Welcome to the August edition of Leadership Spotlight! In this edition, we sit down with our newly appointed Chief Growth Officer, Staci Woods, as she outlines the personal and professional journey that brought her to Trilogy.
Welcome to Trilogy – and welcome to the Home Office team! We like to kick these off by asking our leaders a little bit about themselves. Have you always lived in Louisville?
Happy to be here! I’m a boomerang – I moved to Louisville shortly after college and very much consider it to be my second home. It’s a special city. It’s where I went on a blind date with an amazing guy named Rick – and where we would both say “I do” just two years later. We’re both so thrilled to be back here.
We’re glad to have you both back! Where are you from originally?
I grew up in a small, blue-collar town called Dectaur, Alabama. *To any Alabamians reading – if you’ve ever traveled to the beach down I-65, I grew up close to the rocket at the North Alabama welcome center.
My mom and two sisters live in Chicago – one in the suburbs, one in the heart of downtown – and I have two stepchildren in their early 30’s. My stepson, Alex, and his wife, Amber, currently live in Newmarket, England, and are expecting their first daughter next month. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome her.
Congratulations! We’ll be waiting for those pictures here at the office. What did your professional life look like before coming to Trilogy?
I spent 11 years working at Atria Senior Living, then another 10 in high tech application sales with Oracle. These were both entry-level positions that would eventually lead to Executive-level roles. I’ve built a career around being a contributor – operating with integrity and always remembering to focus on business results.
What brought you back to the senior living industry?
This one’s simple – purpose. You feel it in everything that you do. Waking up every day knowing that you can change someone’s life. Watching your team provide residents and families with fulfillment – then receiving it back in equal measure. And as someone who’s especially close with their mom, just giving sons and daughters more quality time with their parents – that’s one of the most precious things I can imagine. I wouldn’t trade that for anything else.
You’re obviously passionate about long term care – but what drew you to Trilogy specifically?
Three things!
- As I mentioned, the industry. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of everyday life – but being in the business of serving others adds a special context. You’re reminded of what’s truly important.
- The people – specifically, Todd Kiziminski (Vice President of Talent Acquisition) and Alice Calhoun (Senior Vice President of Sales and Business Development). Todd’s passion, engagement, and warmth assured me that this is where I truly belonged, and having had the privilege of working with Alice years before, I knew that I could trust anything that she was a part of.
- Having a reason to come back to Louisville! Honestly, it wasn’t on our radar – but the more we thought about it, the more excited we got. It’s been an amazing homecoming.
What challenges facing senior living are you most excited to tackle first?
We have a very complex business in a world that’s rapidly changing. The better we become at streamlining and simplifying our practices, the more effectively we can continue to grow. We have incredible service standards and systems – so building on that with just little bit of refinement will take us a long way.
Mentorship is a major focus of our employee experience here at Trilogy. Have you ever had a leader or mentor that left a special impact on you?
Eric Verderber. A former boss, and now, a very good friend. He was a high-impact leader and mentor for me. He taught me the importance of operational excellence, coaching and feedback, and owning your strengths and weaknesses. He taught me how to speak up about my weaknesses – and how I could plan around them rather than cover them.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
My husband and I love traveling, attending University of Alabama sporting events, and having friends over for parties. The best ones we ever threw were a Halloween villain costume party and a 1950’s-themed party for Rick’s 50th birthday. We’re good hosts – the key to any happy marriage.
Finally, when the day gets tough – what fills your cup?
I start each morning with a hot, strong cup of coffee and a 10-minute devotion on the Bible app. It puts everything into perspective from the moment I wake up. When it’s time to wind down, I try to close out the day by having meaningful conversations with the people I love – my husband, family, and friends. Those never fail to lift my spirits!
Want to learn more about our employee experience? Be sure to follow us on Facebook, then read more about our benefits at trilogyjobs.com!