Everyone is invited to the 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Awards and Forum, to be held Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. There is no cost to attend either event.

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction awards, Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. ET, will celebrate this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award winner, 22 Hall of Honor inductees and 22 Rising Stars. Colleagues and friends of the honorees, as well as industry leaders and leaders in Congress, will be offering congratulatory messages.

New this year is the McKnight’s Women of Distinction Forum, a slate of three hour-long educational sessions at which attendees can earn continuing education credits, on Wednesday. Panelists will be past, present — and perhaps future — McKnight’s Women of Distinction. Each session will conclude with a question-and-answer period.

The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET with “Finding the Secret Sauce,” during which executives will share their efforts to attract, recruit and retain women in the workplace.

Speakers:

  • Lori Alford, 2019 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee and chief operating officer, Avanti Senior Living;
  • Brenda Bacon, 2019 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee and president and CEO of Brandywine Living; and
  • Leigh Ann Barney, president and CEO of Trilogy Health Services.

The second session, “Lessons Learned Along the Way,” will begin at 10:45 a.m. ET. 

Speakers:

  • McKnight’s Women of Distinction 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Lynne Katzmann, founder and CEO of Juniper Communities; and 
  • McKnight’s Women of Distinction 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Wendy Simpson, CEO and chairman of LTC Properties.

The third session will start at noon ET and will feature speakers’ insights into making long-term care more equitable.

Speakers:

  • Eleanor Alvarez, 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee and president and CEO of The Ganzhorn Suites and LeaderStat;
  • Akia Blandon, 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee and vice president of clinical services for The Plaza Rehab and Nursing Center;
  • Mary “Molly” Forrest, 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor inductee and CEO – president of the LA Jewish Home; and
  • Jaclyn Pritchett, 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction Rising Star honoree and vice president, human resources – field operations for Brookdale Senior Living.

Learn more and register here.

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News. The program’s Diamond sponsor is PointClickCare. Silver sponsors are OnShift and PharMerica, and the Signature sponsors are Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Enquire.