on Leading

Welcome to on Leading – a video podcast series exploring conversations on leading with authenticity with leaders, staff and board members of MHS Association member organizations, as well as MHS Association staff.

We hope that through these brief snippets, you’ll hear perspectives on leadership that inspire you and connect you with this caring community.

Leadership happens in any role within the organization.

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Dick O'Hara

Meet Dick O'Hara, Director of Spiritual Ministries and Chaplain at Frederick Living

Dick will be the first to admit that he wasn't an A+ student, but that, he says, is what inspired and ultimately helped him become a better teacher. Hear Dick's full story on this episode of On Leading.

Don Tyson

Our new episode of On Leading features Don Tyson, Professor of Nursing at Eastern Mennonite University and MHS Association Board Member.

Don's earliest job was working as a dietary aid at his local hospital. This was the start of working in either a hospital or university setting. Don was inspired by forward-thinking leaders, such as John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the mentorship of two hospital managers early in Don's career. Those influences helped Don identify key characteristics in what it takes to be an authentic leader.

We hope that through these brief conversations, you'll hear perspectives on leadership that inspire you and connect you with the MHS Association community.

Karl Brummer

Meet Karl Brummer, CEO at Messiah Lifeways and On Leading guest.

Karl discusses his first job, working in Human Resources for a seafood processing facility. He shares how developing a personal connection with everyone in the organization is his foundation for creating a sense of belonging at Messiah Lifeways.

Tune in to hear perspectives on leadership that inspire and connect you with the MHS Association community. 

Myron Weaver

Meet Myron Weaver, CEO at OrrVilla Retirement Community, MHS Association Board Member, and On Leading guest.

Myron shares how his first job as a farm hand taught him to make the best out of each day, even if the day wasn’t the best. Myron highlights family members and mentors that lead with kindness and gentleness. Those individuals in Myron’s life helped set the earliest roots of his passion for his work.

Tune in to hear perspectives on leadership that inspire and connect you with the MHS Association community.

Delvin Zook

On Leading features Delvin Zook, Chief Executive Officer at Rock of Ages Mennonite Home.

Del shares about how he found his calling with Rock of Ages from an early start and has led to spending his entire with the organization. He also shares how his early days of singing for elderly provided insight into the best ways to connect and interact with individuals in senior living programs.

We hope that through these brief conversations, you'll hear perspectives on leadership that inspire you and connect you with the MHS Association community.

Cheryl Luli

on Leading episode 18 features Cheryl Luli, Project Administrator at Harmony Village.

Cheryl shares how finding time with the Lord and His word helps give her the guidance she needs to find peace in the midst of hypervigilance. This has helped provide the clarity and support to provide strong leadership at Harmony Village. Cheryl also shares how her first job, working at an ice cream shop, taught her to breath and accepting that mistakes are part of the learning process.

Kerry Beck

on Leading episode 17 features Kerry Beck, clinical supervisor with Shalom Counseling and Mediation Center.

Kerry shares about how his few months in a direct care position at his first post-graduate job gave him a better understanding and more insight into what direct care people experience and the challenges they face when he moved into clinical, and then administrative positions. He also talks about where he got his passion for the work he does

Clare Krabill

on Leading episode 16 features Clare Krabill, Chief Operating Officer for MHS Association.

Clare shares about her early job experience as a waitress where she learned three valuable lessons. Find out what they were in the video. When she worked as a CNA during college breaks, she learned not to turn a blind eye to the difficult things in life. A little bit later in life, she worked as a Physical Therapist in New York City where she learned to see the spark of God in everybody.

Jen Foster

on Leading episode 15 features Jen Foster, an MHS Association board member and Executive Director at Central California Mennonite Residential Services.

Jen shares about her earliest job experience on a strawberry farm during the summer – learn how she earned her “Half Ton Picker” t-shirt. She also reveals the earliest roots for her passion for the work she does now. Going back to first grade, she and a new friend Valerie, who was in a wheelchair, undertook the great work of rescuing earthworms from the puddles on the playground. Jen learned some lessons that day that she still carries with her.

Jeremy Kauffman

on Leading episode 14 features Jeremy Kauffman, who is the new Managing Director of MHS Consulting. In this episode, he talks about his first “real” job as a roofer at AMBS as a high schooler. In his second summer as a roofer, he also got his first experience in leadership.

As Jeremy has grown and developed as a leader, his focus as a leader is to help others succeed. He doesn’t consider it his job to tell people what to do, but rather to help develop the confidence that they need to do so that they can do what needs to be done and give them opportunities for growth and development.

Larry Guengerich

on Leading episode 13 features Larry Guengerich, who talks about his first real job at 15-years-old where he washed dishes at a local restaurant and learned that he did not want to do that kind of work long-term.

He didn’t grow up near any of his grandparents, until his teenaged years when his maternal grandmother moved into his community – one of her children provided a trailer for her on their property. It was the first time he had experienced anyone aging somewhere other than their own home. Much later, Larry discovered the idea of how to be part of the lives and the stories of families as they go through these times of change.

Glen Guyton

Cate Michelle Desjardins

Ken Hochstetler

on Leading episode 10 features Ken Hochstetler, who shows off his “Outstanding Newspaper Carrier of the Year” award that still hangs on his office wall to remind him of where he comes from. He also reflects on how the talent and motivation of their workforce directly impacts Everence’s ability to achieve organizational priorities and objectives.

Mim Shirk

on Leading episode 9 features Mim Shirk, President/CEO of Anabaptist Providers Group. She shares stories and lessons learned from her first job at a green house, and she also recognizes two leaders who have positively influenced her in her career. She has a t-shirt that says, “change happens at the edge of your comfort zone.

Emerson Lesher

on Leading episode 8 features Emerson Lesher, who looks back to his early life where an internship first sparked an interest in aging services and some early leadership opportunities taught him a lot about leading and about himself.

Amanda Nugent Divine

on Leading episode 7 features Amanda Nugent Divine reflecting on her early jobs cleaning houses and teaching aerobics. She also talks about how she was designed by God to alleviate the suffering of other people – which lead her into behavioral health.

Edith Yoder

Today’s episode features Edith Yoder, CEO of Bridge of Hope National. She reflects on working at her uncle’s meat market through middle school and high school. She learned to always use her time wisely and to work ahead.

Karen Lehman

Our fifth episode features our own Karen Lehman, President/CEO at MHS Association. Listen to her remember her first real job and also her sense of calling to leadership.

Jeremy LaKosh

Our fourth episode features Jeremy LaKosh, CEO of Maple Lawn Homes, who shares how he finds peace in the midst of hypervigilance.

Edward Brubaker

Lowell Peachey

Tim Weaver

Tim Weaver is Chaplain at The Community at Rockhill