LEVEL UP! Academy — Juniper’s Leadership Program for Juniper Future Leaders
By Kristin Fogle | August 26, 2025
Editor’s Note: This article was written and submitted by senior living executive Kristin L. Fogle. If you are a senior living executive at an organization or a community with an idea for an article that you’d like to write and publish in Senior Living News you’re welcome to submit your idea or written article to Jim Nelson at jnelson@seniorlivingnews.com. We welcome all ideas relating to senior living.
The United States is entering a historic surge, with more than 4.1 million Americans turning 65 each year. As the senior living industry prepares to meet the unique needs of a new generation of older adults, leadership matters. Executive directors are running multi-million-dollar businesses whose product is care for those who cannot easily care for themselves. It is complex; it is people driven; it is results oriented. And yet, training for leaders often has been focused on regulatory issues and requirements rather than how to effectively lead and engage a team of people, and foster progress. In our industry, leadership is particularly complex due to the unique blend of healthcare, hospitality, regulatory, and emotional factors involved.
Juniper and many other peer companies understand that leadership, at multiple levels, drives successful performance. Leadership is essential in moving the needle toward the senior living demands of the future; and dedicating added resources to developing leaders is essential.
This year, Juniper revamped and rolled out a new comprehensive leadership training program known as LEVEL UP! Academy. The multifaceted, two-year program is designed to provide Juniper with capable bench strength that will allow the company to grow. More importantly, it is designed to meet the needs for development of the company’s best and brightest.
The inaugural class of Juniper Future Leaders was selected from associates recommended for being creative forward thinkers by their community and company-wide leadership.
The program includes initial conference style trainings followed by monthly sessions, small group projects, and individual self-paced training programs. Each participant is partnered with a mentor who guides their development through the program. In addition, a team of subject-matter experts is available to the cohort, and capstone projects will complement each year’s training experience. Some, but not all, participants of the JFL program aspire to be administrators or executive directors of a community. Others are looking to grow in their current roles or move into regional support positions. The sky is the limit, and we need leaders in all areas of the organization.
Additionally, at Juniper Communities, our leaders must be stewards of our culture, which begins with purpose-driven leadership. When our leaders model compassion, innovation, and respect, those values naturally flow to every associate — from our home office to each community we serve.
This culture fosters a ripple effect where every associate feels empowered to act with purpose, compassion, and innovation, always centering the needs and desires of the individuals we serve. It’s not just how we lead; it’s who we are: listeners and solution-oriented doers. Everything we do as leaders is built around the needs and desires of the individuals we serve.
In addition to building new leaders, Juniper is committed to building upon our foundation. Each year, the Juniper Leadership Team — including executive directors and regional leaders — come together for a week of learning, leadership development, and connection. This year’s leadership conference took place in Detroit, Michigan — a city that is experiencing a rebirth and reinvention. The community has pulled together to reimagine, revitalize, and reinvent spaces that were previously left in ruin for decades. There have emerged beautiful buildings and places to gather. We felt this would be a fascinating and fitting background for our celebration of leadership growth.
Senior housing is also experiencing rebranding, reinvention, and rebirth. It is a time to take a good look at tomorrow’s leaders, recognize their strengths, embrace their opportunities for growth, and invest in them to lead us forward.
This article has been lightly edited for style and formatting.
