Kidron Bethel Village leadership transition
Bluestem Communities’ Kidron Bethel Village life plan community has begun an executive director transition that will be finalized at the end of the year.
After serving Kidron Bethel Village for nine years as executive director, Linda Peters plans to retire December 31, 2023. During her tenure, Peters has guided the community through some monumental changes, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the $10.7 million Live Forward capital project that affected about 50,000 square feet of new and existing spaces. She also helped lead Kidron Bethel Village to the highest five-star quality ratings with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and has led the staff through several deficiency-free surveys, including throughout the pandemic.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served Kidron Bethel Village as its executive director,” said Peters. “It’s been a privilege for me to have been a part of an exceptional team of individuals who are passionate about the work they do. I’ve grown and learned so much over these last nine years. I will miss being a part of this team, but I do look forward to beginning a new chapter of my life.”
Succeeding Peters as executive director is Jennifer Tragalia, who began in the role in early October and has been working closely with Peters throughout the transition.
Traglia comes to Bluestem Communities with vast leadership experience in a variety of health care consultant and ambassador roles, including several working with an older population. She holds a master’s degree in gerontology from Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago) and completed undergraduate work at Michigan State University’s (East Lansing) Eli Broad College of Business, Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management. She is a certified as an Advanced Elder Mediator through the Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center (Oshkosh, Wisc.), First & Last Steps Advanced Care Planning Facilitator, and a CARES Dementia Specialist.
“The Bluestem Communities culture was an immediate draw for me,” said Traglia. “It’s filled with genuine, caring and collaborative people. The organization’s openness to grow and evolve while keeping a focus on cultivating vibrant community initiatives is a model for the industry.”