Where curiosity, creativity & sales performance meet.
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December 5–7, 2022
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Four Seasons Hotel Austin
Let’s meet and make it happen.
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2022 speakers
Day 1
Elizabeth Gilbert
Author of Eat Pray Love and Big Magic
“The most exquisite lesson of all is that people will tell you anything. Want to. There’s no question you can’t ask if your intention is not hostile. And it’s not like entrapment; it’s more like a gorgeous revelation. People want to tell the story that they have.“
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In her critically acclaimed novels and immensely popular works of nonfiction, Elizabeth Gilbert expands our understanding of creativity, spirituality, and love. Gilbert’s memoir, Eat Pray Love, exploded onto the scene in 2006. The #1 New York Times bestseller famously chronicled the year Gilbert spent traveling the world after a shattering divorce. In subsequent books and in her lectures, Gilbert talks about her writing and seizing the opportunity to live a life guided by creativity rather than fear. Her TED Talk is among the top 25 most popular of all time with over 20 million views.
Day 2
Dave Isay
Founder of StoryCorps
“StoryCorps is built on a few basic ideas…that if we take the time to listen, we’ll find wisdom, wonder and poetry in the lives and stories of the people all around us. That we all want to know our lives have mattered and we won’t ever be forgotten. That listening is an act of love.”
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Dave Isay is the founder of StoryCorps and the recipient of numerous broadcasting honors, including six Peabody Awards and a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. He is the author/editor of five books that grew out of his public radio documentary work, including Listening Is an Act of Love. In 2015, Dave was recognized with the TED Prize, awarded annually to one exceptional individual with a creative, bold vision to spark global change.
Day 1
Todd Henry
Author and Creativity Expert
“Reclaim curiosity…this means dedicating yourself to the pursuit of new and better questions, attuning your mind to dive deeply into important problems, and questioning the assumptions that limit new perspectives.”
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Todd Henry teaches leaders and organizations how to establish practices that lead to everyday brilliance. He is the author of five books: The Accidental Creative, Die Empty, Louder Than Words, Herding Tigers, The Motivation Code, and Daily Creative. Todd speaks and consults across dozens of industries on creativity, leadership, and passion for work. His podcast, The Accidental Creative, has over 15 million downloads and offers weekly tips for how to stay prolific, brilliant, and healthy. Todd’s book Die Empty was named by Amazon as one of the best books of 2013. His latest book, Daily Creative, offers daily sparks of inspiration and practical advice for creative pros.
Day 2
Bill Sciortino
Discovery Senior Living COO
“Our industry has been maturing and evolving for decades…but the pace of change has really picked up.”
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As Chief Operating Officer for Discovery Senior Living, Bill Sciortino leads the corporate and regional teams who deliver the service, care, and enriching experiences that make up resident life in any of Discovery’s brands. Now in his 20th year in the industry, Bill works with his peers on Discovery’s Senior Team as they push the organization’s growth forward while meeting challenges like workforce management, aging assets, regulatory compliance, financing…and a once-in-a-century pandemic. A native of Cleveland, OH, Bill’s two decades in seniors housing include 18 years with Chicago-based Vi where he served as Chief Information Officer before expanding his reach to lead traditional operations plus sales and marketing for their full continuum, luxury life plan communities. Bill connects with the larger senior living industry through his work with the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and Argentum.
Day 1
Casey Jackson
Director of IFIOC
“To eliminate resistance and help people engage in a change process…it starts with high empathy. You need to be able to put your agendas aside and listen to another human being.”
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Casey Jackson is the Executive Director of the Institute for Individual and Organizational Change (IFIOC) and an international expert on interpersonal communication. He has focused his training and consultation on creating change and improving outcomes for professionals, organizations, and the communities they serve. With over 30 years working in behavioral health, he has been training this method of Motivational Interviewing since 2002. Casey passionately embraces his goal of empowering people to create the transformation they are seeking in their personal and professional lives.
Day 2
Dr. William R. Miller
Motivational Interviewing Expert
“People are undisputed experts on themselves…In motivational interviewing, the helper is a companion who typically does less than half of the talking.”
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Dr. William R. Miller is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of New Mexico having served as Director of Clinical Training for the doctoral program in clinical psychology. He has published widely and focused much of his study on the psychology of change. He introduced the method of motivational interviewing (MI) in 1983 and with Dr. Stephen Rollnick has authored three editions of the primary textbook on MI. With 49 years of experience in addiction research and treatment, he served as principal investigator for numerous research grants and contracts, founded a private practice group, directed a large public treatment program, and served as a consultant to many organizations including the United States Senate, the World Health Organization, the National Academy of Sciences, and the National Institutes of Health. The Institute for Scientific Information has listed him as one of the world’s most cited scientists.
Day 1
Alex Fisher
Sherpa President & Co-Founder
“Senior living presents us with a very unique, deeply emotional and complex selling scenario. We need to be willing to open up and get vulnerable to the unknown.”
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Alex is a tireless advocate for improving the lives of seniors and the industry that serves them. She has years of hands-on sales experience at turnaround and new project fill-ups and as an Sherpa President & Co-Founder. These experiences inspired her to create Sherpa’s training and CRM technology whose design and functional specifications promote connection in senior housing sales relationships. She is expert at helping senior living sales professionals understand why their work is so important to the cultural and financial health of their organizations.
Day 2
Lana Peck
Sherpa VP of Research and Analytics
“Through NIC’s data initiatives and Sherpa’s rich database, providers can now meaningfully analyze the market to improve performance.”
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Lana Peck serves as Sherpa’s Vice President of Research and Analytics, leading the expansion of Sherpa’s data initiatives and analytics services. Formerly a Senior Principal at the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), she led the organization to become a guiding influence and pre-eminent source of industry research in seniors housing during her six-year tenure. Lana has published two editions of the widely read NIC Investment Guide and has authored over 120 articles on senior housing data and trends.
Day 1
Don Husi
Senior Living Consultant
Don Husi has 36 years of experience in seniors housing and care—operations, REITs, and finance sectors. Don has taken a step back from Ziegler investment Bank (which serves non-profit seniors housing), where he was Managing Director, to freelance while he deals with some family health issues. His experience prior to Ziegler includes Pillar Financial, Berkeley Point Capital, Red Mortgage Capital, and Healthcare Realty Trust.
Day 2
Shawn (SJ) O’Connor
JLL Seniors Housing & Healthcare Valuation Advisory Executive Vice President
Shawn James O’Connor has specialized in senior housing and health care for nearly two decades working on valuation and consulting engagements related to a wide variety of seniors housing and health care properties. Since 2008 he has provided dozens of in-depth, comprehensive appraisals nationally with regard to multi-level care retirement campuses; CCRCs comprising entry-fee and lifecare components often focusing on the asset’s unique economic and functional obsolescence.
Day 1
Matt Jesperson
Sherpa Chief Customer Officer
As Sherpa Chief Customer Officer, Matt plans, directs and coordinates the execution of Sherpa’s customer relationship strategy. He is responsible for ensuring that the Sherpa customer comes first and that all of the company’s team members have the resources and support necessary to partner with our customers in guiding change.
Day 2
EMPATH is a senior living sales retreat that aims to transform an industry. It’s a place to challenge assumptions and turn curiosity into change.
This December, join keynote speakers Elizabeth Gilbert, bestselling author of Eat Pray Love and Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, as we imagine ways to create more meaningful connections with our clients.
Be more market-driven and unlock the power of a prospect’s story. You’ll see how to “listen as an act of love” from broadcasting legend and founder of StoryCorps, Dave Isay.
EMPATH features a powerful lineup of speakers including team creativity expert Todd Henry who will share innovative ideas for motivating your colleagues.
Panelists Sherpa President & Co-Founder Alex Fisher, VP of Research and Analytics Lana Peck, Senior Living Consultant Don Husi, and JLL Seniors Housing & Healthcare Valuation Advisory Executive Vice President Shawn (SJ) O’Connor measure what matters and shine a light on disruptive data that can help us understand and shape our sales strategies.
After a powerful presentation at last year’s EMPATH, Casey Jackson, Director of the Institute for Individual & Organizational Change, returns to lead a breakout session with motivational interviewing expert and author Dr. William R. Miller. They explore a paradigm shift in resident relations, from autocratic to collaborative.
We’ll also hear from leading senior living industry voices like Discovery Senior Living COO Bill Sciortino who is navigating the rapid pace of change in senior care and residence. Each of these experienced voices will help us develop a more human, authentic and effective sales approach.
The possibilities are endless, but space is limited!
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2022 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Monday, December 5
| 3:00PM | Hotel Check-In |
| 3:00PM | EMPATH Registration |
| 5:00PM | Welcome Reception |
Tuesday, December 6
| 7:30AM | Breakfast |
| 9:00AM | General Session |
| 12:15PM | Lunch |
| 1:15PM | Working Sessions |
| 4:35PM | Closing Remarks |
Wednesday, December 7
| 7:30AM | Breakfast |
| 8:30AM | General Session |
| 11:15AM | Closing Remarks, Departures |
empath 2021 Highlights
“EMPATH was a perfect blend of thought-provoking content, exciting topics to start shaping a new future for senior living, and practical techniques that can be immediately executed. “
– Kevin Carlin, Chief Sales Officer, Meridian Senior Living
Join the Senior Living Sales Revolution.
Let’s meet and make it happen.
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