EBENEZER MANAGEMENT SERVICES - Key Persons


Brenda Johnson

Job Titles:
  • Vice President of Operations
Brenda has been working in healthcare since 1994 after graduating from the University of North Dakota with her Bachelors of Science degree in Nursing. Her passion for senior care started with her first job within a skilled nursing facility in west central Minnesota. Since that time, Brenda has served seniors in a variety of nursing leadership positions including Associate Director of Nursing and Director of Nursing, primarily at Lyngblomsten Care Center in St. Paul, MN. In 2013, Brenda returned to school to complete coursework to become a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, which allowed her to move into a position as Administrator at Lyngblomsten. In January 2020, Brenda matriculated into the University of Minnesota's Master's of Healthcare Administration program. Later that year, after 23 years of service at Lyngblomsten, she moved into Operations roles at Lifespark. Called to the mission-driven values and the reputation of amazing culture, Brenda began work at Ebenezer in April 2022 as Vice President of Operations. When not at work, Brenda enjoys spending time with her two children Gavin (19) and Skylar (16) and their dogs Freddy and Phantom at their cabin near Turtle Lake, Wisconsin. An avid reader, Brenda has enjoyed trading her master's degree textbooks for fiction novels since her graduation. When not in those pursuits, she can be found in her vegetable gardens or sipping a glass of wine on the deck with her friends. Brenda is the primary caregiver to her 86-year old mother who lives in supportive senior care, which grants her a perspective she values immensely as a consumer of healthcare for seniors.

Jill Nokleby Kaiser

Job Titles:
  • Director of Housing Development
Jill is responsible for the start up and oversight of Ebenezer's owned and managed housing with service communities. She has over 15 years of experience in senior housing management, through site management, project development, staff coaching, training, grant management, board relations and (most importantly!) resident relations. She literally grew up volunteering and eventually working at nursing homes. She is an active member of Aging Services of MN and past chair of the Housing Policy Committee. Jill holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's of Health Administration. She has even had a fair amount of use for her Scandinavian Studies minor, both by speaking Norwegian to residents and by leading tours overseas.

Jon Lundberg

Job Titles:
  • Board Chair of Care Providers of Minnesota
  • President Ebenezer, CEO
  • President of Fairview Senior Services
Jon Lundberg is President of Fairview Senior Services and Ebenezer. He has over 35 years of experience as a Long-Term Care Administrator, in out-state and metro facilities, ranging in size from 50 to 500 beds. He has a wide breadth of experience in both for-profit and not-for-profit facilities and organizations. In addition to being an accomplished Administrator, Jon has extensive experience in the field of older adult services, including operations work for multiple types of senior housing, assisted living, transitional care and other senior programming. Jon has served as the Board chair of Care Providers of Minnesota, and has been the state representative to the American Health Care Association Council of States, as well as an AAHSA Delegate. He has served as Board Chair for Leading Age of Minnesota where he currently serves as Immediate Past Chair and as a member of the Long-Term Care Imperative. Jon was appointed by the Commissioners of Heath and Department of Human Services to the Minnesota Accountable Health Model Community Advisory Board in 2013. Jon received a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communications with a minor in Aging and graduated from the Long-Term Care Program at the University of Minnesota

Julie Flaig Smith

Job Titles:
  • Corporate Director of Sales
  • Corporate Sales Director With Ebenezer
​Julie Flaig Smith serves as the Corporate Sales Director with Ebenezer. Julie has a background working in senior living and health care for over 20 years, most recently in the role of Executive Director with an new start-up Ebenezer managed community as well as operations and sales roles within other senior living organizations. She received a degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Long term care administration. She also has extensive experience working closely with state and national health care associations in addition to working as a National Director of Sales with technology organizations supporting the senior living industry. Julie is proud to be part of an organization that is passionate about its mission emphasizing dignity and purpose.

Nadette Waligora

Job Titles:
  • Director of Homeowner Associations
Nadette Waligora operates as the Director of Homeowner Associations at Ebenezer Management Services, Minneapolis MN which oversees the management of more than fifty Senior Condominium and Senior Cooperative housing options from Duluth, MN to Davenport, IA to Wausau, WI. Nadette has handled all management aspects of marketing, maintenance oversight and operations in senior cooperatives first as Property Manager then as Regional Manager prior to her current role. She holds the Broker designation for Ebenezer Management Services. Her goal is to help make a stronger and better community lifestyle for the seniors she serves.

Sue Ferguson

Job Titles:
  • Corporate Director of Marketing and Communications
Sue Ferguson is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with over 20 years of experience in senior housing, health care and community based services. Sue's range of experience includes team management, marketing plan development, start-up consultation, repositioning strategies, marketing budget development, advertising coordination, direct mail campaigns, collateral development, event planning, focus group facilitation, sales training, marketing audits, community relations, and competitive analysis. Sue earned her Bachelor of Arts BA from Gustavus Adolphus College and has completed graduate level coursework in Gerontology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Susan C. Farr

Job Titles:
  • Vice President New Business Development & Marketing Ebenezer
Susan's enthusiasm has made her one of the most sought-after senior housing experts in the industry. She has been highly successful in community planning with cities and development, creating innovative sales and marketing techniques, turning around fledgling properties and coordinating effective management across multiple housing sites. Her overall knowledge, of operations and marketing, provides the expertise she needs to design senior housing communities from the ground up. Susan has held several influential roles in Senior Community Development Management. With more than 30 years of experience in the Senior Housing industry--spanning both Metropolitan and Rural Communities across three states--Susan has been instrumental in creating "Intergenerational Design" within our senior buildings. She is passionate about Alzheimer's and Dementia. Susan has obtained a Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing Certification. Susan was the "2014 Women in Business Award Winner". She also serves on the National Association of Home Builders' 50+ Housing Council. Susan, along with the Real Estate Journal, has been organizing the Senior Housing Summit for the past 12 years. Susan has her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin Stout, in Retail Merchandising and Management/Business Administration. She has additional training from Dale Carnegie Leadership Training for Managers.

Tamralynn Koch BBM

Job Titles:
  • CDM, CFPP, MNTue Corporate Chef
  • Corporate Chef
Tamralynn Koch has been in the healthcare industry for almost 15 years, on the culinary side of things. Prior to that, she was in the restaurant business in Texas for 25+, until 2002 when she purchased her first restaurant in Nebraska. After selling her 2nd restaurant, she then applied for a position at the local long term care facility down the street from her home and have been working, initially in a single site, until she moved to Minnesota in May 2018 as a Regional with 11 sites in skilled care. Tamralynn is proficient in menu development, MDS, Clinical Nutrition and the development and design of Culinary Departments for multiple companies. She loves what she does and enjoys the camaraderie with staff as well as making our residents lives better through food.

Todd Willett - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Financial Officer
Todd joined Ebenezer in October 2016 to lead all financial aspects of Ebenezer's parent corporation and affiliates, including internal and external audit reporting, budgeting and financial analysis, cash and investment management, revenue cycle management, audits, and risk management. He has over nine years of experience in the health care industry, both in public and private accounting. Prior to joining Ebenezer, Todd was CFO at Walker Methodist. His professional experience includes finance roles at Sholom and Clifton Larson Allen. Todd graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting. Todd is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in Minnesota, and is a member of the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. Currently, he serves on the Finance Committee for Leading Age of Minnesota and previously served on the Finance Committee at Care Choice.