Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News are profiling the McKnight’s 2021 Women of Distinction honorees daily July 6 through Aug. 9. To see the 2021 McKnight’s 2021 Women of Distinction awards ceremony, register for free here.
Leigh Ann Barney may have had many inspirations early in life that led her to be a successful caregiver in the long-term care industry, but she gives her mother, father and hometown of Hodgenville, KY, the credit for instilling the key work ethic that got her where she is.
Barney took on the role of CEO at Trilogy Health Services of Kentucky in October 2020 after working for the company for 20 years. During that time, she developed connections with thousands of employees and has kept doing so in her role now.
Trilogy has more than 10,000 employees, and colleagues say Barney is driven to make the life of each and every person at the company better. Her small-town, midwestern upbringing makes her a media-shy but people-centered leader.
Trilogy founder Randy Bufford describes Barney as having the right skill set for her position.
“Leigh Ann has core cultural values of caring and doing the right thing at the right time,” Bufford said. “Triply important is that every employee at Trilogy knows that Leigh Ann is caring and will do something if she knows there is an issue.”
Not only does Barney manage to form connections with her employees at Trilogy, but she serves as a role model for those working under her, as well.
The company’s new chief human resources officer, Priscilla Mattingly, says it was important to her to serve under a female CEO and for her, Barney’s leadership is a moment of pride.
Even with the high level of involvement Barney has committed to the company, she still manages to connect with her family and kids at home and maintain the small-town home life that she grew up with.
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, and the Roundtable Sponsor is Paycor.
