Vanessa exhibits professional excellence through adaptability and innovation. Vanessa’s work at Premier Choice Senior Management Solutions proved critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was responsible for keeping the high-risk senior residents and staff safe from the virus for over 2 years. She went from running a whole assisted living facility to being promoted to regional marketing director of Premier Choice. In her tenure, she’s developed hundreds of processes and initiatives to help the assisted living facilities she works with increase profitability, ensure safety, and operate with proper staffing ratios. She’s also committed to growing her leadership skills. She’s attended training through the Blue Ox Leadership Experience program, is a Chamber Ambassador, and is on the Anchor Board for the WAVE Young Professionals Network.

Vanessa grew up in Pequot Lakes and attended Pequot Lakes High School. Giving back to her hometown community is incredibly important and personal. Vanessa and her staff get together and support a variety of organizations in our community. From volunteering at the local food shelf, making blankets for the area’s homeless, picking up litter on roadsides, and cooking meals for kids in need. She established programs in the facilities she manages to have each facility choose a charitable organization to support. For example, one facility (staff, residents, residents’ families) donated dozens of children’s winter coats to their local shelter, and another donated toys for Christmas to kids.

Vanessa’s strive for excellence, compassion for others, and dedication to help those less fortunate made her a stand-out to receive this award.