Senior Living Nonprofit Willow Valley Communities Names New Ceo 

Senior living nonprofit Willow Valley Communities has appointed Lisa Hawthorne as its new president and CEO.

The move is effective June 9, according to a press release. Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Willow Valley selected Hawthorne for “her outstanding leadership, deep industry experience and clear vision for the future of senior living” following a nationwide search to fill the position of John G. Swanson, who retired from his position as president and CEO of Willow Valley Communities and will now be focusing his time exclusively on Willow Valley’s active development projects as CEO of Willow Valley Development Corp.

“I’m grateful to be joining Willow Valley in its position as a leader in our field,” Hawthorne told Senior Housing News. “I’m honored to be here to simply lead the continuation of a 40 year legacy of excellence, innovation, quality and all of the great things that this organization is known for.”

Willow Valley Communities’ SouthPointe Village community is in the midst of a 124-apartment expansion, with the first 48 units built out and occupied, with the next 48 under construction and the final 28 beginning construction later this year. 

Some residences within the community have a nearly 10 year waiting list, according to Hawthorne.

Hawthorne said her top priorities include getting to know the organization, team members and residents more deeply, along with maintaining the momentum of the organization’s growth initiatives that are underway, such as the continued development of its high rise Mosaic project set to be the “tallest building in Lancaster County.” Upon completion, Mosaic will be Willow Valley Communities’ urban campus with upscale dining open to the public and onsite resort-style amenities.

Hawthorne brings more than 28 years of experience to the role and is credited with “playing a pivotal role” in more than 100 senior living community developments nationwide.

She most recently worked as the chief strategy and integration officer at LifeSpire of Virginia. She also was principal in the healthcare and senior living practice of firm Dixon Hughes Goodman and vice president of strategic partnerships and senior vice president of research and healthcare consulting at GlynnDevins, a senior living industry marketing firm that rebranded as Attane in 2021 and closed its doors in 2023.

Willow Valley Communities board chair said the organization was “delighted” to welcome its newest leader.

“Her strategic mindset, industry knowledge and dedication to resident-focused innovation make her the ideal leader to guide our organization into the future,” Gilbert said.

“Throughout her career, Hawthorne has collaborated closely with executive management teams and boards, providing strategic guidance in business planning, financial and market feasibility, architectural design and construction, marketing and communications, operations and innovative new growth initiatives,” the release states.

Willow Valley has undertaken multiple unique projects over the years, including a food hall and a memory care community that takes inspiration from the Hogeweyk, the famous memory care community in the Netherlands with a village concept.

“There’s no resting on laurels, because the world is changing rapidly, and I think the consumer continues to change,” Hawthorne said. “This is a very saturated market, and it’s a very small market … the majority of residents actually come from outside this area and from more than 40 states, and I think that’s a testament to the success that they’ve created here.”

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