A passion for caregiving and the residents of Bethesda Dilworth led housekeeper Ashley Henderson to pursue her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license through Bethesda’s Career Ladder Program.

“I knew I wanted to do more for the residents by becoming a CNA,” says Ashley.

After two years of watching others participate, Ashley decided to look further into the program and reached out to Eileen Caffey, Bethesda’s Director of Recruitment and Retention, to express her interest.

“Many people would be intimidated to return to school. But Ashley proved that if you have the determination to do it, you will be successful,” says Eileen.

In the 12-week course, CNA candidates learn the clinical skills they need to care for residents. The program is a partnership with Applied Technology Service, an organization that specializes in adult education, and was a great fit for Ashley.

“Now that I’ve graduated, I’m excited to start my new journey. I want to do so much more and keep moving forward,” says Ashley.

Ashley is now a full-time CNA at Dilworth. She hopes to continue with the Career Ladder Program and become a Certified Medication Technician (CMT).

Read more Bethesda employee stories on our blog!

Featured photo of Bethesda Dilworth 2023 CNA and CMT graduates: (l-r) Makila Cornell, Ashley Henderson, Zaykia Young and Denisha Ford