Bringing in a new age of faith-based senior living

Respecting your history and charism, while working with you as a true partner to find the best solution for your needs.

Many religious communities struggle to provide housing and care for aging members of their congregation. Managing staff, providing services, and meeting regulatory requirements is stretching their resources and increasing costs. They need the expertise of an experienced partner who, ideally, understands the unique culture of religious communities.

We view our work through the lens of religious life. Our distinct culture, shaped by our congregation, is how we attract and retain the best talent, how we engage with the communities we serve, and how our neighbors and friends turn into our fiercest supporters.

Our Journey to Service

With a passion to continue the founding mission, seven U.S. congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph came together in 2007 to form one united Congregation of St. Joseph. Faithful to the original Sisters of St. Joseph mission of unity – uniting neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God – the new Congregation of St. Joseph draws its membership (almost 500 sisters and over 500 lay associates) from seven formerly autonomous congregations.

When the seven independent congregations of Sisters of St. Joseph began to function as one Congregation of St. Joseph, the Congregation Leadership Team (CLT) accepted responsibility for seven motherhouses situated on approximately 200 acres of land.

One direction set forth by the Congregation in creating CSJ Initiatives was to keep sisters free for mission by finding or creating a management partner who would focus on the health care for sisters and the management of the communities.

May of 2014

CSJ Initiatives, Inc., was officially created. By November of 2015, CSJ Initiatives was added to the USCCB Official Catholic Directory as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

July 1, 2015

CSJ Initiatives assumed sponsorship of Sheridan Village, a 60-unit independent living facility in Wichita, Kansas, and Dillon Hall, a 72-unit independent living facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

January 1, 2016

CSJ Initiatives signed management agreements with the Congregation of St. Joseph to manage the operations of their communities.

March of 2018

CSJ Initiatives expanded to include management of other congregations. As of 2022 CSJ Initiatives manages six properties for other congregations.

March of 2019

CSJ initiatives assumed sponsorship of St. Francis Senior Ministries, which was formerly sponsored by the Sisters of St. Francis.

Mission

CSJ Initiatives reflects the Congregation of St. Joseph’s commitment to respond to the emerging needs of religious congregations, our neighbors, and the world by providing vibrant senior care and living services. Through the unique lens and culture of religious life, CSJ Initiatives offers expertise in life-enriching housing opportunities, compassionate health and wellness care, and responsible care for congregational properties.

Core Values

In the manner of St. Joseph, CSJ Initiatives creates a collaborative environment characterized by:

Compassion

Attending to all with gentleness, peace and joy

Respect

Honoring the uniqueness of every person

Integrity

Serving our neighbor with honesty, truthfulness and sincerity

Our Team

Denise Gannon

CEO

Denise Gannon has served as the CEO of CSJ Initiatives since October 2018. She is responsible for working with the staff in developing and overseeing the various Management Agreements with the Congregation’s six Centers as well as those with other religious Congregations. She also explores possible management options with other Congregations who express an interest in the services of CSJ Initiatives.

Denise has served in the Health Care industry since 1996. During her career she has created a comprehensive, nationwide community based service line from the ground up. She has launched and continually optimized assisted living, home health and house call services to meet the needs of an aging population. She has also brought an innovative dementia program to the U.S. and has established partnerships and collaborations with community and professional resources.

She is also a registered nurse and a graduate of the LeadingAge Leadership Academy.

David Haase

Director of Operations

David Haase is licensed as a Long Term Care Administrator and holds a BS in Business. He began his career in healthcare with Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, working at two of their Continuing Care Retirement Communities before joining the Congregation of St. Joseph. While with the Congregation he served eighteen years as the administrator of the Wichita Center. His current position is that of the Director of Operations. He currently serves on the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Central and Western Kansas and is active in his community.

Grace Smith

Director of Clinical Operations

Grace is a registered nurse who has worked in long term care for the last fifteen years. She obtained her Associated Degree in Nursing and is currently pursuing her BSN at Ohio University. She has worked in various supervisory roles in long term care, most recently working as the Director of Nursing at St. Francis home in Tiffin Ohio. She has served CSJ Initiatives as the Clinical Director of Operations since 2020.

Katrina Davis

Administrative Director

Katrina joined CSJ Initiatives in March of 2015. She began her career in senior healthcare with Via Christi Senior Services in 1998. Prior to serving in healthcare she was a travel agent for eighteen years. Her primary responsibilities include board governance, executive department budget, lease management, property management, contract management, special projects, executive administrative support, marketing, web site and employee intranet administration. She has extensive knowledge and experience in implementing preventative maintenance programs, oversight of new construction projects and remodeling projects. In her career she was responsible for oversight of the remodeling and leasing of a former hospital campus which included remodeling for an adult day care, a 26-bed nursing home, a bistro, leasable office space and duplex rentals. A graduate of Cloud County Community college, she holds an Associate of Science Degree in Supervisory Management and Travel and Tourism.

Ruth Nelson

Director of Clinical Operations

Ruth has Worked as Clinical Operations Director for PMD Corporation From 2000-2020 overseeing 15 skilled nursing facilities with in Kentucky as a Clinical Director, Reimbursement & Rehab Facilitator as well holding interim roles as Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with in the organization. Ruth has extensive experience with MDS (Minimum Data Sets) assessments and reimbursement processes, teaching MDS at a corporate and state level. Prior to 20 years with PMD she worked at Samaritan Hospital in Lexington KY for 3 years as the Administrator and Clinical Director of a 34 bed LTAC unit focusing on long term acute rehab residents. In addition to her long term care and reimbursement experience; in a part time capacity Ruth has worked 7 years as a nurse practitioner in a rural health care clinic near her farm in rural Kentucky.

Shanna Carver

Director of Operations

Shanna Carver is a licensed nursing home administrator in Kentucky, Florida and Kansas and has a BASW and a MHA. Shanna worked for Bluegrass Health Partners (aka PMD Corporation) in Kentucky for 11 years, as an administrator and later as a Director of Operations and oriented new administrators with the company. Shanna has worked for CSJI since 2020.

Joshua Johnson

Chief Finance Officer

Josh Johnson’s career in senior living began in 2007. Since then, he has held roles in for profit, publicly traded and nonprofit communities. He has had the opportunity to speak with companies and in front of audiences on how to use technology to create cost effective efficiencies within the senior living industry. A native of Decatur, Alabama, He is a 2005 graduate of Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Indiana. Josh began his tenure at CSJ Initiatives in July 2021. While not at work, Josh enjoys the lake life and hiking with his wife, three daughters and their Sheep doodle.

Learn more.

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