Meet Kristi
Executive Director
The executive director, along with our friendly and professional staff, strives to create positive, stimulating ways for residents to continue living life with meaning and purpose. We are a friendly family where we treat residents like real people with real life stories.
Our community is a great story that includes heartwarming chapters and incredibly unique characters all in a wonderful setting. Here is the executive director’s story:
In what ways do your residents inspire you?
My residents have such rich histories and varied personalities. It is very interesting to speak to them and listen to where they have been and what they have gone through. Some have survived very harrowing stories and that inspires me every day.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
In a previous director position at a different retirement community, I created a “Dreams Can Come True” program where we helped residents realize dreams they had. One resident had a sister in a neighboring state that was terminally ill and her dream was to see her again before she was gone. We arranged a trip for her there, where she spent the day with her sister and had dinner and a nice afternoon and evening. Two days after her return, her sister succumbed to her illness. This program provided me with as much or more happiness than the residents themselves. It was wonderful to make so many of them happy.
How do you honor your residents at your community?
I honor my residents by treating them with respect and listening to their issues and stories. I make sure they know that what they have to say is important and that I enjoy listening to them.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
I have had several residents who have lived past 102 years old. To have survived the trip overseas and have acclimated to such a new and different world is very remarkable. The stories and history are true treasures and enlightens us to the ways of the world past. A 103-year-old man from Norway started as a farm hand, saved enough money to buy his own farm, and raised a family who still run one of the largest farms in the area. The best part is that he even had a 93-year-old girlfriend! Never too old for love.
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
We have a resident who was in a bad living situation with a family member. She was restricted in how she could live her life and was very unhappy. Once she moved to our community, she began to actually live her life and became an active member of a “family” where she was accepted and where she was able to help others grow as well. I have received several notes of thanks from her letting me know how we have changed her life for the better.
How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
Since March of 2001.
What do you like best about your job?
Making a difference in our residents’ lives and taking on the challenge of managing all of the different aspects of a large community.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
Spend time with family and friends. I like to surround myself with people I love and care about.
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would love to meet Helen Keller. I have always joked that she was a long lost relative, but she achieved so much with so many challenges that it would be truly fascinating to get to know her.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
“Ghost” – It is such a moving portrayal of true love and wonderfully suggests that true love transcends death. And Patrick Swayze was really cute too!
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
Warm fudge brownies topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream covered with chocolate syrup. Why? Are you kidding – what’s the question?
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
My employees inspire me with their individual personalities and their individual ways of looking at things. I prescribe to the concept that there is more than one way to complete a task and it is very inspiring to see the variations of that process. I am also inspired by the dedication to the residents that they display every day.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
We recognize our employees as individuals and celebrate birthdays with a cake and a song. We focus on family when babies are born and truly look out for each other through sickness and everyday issues.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
The supervisor of housekeeping embodies all of these values. No matter what is requested, the timing of the request, the number of staff she is short, or the current work load, she always accomplishes the task with the above values in mind!
At The Terrace at Spring Shadows Place, we understand that deciding where to live is a big decision that deserves careful thought. We invite you to visit us, stop by for lunch or be a guest at one of our special events or classes. We look forward to meeting you.