Laurie Strom – Los Angeles, CA

Director of Long-Term Care

Laurie has been a social worker for over 40 years with both direct service and management experience. She has worked in hospice, acute care, and outpatient settings. Laurie’s clinical work has been in healthcare settings, while her leadership experience includes being the first Executive Director of the Greensboro Housing Coalition, which is now in its 33rd year, Executive Director of a small hospice in Southern California and, most recently, as Operations Manager at PACE Washington in West Seattle. Noted by her Executive Director to have “excellent clinical and analytical skills,” Laurie has supervised a full range of healthcare professionals including MDs and nurse practitioners, RNs, MSWs, certified nursing assistants, rehabilitation staff, recreational therapists, dieticians and administrative support staff.

In the midst of COVID lockdowns and restricted mobility, Laurie saw two sides of the COVID experience in healthcare, her staff who were obligated to come to work every day and care for chronically ill seniors, and the seniors who were isolated, lonely and hopeless. The psychological impact of these experiences highlighted the widespread need for mental health services. Driven by the overwhelming mental and physical impact of Covid on so many, Laurie is now developing a private psychotherapy practice in the greater Seattle area to meet the needs of healthcare staff who are experiencing compassion fatigue and older adults who are suffering with hopelessness.

When looking back on her years in healthcare management and social work, Laurie feels her most valued work was mentoring her staff, advising many to develop and achieve career goals. She has supported staff in developing their own sense of competence and confidence in their abilities and potential. The bottom line is that Laurie is dedicated to the people she serves and to the quality and effectiveness of her work.

Laurie received her undergraduate degree in philosophy from Pomona College. After graduation, she lived for two years in Israel where she studied the Holocaust at Hebrew University, worked at Hadassah Hospital and volunteered as a mentor to preteen girls. Her experiences in Israel led her to the field of social work. She studied at the University of Southern California and Hebrew Union College where she earned a Masters in Social Work and a Masters in Jewish Communal Service.

Laurie has served on the Kirkland Senior Council, an advisory committee to the Kirkland City Council, and volunteers with the Aging Life Professional Association, serving on the annual conference program and webinar committees. Currently, she is a member of the ALCA partner relations task force. She has been a presenter at the National PACE Association annual conference and a member of the NPA Behavioral Health committee, contributing to the Behavioral Health Tool Kit which is widely used across the United States.