitioner of the Strong Interest Inventory, Myers Briggs, EQ-i 2.0 and EQ 360 Emotional Intelligence assessments.
Members also complete a capstone team project in small groups, developing research or best practices in critical areas of senior living. Three-quarters of the capstone projects focused on addressing workforce challenges and included:
- How to Create a Community Leader that Balances Organizational Goals and Employee Expectations
- Bridging the Gap: Multi-generational Workforce
- Leading the Road to Retention
- Finding and Investing in the Future of Senior Living
“This diverse and exceptional group has brought value to the industry as a whole, while advancing their own skills and careers,” commented Emily O’Connor, Argentum director of learning. “Seeing their performance helped give us all confidence in the industry’s future.”
Argentum congratulates the 2023 LEAD cohort:
- Nick Barash, Executive Director, Benchmark Senior Living
- Amanda Brooks, Vice President of Operations, Retirement Unlimited Inc.
- Reuben Canty, Senior Executive Director, Commonwealth Senior Living
- Courtney Freeman, Regional Director of Operations, The Northbridge Companies
- Kimberly Hoffman, Regional HR Director, Discovery Senior Living
- Jocelyn Newhall, Director of Sales, The Arbor Company
- Estrellita Noble, Regional Vice President of Operations, Integral Senior Living
- Simone Pena, Divisional Director of Operations, Bickford Senior Living
- Emily Perkins, Executive Director, Benchmark Quality Senior Living
- Brenda Richy, National Director of Resident Programming, Integral Senior Living
- Michele Thompson, Chief Operating Officer, Retirement Unlimited Inc.
- Amber Turner, VP of Human Resources, Commonwealth Senior Living
- Jonathan Westbrook, Vice President of Administration, Belmont Village
- Tara Wietor, National Director of Project Management, Integral Senior Living
- Courtney Willis, Regional Sales Director, Legend Senior Living
In 2024, the LEAD program will expand to include two cohorts. Nominations for the Spring 2024 cohort end on November 13, 2023. For more information about the LEAD program, visit https://www.argentum.org/lead-program/.
About Argentum:
Argentum is the leading national association exclusively dedicated to supporting companies operating professionally managed, resident-centered senior living communities and the older adults and families they serve. Since 1990, Argentum has advocated for choice, independence, dignity, and quality of life for all older adults.
Argentum member companies operate senior living communities offering assisted living, independent living, continuing care, and memory care services. Along with its state partners, Argentum’s membership represents approximately 75 percent of the senior living industry—an industry with a national economic impact of nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars and responsible for providing over 1.6 million jobs. For more information, visit www.argentum.org.
