Morning coffee

Pick up your name badge from the kiosk at the Hyatt Ballroom Foyer.

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Lorene Bower, Director of Training & Development, Oakmont Management Group
Mark Cimino, CEO, CiminoCare

While it’s indisputable that dedicated team members play a critical role in providing care, comfort and service to residents as well as contributing to successful operations, the challenge of retaining skilled and compassionate team members remains ever-present and pervasive. Join your peers and engage in frank, solutions-focused roundtable discussions as you share insights, best practices and actionable strategies that don’t break the bank, and develop a working plan to achieve and maintain greater retention.

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For those attending this 1-day stand-alone event, be sure to select it in the registration options.
If you’re looking for ways to empower your culinary team to spice up the dining experience, attract new talent and exceed resident and team members’ expectations – all while staying within budgetary parameters – you won’t want them to miss this rewarding and engaging, full-day experience. The menu for the day includes:

• Meet & Greet – Attendees can enjoy a cup of coffee and meet fellow culinary specialists before diving into the learning experience.
• Main Course – Four 1-hour culinary-specific educational sessions, packed with helpful insights and practical takeaways (includes lunch).
• Dessert – Tasty dessert treats and afternoon coffee, followed by an inspiring keynote session.
• Happy Hour – Attendance at the Trade Show, which includes wine tasting and appetizers.

Elevating Hospitality & the Dining Experience

Aaron Fish, Founder & CEO, Trestle Hospitality Concepts
Amy Robinson, National Vice President of Culinary Services, Integral & Solstice Senior Living

Get ready to embark on an enlightening journey into elevating your hospitality game as you explore the essential elements of creating a memorable resident dining experience – from ambiance and menu design to table service, customer interaction and beyond. Examine topics such as visually appealing offerings, improved customer service, diverse menu options, and the significance of cross-training and team development. You'll gain valuable insights into the key components that contribute to a successful and unforgettable dining experience.

Balancing Quality and Service Amidst Rising Costs

Frank Balderas, Executive Chef, The Inn on Villa Lane
Andrew Moret, Vice President of Operations, Oakmont Management Group

As food and labor costs continue to rise, it can be a challenge to maintain quality while keeping costs in check. Explore strategies for identifying cost saving opportunities without sacrificing food quality or service. Learn helpful tips for managing labor effectively and examine the benefits of utilizing a GPO membership, including maximizing rebates and taking advantage of favorable pricing terms. We'll also delve into the incorporation of local vendor partnerships, offering insights on maximizing your budget through intelligent purchasing decisions.

Keeping Residents Safe, Fed and Happy in the Face of Crisis

Randall Lonoza, National Director of Culinary Services, Kisco Senior Living
Jo Miller, RDN, Vice President of Nutrition, Meals for All

Physical disasters – and now viral crises – have the power to disrupt operations in a heartbeat. Join this candid discussion around the critical components of emergency preparedness, food safety and meeting the nutritional, special dietary and emotional needs of residents during a crisis. Leave equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to keep operations running smoothly during even the most challenging times.

Nourishing the Community – Practical Strategies for Caring, Retaining and Empowering Your Dining Staff

Frank Balderas, Executive Chef, The Inn on Villa Lane
Aaron Fish, Founder & CEO, Trestle Hospitality Concepts
Randall Lonoza, National Director of Culinary Services, Kisco Senior Living
Amy Robinson, National Vice President of Culinary Services, Integral & Solstice Senior Living
Moderator: Andrew Moret, Vice President of Operations, Oakmont Management Group

Join this panel of culinary experts as they discuss creative and unique approaches to caring for and retaining dining staff. From strategies to foster a sense of team and community within the dining department, to cool training and benefits to help staff feel valued and appreciated, tackling staffing challenges and more, nothing will be left off the table. Leave with critical insights into how effective leadership and sound dining department management can impact and improve resident satisfaction, care delivery and even life enrichment.

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Nicola Ries Taggart, Life and Leadership Success Strategist and Coach, Nicola Taggart & Co.

Has operating and leading under ever-changing and demanding stress taken a toll on your well-being? Join the developer of the Calm the Chaos tools and gain simple, yet effective tips and strategies to better manage your mindset, energy, environment and relationships during challenging times in ways that align with your values and priorities. Engage in helpful conversations and exercises that you can immediately put into action, enabling you to better align inner peace with your outer presence for greater impact, both personally and professionally.

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Gail Arno, Care Manager, Elder Care Management of Northern California
Aura Barragan, PsyD, Neuropsychologist
Erica Bosque, EdD, CEO & Executive Director, Keystone Therapy and Training Services

Given that mental illness is a particular vulnerability for individuals over the age of 60, it’s imperative for those in leadership and care roles to adopt practical skills incorporating a whole-person, integrated care model. This approach enables and equips them to tailor to unique differences, feel prepared to manage changes in psychiatric states and respond in a collaborative emphatic manner. Join this trio of mental health professionals and gain skills to identify and differentiate various mental health disorders most prevalent among those living in senior living. You’ll leave better equipped to support de-stigmatization of mental illness and more effectively support and foster inclusivity.

Sponsored by Integral Senior Living

Afternoon dessert and coffee break.

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Opening General Session featuring Scott Shigeoka, Curiosity Expert and Author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World
While the best leaders and most successful companies use deep curiosity to cultivate productive, innovative and collaborative teams, this attribute remains overlooked and underrated by many. Want to learn their secret to successfully cultivating curiosity? Join this internationally recognized curiosity expert and author as he shares cutting-edge research and guides you through the cornerstone practices to integrate transformative curiosity into your workplace. You’ll leave with concrete methods to lead and inspire your team to greater curiosity and the potential for greater workplace productivity, innovation and success.

Scott Shigeoka is an internationally recognized curiosity expert, speaker and the author of Seek: How Curiosity Can Transform Your Life and Change the World, which was an Amazon Best Book of 2023, Porchlight Best Business Book winner and a “Must-Read Book” by the Next Big Idea Club. Scott has appeared on The Today Show, NPR, BBC, Harvard Business Review, The Guardian and other outlets to spread the gospel of curiosity. Originally from Hawaii, he is known for translating research into strategies that promote positive well-being and connected relationships around the globe, including at the UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and through his groundbreaking courses at the University of Texas at Austin.

Start off the CALA Spring Conference & Trade Show with an evening of beverages, appetizers, and the opportunity to meet exhibitors and CALA associate members. You’ll learn about new products and services available to Assisted Living providers.