Jill Vitale-Aussem to Serve as New President and CEO of The Eden Alternative®
May 4, 2018
ROCHESTER, NY–The Eden Alternative’s board of directors is honored to announce the selection of Jill Vitale-Aussem as the new president & CEO of The Eden Alternative®. Vitale-Aussem follows outgoing president & CEO, Chris Perna, who is pursuing his retirement after eight years of leading the organization.
The Eden Alternative is a global nonprofit organization that provides education and consultation for organizations serving the needs of Elders and their care partners, wherever they may live. Through their unique principle-based, person-directed approach to care, The Eden Alternative creates living environments that promote a life worth living for everyone involved in the care partnership, which includes family members, care professionals, and most importantly, the individual accepting their support.
With 20 years experience in aging services, Vitale-Aussem is no stranger to promoting care that puts the person first. She joined Colorado-based Christian Living Communities (CLC) in 2009 as executive director of Clermont Park, an Eden Registry Member, where she led the community through a $75 million redevelopment project and a complete transformation of the organizational culture.
Most recently the vice president of operations of Cappella Living Solutions, the management and consulting arm of CLC, Vitale-Aussem has consistently exhibited exceptional dedication to improving quality of life and quality of care, including checking herself in as a resident of the communities she has managed. Additionally, she has also served as a Certified Eden Educator and consultant to organizations implementing the Eden Alternative philosophy.
“I am honored to have been given this opportunity to lead The Eden Alternative, as we continue our crucial work in changing the experience of aging. As an operator who has implemented The Eden Alternative in nursing homes, assisted living, and independent living communities, I’ve experienced first-hand the transformational impact of this approach on culture, quality of life, and organizational outcomes,” says Vitale-Aussem.
Former president & CEO, Chris Perna adds, “Our team has succeeded over the past 8 years in taking The Eden Alternative to another level. We’ve grown our product and service offerings, while extending our reach to new audiences across the care continuum in the U.S. and beyond. I believe Jill is the perfect person to take the reins at this time and continue to grow The Eden Alternative’s reach and influence, leading the way in the global movement toward adopting person-directed care practices.”
A leader in changing the culture of care for over 20 years, The Eden Alternative is an international, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that provides education and consultation for organizations across the entire continuum of care. As a person-directed care philosophy, it is dedicated to creating living environments that promote quality of life and quality of care for Elders and those who support them as care partners. Research has shown this leads to improved quality of care and higher rates of satisfaction for everyone involved, while also benefiting the bottom line.