Senior living leaders gathered September 15–16 for candid conversations on personal well-being, longevity, storytelling, financial confidence and sustained performance.
Women leaders from across the senior living industry came together in Texas for the 2026 Women in Leadership Fall Forum, a two-day experience designed to create space for connection, reflection and practical growth. From the opening reception on Tuesday evening through a full day of programming on Wednesday, the forum explored what it takes to lead well in demanding environments, and how women can invest in their own health, confidence and capacity while continuing to serve others.
Connection Sets the Tone
The forum began September 15 with a Welcome to Texas Reception, giving attendees an opportunity to reconnect with longtime colleagues and form new relationships over cocktails and dinner.
Dr. Tiffany Moon opened the featured programming with “Joy Prescriptions: A Leader’s Guide to Investing in Yourself.” Drawing on her experience as a board-certified anesthesiologist, entrepreneur and bestselling author, Moon addressed a challenge familiar to many women in senior living: becoming so practiced at caring for others that personal well-being quietly falls to the bottom of the list. Her session moved beyond general advice about self-care to offer practical “prescriptions” leaders can use to build careers and lives defined by greater intention and joy, not simply longer hours. A book signing followed the session.
The focus on personal investment continued with Dr. Anu Ravipati’s candid session on menopause and longevity. A triple board-certified physician specializing in hormones, menopause, anti-aging, longevity and obesity medicine, Ravipati separated common myths from medical facts and shared evidence-based approaches to healthy aging. Just as importantly, she encouraged women to advocate for themselves in medical settings by asking informed questions and making sure their concerns are heard. An interactive question-and-answer period gave attendees an opportunity to explore the topic more directly.
Turning Stories Into a Growth System
Nathan Jones, founder and CEO of Dash Media, shifted the conversation to one of senior living’s most powerful, and often underdeveloped, assets: its stories. In “The Storytelling Funnel,” Jones outlined how organizations can move from producing isolated pieces of content to operating a repeatable system that builds awareness, trust, inquiries, job applications and move-ins.
The approach begins with short-form social video: use it to attract attention, test messages organically and identify the stories that resonate most. Strong performers can then become paid campaigns, deeper resident and staff profiles, mission-driven brand films and community tours that support families throughout the decision journey. Jones also addressed the execution behind the creative work, including filming processes, approvals, workflows and content structures that help teams produce high-quality video consistently without overwhelming internal staff. The result was a practical roadmap for organizations seeking stronger occupancy, recruitment, brand awareness and differentiation.
Building Capacity for a Longer Life and a Demanding Career
Jennifer Chandler, managing director, president of Bank of America Dallas and head of Philanthropic Solutions for Bank of America, led “Living Longer, Planning Smarter.” Her session centered on the financial confidence, independence and choices women need as they plan for longer lives. It reinforced a broader theme running through the forum: preparation is not only a professional discipline, but also a deeply personal source of agency.
Jennifer Zientz, director of programs at the Center for BrainHealth®, then invited attendees to think differently about another critical resource: cognitive capacity. Her session, “Your Brain at Work,” examined how information overload, distraction, rapid change and burnout can drain the mental energy leaders depend on. Zientz offered practical strategies for using cognitive resources more deliberately, thinking more deeply and innovatively, and sustaining performance in ways that may also help protect capacity over time.
Raising the Bar Under Pressure
Leadership keynote speaker Betsy Allen-Manning brought the day’s formal programming to an energetic close with “Be a Bar Raiser™ Under Pressure.” Her central message was that excellence becomes most valuable when it is consistent, and contagious. High performers do not wait for ideal circumstances or a burst of motivation; they define their standards, protect their focus and build the habits that help them execute when pressure rises.
Allen-Manning organized that work into the Bar Raisers™ Blueprint: gain clarity about success and the standard required to reach it; obsess over the skills needed for the next level; manage time, priorities, energy and focus with discipline; maximize habits that create momentum; surround yourself with people who challenge and elevate you; and practice the tenacity to remain committed through setbacks. A book signing followed the keynote.
Leadership Sustained by Community
The forum concluded with an offsite dinner, extending the conversations and relationships that had developed throughout the gathering. Across sessions, a clear throughline emerged: strong leadership is not sustained by professional expertise alone. It also depends on personal health, financial confidence, cognitive energy, intentional habits, compelling communication and a network of peers who raise one another’s sights. The Women in Leadership Fall Forum brought those dimensions together, equipping senior living leaders with ideas they could carry back to their organizations, and a community to support the work ahead.