Joe Brinker currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bethesda—a position he began in July 2010. Prior to that position, Joe served the organization in numerous leadership capacities, including Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, Long Term Care.

In addition, Joe, who began his career with Bethesda in 1989, held many leadership positions at Bethesda General Hospital, including the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.

Joe currently holds many professional and civil leadership positions, including the following:

Professional

• Member, Leadership Circle, LeadingAge (formerly American Association of Homes for the Aging)
• Member, Budget and Finance Committee, LeadingAge
• Member, House of Delegates, LeadingAge
• Board Member, Bethesda Health Group
• Board Member, St. Andrews & Bethesda Home Health

Professional

• Board Member, St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Member, Board of Adjustment, Town & County, Mo.
• Board Member, University of Missouri-Columbia Health Management Alumni Association

In addition, Joe recently completed serving a term on the board of Des Peres Hospital.

Rog joined Bethesda in February of 2014, and is responsible for managing all of the organization’s financial activities. He also oversees the risk management, treasury and capital formation functions for the organization.

Prior to joining Bethesda, Rog had served in a variety of management capacities with RehabCare Group, Inc. since 1999. Most recently he was serving as the Vice President of Finance and Chief Information Officer of the RehabCare Division of Kindred Healthcare (which purchased RehabCare in 2011).

A St. Louis native, Byrne is a graduate of St. Louis University High School and St. Louis University. He resides in South County with his wife and three sons.

Kiel joined Bethesda in September of 2017, and is responsible for managing the operations of the organization. This includes the six skilled nursing communities that Bethesda owns and/or manages; Bethesda’s six retirement communities; Bethesda’s two assisted living communities; and Bethesda’s home and community based services, which includes Home Health, Care Management, Senior Support Solutions (in-home private duty services), Hospice Care, and Respite Care.

In addition, Kiel is responsible for the environmental services and facility management, and clinical process and application components of Bethesda.

Prior to joining Bethesda, Kiel had served in a variety of management capacities with Heritage Enterprises since 2012. Most recently, he had been serving as the Regional Director of Operations in Illinois and Indiana.  During his tenure at Heritage, Kiel developed and led two new lines of business, including inpatient hospice and respiratory therapy.

Kiel is originally from Springfield, Ill.  He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and his MBA from Benedictine University.  Kiel and his wife reside in Chesterfield, Mo., with their three children.

In 1998, Kathy joined Bethesda Health Group and was responsible for developing the Human Resources function, including the design of compensation programs and the redesign of the organization’s benefit offerings, organizational development programs, and recruiting and retention programs.

Kathy was promoted to Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Marketing at Bethesda in 2005, where she has assumed responsibility for the company’s marketing efforts as well as human resources. She has played an active role in the organization’s strategic planning process.

Kathy is a Past President of the Human Resource Management Association of Greater St. Louis and served as Chairperson of the Board of the National Kidney Foundation of Greater St. Louis. She is currently a member of the Workforce Investment Board for the city of St. Louis. She will assume the role of President-Elect for the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association for St. Louis in January, 2015, where she has served as mentoring co-chair for three years. In addition, she has been a member of the Society of Human Resource Management since 1985, and has served in a number of leadership positions for SHRM chapters in Florida, including Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Programs and President. Before joining Bethesda, she worked in the Corporate Human Resources departments of Sea World (Orlando) and Anheuser-Busch Theme Parks.

Michelle, who has been with Bethesda since 1995, is serving in the position of Vice President, Home & Community Based Services.  In this position, Michelle is responsible for providing overall management and leadership for five of the organization’s prime community based services: Bethesda Senior Support Solutions (private duty, geriatric care management & transportation), Bethesda Hospice Care, St. Andrews & Bethesda Home Health (operated in partnership with St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors), and Adult Day Care (two programs—located at Bethesda Dilworth and Charless Village).

Prior to this position, Michelle served as the Vice President and Director, Senior Support Solutions, where she was instrumental in the development of this specialized program.  Senior Support Solutions provides seniors with innovative solutions for receiving services that will keep them in the privacy and comfort of the place they call home.  She has also served as Vice President and Administrator of The Charless Home, and General Manager at both Bethesda Orchard in Webster Groves and Bethesda Barclay House in Clayton.

Michelle is currently a member of Missouri Alliance for Home Care, Missouri Hospice & Palliative Care Association, St. Louis Palliative Care Network and is serving as a member of the LeadingAge Missouri Professional Development Committee.  She is a graduate of Webster University with a degree in Health Care Administration.

Linda, who joined Bethesda in November 2021, is responsible for managing the strategic vision, direction and fundraising effort of the Bethesda Health Group Foundation.  She is a Certified Fundraising Professional Executive (CFRE) with 30 years development experience.

Prior to joining Bethesda, Linda was the Chief Development Officer for the St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation, which is part of St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors (STARS).

Linda has served on the Manchester United Methodist Church Endowment board and the board of St. Andrew’s of Jennings.

A St. Louis native, Linda graduated from Southeast Missouri State University.  She and her husband reside in St. Peters.

Jeff, who has been with Bethesda since 2007, is responsible for coordinating and implementing the marketing and communications strategy of the organization, including increasing the awareness and visibility for all Bethesda communities and home and community-based services through conventional media, community engagement and outreach, the website and social media.

Prior to joining Bethesda, Jeff worked at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, where he served as Manager of Public Relations and Media Communications.

Jeff is serving as Vice President of the Continuum of Care Marketing Association (COCMA), whose membership comprises more than 100 marketers who work at senior care and service organizations across the St. Louis area. He is the Chair of Communications Advisory Committee for the Parkway School District, and serves on the Marketing committee at Congregation B’nai Amoona.

In addition, Jeff is a past President and board member of the St. Louis chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. In February 2016, Jeff accepted the position as President of Santa’s Helpers, Inc.

Jeff resides in Chesterfield, MO.

Candice, who has been with Bethesda since 2006, is responsible for the operations, census development and fiscal oversight of Barnes-Jewish Extended Care in Clayton, MO.

Candice joined Bethesda as a Management Trainee, and shortly after was promoted to Assistant Administrator at Bethesda Dilworth. She served in this position for six years before being promoted to the Administrator position at Bethesda Meadow in 2013. She was promoted to Vice President and Administrator in 2015. And moved to Barnes-Jewish Extended Care in 2020.

Candice also is responsible for ensuring that the community is in compliance with all state and federal regulations, as well as Joint Commission standards, as well as providing educational and career advancement opportunities for staff.

Candice was selected to be a member of the 2015 Leadership Academy, sponsored by LeadingAge (a national organization representing non-profit senior care and service providers. After completing the year-long program, she was asked to serve as a Board Member of the Leadership Academy’s Alumni Network.

Candice also serves as the Eastern Unit Board Chair for the Missouri League for Nursing, and is a member of the St. Louis University School of Public Health and Social Justice Alumni Association. In March 2016, she began serving on the Advisory Council of the Missouri Center for Nursing.

Candice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Xavier University and a Masters of Health Administration from Saint Louis University. In 2008, she was named one of the “30 under 30” Business Leaders in St. Louis by the St. Louis Business Journal.

Kevin has been with Bethesda since 2004, starting out as the Corporate Quality Manager. His current responsibilities include the preparation and oversight of written guidelines pertaining to federal, state and regulatory issues for the organization. He also oversees the quality assessment and performance improvement programs for all residences and services.

Kevin is certified in healthcare compliance and is a licensed nursing home administrator, and serves as Bethesda’s government relations liaison.

Prior to joining Bethesda, Kevin worked at Jefferson Memorial Hospital as the Director of Respiratory Care and Manager for Process Improvement.

Mark Jeffries’ relationship with Bethesda began in 2015, when he was serving as Administrator for Alton Memorial Rehabilitation & Therapy, formally known as Eunice Smith Home, a skilled nursing community located in Alton, Ill. BJC HealthCare, the owners of Eunice Smith Home, and Bethesda entered into an agreement in which Bethesda assumed management responsibilities. All Eunice Smith Home employees became Bethesda employees as part of the agreement.

In January 2018, Mark transferred and began working as the Administrator of Bethesda Dilworth, where he is responsible for daily operations, continued census growth and development, and financial oversight for the 400-bed skilled nursing community.  He was promoted to Vice President at Bethesda at the time of his transfer. Then in 2020, Mark transferred back to Alton Memorial Rehabilitation & Therapy as the Administrator.

Mark has served as a licensed Administrator in Missouri and Illinois for more than 18 years. His professional involvement includes an active role in LeadingAge Illinois, serving for two years on the Long-Term Care Cabinet.

Mark is a Veteran of the United States Air Force serving Active Duty, the Missouri Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserves.  He was an Air Force Paramedic and an instructor for “Pre-hospital Trauma Life Support,” training soldiers from all branches of service to treat wounded troops prior to hospitalization.

Mark earned his undergraduate degree in Theology and his Master’s degree in Health Care Administration, both from Saint Louis University.  He has completed six-sigma “black belt” training in the study of Lean Daily Management.

Mark’s leisure time includes playing guitar, fitness and spending time with his wife, four children and five grandchildren.

Jen, who has been with Bethesda since 2003, was promoted to Bethesda Vice President in 2021. As Administrator, she is responsible for the daily operations, continued census growth and development, and financial oversight for Bethesda Southgate, a skilled nursing community (nursing home) with memory support; Assisted Living at Charless Village, and the Bethesda Rehab & Therapy Center at Bethesda Southgate, all of which are located on the Charless Village campus in south St. Louis County.

Prior to assuming her current position, Jen served as Administrator at Alton Memorial Rehab & Therapy in Alton, Ill. During her tenure at Bethesda, she also has served as an Assistant Administrator, a Medicare Referral Coordinator and a Social Services Coordinator. In addition, she completed a year-long practicum with Bethesda Hospice Care while working on her Master’s degree in Social Work, and has volunteered as an Alzheimer’s Support Group facilitator.

Jen received the “Manager of the Year” award from LeadingAge Missouri in 2017.

Prior to joining Bethesda, Jen held a position with the St. Louis ARC, a local not-for-profit organization that assists people with Developmental Disabilities.

Jen lives in the Affton/Crestwood area with her husband and son. She enjoys hiking, biking and visits to Grant’s Farm with her family.

Former President – Pharmaceutical Services, Biomedical Systems Corp.

Former President, St. Louis Market, Bank of America

Joe Brinker currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bethesda—a position he began in July 2010. Prior to that position, Joe served the organization in numerous leadership capacities, including Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President, Long Term Care.

In addition, Joe, who began his career with Bethesda in 1989, held many leadership positions at Bethesda General Hospital, including the hospital’s Chief Executive Officer.

Joe currently holds many professional and civil leadership positions, including the following:

Professional

• Member, Leadership Circle, LeadingAge (formerly American Association of Homes for the Aging
• Member, Budget and Finance Committee, LeadingAge
• Member, House of Delegates, LeadingAge
• Board Member, Bethesda Health Group
• Board Member, St. Andrews & Bethesda Home Health

Professional

• Board Member, St. Louis Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired
• Member, Board of Adjustment, Town & County, Mo.
• Board Member, University of Missouri-Columbia Health Management Alumni Association

In addition, Joe recently completed serving a term on the board of Des Peres Hospital.

Retired President & CEO, Bethesda Health Group

Retired Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Emerson Electric

Chief Medical Information Officer, St. Luke’s Hospital

President of Falker Consulting Group, Inc.

Retired Executive Director Independence Center

Retired Managing Partner Grant Cooper Executive Search

Retired Teacher and Community Volunteer

Managing Director, TIER1 Healthcare

Retired Senior Vice President of Health Plans, Centene Corporation

Attorney and Former St. Louis County Council Member