The LeadingAge Kansas Workforce Commission met last week and conducted a strategic planning session to help guide the work of the association in this area. The group spent the day talking about how we affect change in the workforce arena in the next several years. The outcome of the meeting was excellent and our Workforce Team has what they need to begin working in the 4 areas that we believe affect workforce. They include:
- Public Policy – understanding the demography and economy of the state and influencing change where needed;
- Provider Practices–creating an environment where people want to work;
- Education/Professional Development – providing best practices in talent retention, innovation, diversity and the issue as a whole; and
- Public Awareness/Image – helping our members improve their image in their own communities.
We will put out a full report on the outcome of this meeting in the coming weeks along with requests to help gather information in aggregate from members. Collecting data will be an important first step in our work.
LeadingAge Kansas would like to thank the following individuals who currently serve on the Commission:
- Dr. Robyn Stone, Executive Director, LeadingAge National Center for Applied Research
- Dr. Monica Scheibmeir, Dean, Washburn University School of Nursing
- Karin McCrary, Chief Operating Officer, Village Shalom
- Adrienne Vallejo-Foster, Executive Director, Kansas Hispanic & Latino American Affairs Commission
- Kari Bruffett, Director of Research, Kansas Health Institute
- Mark Garriott, Director of Human Resources, Catholic Care Center
- Joy Grobe, Director of Human Resources, Lakeview Village
- Jeanne Gerstenkorn, Director of Human Resources, Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America
- Brenda Janda, Administrator, Hutchinson Good Samaritan Village
- Mary Blubaugh, Executive Director, Kansas State Board of Nursing
- Crystal Packard, Administrator, Prairie Mission Retirement Village
- Sherry Heim, Program Manager, Kansas Health Professions Opportunity Project
- Shelby Shaw, Administrator, Pine Village
- Barb Hickert, Kansas Long-Term Care Ombudsman
- Jeff Ritcha, Director of Nursing, Schowalter Villa
- Rita Johnson, Vice President, Kansas Board of Regents
- Debra Zehr, President/CEO, LeadingAge Kansas
- Rachel Monger, Director of Government Affairs, LeadingAge Kansas
- Dana Weaver, COO, LeadingAge Kansas
