Meet Jill
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?
I am inspired by the strength and determination of residents that chose to smile and be optimistic when there isn’t always a lot to smile about. They are my heroes.
Do you have any memorable experiences with a particular resident you would like to share?
Wow, do I ever! It was Christmas night, a typical one in Cleveland, snowing and blowing. My family and I were coming home after a long day and it was almost midnight. All day I had been worried, several days before we had a new resident, Willie, move in from out of state. Like a lot of new residents he was unsure that he wanted to move. Although he had a daughter here in Cleveland he had also left some family in New York that he was missing. He had mentioned several times that Christmas would not be the same without them. Well, Willie decided that he would hop a bus to New York and the only person he told was another resident that barely knew him. After we began missing him and asking around that resident said “Oh yes, he did say something about going to New York!”
After calls were made to family, all we could do was wait and worry, which takes me back to driving home on Christmas night. My family and I are sitting at a stoplight when a taxi driver crosses three lanes of traffic at a high rate of speed. He pulls up to our vehicle, puts down his window and says, “Does anybody in your vehicle know where Woodside Village is?” About that time the back window goes down and next thing I know I’m looking at Willie grinning from ear to ear. To me it was a Christmas miracle; Willie had taken a bus to New York not really even understanding where he was going. He got off the bus in Manhattan and wandered around the streets vulnerable to the elements and to anyone that could have taken advantage of him. An owner of a deli happened to be checking on his business (remember it was Christmas), let Willie in, fed him, and sent him back to Cleveland in a New York City taxi, and yes, he paid for the trip. It was human kindness that I will always be grateful for but will never be able to thank him for because he never gave Willie his name. That taxi pulling up next to me was one in a million, it was five years ago and Willie still lives here at Woodside today!
How do you honor your residents at your community?
One of the many ways is “Resident of the Week.” Every week a new resident is selected and the resident and his or her family help us create a biography. It is typed into story form and along with pictures from the past and present it is displayed for all to read and enjoy. This is fun for several reasons; one being that it is a great way for the residents to get to know each other. The featured resident is also invited to invite up to eight friends and family members to have a meal with them on Friday of the week they are being honored. Families have traveled hundreds of miles to be at this event! We also honor each resident personally on their birthday with a balloon bouquet, which signals the entire community to say happy birthday. This makes their birthday a very special day. Our residents are very special to us.
Tell us about a resident with a remarkable life story?
We have a resident, Richard, who is famous for his autobiography “College Campus in the Sky.” Richard wrote this book about his experiences as a captain in the U.S Army Air Corps. The title refers to all of the college-age kids who found themselves on the college campus in the sky and how one moment they were learning history and the next moment making it because they felt it was the right thing to do. Thousands of copies of his book were sold but sadly Richard never got to actually read it because by the time it was published he had lost most of his eyesight. Richard also spent a great deal of his life in Hollywood!
Tell us about a resident whose life changed for the better once they moved to your community.
At Woodside we believe that we make a difference in the life of every resident that chooses to make Woodside their home. We do however have some residents that have moved here and had life-changing experiences. Julia is one of them. Julia was living in a bad area of downtown Cleveland, alone, in dangerous conditions. She was also being taken advantage of financially. Because there was no family to speak of, a guardian was assigned to her by the city. She was extremely resistant to moving, therefore the guardian basically packed a few of her things and dropped her off. You can imagine the emotion tied to the move. Today Julia is a vibrant member of our family. She spends a lot of time sitting in our lobby greeting new guests and residents. She will tell you it is the best move she ever made!
How long have you worked in the retirement industry?
For 22 years.
What do you like best about your job?
My residents.
What do you like to do in your free time and why?
My husband and I are recent empty-nesters so we like to take weekend trips. I also enjoy the study of naturopathic and holistic medicine. I believe there is always more than one way to skin a rabbit!
If you could meet one person, past or present, who would it be and why?
I would have liked to meet Princess Diana. She did so much for so many and I admired her for that.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
My favorite movie is “What about Bob?” Although it is generally thought of as a comedy (and it is hilarious) it has an underlying message about acceptance and change and how a situation that seems hopeless can be turned around!
What’s your favorite dish or dessert and why?
My favorite dessert is German chocolate cake I think mainly because my family has baked it for every birthday for as long as I can remember.
In what ways do your employees inspire you?
I am inspired by the dedication and compassion I see on an everyday basis. When families and prospective residents come to visit they comment frequently on the friendliness of the staff. I am very proud of my staff.
How do you create a family-like atmosphere at your community?
We are proud of our family here at Woodside and we work hard at our relationships. Everyone is encouraged to voice their opinions because they are important to us. We make decisions together, everything from the food we eat to the events we attend. We encourage families to visit frequently by promoting events that include them.
Tell us about an employee who embodies one of our core values – integrity, respect, responsibility, professionalism or teamwork.
There are many employees at Woodside that embody our core values but Linda, our housekeeping director, comes to mind. Linda has been here with me for almost seven years. Linda is an example of an employee that embodies ALL of the core values. She is a behind the scenes warrior that goes about her day caring for others and never asking for anything in return. Linda makes a difference every day at Woodside Village.
At Woodside Village, 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.