Meet the LCS Executive Leadership Team
Through servant leadership, the LCS Family of Companies is dedicated to serving seniors and developing the next generation of leaders in our field. Our culture, talent, and vision are critical drivers for success and set up each LCS Company to perform at its highest potential for generations to come.
Joel Nelson
As chief executive officer of LCS, Joel Nelson is responsible for executing the business strategy across all business lines in the LCS Family of Companies. Joel provides leadership and direction for business growth, service excellence, and enhancing the company’s stability and value among financial partners, property owners, and other stakeholders in the senior living field. Joel joined LCS in 1986 and has held several executive roles during his long-tenured career with LCS. Today, he is responsible for the oversight of serving nearly 40,000+ seniors and 27,000 employees.
Joel serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of LCS Holding Company, LLC, is a member of the compensation committee and is a trustee of the Company’s 401(k) benefits program. Outside LCS, Joel serves on various industry and community boards. Within the industry, Joel is the current chairman of the Argentum Board of Directors, and a member of the National Investment Center operator advisory board and an executive member of the American Senior Housing Association. Joel is active in the Des Moines community and serves as chair of the ChildServe Board of Trustees. As a past board member, he remains active with the Alzheimer's Association and the Central Iowa United Way Board of Directors.
Diane Bridgewater
As a high-energy, results-driven executive, Diane Bridgewater leads LCS Strategy, including oversight of strategic imperatives across the company resulting in strong financial performance and growth. In 2024 Diane will begin transitioning chief financial and administrative responsibilities, including all financial and business operations, the company’s insurance business line, information technology, compliance, regulatory, and legal matters, through a thoughtful succession plan.
At LCS, Diane serves on the Board of Directors of LCS Holding Company, LLC and its related audit committee, compensation committee, investment committee, and retirement fiduciary committee.
Outside the organization, she is a member of Argentum. Diane is a member of the board and chair of the audit committee at Guide One Insurance and recently completed her term on the board of Casey’s having chaired the audit and nominating and governance committees. Diane has been recognized as a Des Moines Business Record’s Women of Influence, Deloitte CFO of the Year, and named to the Women Inc. magazine’s 2023 Most Influential Corporate Board Directors. She holds bachelor’s degrees in accounting and French from the University of Northern Iowa.
Chris Bird
Capitalizing on his reputation as a change agent, Chris Bird brings his expertise to the communities LCS serves. By leading operations, building community occupancy, fostering capital partner relationships, and developing new business, Chris implements strategies to deliver on the expectations of owners and shareholders. As president, chief operating officer, Chris oversees Life Care Services, CPS, legal, IT, and onboarding operations. His ability to analyze issues, devise continuous process improvements, and incorporate business process initiatives drives performance improvement for the overall operation.
At LCS, Chris mentors future leaders by providing guidance, expertise, and resources to develop professional skills in the senior living industry. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Directors of LCS Holding Company, LLC. Chris is a member of the Argentum Advisory Council and the Argentum Chief Operating Officer Roundtable. He holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Memphis, Tennessee.
Dan Lahey
In his role as executive vice president/chief financial & investment officer, Dan Lahey oversees the LCS real estate strategy including acquisitions, capital markets, asset management and development capital. By partnering with others in the LCS organization and the industry, he identifies and evaluates opportunities that benefit LCS and its investment partners, which allows LCS to serve more seniors. Dan serves as a member of the LCS Audit Committee and is chair of the LCS Investment Committee.
Having joined LCS Real Estate in its early years, Dan's institutional and industry knowledge allows him to be a key collaborator in many partner relationships. Under his leadership, the LCS Real Estate team has executed on transactions valued at more than $2.6 billion in the past five years. In addition, LCS Real Estate has been successful in investing more than $100 million of LCS equity capital. Dan earned his Bachelor of Arts in accounting and finance from Wartburg College and worked in public accounting prior to joining LCS in 2008.
Monica Friedman
In support of the LCS vision, Monica leads the human resources team to ensure the LCS Family of Companies has an appropriate holistic talent strategy. In her role as executive vice president, chief human resources officer, Monica oversees effective recruitment, employee engagement, professional development, and the delivery of a competitive compensation and benefits program. In addition, she ensures that diversity, equity, and inclusion are a part of all that we do at LCS. Her focus on fostering a highly engaged workforce and a strong culture ensures that LCS is the employer of choice in the senior living industry. By effectively executing on the Extraordinary Impressions framework, Monica assures LCS is well-positioned to create opportunities for purposeful living filled with rich experiences for its employees and senior living residents.
Monica holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations human resources with highest distinction from The University of Iowa along with SPHR and SHRM-SCP designations. In addition, she is a graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Community Leadership Program and was named to the Des Moines Business Record’s Forty under 40. Monica has been recognized as the Dentons Davis Brown HR Professional of the Year, a Women of Influence honoree and awarded the American Red Cross Clara Barton Award for Meritorious Volunteer Leadership. She is the chair of the MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center board and is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire CHAASE board. She is a past member of the Business Education Alliance and United Way of Central Iowa boards, is the past board chair of the American Red Cross Iowa Chapter, and is the past chair of the Greater Des Moines Partnership Inclusion Council. At LCS, Monica is a member of the LCS Foundation Board of Directors and chairs the LCS Foundation Professional Development Committee.
Charles Murphy
As the executive vice president/senior managing director of development, Chuck Murphy is responsible for the strategy and performance oversight of LCS Development, serving internal and external clients in developing and enhancing senior living communities nationwide. Capitalizing on his experience in developing, acquiring, and managing commercial real estate for more than 30 years, Chuck directs development strategy and builds strategic partnerships to enhance the services LCS provides.
Applying his expertise in working with a range of property types including hospitality, residential, land development, and health care within private equity, public, and entrepreneurial platforms domestically and internationally, Chuck leads his teams to create special three-dimensional experiences for the seniors we serve.
Chuck’s development and investment experience includes leadership roles at The Walt Disney Company, GE Capital Real Estate, and Hammes Healthcare.
At LCS, Chuck is a member of the LCS Investment Committee. Outside the organization, he is a Benefactor of the Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association and serves as a board member of the James A. Graaskamp Center for Real Estate at The University of Wisconsin. Chuck also serves as a board member of Chicagoland Habitat for Humanity and First Friday Club of Chicago and is a member of the United Way of Central Iowa Tocqueville Society.
Chuck earned his bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in real estate investment analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
GeLynna Shaw
As a professional in the senior living industry, GeLynna Shaw brings her expertise in finance, mergers and acquisitions, and operational effectiveness to her role as Executive Vice President of Operations at Life Care Services. GeLynna oversees all aspects of community operations including sales, health and wellness, dining, resident engagement, and plant operations.
Her 27-year career in senior living includes experience with Continuing Care Retirement Communities and rental communities has been focused on systems, processes, and people that are effective to ensure the best outcomes for the residents. GeLynna joined LCS in 2018 and has been instrumental in improving the performance of existing communities, successfully opening new communities, and onboarding new acquisitions. Her passion for those she serves and her record of improving performance through operational efficiencies has been essential to the success of the LCS Family of Companies.
GeLynna is a board member of Hexagon and serves on the LCS Public Policy Committee. She has served on pricing, compliance, and risk committees, and brings that knowledge to the LCS Family of Companies. GeLynna holds a bachelor's degree in business with a major in accounting from Tennessee Technological University. She is a certified public accountant.
LCS Leadership Team
Frank Vedder
With over 25 years of technology leadership experience, Frank Vedder serves as the Chief Information Officer for the LCS Family of Companies. His role leads technology delivery, support, and innovation to meet the ever-growing need for automation and improved data analytics in the senior living industry. With his guidance and expertise, LCS is able to provide industry-leading technology capabilities to serve the various of communities LCS supports. He also leads the LCS enterprise cyber security program to protect the information assets of LCS.
Frank provides leadership for the information technology department, directing all technology functions that support LCS or business systems that LCS offers to the communities we serve. In addition, he is also a member of the enterprise risk management team, leads Innovate @ LCS, and LCS's data analytics advantage team. Outside of the organization, Frank is the Chair of the Argentum Information Technology Roundtable and is a member of the Des Moines CIO Forum. He holds a bachelor's degree in education with a math and computer science focus from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, an MBA from The University of Iowa, and an MIS degree with certifications in cybersecurity and business analytics from Iowa State University.
Jason Victor
Wendy Rus
Wendy Rus is the senior vice president/director of corporate planning and community finance for LCS. In this role, she is responsible for leading budgeting and 5-year planning efforts for the LCS Family of Companies. Wendy monitors and analyzes monthly performance results, collaborates with leadership to maximize performance, and delivers senior leadership and board reviews to ensure key issues and opportunities are understood by stakeholders. She also directs the efforts of the corporate financial planning and analysis team supporting the fee-for-service business lines.
Wendy oversees the organization’s community finance department, directing the financial functions that drive accounting and finance activities at the community level and supporting key operational decisions and long-term business strategy. In addition, she supports operations, along with asset and performance management to build community performance. At LCS, Wendy serves on the Enterprise Risk Management committee and was co-chair for the 2023 LCS Leadership Summit. Outside of the company, she serves on the United Way Women United Investment Committee and the Argentum CFO Roundtable. Wendy holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration from Graceland University.
Dan Kosmicki
Dan Kosmicki provides risk mitigation efforts related to safety and loss control for the LCS Family of Companies. In his role, Dan develops policies and procedures that lessen the impact of natural disasters and other emergencies on senior living residents and the communities where they live. Utilizing his experience in risk management, financial reporting and organization management, Dan provides education and training to support loss control and emergency response efforts within the organization. He leads the LCS Advantage insurance program and provides insight into marketplace coverages resulting in coverage solutions for difficult exposure risks and resolution to potential high profile incidents.
At LCS, Dan chairs the Enterprise Risk Management committee. Outside the organization, he serves on industry-led working groups focused on risk mitigation efforts. Dan holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University Nebraska-Lincoln and he is a certified property casualty underwriter, certified financial examiner and chartered life underwriter.
Rick Westermann
In his role as senior vice president/chief marketing officer, Rick Westermann drives competitive positioning and improved brand experiences across the LCS Family of Companies. Using his knowledge and experience in community marketing and sales, he leads a team focused on growing the LCS brand through new technology, content, and transformative experiences. Rick’s leadership helped his team exceed all-time inquiry and sales records, launched the company’s SalesFIRST standards, introduced critical new marketing and sales technologies, and has played a role in key community development strategies across the company.
Rick joined LCS in 2018 as the vice president/senior director of marketing and sales for the rental division for Life Care Services. He has served in leadership roles with the LCS Innovation Council and the EverSafe 360° Task Force. He is a member of Argentum and a graduate of their inaugural LEAD program. Prior to LCS, Rick served on the Senior Leadership Team at A Place for Mom as the Vice President of Partner Services and with Leisure Care as their National Sales & Marketing Manager. Rick holds a bachelor's degree in both business and history from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Bridgette Uhlemann
In her role as corporate counsel and director of legal and compliance, Bridgette Uhlemann ensures the legal rights of LCS are protected by providing legal advice and recommendations to all levels of the organization. She oversees legal affairs, including corporate governance, contract law, public policy, and corporate and regulatory compliance for LCS. Bridgette directs the overall delivery of legal and compliance services to the organization, including in-house attorneys, compliance analysts and outside legal counsel. She collaborates with leadership and ensures key legal issues and opportunities are understood by stakeholders to mitigate risk and protect company assets.
At LCS, Bridgette is a member of the LCS Foundation Board of Directors, and she chaired the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee in 2019. Outside the organization, she serves as the board chair for the Alzheimer's Association, Iowa Chapter and the secretary for the Mid-Iowa Association of Local Governments. Bridgette graduated from Drake University with a B.A. in English and Law, Politics and Society. She earned her J.D. from Drake University Law School.
David Mercugliano
Leaning on his expertise in business development, executive leadership, operations management, and strategy, David Mercugliano leads business development initiatives to grow top-line revenue for the LCS Family of Companies. With more than two decades of professional experience, he is keenly knowledgeable about senior living investments and identifying strategic opportunities for organizations to meet the changing needs of current and future residents. In his role as vice president of business development, David focuses on expanding management and development opportunities by helping senior living communities better understand how the diverse services of LCS can help them thrive and grow. Prior to joining LCS, David was a senior vice president at HealthPRO Heritage.
Julie Baker
Since joining LCS in 2016, Julie Baker has led and administered corporate human resources processes and policies related to talent acquisition, engagement, onboarding, offboarding, and employee relations. She is an integral player in LCS’s efforts to drive a holistic talent strategy focused on increased retention and engagement, including leadership for annual engagement surveys like Gallup and Top Workplace. Her expertise is also used to enhance talent readiness and succession planning with executive leadership.
At LCS, Julie serves as co-chair of the Engagement Committee and has served on the Women’s Leadership Connection and the LCS Foundation Governance Committee. Julie has a BA in Business Administration from Northwestern College and earned a Professional in Human Resources certification.
Life Care Services Leadership Team
Dawn Ruppel
Dawn joined an LCS managed community in 2008 and Life Care Services, an LCS Company, in 2013. Dawn oversees a team of nine regional senior living sales and marketing business partners. Her role is critical in providing strategic direction for the organization, community marketing and setting sales strategies for 47 third-party managed communities in collaboration with LCS leaders. Dawn’s knowledge and passion for senior living has elevated her role at LCS, helped her communities achieve their goals, increased reputation scores, and supported the growth of the teams she supports. She has served on the EverSafe 360® Taskforce where she chaired the EverSafe 360® Engage and Strategic Media Communications committees. She has also served with INNOVATE@LCS as Communications Chair. She is passionate about growth of future leaders in senior living and is part of the project team that developed a community-based leadership development program, LCS ExSellerator. With more than two decades of senior living experience, her previous roles have included Social Services Director, Admissions Director, Marketing and Sales Counselor, Marketing and Sales Coordinator, Director of Marketing, Regional Marketing and Sales Manager, Regional Marketing and Sales Director, and Director Marketing and Sales. Dawn holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Akron.
LCS Development Leadership Team
Tom Mathisen
As senior vice president/managing director – development for LCS Development, Tom Mathisen is responsible for the growth and execution strategy for The Delaney communities, the rental community brand for LCS. Building on his experience with LCS Real Estate and established industry relationships, Tom focuses on expanding the company’s footprint in senior living across the nation. Working in concert with the LCS Family of Companies, Tom optimizes every aspect of the rental development platform including market selection, design, construction and capitalization. His prior experience in institutional real estate provides a solid foundation that greatly benefits the overall growth strategy and mission of LCS.
Tom serves on the Professional Development Committee of the LCS Foundation and is an advisor to the LCS Investment Committee. He serves on the Advisory Committee of the Georgetown University Aging & Health Program and is an alumnus of the NIC Future Leaders Council. Tom is a certified public accountant and earned a bachelor's degree in finance and accounting from Buena Vista University and an MBA from The University of Iowa.
Jason Jorgenson
As senior vice president/managing director of development for LCS Development, Jason Jorgenson draws on his 25 plus years of diverse development experience in all aspects of the strategic positioning and project delivery to drive results for clients across the United States. In his role, Jason leads all aspects of senior housing development from site selection to final occupancy to position viable projects that meet client and resident preferences and expectations.
Jason’s diverse product experience in entry fee, rental, repositioning and greenfield development provides an opportunity to lead internal and external project teams to value-add opportunities which has been demonstrated in successful senior living communities across the United States. Through the visioning and planning processes, Jason provides clients with access to new ideas and established trends that create viable projects and rich spaces for seniors to flourish in their retirement.
At LCS, Jason sits on the LCS Foundation Board of Directors and is the chair of the Emergency Relief Committee. As a key leader of the LCS Development management team with decades of experience, he is a mentor and offers process guidance to team members. Jason holds the designation of Graduate Master Builder and Certified Green Professional through the National Association of Home Builders. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from William Penn University, Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Joel Bleeker
At LCS, Joel serves on the Innovation Council and EverSafe 360 task force. During his 33 years with LCS his previous positions include Design Manager for Life Plan Communities and Director of Design for all development projects. Joel holds a BArch and an MBA from Iowa State University. He is a licensed architect and a member of the American Institute of Architects at the national and state level.
Todd Shaw
In his role as vice president of development for LCS Development, Todd Shaw is responsible for leading new development, expansion and repositioning projects. In collaboration with the project team, he manages all aspects of the development process, including planning, financial feasibility, project coordination and construction oversight. Todd works closely with sponsoring boards, architects, interior design firms and construction companies to ensure the established goals are achieved. In addition, he successfully navigates the process to remove barriers and ensure all legal conditions are completed as required. Working with the design team , Todd leads the master planning team for Life Plan communities.
Todd is a strategic thinker with a history of successful achievements in the industry. He brings 30 years of experience to meet the needs of his clients. With his past experience in market assessment, financial analysis, negotiation and structuring of equity and debt arrangements, along with acquisition and disposition, Todd has extensive expertise in all aspects of real estate development. Todd holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Oklahoma and an MBA from Southern Methodist University.
Nick Herrick
In his role at LCS Development, Nick Herrick is responsible for creating and executing on master plans designed to drive revenue through increased occupancy for senior living communities. As director of development, Nick works closely with market researchers, architects, regulatory officials, sponsoring boards, attorneys, lenders, interior design firms, construction companies and operations management to identify community needs that enrich the resident experience. By leading a team of project managers to oversee every detail in the development process, Nick has successfully collaborated with many senior living community owners to create new and exciting spaces for residents to enjoy.
Under his leadership, LCS Development received the Senior Housing News Architecture and Design Award for best Renovation/Repositioning. Nick holds a bachelor’s degree in construction management and a minor in real estate from the University of Northern Iowa. He served on the LCS United Way Committee for three years and was a member of the 2023 LCS Leadership Summit planning team.
David Kane
As Senior Director of Design Management for LCS Development, David Kane provides leadership to a team of design managers and senior design managers. David is responsible for setting the strategic direction for all design functions within LCS Development, specifically for Life Plan communities, providing oversight for all Development design activities, and setting program, product, and process standards for LCS Development projects.
David began his career in senior housing development and consulting in 2004. He has worked on a large variety of projects from master planning, large renovations, and repositioning of existing senior communities to new large greenfield multi-phase Life Plan Communities. Before beginning his career in senior housing development, starting in 1997, he worked in an architectural firm specializing in single, multi-family, and assisted living providing architectural design services to large national developers and builders. David holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Iowa State University and holds architectural registration in the State of Iowa. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects.
LCS Real Estate Leadership Team
Mike Andreasen
Capitalizing on the expertise gained in 20+ years of finance-focused roles in a variety of industries, Mike Andreasen serves as senior vice president of asset and portfolio management for LCS Real Estate. In his role, Mike directs the commitment to maximizing the value of LCS investments. Under his leadership, the team identifies opportunities for communities where LCS has an investment to optimize performance, and drive investment returns. These efforts not only enhance the experience of residents and employees, but also furthers the LCS mission to serve more seniors by increasing LCS Real Estate investment opportunities.
At LCS, Mike is a member of the LCS Investment committee, and has served as a mentor for the Women’s Leadership Committee. Mike also served as co-chair of the 2018 LCS Leadership Summit. Outside the organization, Mike is a member of the American Seniors Housing Association Rising Leaders Program and NIC. He holds a BA in political science and an MBA from the Tippie School of Business at The University of Iowa.
Sarah Dorr
Utilizing her experience in mortgage loan/subordinate debt origination, portfolio loan sales and commercial real estate portfolio servicing, Sarah Dorr leads the strategic direction of the debt capitalization needs of the national platform of LCS Real Estate and the broader LCS organization. In her role, she is responsible for the oversight of all debt sourcing, servicing, and relationship management for LCS and the $2.0+ billion debt portfolio of LCS Real Estate, and in select situations to support the capital needs of the third-party clients of LCS Development and Life Care Services. Sarah serves as the main relationship manager with all debt partners of LCS Real Estate and the LCS Family of Companies. She is also responsible for leading financing plans for crucial acquisition, development and refinance activity within the LCS Real Estate portfolio.
Under Sarah's leadership, LCS is able to diversify its equity investment in the ownership of senior living communities through the strategic utilization of leverage, allowing LCS to bring its full suite of services to a greater number of residents across the country. With nearly 25 years of experience in institutional real estate debt, including institutional life insurance company commercial mortgage origination and servicing, she provides additional knowledge and expertise that positively positions LCS Family of Companies and the communities it owns.
Sarah holds a BA in finance/real estate from the University of Northern Iowa and an MBA from The University of Iowa. She is a member of the LCS Foundation Board of Directors, she currently serves as the chair of the LCS Foundation’s Governance Committee. Previously, she has served as the Chair of the LCS National Team for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and as co-chair of the Community Build Committee of Bergman Academy. Sarah holds a CCIM designation and is a member of CREW Iowa.
Graham Johnson
Graham Johnson brings a depth of real estate expertise, ranging from product development to deal origination, to his position as Vice President/Director - Investments for LCS Real Estate. In his role, Graham is responsible for leading the execution of LCS Real Estate's investment objectives through targeted investment opportunities including development, acquisition and recapitalization efforts. In this capacity, his team serves as a key point of contact for market intermediaries and external consultants. In addition to sourcing opportunities, Graham works closely with key capital relationships on transaction and partnership structure.
Graham earned his Bachelor of Arts in finance and accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. In addition, he has been a CFA Charterholder since 2019.
CPS Leadership Team
Elisa Baptiste
Elisa Baptiste joined CPS in March 2015 initially as senior director of operations. She has more than 25 years of healthcare experience, including direct patient care and for-profit corporate healthcare supply chain management, with organizations such as Columbia HCA and Triad Hospitals. She also has extensive experience with GPOs, both as a direct employee overseeing contract management and vendor compliance and also as management of GPO relationships as a vendor.
Elisa is the current board chair for the LCS Foundation, and has also served several years leading the Foundation's emergency relief committee. Elisa most recently led the operations and P&L management for Aramark Healthcare Technologies. Elisa is a native of Texas and has an MBA from Regis University of Denver, Colorado.
Anthony Greer
Anthony Greer joined CPS in March 2013 in a business development/account management role and has more than 20 years of sales and customer service experience. As the director of client relations, Anthony ensures all clients are experiencing the full value of CPS and the full support from their dedicated account managers.
Anthony has bachelor degrees in accounting and business administration from Taylor University and an MBA in human resource management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
