Leadership in senior living isn’t only about strategy, policy, or operations—it’s about people. In a recent episode of Voices and Leadership, host Melissa Andrews, President and CEO of LeadingAge Virginia, sat down with Lindsay Hutter, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer at Goodwin Living, to explore how storytelling, workforce advocacy, and lived experience are shaping the future of aging services.

What emerged was a deeply human conversation—one that connected personal history, organizational leadership, and national policy through a single, powerful theme: belonging.

A Career Shaped by Relationships

Lindsay’s journey into senior living was not linear, but it was intentional. Raised in Illinois and influenced by strong family ties—especially relationships with her grandmothers—she developed an early appreciation for the wisdom and perspective of older adults. That foundation followed her through a career in journalism, public affairs, lobbying, and global communications before ultimately leading her to Goodwin Living.

Her connection to the organization, however, began on a much more personal level—through an “adopted grandmother” who became a resident. That personal lens has continued to shape how Lindsay approaches leadership and strategy in the aging services field.

The Pandemic Made It Personal

Like many leaders in senior living, Lindsay’s perspective was profoundly shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic. But for her, the experience was inseparable from family. Her mother moved into a Goodwin Living community shortly before the pandemic began—an act that later took on deeper meaning.

Reflecting on that period, Lindsay shared, “I also saw the devotion of our team members, and I know many other LeadingAge members have seen the devotion of team members to the older adults that we serve during the pandemic, and it made me an extraordinarily committed advocate for them.”

That devotion wasn’t abstract—it showed up in everyday moments, especially through relationships between residents and frontline staff. Lindsay recalled, “There was this beloved, wonderful woman who spent every week going up to my mom’s apartment, housekeeping, cleaning my mom’s apartment. And she was one of the few people my mom saw… and this woman became friends with my mother.”

Those experiences, she explained, fundamentally shaped her passion for workforce advocacy and storytelling.

The Immigrant Workforce Is Essential

Today, approximately 35% of Goodwin Living’s workforce comes from the global community. Rather than avoiding the conversation around immigration, the organization has chosen to engage it openly and responsibly.

“Thirty-five percent of our workforce is from the global community, and the value they bring to our field is extraordinary,” Lindsay said.

That commitment is reflected in Goodwin Living’s citizenship program, which supports team members and their families through application fees, tutoring, and mentorship. The program has helped hundreds of individuals pursue U.S. citizenship and has become a defining example of values-driven leadership.

As Lindsay explained, “We hold in our care the sometimes traumatic, very personal life stories of our immigrant team members, and we hold in our care the dignity of the older adults who they’re serving.”

Why Storytelling Is Advocacy

Throughout the conversation, Lindsay emphasized that storytelling is not separate from advocacy—it is advocacy. Policy may shape systems, but stories move people.

“Have we ever heard a lawmaker begin a speech with, ‘So in Article Three, section two of the Virginia Code?’” she asked. “No. It begins with a story—and it usually ends with a story.”

For associations and nonprofit organizations, elevating lived experience is one of the most powerful tools available. “Lived experience shown and captured in ways that are digestible for a broader audience is really valuable,” Lindsay said. “It gives context.”

Looking Beyond Campus Walls

Lindsay also spoke about the importance of senior living organizations looking beyond their own campuses and becoming active community partners. That shift, she noted, requires moving away from scarcity-based thinking.

“If we operate from a perspective of scarcity, we’re going to keep within our geographic acreage,” she said. “But when we operate from the view of ‘we’re all in this together,’ that reframes us as a field that’s here to uplift others.”

A Call to Lead With Humanity

As the aging services field navigates workforce challenges, demographic change, and policy uncertainty, Lindsay’s message is clear: leadership rooted in lived experience builds trust, loyalty, and long-term impact.

“There is an absolute business benefit to doing this responsibly,” she said. “Your immigrant team members recognize that you have their back—and the loyalty that you earn through doing that is tremendous.”

She closed the conversation with a simple but powerful reminder for leaders across the sector: “Go forth and be storytellers.”

• Service before self
• Hospitality with heart
• Inspiring excellence in each other
• Nothing less than the best
  
• Enjoy your journey
  
  

These values, Josh says, influence every interaction—between staff, residents, families, and the community.

Collaboration, Not Competition

One of the most remarkable strengths of the Harrisonburg senior living landscape is the camaraderie between the region’s life plan communities: Sunnyside, VMRC, and Bridgewater.

“It’s not competition—it’s working closely together to help each other be better,” Josh explains.

From shared home health services to community partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, these organizations model what collaboration can look like when mission comes before market.

“It’s a supportive environment,” Josh says. “We’re all working toward the same goal.”


What Gives Him Hope

As the conversation wrapped, Melissa asked what gives Josh hope for the future of senior living. His answer reflects both optimism and realism.

“I’m hopeful because I see life plan communities evolving to support the greater community,” he says. “There’s such need out there—not just among baby boomers with means, but those without support as well.”

He also sees promise in the next generation:

“The millennials and Gen Y—they want to be engaged with people. They want to make a difference.”

And that, he believes, is a powerful foundation for the future of the field.

A Leader Rooted in Purpose

From his childhood spent among residents to his leadership role today, Josh Lyons embodies the heart of what senior living can be: connected, collaborative, purpose-driven, and hopeful.

His story is a reminder that leadership in aging services is more than operational excellence—it’s culture, community, and compassion in action. Listen to the full Voices in Leadership podcast episode featuring Josh Lyons here.

Their conversation offers a rare and honest look at the realities of building nonprofit infrastructure, navigating shifting philanthropic landscapes, and weaving personal purpose into professional impact.

A Foundation Reimagined

PositiveAge was incorporated in 2017, but it wasn’t until LeadingAge Virginia’s 2022 strategic planning process that the foundation became a priority. As Melissa explains, the team had to build the operational backbone and deliver on grant commitments simultaneously — a complicated balancing act for any young nonprofit.

This dual challenge is what first brought Tracey into the picture. With decades of nonprofit and healthcare operations experience, she recognized a unique opportunity:

“The excitement of that startup and launch phase is really an exciting piece of the process for me,” Tracey shared. “It was a great privilege to help lay the foundation for PositiveAge.”

As the infrastructure took shape and grants began rolling in, Melissa encouraged Betsy — a skilled grants administrator — to step into a leadership position that would become pivotal for the foundation’s growth.

Purpose Driven by Personal Connection

For Betsy, her passion for aging services is deeply personal. She credits her grandmother, Dee, as the reason she is called to this work.

“When we talk about helping older adults, I can’t help but transpose my grandmother’s picture over the programs we work on,” she said. “She’s who I think about — what would she want to do?”

That connection became even more meaningful when Betsy learned about Opening Minds Through Art, an evidence-based art therapy program for older adults living with cognitive impairment. Listening to Melissa describe the initiative during her interview sparked an immediate pull.

“As I heard about the program, I just knew this was where I was supposed to go,” Betsy reflected.

Her move from grants administrator to executive director has been anything but accidental — it’s purpose layered with skill, compassion, and serendipity.

The State of Philanthropy: A Moment of Uncertainty

When it comes to philanthropy, both Tracey and Betsy acknowledge that nonprofits are navigating a complex and uncertain moment. Federal funding shifts, increased demand, and a hyper-competitive grants environment are reshaping the sector.

Tracey laid out the challenge plainly:

“There’s a lot of speculation about what may be coming… and in some ways, it’s easier to know you have a challenge ahead of you than not know what’s coming.”

The imbalance between need and available funding is staggering:

“If all private foundation dollars in the entire country were spent down, we would still only address about 2% of what federal funding covers.”

Meanwhile, PositiveAge has significantly increased its grant applications — from seven last year to twenty-two in 2025 alone — a clear marker of organizational growth and widening need.

Mentorship That Multiplies

The conversation also shines a spotlight on the power of mentorship — both formal and informal.

Tracey attributes her early career acceleration to a leader who saw her potential before she even saw it in herself.

“She didn’t see my young age as a barrier to my potential,” Tracey recalled. “She was, and continues to be, the most incredible mentor I could have had.”

For Betsy, mentorship has been both transformative and circular.

“I didn’t ask Tracy to be my mentor — it just clicked into place,” she explained. “Now I have someone I’m mentoring, and seeing that come full circle is such an honor.”

Their stories reinforce a central truth: mentorship is not hierarchical. It flows in many directions — upward, downward, sideways — creating workplaces where everyone grows.

Balancing Life, Leadership, and the Nonprofit Calling

As working mothers, both leaders spoke candidly about the tension between professional impact and family life. Betsy emphasized the importance of a workplace where she can bring her whole self:

“I know I can give my best self here… because I’m doing something I truly believe in.”

Tracey echoed the sentiment, sharing her journey from hospital administration to entrepreneurship, and how it allowed her to prioritize both career and family:

“Walking away from that career was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done… but also an incredible gift.”

Their reflections underscore the importance of workplace cultures that respect the full person — something Melissa notes has been a conscious priority at LeadingAge Virginia.

Advice for Leaders at Every Stage

As the conversation wrapped, Melissa asked each guest to share the best — or most meaningful — advice they’ve received.

Betsy’s was powerful in its simplicity:

“Allow yourself some grace… reframing things I ‘have to do’ as things I ‘get to do’ has made all the difference.”

Tracey offered a principle that guides both her work and her life:

“Mean what you say and say what you mean. Being open and honest and clear about your intentions has always guided me well.”

These insights reflect what the entire conversation delivers: real leadership is rooted in authenticity, mission, and the willingness to grow alongside the people you serve.

A Final Word

This episode of Voices in Leadership isn’t just a conversation about nonprofit operations or philanthropy. It’s about purpose. It’s about the people who build organizations that care for older adults, and the heart it takes to do that work well.

If you’re in nonprofit leadership, philanthropy, aging services, or simply need inspiration from two women who lead with courage and clarity, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.

🎧 Listen now and share with someone who might need a little grace today.

What follows is a candid, laughter-filled, and deeply insightful conversation about people, purpose, and the power of hope in the field of aging services.

“Aging services is truly about the people.”

Winoka’s journey into aging services began in 2019, but her impact has been felt far beyond her own organization. Her approach to HR is grounded in empathy and relationship-building — a theme that runs throughout her career.

“There are so many industries that say it’s about the people,” she says. “But I think aging services is truly about the people — the people we care for and the people who provide that care.”

At Vinson Hall, she has led with intention, focusing on creating a culture where employees feel seen, valued, and connected — even after they’ve moved on. “One of the things I’m proud of is sending birthday cards to people who are no longer at Vinson Hall,” Winoka shares. “It seems small, but how nice is it to get a card from a past employer that says, ‘Happy Birthday, we remembered you.’ It’s about extending that relationship beyond employment.”

Community as Culture

When asked how she would describe the culture at Vinson Hall, Winoka doesn’t hesitate. “It’s about community,” she explains. “There’s the connection with residents — saying good morning in the hallways, sharing a conversation — and there’s the community among staff. From an HR perspective, that’s what my team keeps in the forefront of everything we do. Are we creating a place where people want to be here?”

She recognizes that while salary matters, belonging often matters more. “We know in our industry that people will leave and go down the street for just a little bit more money,” she says. “We may not lead the pack in pay, but we’ve created a place where people feel the community. That sense of value keeps them here.”

Investing in Growth and Mentorship

As the conversation turns to workforce challenges and professional development, Winoka emphasizes the importance of helping employees grow — whether they aspire to leadership or find fulfillment in frontline roles.

“It’s my role in HR to create the structure that helps people develop,” she explains. “And just as important, we train our leaders to have those growth conversations — to help someone develop even if they’ve been in the same role for 30 years and love what they do.”

Mentorship has played an important part in her journey, though she admits she didn’t always have formal mentors herself. “As a leader of color, I think it’s important to provide what I didn’t have — to help others see what’s possible,” Winoka says. “I’ve been intentional about mentoring women, people of color, and those who might not have thought they could become professionals in this field.”

Advocacy and Belonging Beyond the Workplace

Outside her day-to-day role, Winoka is a passionate advocate and active participant in the LeadingAge Virginia Foundation’s Positive Age Collaborative, a coalition of nonprofits serving older adults in the Greater Richmond area. Though based in Northern Virginia, she makes the drive south each quarter to participate.

“This is important work,” she says. “Community isn’t just McLean or Northern Virginia — it’s bigger than that. When we surround ourselves with people doing the same work, we collaborate, share ideas, and take something new back home.”

Advocacy has become a newer but deeply meaningful focus in her professional life. “I wasn’t always educated about what advocacy really meant,” Winoka admits. “But through LeadingAge Virginia, I’ve learned that using your voice — even for small steps — can make a difference. Whether it’s for older adults, single mothers, or people of color, speaking up matters.”

Finding Hope and Holding On to It

When asked what keeps her up at night, Winoka is honest: immigration challenges, staffing shortages, and the constant search for talent weigh heavily on her mind. Yet through it all, she remains hopeful.

“I’m someone who always wants to hang on to hope,” she says. “Some days it’s harder than others, but I think we’ve changed the way we see connection since the pandemic. We had to find new ways to reach each other, and I’m hopeful that we come out of that with a stronger sense of who we are as a community.”

That optimism — paired with humor, empathy, and authenticity — defines her leadership. Whether she’s talking about professional development or her love of Prince, Winoka’s message is the same: connection is everything.

Listen to the Full Conversation

Hear the full episode of Voices in Leadership featuring Winoka Clements and Melissa Andrews to explore leadership, workforce innovation, and the power of community in aging services.

Listen to the full episode here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1854948/episodes/18009946