Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Home Care and McKnight’s Senior Living are profiling the McKnight’s 2024 Pinnacle Awards honorees daily in April and May. For additional McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards content, visit this page.

As executive director of Porter Place, an Anthem Memory Care community, Colleen Kamin watched residents suddenly become isolated and sink into a dangerous lethargy during the early days of the pandemic. 

That led her to pioneer a program called Pathways of Purpose, or POP, to engage residents by evoking positive experiences based on their interests prior to entering memory care. The program leads to moments of real joy and engagement beyond traditional activities, and it became a model for other Anthem locations. 

“I believe that being an ‘agent of change’ is the only way to be successful in this industry as the needs of our residents, our staff, our regulators and fiscal partners are in constant flux,” Kamin told McKnight’s. “It is our duty to pivot as needed to provide for all of the entities that we serve.

“However, the one change that should never happen is that we forget why we are here, to serve and protect those entrusted to us,” she added. “It is a balancing act most of the time and having the grace and good fortune to be able to juggle the various entities certainly requires that change.” 

Throughout her more than 30-year career, Kamin has exemplified that call to protect some of the most vulnerable seniors with grace and grit. She has been an administrator at several long-term care facilities, and she was vice president of operations for the assisted living division for Villa Healthcare. 

One of her most formative roles was with Care Centers, a time during which she was administrator for several facilities that needed to be brought into compliance and put on stable financial footing.

  • She is licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin as a nursing home administrator. 
  • Kamin was promoted from marketing and admissions director to her first administrator role at Heartland Healthcare Center in Homewood, IL. 
  • She holds an undergraduate degree in business from St. Xavier University in Chicago and also has an associate’s degree in applied science in major therapeutic recreation. 

The McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. Honorees were recognized March 21 at a dinner and awards ceremony in Chicago. Omnicare was the Silver sponsor for the 2024 Pinnacle Awards program. Parker Health Group and Sentrics were event sponsors.