Selfless Mentor: Next time you look up the word “leader,” Celeste Golonski should come to top of mind

“With Dementia360’s help, I feel I can better handle what is to come.” – Maura, Dementia360’s client

“I no longer feel like I am in this alone.” – Stephen, Dementia360’s client

Dementia360 is one of the many initiatives launched under Center for Innovation & Care Transformation, which is a funding grant established by Presbyterian SeniorCare Network. They launched it to help make healthcare for seniors and residents of senior care facilities easier to obtain, along with it being much more affordable.

Presbyterian SeniorCare Network’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Celeste Golonski has played a huge role in helping get CICT off the ground. She is a visionary and an initiator, and she is certainly not afraid to take a stand. She has a huge heart for the senior community, and with programs like CICT and the initiatives that come with it, it is easy to see why Golonski is an accomplished and admired Senior VP.

Her advocacy is just a small part of who she is, however, as Golonski is a great leader within the Presbyterian SeniorCare Network. People know her for the way she leads her staff and keeps residents (especially those with dementia) at the top of mind.

“I have had the pleasure of working with Celeste for over 37 years at Presbyterian SeniorCare Network and have seen the incredible impact that she made on the growth of our organization and the expansion of our ministry,” James B. Pieffer, President and CEO of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, said. “Her initial work as an Executive Director was exemplary, but as she took on responsibility for quality and service excellence, she made an even greater impact on our resident care and person-centered philosophy.”

The higher up the ladder she goes, the bigger the impact Golonski makes. She continues to keep her same goals in mind every step of the way, remaining true to herself and true to her mission.

It is in this consistency that she has shown her leadership skills too, which is why LeadingAge Pennsylvania is honoring her with the LeadingAge PA 2024 Leader of the Year Award.

“I have known and worked with Celeste for approximately 35 years, throughout my tenure with Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, including the 22 years that I served as CEO when she reported to me,” Paul M. Winkler, former CEO of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network, said. “Over these years, Celeste worked in a variety of leadership positions on a host of campuses, and in more recent years in her role as Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, a corporate role which gave her responsibilities and involvement across Presbyterian SeniorCare Network.”

All Golonski really knows is leadership. She knows how to take initiative and take action, and to encourage others to do the same. We already know she knows how to take a stand too, but on top of that she is a true leader by example.

“Celeste has been our organizations’ champion in quality improvement including implementation of a formal LEAN program over the past five years,” Presbyterian SeniorCare Network said. “Her efforts have changed our culture. Under her leadership, with a clear focus on team member and resident safety, we have experienced significant reductions in team member injuries, resident falls, medication errors and established a commitment to root cause analysis. Celeste has also led our care management initiatives in both our care communities and affordable housing settings, which have led to reductions in re-hospitalization and emergency room visits and enhanced preventative care.”

Golonski is truly passionate about her colleagues and her residents. She wants them all to be as safe and happy and healthy as possible, and she also wants to prevent trauma and injury from happening. While it is bound to happen occasionally, preventing constant occurrences is super important to her.

As is creating a true community. Golonski believes that when the staff and the residents feel welcome and feel included, the experience is going to be infinitely better.

“Celeste is extraordinary in many ways,” Winkler said. “She has a brilliant, strategic mind and has equally brilliant skills in communicating the organization’s mission, vision and goals in understandable and relatable ways to team members at all levels of the organization – from the board and management to the front-line staff. As such, she has been highly effective in gaining buy-in from team members and colleagues, having them mobilize and willingly take action to drive change for the benefit of the organization, which is the essence of leadership.”

Leadership is all about creating a certain environment from the top-down, and that is what Golonski has created. Her staff is bought in, and her residents feel right at home at Presbyterian.

“Celeste has been the leader and quarterback of the development and implementation of Presbyterian SeniorCare Network’s strategic plan over the last 15-plus years,” Presbyterian SeniorCare Network said. “She has led many of the organization’s key initiatives, including LEAN, Dementia Care Center of Excellence, care management framework, Service Coordinator programs, data analytics, among others.”

“Celeste is a servant leader,” Winkler added. “She is widely viewed as a mentor and resource who is available and approachable; who is gracious and exudes positivity and respect for all team members and the contributions they bring. She has effectively led enterprise-wide initiatives such as LEAN Performance Improvement and advancing a Dementia Care Center of Excellence, both which have required and achieved exceptional levels of support and engagement by team members.”

Golonski is the kind of leader all staffers are proud to serve under, and she is the kind of leader who makes a difference in the lives of her residents. They all appreciate her and are thankful that she is super selfless and caring, and Presbyterian knows LeadingAge PA picked a phenomenal award winner.

“Celeste Golonski has served as an exemplary supervisor during her career with Presbyterian SeniorCare Network,” they concluded. “She understands the importance of person-centered management and serves as a role model for her team. Celeste sets clear goals for her team members and coaches them to succeed. She is a true mentor and continuously looks for opportunities to help her team grow. Over the years, many of Celeste’s direct reports have been promoted to more significant roles within the organization.”