Donna: How long have you been working at Meadowood? How long have you been the Director of Fitness and Wellness?

Becky: I’ve been working at Meadowood for 9 years. I started as a contracted employee and was hired as the Director of Fitness and Wellness four years ago.

Donna: Becky, what is your educational background?

Becky: I hold a BS in Sociology/ Criminal Justice from Chestnut Hill College, and a Master of Social Work from Widener University.

Donna: You have an eclectic work history. Can you tell us a little about it?

Becky: Immediately after college I worked at a residential school for teens and young adults with developmental disabilities as a direct care staff. I moved into the role of recreational therapist for several years, and then was promoted to Crisis Supervisor and eventually to Director of Residential Services. 

While getting my Masters, I completed clinical working as an individual therapist to young adults, group therapist at a juvenile detention center, and I also worked with victims of sexual assault at Victims Services of Montgomery County.

After having my son, I left the mental health field and went into business with my sister, pursuing my passion for dance. We opened a dance studio, which we ran together for 10 years. I taught kids from ages 3 to adults and started to move fully into the fitness field. Meanwhile, I was teaching at local gyms, schools, community centers and that eventually led me to Meadowood.

Donna: How do you think your creativity plays a role in your job as director of Fitness and Wellness?

Becky: I am passionate about my job, and I believe the key to educating people on wellness starts with building relationships and rapport. You have to get to know the people you are serving. So having a diverse population of seniors of all abilities requires you to find something for everyone. You have to look outside the box, find modifications, stay up to date on research and explore alternative options to fit all needs. I have always been self-motivated and refuse to look at challenging situations as impossible. I feel there is resolution and options if you take the time to find them. Wellness is a broad field and creativity is key to keeping people on the right track for a healthy lifestyle.

Donna: What is your vision for the future of the department?

Becky: I believe our department and team is one of the most elite in our field. We all have our strengths and specialty areas, and it helps us to serve our entire resident population. We share a collective passion for this field and for serving the Meadowood Community. I feel the future of our department is to continue to expand our programming, expand our facilities and remain the leaders in this industry. I see “MEADOWELL” becoming a branded name that we market to the community and begin providing services to individuals, community agencies and other senior services. We have so much to offer and we’re able to educate, so it makes sense to branch out and share with the community. I feel like the options are limitless and I plan to keep forging ahead and never stop dreaming big. 

Donna: Can you tell us a little about your family?

Becky: I have an amazingly close-knit family. An awesome mom and I am the middle sibling of an older brother and younger sister who are my best friends. I have a 12-year-old son and of course I’m Dog Mom to Beacon. 

Donna: What does “wellness” mean to you?

Becky: Wellness starts by knowing what makes you happy and learning how to implement those things into your life. I stand by the seven dimensions of wellness as an educational  guide to point out the many different areas that fall under the wellness umbrella. That your mind, body and soul need to be fed to be truly healthy and balanced, and that looks different from one person to another. My wellness is spending time with my family and friends, working out, teaching fitness and dance, being outdoors, reading, journaling, listening to music and learning to balance responsibilities with self-care.