Behind every outstanding team is a remarkable coach, and Forest Ridge is no exception. We’re happy to introduce Ellen Mutter, the Executive Director of Senior Care. Ellen has dedicated her 37-year professional career to working in healthcare a... Behind every outstanding team is a remarkable coach, and Forest Ridge is no exception. We’re happy to introduce Ellen Mutter, the Executive Director of Senior Care. Ellen has dedicated her 37-year professional career to working in healthcare and senior living. She spent twenty-two of those years in leadership positions and has been the Executive Director at Forest Ridge for the past 10 years. Ellen earned a BS in Business & Professional Communications from Mt. Mary University and an MS in Non-Profit Leadership & Management from UW-Milwaukee. In 1989 she began working for Wheaton Franciscan Hospitals (now Ascension) in the social work department coordinating senior services available to people in the community. She primarily worked at Elmbrook Memorial Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, with some time spent at St. Joseph’s and St. Michael Hospitals. She worked for a non-profit community-based services company in Racine for 15 years as the director of multiple services including private duty in-home care, volunteer services, two adult day care centers, including one she started from virtually the ground up, as well as Meals on Wheels. In 2004 she assumed responsibility for senior living communities, including assisted living, and found this to be the role in which she felt most effective as a leader. We asked Ellen to share a little more about herself… What do you enjoy most about your role? I enjoy seeing new ideas come to fruition for the benefit of our residents, whether it is a new service, program, or improvement to current practices. What do you find most rewarding about working with residents and their families? Being recognized as someone residents and their families can trust and working through difficult situations with them. What makes our community special to you? The team: any building can look beautiful, but the staff make a building a home. The warmth, safety, and happiness comes from the staff, not four walls. What three words would your friends or coworkers use to describe you? 1. Creative, 2. Dedicated, 3. Ethical What would people be surprised to learn about you? My passion for working with older adults was planted as a seed at age 11 when I joined my Grandma in volunteering at Shorehaven Nursing Home in Oconomowoc. What are your favorite hobbies or activities outside of work? I’m a homebody who is happiest putzing around the house and yard. I also enjoy playing with and caring for my dogs. Do you have a favorite book, movie, sports team, or pastime? I am somewhat obsessed with YouTube – any topic you can imagine likely has a plethora of videos about it! Whenever I have a DIY project, I hit up YouTube first! What is your favorite way to spend a day off? I don’t have a particular favorite, I just appreciate a day off for the simplicity of not having to answer to a clock or anyone! What would you like prospective residents and their families to know about Forest Ridge? Our team truly does make a difference. This should be evident from the moment you walk in the door for a tour to the day you celebrate living here for 10 years – we are not just another senior living community. We hire and retain employees who want to be here and give their best every day for the benefit of our residents.