Leadership Teams

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

 

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. 

Jason Victor is senior vice president, treasurer and corporate finance for LCS. In this role, he provides oversight and direction for the organization’s financial matters, ensuring its consistent and efficient fiscal performance. Jason has responsibility for the organization’s corporate accounting, corporate payroll, community payroll, treasury and tax departments. He oversees all aspects of general accounting, cash management, billing and receivables, accounts payable, payroll, consolidations and financial reporting. In addition, he provides leadership for LCS Risk Management, including the LCS Advantage insurance program and Hexagon, a captive insurance company. 

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 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.

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. 

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.

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. 

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.

Greg has been with Life Care Services, An LCS Company, for more than 24 years. He serves on the Life Care Services leadership team and oversees multi-state operations for the company, helping client communities achieve performance and strategic goals. Greg has served in a variety of roles including Health Center Administrator, Executive Director, Director of Operations Management and VP/Director of Operations Management. He has deep experience supporting communities in the Life Plan, Rental and Equity Divisions, and his exceptional service has resulted in high satisfaction among residents, staff, and clients. Greg holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Earlham College.

Leaning on her expertise to foster and maintain meaningful relationships, Jill Sorenson leads the regional team serving a portfolio of 36 Life Plan communities. Following her passion for serving seniors, Jill's responsibilities have grown during her career at LCS. From roles in accounting, information technology, and corporate resource development to receiving her nursing home administrator license, Jill is committed to serving others. Prior to her current position, Jill has a proven track record in successfully delivering on occupancy goals and achieving 4- and 5-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 

To ensure Life Care Services is serving the customer first and foremost, Jill initiated client satisfaction surveys with client boards and owners to build stronger and more strategic relationships. Outside LCS, Jill has served on the San Diego Region for Aging Services of California and the Aging Services of California Board. She is a frequent presenter at national and state industry conferences on topics affecting the senior living industry and was selected for the Hall of Honor for McKnight’s Women of Distinction program in 2023. Jill holds a bachelor's in business administration from Simpson College and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

As senior vice president/senior director of operations management for the rental division, Mike Heselbarth provides direct oversight and leadership to more than 55 rental communities. Mike joined Life Care Services in 2000 and uses his rich experience in senior living to cultivate strong partnerships, drive the LCS culture, and elevate hospitality.  
  
At LCS, Mike serves on the Compliance Committee, Safety Committee, and was a member of the 2023 LCS Leadership Summit planning team. He holds his bachelor’s degree in Long Term Care Administration and an MBA, both from Indiana State University. 

Sharon Roth Maguire joined LCS in 2022 as the Vice President/Director of Health Services. Sharon brings a passion for health and wellness combined with her 30+ years of healthcare industry experience to her role. Sharon and her teams are focused on person-centered, outcome-oriented healthcare delivery as well as supporting people and systems including health and wellness programming, clinical quality support, EHR support, clinical analytics, and clinical regulatory/compliance support across all areas of care for LCS.  

In addition to her extensive healthcare background, Sharon has served on numerous boards and associations in the senior living industry, including the Alzheimer’s Association, Assisted Living Federation of America, Argentum, and National Conference of Gerontological Nurse Practitioners where she served as President. She has been published in various professional and industry journals and speaks at the national level on a variety of topics relevant to senior care including dementia, falls, therapeutic environments, person-centered care, and healthcare informatics. Sharon earned her undergraduate degree at Marquette University and her master’s in Gerontology, and advanced-practice nursing at Boston University. She has also served as an instructor for the College of Nursing at Rush University and taught as a clinical assistant professor at Marquette University’s College of Nursing. 
 

Warren joined Life Care Services, An LCS Company, in 2008, and currently oversees marketing and sales activity for all Life Care Services equity communities, along with responsibility for talent management initiatives in marketing and sales. Prior to his current position, Warren was vice president of sales and marketing for CRSA, and he has held positions with the senior housing group of Genesis Health Ventures and Manor Care Health Services. Warren serves on the board of directors of the Wyndemere in Wheaton, Illinois, and the Baltimore Educational Institute for Teens of Reformed Judaism.

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.   

As vice president/director of health care marketing and sales, Cindi’s focus is to extend the commitment to performance excellence through the continuum of care and address what has become a highly specialized and complex aspect of the senior housing market: post-acute care. She works closely with the Health Services Division to ensure a seamless collaboration in healthcare marketing, occupancy development, and revenue generation. 

Cindi began working in the senior housing industry in 1995 and became a member of the Life Care Services team in 2008. She started as a regional marketing manager for Life Care Services and was promoted to vice president/director of marketing and sales of the Life Plan Midwest/West divisions in 2010. In 2015, Cindi was promoted to vice president/director of healthcare marketing and sales. Prior to joining Life Care Services, Cindi worked as the director of marketing and sales for a community managed by Life Care Services in Columbus, Ohio. Cindi earned her bachelor's degree in social work from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.  

Leaning on more than 24 years of senior living expertise, Kelli Jane Cronk leads the sales & marketing teams for 13 Life Plan communities. Her role is integral to setting goals and providing strategic direction across the Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing levels under her leadership. Guided by her passion for serving seniors, she works to ensure each prospective resident and their families understand the LCS approach of creating opportunities for purposeful living filled with rich experiences. 

At LCS, she has served in a variety of community and corporate-based sales & marketing roles to grow her experience and expertise and has lent her skills as a volunteer on several LCS Committees. Kelli Jane holds a bachelor’s degree from Murray State University. 

In her role to provide strategic human resources support to the Life Plan and rental portfolios, Donna brings her knowledge, skills and abilities to enhance the LCS culture at the senior living communities served. As vice president/director of human resources, Donna oversees a team of six regional human resources business partners. The team focuses on the strategic direction of human resources operations, employee relations, human resources training and risk mitigation. Donna's leadership along with her team helps to build employee engagement which minimizes turnover, establishes LCS as an employer of choice, and better serves residents at LCS communities. 

At LCS, Donna has been a member of Women’s Leadership where she served as chair, and the United Way committee where she served as co-chair. She has also been a member of the wellness committee. Donna holds a BA in human resources with a minor in business as well as an MBA with an emphasis in human resources from Bellevue University.

With more than 43 years of design experience, Joel Bleeker oversees project design and pre-construction services for LCS Development. In his role as Vice President/Director of Architecture and Construction, Joel directs concept development, facilitates project planning, and oversees design and pre-construction services for senior living communities across the nation. Joel brings his experience and institutional knowledge to meet client needs. Using his expertise in project management, Joel identifies strategies to maintain expenses, meet project budgets and reduce risk for the clients he serves. Utilizing his professional skills, Joel supports the development of senior living communities that offer engaging environments, deliver enrichment opportunities and support purposeful living goals for residents. 

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. 

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.

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.

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 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.

Andi Putnam joined CPS in 2004 to develop medical and clinical vendor partnerships inclusive to the CPS portfolio. Her previous experience includes 20 years in the long-term care pharmacy/medical environment, focusing on operations, business development, clinical compliance and financial reporting for a national pharmacy provider. Andi enjoys working with CPS member organizations to ensure they receive quality products and services that provide positive outcomes with reduced costs.