Lori S. Colwell Jones is an accomplished Senior Living Operator, with an impressive track record spanning over 25 years in Regional, Vice President, and Executive positions.  She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at 12 Oaks Senior Living. Her extensive experience in the senior care industry encompasses 27 years, during which she has worked in various operational and clinical leadership roles. These include skilled nursing, assisted living, independent living, and the establishment of a home care company for Holiday retirement.

Initially starting her career in Pediatrics after graduating from nursing school, Lori transitioned into the realm of senior care, embarking on her journey as a Staff Development Director in a Nursing Home at a remarkably young age. In this role, she played a pivotal role in setting up the Nursing Assistant certification program approved by the state of Washington at the facility where she worked. Within a year, her exceptional performance led to a promotion to the Director of Nursing position.

Following several years of successful clinical leadership, Lori relocated to Hawaii, where she served as a Director of Nursing for two years. She obtained her Nursing Home Administrator license in Hawaii and subsequently worked as a Nursing Home Administrator for three years, achieving two deficiency-free surveys in the state of Washington. Recognizing her exemplary capabilities, she was then promoted to a Regional Director role, overseeing operations in skilled nursing, assisted living, and independent living settings. She also has held Regional and Vice President roles in various senior care sectors, demonstrating her versatility and expertise in driving success across different areas of the industry.

Lori spent two years working in Hawaii during her late 20s, a period in which she obtained her Nursing Home Administrator License. She is also a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, highlighting her qualifications in overseeing the management and operations of nursing homes which carried over to Assisted Living and the development of a Home Care company.

Impressively, Lori assumed the role of Director of Nursing at the young age of 21, demonstrating her exceptional talent and leadership abilities at an early stage of her career. Furthermore, she holds the distinction of being an Eden Associate, indicating her commitment to promoting person-centered care and enhancing the quality of life for seniors.

Lori’s work philosophy revolves around a strong emphasis on culture, particularly emphasizing the core values of 12 Oaks: character, competency, stewardship, and servanthood. She passionately upholds and embodies these values, and appreciates how 12 Oaks actively lives out its principles.

In addition to her dedication to fostering a positive culture, Lori is highly focused on efficiency and continuous quality improvement. She employs principles of CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) and LEAN work methodologies to streamline processes, optimize operations, and enhance overall efficiency within the senior care settings she manages.

Committed to Excellence and Well-being

Lori, a driven and visionary individual, demonstrates unwavering dedication to the well-being of her staff and the seniors under 12 Oaks Senior Living. She strives to foster an environment brimming with enthusiasm, momentum, and positivity, all while upholding a practical and highly efficient work approach. Lori deeply values both her personal and professional principles, exhibiting remarkable loyalty and holding herself and her teams to the highest standards of commitment and devotion.

On a personal note, Lori has a profound affection for her husband and two Pomeranians, who hold a special place in her heart. She is an avid food enthusiast and take pleasure in dining at exceptional restaurants with a captivating ambiance. Golfing and exploring new destinations are among her cherished hobbies. She says, “We are fortunate to own homes in Maui, Seattle, and Palm Desert.”

Elevating Senior Living with Passion and Expertise

• 12 Oaks Senior Living appears to be a well-established company with extensive experience in the senior living industry. Based in Dallas, Texas, they offer third-party management and consulting services to senior living communities. With over 30 years of experience, they bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to their clients.
• One of the key advantages they emphasize is their passion, core values, and proven performance. This suggests that they prioritize quality, commitment, and excellence in their services. By combining the customary services provided by traditional third-party managers with their unique approach, they aim to deliver exceptional results to their ownership groups.

Inspiring Momentum and Upholding Ethical Standards

• Lori places a high value on ethics and prioritizes the well-being of individuals. She is dedicated to helping others grow, develop, and succeed by providing coaching, teaching, and support. She firmly believes in the potential of people and strives to create an environment where they can thrive. Lori is also highly focused on efficiency and process improvement, possessing the ability to both troubleshoot and innovate. She understands that process improvement is an ongoing effort, similar to consistently lubricating a squeaky wheel. She emphasizes a team approach and embraces continuous quality improvement (CQI), involving those directly involved in the process to fine-tune and enhance outcomes. Her attention is centered around development of four key areas: people (ensuring the right individuals are in suitable positions, readiness, and succession planning), process (clarity, communication, comprehension, and implementation), product (customer perspective), and pricing (considering competition and exposure).
• Lori adopts a coaching approach, fostering a shared vision and generating momentum. She builds upon achievements, celebrates successes, and acknowledges the accomplishments of others. In all her endeavors, she upholds ethical standards and motivates those around her. Lori sets high expectations and maintains directness while remaining loyal and forgiving.

Building a Culture of Excellence

12 Oaks Senior Living is deeply rooted in its core values, which include Character, Competency, Stewardship, and Servanthood. These values serve as the foundation for the company’s operations and guide its actions. The leadership team at 12 Oaks prioritizes continuous development and provides ongoing training and coaching for Executive Directors, Resident Care Directors, and the entire executive team. They have partnered with the Townsend Leadership Program to offer professional Leadership Coaches to their executives.

To foster a supportive culture aligned with their core values, 12 Oaks has obtained Great Place to Work certification. Each team within the organization creates action plans that reinforce the company’s values and contribute to the overall culture.

One notable initiative is the Leadership IMPACT training program, developed in collaboration with the Capacity Leadership Center. This program specifically targets Executive Directors and Resident Care Directors, focusing on two key core values: Competency and Character. The training aims to enhance leadership skills and promote these important values among the participants.

12 Oaks follows a high touch management model that emphasizes personalized attention. They limit the number of communities within a local geographic area of 4-6 on average which allows for a more concentrated and individualized approach to management of Senior Living communities. To support these communities, each one is assigned a dedicated Regional Vice President of Operations. This approach ensures that the Regional Vice President has ample time to spend with each community, becoming intimately familiar with their day-to-day operations and the local area. It also enables them to develop personal relationships with the leaders in each community. Additionally, the communities receive support from 12 Oaks Solutions-Consultants and the 12 Oaks Office staff members, further enhancing the personalized focus and expertise provided to each community.

Leading with Vision and Empowerment

Lori’s primary responsibility is to take care of her team and ensure that they have a clear vision, set goals, and feel motivated and energized while they work together to promote excellence for their teams and the residents and families that they serve. She is committed to providing coaching, development, and support to her team members, while also holding them accountable to the expectations of our stakeholders. These stakeholders include our residents, their families, our staff, and ownership groups.

Lori is dedicated to promoting and upholding the core values of the organization, and she works hard to ensure that they are practiced and demonstrated throughout the company. She understands that her team members need the right tools and systems to streamline their workflows and processes so that they can spend more time interacting with the community leaders, staff, and residents. By empowering her team and fostering a culture of accountability, Lori aims to ensure that the organization is meeting the needs of all stakeholders and fulfilling its mission.

Guidance for Emerging Leaders

Lori’s guidance for individuals stepping into a leadership role for the first time is as follows:

• Trust your instincts and have faith in your abilities.
• Persevere even in the face of challenges and difficulties.
• Embrace the negative experiences and use them as opportunities for growth.
• Never lose hope and keep pushing forward. Look back only to learn.
• Prioritize people and invest time in building relationships, as they hold greater significance than mere numbers on a spreadsheet.

She shares that “remember that as you develop as a leader, it’s not solely about performance; your ability to influence and gain exposure also stems from the relationships you cultivate.”

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