Meet Our Team

Lynne Giacobbe has served as Chief Executive Officer of Kendal at Home since its inception in 2003. Lynne has worked in the non-profit field for more than 30 years. For the past 25 years she has worked in the area of administration and program development. Lynne is the Chief Executive Officer of Ohio’s first age-in-place community. Through the development of Kendal at Home, Lynne has helped to bring the concept of aging in place to older adults who prefer to spend their retirement years in their own homes.

Karen brings years of business experience to Kendal at Home after having worked with a varied portfolio of manufacturing and service companies. She brings a unique blend of finance, operations and IT solutions to the team. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from John Carroll University. She resides in Bay Village with her husband and their 2 sons.

Yoleetah brings just under ten years of experience in geriatric medicine to her role as medical director at Kendal at Home. Prior to her current position she held positions as Director of Geriatric Medical Education and other supervisory roles at Summa Health Medical Group. She was voted resident of the year in 2011 and in 2017 was recognized with the Akron Urban League’s Women in Leadership Award.

Marla joins the Kendal at Home team with over 20 years of clinical and managerial experience as an Occupational Therapist. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Gerontology as well as a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at Cleveland State University. Marla has practiced and managed in a variety of settings including Skilled Nursing Facilities, outpatient neuro rehab, inpatient rehab hospital and Assisted Living facilities. She is passionate about assisting individuals accommodate, rehabilitate and restore function while maintaining their independence. Marla lives in Copley, Ohio with her husband and son. In her free time, she can be found on the baseball field cheering on her son or training her puppy to become a therapy dog.

Mark has over 30 years of sales experience and a strong passion for working with seniors.  Before joining Kendal at Home , he served as Sales Manager for a continuing care retirement community.    Mark was born and raised in Lakewood, Ohio and continues to reside on the west side of Cleveland.  He enjoys spending time with his wife, large family and friends. His number one hobby is golf.

Kim brings with her a long history of working in the healthcare arena, beginning as a registered Medical Laboratory Technician. She joined Kendal at Home in 2015 after spending 17 years in the Finance Department of Kendal at Oberlin where she specialized in Medicare billing and insurance. She resides in Wakeman, Ohio with her husband Mark.  They have 3 children with families of their own and feel very fortunate to have them all close by.  Kim enjoys gardening, yoga, and family-related activities. 

Cheryl Deatherage  joined the Kendal at Home team as a caregiver while pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree from Baldwin Wallace University. Since then she has graduated with a Degree in Organizational Leadership and a minor in Psychology. Cheryl brings experience in the field of caregiving and years spent working with the developmentally disabled. She resides in Avon with her husband and their dogs. Cheryl enjoys spending time with her family and friends, rooting for Cleveland sports teams, and traveling, especially cruises.

Married, 2 sons (grown and gone!), Cincinnati born and raised.

Love to travel, unique food & wine experiences with friends, a CONSTANT struggle learning the game of golf, loyal supporter of our Bengals/Reds/FC Cincinnati teams!

30+ years of corporate sales background in the hotel, food and distributor industry.

Excited that this next stage in my career allows me to make a bigger impact; helping vibrant & independent seniors keep living their best lives in their own home and community.

Heather Gansel began working with the older adult population at age 18 when she started as a nurses aide.  While going to Kent State university, where she was a member of the Woman's Soccer team, she continued to work as a nurses aide.  She went on to get her Physical Therapist Assistant degree at Stark State College and began working as a PTA for about 2 years when she became a director of rehabilitation. Heather worked as a director of rehabilitation for about 9 years.  She has been working in Healthcare for over 20 years in various settings such as skilled nursing, assisted living and outpatient. Heather has a passion for the older adult and a unique sense of what they need to live quality, healthy lives. 

Heather also was a high school soccer coach for 4 years and has a passion for exercise and nutrition. Heather is dedicated to improving the lives of older adults and their loved ones. She resides in Tallmadge with her husband and son.

Terri Lanham began her nursing career in 1985 as an LPN in Norfolk, Virginia, where she and her husband lived while he served in the United States Navy. They moved to Ohio in 1989. Terri worked for Fairview Hospital and Tri City Medicine. In 1993, she started working for Kendal at Oberlin as the health and wellness nurse in the clinic. In August of 2011, she came to Kendal at Home in the role as a Care Coordinator with 19 years of experience in the geriatric field. Terri is a professionally trained health and wellness coach. Terri resides in North Ridgeville with her husband. They have two daughters and two grandsons. Terri loves spending time with her family, traveling, and any outdoor activities. Terri’s wellness approach to life keeps her active and fit.

Nathaly is a healthcare administration professional with expertise in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, related dementias, and overall brain health. As the daughter of Colombian immigrants, she brings multicultural expertise, passion and commitment to serving diverse communities, through education and awareness programs for healthy aging. Prior experience includes health care administrative roles at Hebrew SeniorLife as a Geriatric Resource Specialist, and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a Practice Assistant for a Wound Care Center. Most recently, she worked in the field of affordable housing with The Neighborhood Developers as a Resident Services Coordinator. Nathaly earned her Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Stonehill College. She joins Kendal at Home to follow her passion for advancing community health, working with older adults, , advocating to uplift their voices and help them maintain independence as they age.

Outside of work, Nathaly loves family time, being a “cool” aunt, listening to music and drinking a cup of black coffee. Nathaly lives in her hometown of Boston, MA.

Melissa began her career as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in 2015, and has worked in the Skilled Nursing Setting for 6 years. Two years after graduation, she was offered the position of Director of Therapy, and held that position for 4.5 years. She specialized in assisting long term and short-term patients to reach their maximum potential, increasing their safety and independence in Activities of Daily Living. Melissa comes to Kendal at Home with a strong understanding of what it takes to remain safe and functionally independent at home, completing frequent home safety assessments, and making recommendations for safe discharge planning. She is very passionate about helping people maintain their independence on both a physical and emotional level. Melissa is very comfortable working with people of all ages. She was a preschool teacher for 9 years, where she started an educational variety program for preschool through primary aged children. Melissa also grew up working with and spending time at a family-owned Senior Citizens Home where she worked one on one with people of all ages and backgrounds. Melissa is very passionate about helping individuals “age in place” safely.

Melissa lives in Akron, Ohio and has 3 adult children. She happily refers to herself as a “helicopter mom”, much to her children’s dismay. She is also a proud member of the sandwich generation, living
with her 81-year-old parents. She can often be found singing in her Church Choir, making a joyful noise.

Stephanie joins Kendal at Home to follow her passion for working with and advocating for older adults. A few short months after having earned her degree as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Stephanie was promoted to the role of Director of Therapy Services in a Skilled Nursing Facilty. She brings with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in working with individuals from 17-100 years of age with both physical and cognitive challenges. She enjoys building relationships with those she serves and is passionate about advocating for and implementing resources to help Members achieve their goals and maintain their independence. Stephanie and her husband are kept busy with their two young sons and pitching in to help run the family’s poultry farm. In her spare time, Stephanie enjoys reading and interior design/renovations.

Katie has worked in the field of aging since earning her master’s degree in gerontology in 1998. She has been with Kendal at Home since its beginning in 2004. Prior to joining the Kendal at Home team, Katie worked in two skilled nursing facilities and a non-medical home care agency. She completed training for wellness coaching and has extensive training in Medicare through the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program (OSHIIP).

Sue Wojtkun joins the Kendal at Home team with 21 years of experience in marketing and sales. She has worked with schools and non profit groups and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts from the University of Dayton. Sue enjoys baking, sewing and spending time with her family. She resides in North Olmsted with her husband and has three children.

Alan is holder of the Baldwin Wallace Chair in Faith & Life and Professor of Religion at Baldwin Wallace. He earned degrees from Guilford College, Harvard Divinity School, and a Ph.D. from Harvard University. Alan, Peter Rea and Jamie Stoller, MD, recently published the book, Exception to the Rule. Alan is a co-author with his business colleagues, Peter Rea and Pierre Everaert, on an earlier book, Igniting Innovation With Integrity: Following the B.R.I.C. Road. Alan also co-authored an even earlier book with Peter Rea, Integrity is a Growth Market: Character-Based Leadership. This book has been translated into Portuguese. In addition, he has numerous publications in contemporary spirituality, including two popular books, Fresh Winds of the Spirit and Canopy of Light & Love. He writes a daily inspirational blog (www.alankolp.blogspot.com and www.twitter.com/KolpAlan)

Before coming to Baldwin-Wallace University in 2000, Alan taught at Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, IN. For six years he served as head of the graduate school with the title, Dean of Earlham School of Religion. Alan also served eight years as Pastoral Leader at First Friends Meeting in Richmond. Currently, Alan serves on the Lay Advisory Committee at the Jesuit Retreat House in Cleveland, OH and is on the Board of Directors of the International Thomas Merton Society.

Alan continues to teach Religion at Baldwin Wallace and was honored in May, 2015 with the Strosacker Award for Excellent in Teaching. He has also won the Gigax Faculty Scholarship Award and, earlier, the Bechberger Award for Human Development. Alan was the co-founder with Peter Rea of the Center for Innovation and Growth (CIG), a campus-wide, co-curricular effort to infuse an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset in all students. He is also the NCAA Faculty Representative and is active teaching every semester a Leadership Colloquium for student athletes. To recognize his commitment, there is an annual award named in his honor: the Alan Kolp Award for Excellence in Teaching.  

He spent a year in Germany on a Fulbright Fellowship and has taught in England. He has been a visiting scholar at the Graduate Theological Union, University of California at Berkeley and at Kellogg College, Oxford University. He is in demand as a speaker, retreat leader and, along with Peter Rea, serves a consultant for businesses, non-profit organizations, and a variety of faith communities. During the past few years, Alan and Peter led seminars in Germany, Russia, China, Lithuania, Brazil, England, India, as well as locally in the USA. He regularly contributes as a consultant to Parker Hannifin, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Cleveland.

Heather Knight Ahearn is the CFO and Head of E-Commerce for Knight Sound & Lighting, a commercial lighting controls and professional live sound company. In this role, she oversees all e-commerce operations including analytics, advertising, omni-channel strategy, and product management. She also manages all financial functions of the organization including pricing, financing, and long-term strategic growth plans. Prior to her work at Knight Sound & Lighting, Heather was a management consultant with McKinsey & Company with a focus on health care strategy. She also began her professional career as an investment banker with a concentration in emerging markets debt financing with Swiss Bank Corporation (now UBS). Heather has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Fairfield University and a Masters of Business Administration from the Weatherhead School of Management.

Allen brings over 15+ years of banking experience to Lendio  as their Northeast Ohio Manager working with business owners on the right capital solution to fit their business needs. His banking experience spans capital markets, commercial, corporate, and private banking. He even spent time working with Ohio based ECDI – Economic and Community Development Institute, a leading SBA microloan intermediary and Treasury- designated Community Development Financial Institution. He holds a Master of Science in Management-Finance from Case Western Reserve University. He has been married to his wife, Jen, for over ten years and together they have three children. When he is not working or volunteering Allen can be found reading, exploring, traveling, or playing golf!

Joseph Haubrich has over thirty years of experience in the areas of economics and finance. Currently a senior professional economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, where he has managed groups in both research and bank supervision, he was previously an assistant professor of finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Joe received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D in Economics from the University of Rochester. He has published in a variety of professional journals, and currently serves as an associate editor of the Journal of Money, Credit and Banking and on the advisory panel of the Chicago Financial Institutions Conference.

Michael provides oversight and support to four community-based hospital pharmacies within the University Hospitals system, totaling about 600 beds. His primary role includes promotion and integration of pharmacy services across all entities and providing strategic support and communication throughout all UH pharmacy entities. Michael actively engages with key stakeholders, both internal and external, to convert all locations to the enterprise electronic medical record and automation cabinets. He works to design, build, and renovate existing IV compounding areas and retail pharmacy space. Providing operational oversight to over 100 pharmacists, residents, pharmacy technicians, and students, Michael has held Director of Pharmacy positions at both UH St. John Medical Center and Lakewood Hospital for the past 10 years. He has also held management positions within institutional pharmacy settings. Michael earned his Bachelor Degree of Pharmacy from The University of Toledo, College of Pharmacy, and has a Healthcare Master of Business degree from Baldwin Wallace University.

Edna B. Chun, D.M., is an educational leader and award-winning author with more than two decades of strategic human resource and diversity leadership experience in public higher education. Dr. Chun’s work and publications focus on talent practices that build organizational capacity. She advises higher education leaders and boards on strategic diversity and human resources planning and transformation, organizational design, faculty and administrative compensation, total rewards strategy, and leadership and workforce development.

Andy has more than 20 years of experience in new business development, strategic planning and operations with INSIGHT2PROFIT, Ernst & Young, Capgemini and The Freedonia Group. Andy is Vice President of Business Development and leads sales and marketing for INSIGHT2PROFIT, a consulting and technology firm that partners with clients to deliver sustainable growth and profit improvement to companies through implementation and management of pricing and profit strategies. Prior to INSIGHT2PROFIT, Andy led Freedonia Custom Research, a leading market research and consulting firm covering a wide range of industrial markets, and served global 1000 manufacturers, private equity firms and investment banks in support of mergers and acquisitions, raising capital, new product development, and identifying/assessing new markets and applications. As a management consultant with Ernst & Young and Capgemini, Andy demonstrated leadership, project management and problem-solving skills serving clients in the manufacturing, retail and healthcare industries. Andy has a Bachelor of Arts in History from Hamilton College (Clinton, NY) and a Masters of Business Administration from the Weatherhead School of Management (Cleveland, OH).

Rosa Licea-Mailloux is a Vice President and Head of Compliance, Americas, at MFS Investment Management, where she also Co-Chairs MFS’ Women Everywhere Employee Resource Group. She is President of the Board of Stone House, a nonprofit focused on caring for and protecting adult and child survivors of domestic abuse.  She is also an Adjunct Professor of Corporate Counsel Risk Management and Financial Sector Compliance at New England School of Law.  Rosa is a graduate of Boston University with a B.A. in Biology and a B.A. in Economics and of Northeastern University School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor.  She is admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and a member of the Hispanic National Bar Association and Mexican-American Bar Association.  Ms. Licea-Mailloux is currently pursuing her MBA at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and lives in Grafton, MA with her extended family, including her parents, husband and wonderful daughters.

Colleen is currently serving as Vice President of Marketing and Advancement at Frasier, a Life Plan Community in Boulder, CO. She is responsible for the coordination and oversight of marketing, sales and occupancy efforts, philanthropy, social responsibility, communications, and public relations for Frasier. Colleen has served in the field of aging for more than 30 years in various positions and different programs that support the lives older adults.

 Before joining Frasier in 2021, Colleen was Chief Marketing Officer at Kendal Corporation where she worked collaboratively with Kendal’s 13 existing life plan communities, Kendal at Home, and the new development of Enso Village, Kendal’s first Zen-inspired Life Plan Community in the US.

Prior to joining Kendal, she was in Alexandria, VA as the Vice President of Marketing and Mission Expansion at Goodwin House where she was part of the development teams for the expansion at Goodwin House Bailey’s Crossroads, the creation of Goodwin House at Home, and adding a Small House to Goodwin House Alexandria. She also served as President and CEO at The Washington House in Alexandria and before that was in various positions at Leading Age in Washington D.C. at the beginning of her career.

 Colleen’s Board and volunteer experience includes serving on the Alexandria Commission on Aging, Alzheimer’s Association PR Committee, and Insight Memory Care Center as Board Chair.

 Colleen earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a concentration in Gerontology from Trinity University in Washington, D.C. and has a Virginia Nursing Home Administrator’s license.

Mary Picken has been a member of Kendal at Home since 2006. She moved to Oberlin in 1996, having lived in Cleveland, Taipei, Montreal, Worthington , and Fort Wayne.

 She entered Oberlin in 1952 as a Ford Foundation scholar, majored in physical chemistry at Western Reserve University, and graduated from the Ohio State University College of Law. Mary worked for Ashland Chemical in Dublin as a chemical patent attorney. She was a member of the Columbus Patent Association and a founding member of Dublin Women in Business and Professions.

In retirement Mary has served on the Kendal at Home transportation subcommittee and presently enjoys the Kendal at Home ZOOM book club. In her photo above she is seen wearing the Great Call mobile medical alert pendant, one of the many ways Kendal at Home keeps Mary safe at home and away.