KENA M. PHILLIPS
Corpus Christ,TX
Summary
Transformational senior living executive with a proven track record in scaling, stabilizing, and optimizing multi-state portfolios across Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, and Skilled Nursing. Renowned for driving NOI growth and operational excellence while maintaining leadership durability during complex transitions, acquisitions, and turnaround environments. Trusted partner to ownership groups and capital partners, characterized by a decisive, culture-driven leadership style that upholds relentless standards for resident experience, compliance, and financial discipline. Expertise in spearheading business transformations and operational improvements that deliver strategic initiatives, fostering growth and enhancing profitability in dynamic environments.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Vice President of Operations – Central U.S.
Discovery Senior Living / Provincial Senior Living
01.2025 - Current
- Provide executive leadership for a multi-state Independent Living portfolio, overseeing operational strategy, financial performance, and leadership execution. Direct Regional VPs, Executive Directors, Operations Specialists and enterprise partners across Operations, Sales, HR, Clinical, Facilities, and Dining. Serve as a strategic liaison to ownership and capital partners.
- Key Impact
- Lead portfolio P&L exceeding $18.4M (Q3–Q4 2025), delivering NOI expansion following community transitions
- Strengthened operational consistency through enterprise KPI dashboards, reducing variance and increasing financial transparency
- Serve as senior operator supporting renovations, repositioning, and long-range planning initiatives
- Elevated service delivery and policy adherence across all communities
Regional Vice President of Operations
Discovery Senior Living / Integral Senior Living
2023 - 01.2025
- Oversaw IL / AL / MC portfolios across multiple states, driving turnaround performance, leadership stabilization, and resident satisfaction.
- Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Directed enterprise strategy and long-range operational planning across functional disciplines
- Improved market positioning through consistent operating standards and disciplined execution
- Start-Ups, Transitions & Integrations
- Led the transition and stabilization of 33 communities, integrating operations, systems, HR, and financial controls
- Eliminated agency dependence; achieved 100% staffing fill rates post-transition
- Authored a 30/60/90-day transition playbook adopted enterprise-wide
- Delivered sustained profitability through leadership development and margin optimization
- Portfolio Performance
- Drove occupancy stabilization, improved conversion metrics, and reduced controllable move-outs
- Partnered with executive leadership on acquisitions and development pipeline strategy
- People, Culture & Resident Experience
- Led and mentored leaders supporting 900+ team members
- Implemented succession planning and leadership development programs that improved Executive Director tenure
- Introduced resident-centered initiatives that increased satisfaction scores portfolio-wide
Regional Vice President of Operations
Sunshine Retirement Living
2019 - 01.2023
- Led multistate operations, complex turnarounds, and enterprise memory care strategy during a period of accelerated growth and industry disruption.
- Results
- Achieved 90%+ resident and family satisfaction across communities
- Delivered up to 70% year-over-year NOI growth
- Onboarded and trained leadership for 17 new Memory Care communities
- Built a scalable, enterprise memory-care platform incorporating social model care, Montessori, and sensory-based interventions
- Navigated operational stability and compliance during COVID-19
Executive Director, CCRC
Craig Senior Living
Amarillo, TX
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Increased census from 81% to 98%
- Delivered 70% NOI growth across IL/AL/MC/SNF
- Achieved near-full occupancy across cottages, AL, and IL apartments
Area Director
Brookdale Senior Living
West Texas
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Grew census from 40% to 100% in 18 months
- Turned negative NOI positive within six months
- Increased executive and clinical leader tenure from 6 months to 4 years
Executive Director
Brookdale Senior Living
West Texas
01.2011 - 01.2014
- Grew census from 40% to 100% in 18 months
- Turned negative NOI positive within six months
- Increased executive and clinical leader tenure from 6 months to 4 years
Education
B.A. - Sociology
Texas Tech University
Graduate Studies - Sociology, Social Psychology
Texas Tech University
LubbockClinical Practice Management - Long-Term Care Administration
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Legal Mediation Intensive -
Texas Tech University School of Law
Skills
- Enterprise & Portfolio Operations Leadership
- P&L Ownership & NOI Expansion
- Multi-State Regulatory & Risk Management (CMS, DOL, EEO, OSHA, HHSC)
- Start-Ups, Acquisitions & Integrations
- Workforce Optimization & Leadership Development
- Culture Transformation & Change Leadership
- Memory Care Strategy & Program Design
- KPI Dashboards & Performance Transparency
- Owner & Capital Partner Relations
- Business development
- Process improvements
- Organizational development
- Staff development
- Public speaking
- Operations management
- Budget preparation
- Partnership development
- Corporate communications
- Strategic planning
- Troubleshooting and problem resolution
- Talent development
- Budget administration
- Budget oversight
Affiliations
- Texas Assisted Living Association (Board)
- Alzheimer’s Association (Board & Advisory Council)
- National Council on Aging
- Leadership Lubbock
- Hospice of Lubbock (Board)
- Texas Delegate – National Coalition on Rural Aging
Certification
- Certified Assisted Living Manager
- Dementia Practitioner
- Montessori Dementia Care Practitioner
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Senior Vice President of Operations – Central U.S.
Discovery Senior Living / Provincial Senior Living
01.2025 - Current
Executive Director, CCRC
Craig Senior Living
01.2017 - 01.2019
Area Director
Brookdale Senior Living
01.2015 - 01.2017
Executive Director
Brookdale Senior Living
01.2011 - 01.2014
Clinical Practice Management - Long-Term Care Administration
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Regional Vice President of Operations
Discovery Senior Living / Integral Senior Living
2023 - 01.2025
Regional Vice President of Operations
Sunshine Retirement Living
2019 - 01.2023
B.A. - Sociology
Texas Tech University
Graduate Studies - Sociology, Social Psychology
Texas Tech University
Legal Mediation Intensive -
Texas Tech University School of Law