Sun Health Hour – Robert Groves is Banner Health’s senior medical director of clinical performance.
Don’t have time to listen to the whole Sun Health Hour? Listen here for your favorite parts:
Sun Health Hour – Robert Groves is Banner Health’s senior medical director of clinical performance.
Don’t have time to listen to the whole Sun Health Hour? Listen here for your favorite parts:
SURPRISE, ARIZ. – Feb. 20, 2013 – Sun Health Senior Living, a nationally recognized operator of three retirement communities and two care centers in Arizona, appointed Barbara Foster executive director of The Colonnade, an active adult life care community located in Surprise.
Foster, who comes to Sun Health from Macon, Ga., brings more than 25 years of industry experience to the role. She has worked with an array of continuing care retirement communities across the country serving in varied leadership capacities, including vice president of operations, executive director and regional operations manager. Included among her many leadership duties was responsibility for opening new CCRCs, running large-scale care centers, and maintaining operational responsibility for upwards of 1,000 residents in a single community.
“When I met the team at Sun Health and saw its goals to impart healthy living options for their residents as well as seniors in the surrounding area via community health programs and forward-thinking strategic initiatives, I was hooked,” Foster said. “I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself that impacted seniors in a positive way. I feel Sun Health fulfills that need and will for many years to come.”
Foster’s extensive experience opening new communities has prepared her well to lead The Colonnade, which is poised for continued growth this summer with the opening of a new 36-unit condo-style complex known as The Colonnade Villas.
As executive director of The Colonnade, Foster is responsible for leading, administering and directing virtually all aspects of community operations, ranging from budget oversight, staff management and regulatory compliance, to serving as a liaison between the community and local hospitals, care centers and senior assistance agencies.
“The people at Sun Health think big, act in positive ways and look past the here and now to move today’s seniors beyond the status quo of aging and into a future of health and wellness so they can live longer, healthier lives,” she commented. “My goals as executive director at The Colonnade include ensuring open communication between the residents, staff and myself; keeping the community financially stable and growing; and most importantly, maintaining resident satisfaction by creating exciting opportunities to preserve and propel their physical, intellectual, spiritual and social health and well-being.”
A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Foster is a licensed nursing home administrator, professional counselor, certified assisted living manager and senior human resources specialist. She earned
a dual bachelor’s degree in psychology and social work, and completed her master’s degree coursework in family counseling at the University of Akron.
“Barbara’s track record for successfully opening and growing senior living communities aligns with our strategic growth initiatives,” said Sharon Grambow, chief operating officer for Sun Health Senior Living. “Add to that a positive and personable attitude and a true desire to work in the field, and she’s the perfect fit for The Colonnade.”
To best serve residents, The Colonnade is a Masterpiece Living® community subscribing to a philosophy of retirement living and life care centered on four aspects of life proven to promote healthy aging—physical, social, intellectual and spiritual development. All community activities for which Foster is ultimately responsible support this progressive lifestyle approach.
About Sun Health
A long-standing community partner championing healthy living, Sun Health is a community-based health care organization providing pathways to Population Health through philanthropy, senior living, community programs and superior health care. Population Health is an approach that aims to improve the health of an entire population.
Nonprofit Sun Health has employed a variety of resources to develop healthy living programs that have the potential to enrich lives – for residents, patients, volunteers and donors. Its core service lines include:
• Philanthropy for local health care, community health programs and senior living,
• Senior living at The Colonnade (Surprise), Grandview Terrace (Sun City West) and La Loma Village (Litchfield Park), and
• Community Health Programs: Sun Health Care Transitions, Sun Health Medication Management and Sun Health Community Education.
Learn more at www.SunHealth.org.
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Elizabeth Reich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Make-A-Wish® Arizona
Elizabeth Reich is President and Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish® Arizona, the founding chapter of Make-A-Wish®, the international wish granting organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions enriching the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
As leader of the founding chapter, Elizabeth has helped to grow Make-A-Wish Arizona so the chapter could grant a record 288 wishes in fiscal year 2012. In addition, she has built awareness of the chapter’s mission and vision to increase donations 8 percent annually. The chapter continues to share its vision of making every eligible child’s wish come true through its signature events, including the 2013 Walk for Wishes presented by AAA on March 10 at Tempe Marketplace; its dedication to building a volunteer team beyond its current 549 members; and, its commitment to corporate giving, including strong relationships with locally-headquartered Go Daddy, Isagenix, Insight and Sun Health.
Prior to joining Make-A-Wish, Elizabeth was Vice President of Advancement for Childhelp, the nation’s largest non-profit organization providing prevention, treatment, and advocacy for victims of child abuse.
She also served as CEO of VisionQuest 20/20, the nation’s only non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to establishing a national vision screening program for U.S. school children.
Previous to VisionQuest 20/20, Elizabeth was the Vice President of Development for the Banner Health Foundation, where she had responsibility for all fund development at two of Banner Health’s 11 Phoenix hospitals, including providing oversight of a capital campaign to support the building of a Cardon Children’s Medical Center.
She has also worked, during the administration of Governor Jane Dee Hull, as the Executive Director of the office now known as The Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families. That office was charged with implementing the Governor’s initiatives to assist communities and neighborhoods address common problems. The office consisted of the Governor’s Divisions for: Women, Children, Prevention of Family Violence, Drug Policy, Volunteerism, Character Education, and Community Outreach. She served as an advisor to Governor Hull on those issues and as a member of her Policy Council.
Throughout her career she has been an active volunteer and credits her experiences serving on many boards for offering her the best preparation for her professional positions. She and her husband, Frank, have been married for 37 years and are the proud parents of three sons and five perfect grandchildren.