Skill. Dedication. Compassion.

The people who come to work at The Kenney love their jobs, and it shows where it counts the most – in our day to day interaction with our residents. More than just a job, working here means being a member of a community we care deeply about. We’re here to serve your every need with skill, dedication and compassion. It’s not unusual to find staff members who’ve been here for decades. That kind of continuity and commitment can be rare… but not at The Kenney. Read more about our leadership team and long-time staff members below.

Our caring and experienced leadership team helps make The Kenney what it is – a special and vibrant place that feels like family. With their skill and dedication, they work hard to make sure The Kenney lives up to our founders’ mission of “life enhancement for the senior community.” The leadership team supervises a staff of more than 165 employees, some of whom can measure their tenure in decades. Five people have been here more than 25 years. Now that’s commitment!

R. Kevin McFeely

President/CEO

While working to ensure The Kenney’s programs and services enrich the lives of its residents, President and CEO Kevin McFeely is always looking ahead to the next generation. What will their wants and needs be? How must we change?

“It’s easy to become complacent in this industry,” he says. “But that doesn’t allow people to thrive.”

Since joining The Kenney in 2003, he’s seen it grow and evolve, expanding services, implementing new programs and moving forward, while retaining the friendly community atmosphere at its heart.

Kevin has more than 25 years experience in senior care and serves on a number of local and national boards and committees that advocate for older adults in policy decisions. He currently chairs the Board of Aging Services of Washington, which represents not-for-profit and mission-driven organizations dedicated to providing quality housing, health and other services to our state’s nearly 29,000 seniors.

Kevin is proud to say he knows most of The Kenney’s 185 residents and 170 staff members by their first names. He feels blessed to be part of a leadership team that’s dedicated to making West Seattle’s only not-for-profit continuing care retirement community the best it can be.

“Quite honestly our professionals could make more money going elsewhere,” he says. “They stay at The Kenney because of the people, not the paycheck. We look out for each other, care for each other. We really are like an extended family.”

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Karmen Hudson

Director of Marketing and Public Relations

After the front-desk receptionist, Karmen Hudson is often first staff person to welcome would-be residents and their families to The Kenney.

As Director of Marketing and Public Relations, she meets with and gives tours to prospective residents and their families to help them decide if The Kenney is right for them. If the answer is yes, she helps coordinate the process of moving into to their new home.

Karmen is also in charge of marketing materials and advertizing, as well as keeping the data base and wait list of prospective and future residents.

But it’s the face-to-face she enjoys the most. Karmen started at The Kenney as a part-time receptionist after studying education in college. She thought she wanted to be a secondary school teacher, but “fell in love with the opposite end of the spectrum.”

It’s not hard “selling” the only not-for-profit continuing care retirement community in West Seattle. “I love showing people how The Kenney can improve their quality of their life,” she says.

She’s witnessed it herself. “People who have been isolated and depressed living in their own homes move into The Kenney and, after a few months, they’re walking taller, sleeping better, laughing. It’s amazing and great to see.”

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Kelly McBride

Director of Community Relations

Kelly McBride is our face out in the community.

She meets with business owners, visits churches and talks to community groups, spreading the word about life at The Kenney. She also consults with new residents and their families, helping them through the often challenging process of transitioning to retirement living.

“We’re very good at listening to our potential residents and families to help them figure out the solution that would best suit their needs,” she says.

Kelly’s “passion” for seniors started right out of college when she worked for a senior services program at a local hospital. In 2009, she became a community relations director for a local retirement community, gaining expertise in the often confusing maze of senior housing options. Kelly joined The Kenney team in 2010.

In her current role, she sometimes finds herself correcting misconceptions about retirement living. “Many people have unpleasant notions of retirement living,” she says. “My job is to educate them about how life at The Kenney can be wonderful and fulfilling.”

Kelly spreads the word, but seeing is believing. She’s pleased that many people already know The Kenney from attending meetings and events here, or from taking in the monthly art walks and annual summer barbecues.

“The Kenney supports the community, and vice versa, in so many ways,” she says. “We have a long history here in West Seattle.”

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Jan Oliver

Director of Dining Services

When residents of The Kenney brag about the food, compliment the cooks, and clean every morsel from the dinner buffet, Jan Oliver and her kitchen staff revel in the compliment.

“I look forward to coming to work,” says Jan, who is responsible for all meals and catering at The Kenney. “I love the residents. Their appreciation is so evident.”

When it comes to food, Jan aims to provide the highest quality, most nutritious meals she can, all while keeping things interesting and staying within budget. Satisfying a multitude of dietary needs and tastes can be a tall order, but Jan’s up to the task. She has been a dietitian for more than 30 years and in food management for more than 20.

She shares that wealth of knowledge with university dietetic students who intern in The Kenney’s kitchen. “Teaching keeps me on my toes,” she says.

So do the diners. Since taking over as director in 2009, Jan has seen fewer and fewer people coming to the “food meetings” with issues and suggestions. She takes that as a compliment, too.

“Within reason, we really do try to cater to everybody,” she says. “We’ve even run out to the store before and purchased products to meet a need. When they’re happy, I’m happy.”

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Amy Seebeck

Director of Activities

Amy Seebeck’s job is more play than work.

She and her staff collaborate with residents to provide the best and most meaningful activities and events possible. “I get to help people do what I love to do, which is play.”

Of course, Amy’s not content to simply keep residents occupied. She wants them fully engaged – body, mind and spirit – in activities that are relevant to their lives. That could mean going to a performance by an actress impersonating Eleanor Roosevelt or hearing another resident share her trip to Scotland.

The latter, which became the theme for a Monday Social, was of interest to many residents and also gave the presenter a chance to feel special, she says.

In addition to events inside The Kenney, Amy also coordinates off-campus trips, as many as two a week. She tries to provide something for everybody, encouraging all residents to be as active and involved as possible.

“Just because you’re in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can’t do things,” she says.

Amy’s reward is seeing residents “start to get that spark” when they rediscover things they enjoy and make new friends.

“I hope that when I’m of an age, that I can move in here,” she says. “You’re never alone. There’s always someone to listen and to take care of you. I can’t imagine a better way to spend the last part of my life.”

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Karlene Colletti

Director of Memory Care

Along with overseeing everything that goes into opening and managing a new Memory Care Community at The Kenney, Karlene Colletti sees herself as a teacher.

She helps others, including fellow staff members, better understand what people with dementia experience day to day. “We need to meet residents’ needs in the reality they’re in now and validate that,” she says.

To tell a memory-care resident that she’s mistaken, that her husband died years ago, just causes unnecessary confusion and even trauma, Karlene explains. It’s better to accept the perceptions of someone with dementia, not try to correct them.

“There’s an ‘aha’ moment with staff when they get that,” she says. “I really enjoy the teaching piece, helping others see memory-care residents for who they are.”

As Director of Memory Care, Karlene oversees operations – including the implementation of programs and policies and the hiring and training of staff – at the Kenney’s new Memory Care Community, which will open in January 2012, with 16 residents.

Before coming here in October, 2011, Karlene managed the day-to-day operations of a 108-unit assisted living and memory care community in South King County. Her experience working with older adults also includes several years as a state social worker and management positions at other memory- and long-term care centers.

Karlene graduated magna cum laude from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota with a degree in sociology and gerontology. A West Seattle resident, she was close to her grandparents growing up and developed a love of history and sense of “personal heritage”.

Earlier generations have given us so much, she says. “My grandfather had a fourth-grade education and worked in the mines, but all three of his children got college educations. He and my grandmother placed a huge value on making the world better for the next generation.”

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Mike Hyder

Director of Information Technology

Mike is The Kenney’s one-man information-technology (IT) department, in charge of all the computer, telephone and television systems servicing more than 75 employees and 180 residents. Suffice to say, he stays busy.

“I eat lunch at my desk with the door shut,” he jokes.

For Mike, no day is typical, and he likes it that way. Since he became The Kenney’s first in-house IT guy in 2007 (before that time, those services were contracted out), Mike has gotten to know almost all of the residents. Close to one quarter of the residents have their own computers, and others use the computer in the library. (Spider solitaire is a favorite.)

“Some people don’t care for technology, but I also get residents who come out to my demonstrations and really want to learn. I always make a point of letting them know that I’m here to help.”

Mike has been interested in computers since he was 12. He earned an associate’s degree in web design and development from Clover Park Technical College while providing freelance services to small businesses, including a retirement center.

Before coming to The Kenney, he worked for a Renton IT consulting firm, providing consulting and technical support for 30 clients.

“I love having just one network to worry about,” he says.

A West Seattle resident and father of three young children, he also loves his much shorter commute. But mostly he enjoys working with the residents, showing them how use Gmail or introducing them to Skype or the wonders of Google Earth.

“I love being here,” he says. “The atmosphere is wonderful. The residents are a kick. I’ve never worked in a friendlier place.”

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Dawn Finlayson

Director of Human Resources

Dawn Finlayson does her best to ensure that The Kenney’s 180 employees like coming to work each day.

“It’s not hard,” she says. “The people who work here are people who are doing the job they love. They have a passion for caring for seniors.”

Director of human resources since 2008, Dawn is in charge of HR “A to Z,” including recruiting and hiring, training and development, benefits and compensation, policies and procedures, and employee and labor relations.

“No two days are the same,” she says. “I love it.”

Dawn started out in banking, but switched to human resources six years ago after some soul searching and having her first child.

She joined The Kenney on Halloween day 2005 as a human resources assistant. “The first time I met everybody, they were in costume,” she says with a laugh. “I was not.”

Dawn, who grew up in West Seattle, quickly became part of The Kenney family. “I like to say that I come to work with 180 grandmas and grandpas every day,” she says.

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Jayne Monk

Director of Nursing

Jayne Monk was only 17 when she got her first job in geriatric nursing. She liked the work so much she’s been doing it off and on ever since.

“I love senior care. I love grandma and grandpa,” she says. “How you age reflects who you are and what you accept in your life. I’m still learning. I learn from the residents.”

Jayne’s job certainly keeps her hopping. As head of The Kenney’s nursing operations – both the day-to-day and future planning – it’s her responsibility to anticipate needs, keep up with ever-changing regulations, and make sure the nursing staff is always trained and ready to meet issues as they arise.

She describes her role as “quality assurance” with a focus on prevention – addressing the cough before it develops into pneumonia, for example.

Before joining The Kenney in March 2011, Jayne came to The Kenney with 15 years of Director of Nursing and quality assurance experience. She also has done some interior design, including residential and commercial structures, and medical spaces.

When she’s not working, Jayne is an active visual artist who also enjoys travel, reading adventure stories with her husband in the evening and spending time with her grandchildren. (Her artwork has appeared in the monthly art walks.)
“I like to learn about and do things that interest me,” she says. “I really try to celebrate life every day.”

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Daniel Casey

Facilities Director

A lot of work goes into keeping The Kenney’s buildings, including its more than century-old landmark, looking good and running like new. And Daniel Casey is just the man for the job.

As Director of Facilities, he oversees our maintenance, housekeeping and laundry operations. He also works with outside contractors on our remodeling and expansion projects, including the Sunrise Building upgrade, completed in May 2011, and the exciting addition of a new Memory Care unit completed January 16, 2012.

Our historic Seaview Building, which opened to residents in 1909, and the 1950s Sunrise Building require ongoing TLC. “With older buildings, stuff breaks down,” Daniel says. “You have to be a problem-solver.”

He’s particularly proud of fixing of the Sunrise Building’s broken boiler. “All the contractors said it couldn’t be done.”

Before Daniel came to The Kenney in 2007, he spent five years remodeling apartments on Capital Hill and three years at The Boeing Company as an aircraft mechanic. A father of two, he’s lived in West Seattle since 1990.

And, yes, that is an Irish accent. Daniel was born in Belfast. His first job was tending his father’s bar in a city with 30 percent unemployment. Talk about life stories. He’s heard a few, which is another reason he feels right at home at The Kenney.

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