Leadership
Jillian Fitzgerald, Housing Director for Burnsville and Shakopee locations
Profile and photo coming soon...
Kelly Rice, Housing Director for Minnetonka
Kelly Rice is the Director of Housing at Emerald Crest of Minnetonka. Kelly has been with Cassia for twelve years, serving in various roles at several sites. She is a graduate of the University of North Dakota, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications, graduating with honors. Kelly enjoys her job, particularly the opportunity to work with residents to ensure they receive high-quality care. Outside of work, she loves spending time outdoors with her husband and staying active with their two young children and English Bulldog.
Liz Wendel, Admission Director
I have been working in senior care since 2015. I was a CNA at a memory care facility throughout college and discovered my passion for helping the elderly population and their families. I studied healthcare administration at Bethel University and completed a yearlong internship at a care center with Presbyterian Homes prior to starting my career at Cassia. I have been the admissions director since February of 2020 and have loved working with the staff, residents, and resident families at Emerald Crest. Helping families find a specialized memory care that feels like home for their loved ones has been my favorite and most rewarding part of the job.
Rev. Arlen Solem, Chaplain
I graduated seminary from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and completed a chaplaincy residency with Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee. I began my career with Cassia at the Augustana Health Care Center in Minneapolis in 2016. I love the work I do more than I could have imagined. Leading worship services and interacting with our residents has been incredibly fulfilling and life-giving. In spite of the fact that the worship services have a pattern that changes little, each service is unique and often filled with unanticipated moments when God’s blessings are felt so strongly. I am honored to get to know so many people in the latter stages of their lives. I consider many of the people we serve my friends even if sometimes they don’t quite know who I am.
