Trinity Health Senior Communities (THSC) held its third annual Heart of Trinity Health Awards Ceremony Wednesday, October 7, 2026. Communities from across the senior living and healthcare portfolio gathered locally for watch parties, many of which were spotlighted during the live broadcast.
Human Resources Operation Consultant Laura Carroll emceed the Awards presentation, and after inviting Mission Leader Mike Prince to open with a reflection, she welcomed Trinity Health President and CEO Mike Slubowski to offer words of gratitude and encouragement to THSC colleagues. He congratulated the team on its recent honors by the LeadingAge Ziegler 200 as the eighth largest not-for-profit multi-site senior living organization in the nation, saying: “We are very proud of our history and commitment to seniors…and to the Common Good.”
Continuing Care President and CEO Dan Drake acknowledged that the Heart of Trinity Health Awards event is one he excitedly anticipates each year, saying: “it gives us a chance to pause and celebrate another year of providing our THSC residents with high-quality, compassionate hospitality and care. This team of professionals works so hard to achieve the ideals expressed in our Mission, inspired solutions, dashboard metrics, and financial wins. I love getting the chance to congratulate you on your success in those endeavors and to encourage you to keep going, because you’re positioned to have an even stronger FY27!”
Laura then shared some exciting news about the annual Senior Community Excellence Award. “The level of excellence demonstrated this year made choosing a winner no easy task. With so many high-performing communities, the competition was neck-in-neck, and in fact, we are excited to announce that we have a tie!” Maple Vista, our Ryan Home in Imlay City, Michigan was lauded for its culture of connection, purpose, and belonging. Their strong partnership with local organizations has led to the establishment of educational seminars, wellness programs, special events, and countless opportunities for lifelong learning and social engagement.
Bellbrook, Rochester Hills’ Trinity Health Senior Community, also was named a 2026 Community Excellence Award Winner. Laura shared that: “Bellbrook has created an exceptional culture where colleagues and residents thrive through a shared commitment to engagement, excellence, and Mission. The community's dedication to its people is reflected in its
successful participation in the LeadingAge Work That Matters program, which significantly reduced voluntary turnover, while colleague recognition efforts helped drive continuous improvement in PULSE engagement scores, resulting in an 80% participation rate! Bellbrook also celebrated a remarkable safety achievement, reducing its OSHA incident rate to zero by the end of Fiscal Year 2026.”
Each year, THSC presents The Sister Angela Gillespie Servant Leader Award to people leaders who demonstrate outstanding Mission-driven leadership ability that exhibits communication, trust, cooperation, and respect for differences among team members.
Evoking the spirit of the remarkable Angela Gillespie, Mother Superior of the Sisters of the Holy Cross during the Civil War era, this leader accepts responsibility and takes accountability for advancing team and community goals while being supportive and motivational to fellow colleagues and departments. The winners of the 2026 Sister Angela Gillespie Servant Leader
Awards were:
First Place: Alley May, RN, director of nursing at The Alverno (Clinton, IA)
Second Place: Chris Spier, director of environmental services at Heartwood Lodge (Spring Lake, MI)
Third Place: Andrea Hengy, director of sales at The Neighborhoods of White Lake (White Lake, MI)
In the spirit of the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy and THSC’s legacy of heartfelt hospitality and holistic healthcare, the Sister Catherine McAuley Living Mission award is presented to colleagues who demonstrate and embody our Core Values and Mission as a “compassionate, transforming healing presence” for both residents and colleagues. The winners of the 2026
Sister Catherine McAuley Living Mission Awards were:
First Place: Kate Steffensmeier, community life coordinator at Ellen Kennedy Living Center (Dyersville, IA)
Second Place: James Manugas, LPN, at The McAuley (West Hartford, CT)
Third Place: Jenny Cyplik, community life aide at Bellbrook (Rochester Hills, MI)
In bringing the Awards Ceremony to a close, Trinity Health Senior Communities Chief Operating Office Stacey Johnson, DNP, told the winners: “In all aspects of who you are and the service you have chosen to provide to our residents, you exemplify THSC’s Mission and Core Values.” She then encouraged all THSC colleagues to continue following their own paths to excellence, telling them: “I hope that today’s ceremony will inspire each of you to continue striving for excellence in the work you do. None of us chooses this calling for recognition or awards, but to know that the people you serve with see you, support you, and admire your work and your character is so meaningful. Thank you for taking time to cheer on our colleagues and to demonstrate your pride in our Trinity Health Senior Communities.”