Our Team

A Skilled and Caring Team

We care about you and your health. Our assisted living staff are appropriately licensed and specially trained in their respective departments to serve the residents of Cottonwood Villa. They also have the dedication and reliability needed to provide assisted living services with the high standard of quality and commitment you deserve.

Ann Fiala, Administrator

Ann has been the Administrator at Cottonwood Villa since it opened in February 2000. She has welcomed each new resident to Cottonwood Villa with the same pleasure, care and love that she welcomed the first resident with on February 11, 2000. With each year that has passed at Cottonwood Villa, Ann has developed greater love, dedication and respect for each of the residents of Cottonwood Villa. In addition to her years of experience in assisted living management, Ann has degree in Business Management, is a Certified Medication Aide and Nursing Assistant, is a licensed EMT with the Brown County Ambulance Association, and is a firefighter with the Ainsworth Fire Department. Ann is married to Brad and they have two children, a son, Drake, and a daughter, Paxton. When away from Cottonwood Villa, she enjoys spending her time with her family and following the activities of her children.

Heidi Snyder, Resident Services Coordinator/Administrative Asst. 

Heidi began working at Cottonwood Villa as a Medication Aide and Bath Aide in March 2008. She moved to her current position of Resident Services Coordinator and Administrative Assistant in July 2011. Heidi’s position entails many different tasks throughout the day. She is the transportation staff, taking residents to and from appointments, social events, shopping, and anywhere else a person needs or wants to go. She also is the creator of the monthly newsletter and fills in on various Medication Aide or Bath Aide shifts whenever needed. Heidi thoroughly enjoys the diversity of her work and the opportunity to be of assistance to the residents in many different areas. Heidi is married to Ryan and has two children, Zoey and Pistol. Heidi enjoys roping and barrel racing in her free time.

Tony Lentz, Maintenance

Tony Lentz joined the Cottonwood Villa team in November of 2005. Since then, he has been providing excellent skill and service to the residents for any task needed. He ensures that specific resident requests for personal maintenance projects are taken care of in a timely manner and with as much precision as possible. Tony is known around the Brown County community for his talent and skill with providing upkeep of the beautiful landscaping surrounding Cottonwood Villa. We are proud to have Tony, a retired Air Force veteran, on our staff as his career experience and natural talents not only ensure excellent maintenance service, but Tony also heads up our Safety Committee, giving a level of assurance of care from reducing fall risks, to fire prevention, to watching for severe weather in the area.

Janelle Carpenter, Activities Director

Janelle accepted the position of Activities Coordinator in November of 2019. Her position involves planning and participating in monthly activities, spending time with the residents and developing relationships with community members. Janelle’s diverse background means that she’s equally comfortable teaching a fitness class, creating art projects, chatting over a cup of coffee and all the rest of the “in-between” that her job entails. She cares deeply for the residents at Cottonwood and, like the rest of the staff, is always looking for ways to brighten their days. When she’s not at work, you are likely to find Janelle with her husband, Paul, at their family’s business or chasing after their two young kiddos.

Amy Salzman, Registered Nurse

Amy Salzman joined the Cottonwood Villa team in October 2016. She is a registered nurse with 20 years of experience in both the hospital and clinical settings. She is excited to transition her skills to the assisted living environment. Her duties include providing one-on-one care for each resident, overseeing the medication aides, and training staff. Amy is married to Steve Salzman, a local rancher, and has four children: Sara, Elizabeth, Molly and Ryan. In her time away from work she enjoys walking, reading and outdoor activities.

Caregiving/Medication Aides

The Caregiving/Medication Aide Department consists of eight State of Nebraska Certified Medication Aides and one evening caregiver, who dedicate their time and care to the residents of Cottonwood Villa. Alicia Jefferis, Mary Bejot, Sarah Price, Alexia Schiermeyer, Michelle Dewitt, Drea Boer, Macey VonHeeder, Jayme Kinney, and Janet Painter have many years of combined experience in the field of caregiving and geriatrics and are committed to providing the highest level of care and compassion to each resident of Cottonwood Villa.

Housekeeping

Housekeepers Patty Hughbanks and Chris Johnson have worked side by side at Cottonwood Villa as a well-matched, highly skilled team. Each day, they commit themselves to excellence in their work by providing superior cleaning and laundry services to the residents of Cottonwood Villa.  Their care and compassion for each resident is evident in the sparkling, clean atmosphere of each apartment as well as every other area of their home. From routine weekly cleaning schedules, to individual loads of laundry each day, to spending time looking for lost items or sharing the laughter of fun times, Patty and Chris are devoted to providing the most healthy and clean surroundings for residents and guests alike.

Dietary

The Dietary Department consists of seven individuals who have committed their skills and talents to the residents of Cottonwood Villa, providing three excellent and nutritious meals a day, seven days a week.  Thomas Maas, Heidi Zeigler, Kim Yankowski, and Shelly Happold study recipes and construct menus to fit the needs and desires of the residents of Cottonwood Villa as if they were preparing meals for their own families. Years of experience and skill combine to ensure special diets and regular diets alike are of the highest quality and with the best homemade taste. Tiffany Osborn, Kristi Frew, and Janet Huggins commit their time to serving the residents in the dining room, ensuring a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere for dining at each meal.