CALA News & Views | Issue 52 | Workforce

SUCCESS STORIES from Carlton Senior Living

KATHERYN LEJANO Graduating from UC Davis in 2016,

Katheryn discovered Assisted Living by chance when she received a scholarship email inviting her to the CALA conference. There, she connected with Carlton Senior Living and soon became the company’s very first intern. Although she had initially considered nursing, Katheryn’s internship opened her eyes to the broader possibilities of senior care and leadership. Following her internship, Katheryn accepted a few different roles on Carlton’s HR team, ultimately joining “Carlton University,” which helps train and develop staff company-wide. She said each opportunity deepened her commitment to improving resident care. Inspired by the hands-on experience, Katheryn is now pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing while continuing her work at Carlton. “Starting a career at Carlton so young, with a group of individuals invested in my success, gave me so much purpose, drive and motivation to keep growing as an individual, both personally and professionally,” Lejano said.

INNES MCFARLANE Driven by her longstanding interest in serving older adults, Innes pursued a gerontology degree at Sacramento State University. Upon learning about a CALA conference meet-and-greet, she seized the opportunity and connected with Carlton Senior Living. Soon after, Innes began working as a care partner at the Sacramento community while still in college. Recognizing her dedication and desire to learn every aspect of Assisted Living, Carlton offered her a place in its internship program, where she spent about a month in each department – from dining services and housekeeping to shadowing managers. This immersive experience gave Innes invaluable insight into how each role contributes to the overall success of a senior living community. She is currently sales director at Carlton Senior Living in Davis. “Carlton has been nothing but good to me,” she said. “I think the amount of growth that I have had since I’ve only been with the company for five years makes me want to come to work every day and be my best because they absolutely give that back to me tenfold.”

GIANNI AMARI After discovering his passion for senior living through childhood visits to his father’s RCFE communities, Gianni decided to attend a CALA conference meet and-greet in search of new opportunities. That decision led him to connect with Carlton Senior Living, where he was soon hired as sales director. Through hard work and a commitment to providing excellent care, he has now achieved his longtime goal of becoming an executive director – a realization of the future he first envisioned while still in college. He will be transitioning to executive director at Carlton Senior Living Fremont in April. “Carlton has such a focus on the staff — all the employees, frontline staff, the managers,” Gianni said. “Everyone preaches the idea that if you have capable people in place to do their job, and you make sure they’re happy, they can do their best work possible.” Gianni’s success story highlights the impact of a supportive environment and shows how one conference connection can transform a dream into reality.

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