This job was facilitated by Civitas
Capital Group Regional Center
Yolanda Ellis
Dietary Service Manager
Lakewest Assisted Living
Dallas, Tex.
When she retired from the U.S. Navy after 20 years of service, Yolanda Ellis knew that she wanted to con tinue to serve.
Although now, rather than serving her country, she is serving
the residents of Lakewest Assisted Living in Dallas, Texas.
“When I joined the Navy I wasn’t sure what career path or
job I wanted to do,” Ellis told EB5 Investors Magazine. “My
commander in boot camp suggested that I go into the culinary
field because it was open at the time.”
Even though it was an abrupt career turn, “it was the right
decision,” Ellis said.
Ellis quickly discovered that she indeed had a passion for the
culinary industry. In the Navy she learned basic food principles and techniques, how to read recipes, and how to manage
a kitchen—albeit a very cramped one on an aircraft carrier.
“I definitely started from the bottom learning how to cook
and read recipes,” she added.
After a two decade career in the Navy, Ellis retired and settled in Virginia while her husband was still active-duty. There,
she worked as the congregate nutrition site manager for Senior
Services of Southeastern Virginia, a local non-profit.
“When my husband and I relocated to Texas, I already knew
that I had a passion for food, but when I took the position [at
SSSA], I was able to work with the senior population, and I
realized that that was another passion of mine as well,” Ellis said.
“In the military, you are deployed for months at a time,”
Ellis said. “The sailors are away from all their loved ones, and
they look forward to a good meal every day. Being able to
provide that experience for them and seeing the joy on their
faces was the best part for me.”
Ellis said she wanted to combine her passion for food and
her passion for customer service and serving the elderly.
Ellis also said that she gets that same satisfaction by providing nutritious meals for and interacting with the residents of
Lakewest, and is grateful that she has found a career after the
Navy that allows her to do just that.
“I realized that those two things together were something
that I wanted to do, so when I moved to Texas, I started looking for jobs in nursing homes that could combine both of my
passions,” Ellis said.
Just like when she joined the Navy more than 20 years ago,
Ellis’ move to the senior assisted living industry is not without
its set of challenges. The dietary restriction learning curve has
been a steep one, but she is up for it.
Ellis found Lakewest Assisted Living in Dallas in March 2015.
Lakewest is operated by Stonegate Senior Living LLC, which
utilized EB-5 financing to finance Lakewest’s construction.
The work-life balance she has now is a luxury that Ellis fully
enjoys, which enables her to be home every night for family
dinner with her son. Ellis is also headed back to school - she already has her associate degree, but now she is pursuing another
associate degree in dietetics. The job is going to provide her
with the extra credits that she needs to complete the degree.
She stressed that her interaction with Lakewest’s residents
is something that drives her to do her best every day. Ellis is
more than just a meal planner or dietary specialist. She tries
every day to connect with the residents and make sure all their
dietary needs are met.
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“This job has given me the opportunity to give back and
combine my two passions,” Ellis said.
EB5 INVESTORS MAGAZINE