Editor’s Note: We are profiling the McKnight’s 2020 Women of Distinction honorees daily through the program’s July 28 online awards ceremony. To register or learn more about this digital celebration,...
Meet Kate Catizone, Rising Star honoree
By
Liza Berger
Jul 17, 2020
Kate Catizone’s love of numbers and data have made a difference at her employer, Villa Healthcare in Skokie, IL.
Meet Katie Potter, Hall of Honor inductee
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jul 16, 2020
Katherine “Katie” Potter has played sports for as long as she can remember and carries the lessons learned from that involvement — the power of teamwork, physical activity and healthy competition...
Meet Dina Besirevic, Rising Star honoree
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Jul 16, 2020
Dina Besirevic grew up knowing she wanted to help others, to ease their pain and to provide care. It was witnessing her father’s care through his illness, however, that led her to a career path in nursing...
Meet Audra Gutierrez-Ritari, Rising Star honoree
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 14, 2020
Audra Gutierrez-Ritari’s motto for most things in life is, “If you can do it, you should.” She passes that message down to her children to encourage them to help those in need. The maxim also is...
Meet Kelly Ornberg, Rising Star honoree
By
Danielle Brown
Jul 13, 2020
At just 14, Kelly Ornberg started her first job, as a food server for Erickson Living, where she fell in love with residents and became passionate about them receiving the best care — and that passion...
Meet Tammy Retalic, Hall of Honor inductee
By
James M. Berklan
Jul 10, 2020
If someone could bottle whatever makes Tammy Retalic go, a few natural energy companies could find themselves expendable.
Meet Jodi Hill, Rising Star honoree
By
Kimberly Bonvissuto
Jul 10, 2020
As vice president of business strategy at Senior Lifestyle, Jodi Hill sets the platform for how the company reviews and reports on data, and which key performance indicators are the leading drivers of...
Meet Vassar Byrd, Hall of Honor inductee
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jul 09, 2020
Vassar Byrd didn’t start her professional life in senior living. Holding a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics, she first spent more than 10 years as an economist for the...
Meet Wendy Nowokunski, Hall of Honor inductee
By
Lois A. Bowers
Jul 08, 2020
Wendy Nowokunski’s more than two decades of senior living experience include leadership roles at Benchmark Senior Living and Newton Senior Living before she co-founded Burlington, MA-based Northbridge...