Our Staff...

Lynn M. Starkovich
President/CEO
Beth Deneau
Vice President Quality
and Compliance
Denny O'Donnell
Vice President, Walker ElderCare Services Inc.
Shawn Mai
Director of Spiritual Care
Greg Oppegard
Executive Director
of Development
Cathrine Bondhus
Corporate Director of Marketing
James A. Blaha
Chief Financial Officer
John Huhn
Chief Operations Officer
Walker Methodist Health Center
As the Vice President of Quality and Compliance, Beth oversees and supervises the Quality Improvement, Education, and Human Resource departments for Walker Senior Services.

She has over 30 years of nursing experience, primarily in the field of senior care and geriatrics. Prior to joining Walker in May of 2001, Beth worked for the Wilder Foundation as a staff nurse, for HealthEast as a Director of Education, as Director of Nursing in both a hospital-based TCU and nursing home as well as the Q.I. Director for their Senior Care Division, and for an ambulance company. She also worked as a Director of Nursing for the State of Minnesota.

Beth’s primary goal has been the standardization of clinical processes and assisting managers and their teams in complying with State and Federal regulations.

Beth is a member of MHHA’s Regulatory Compliance Committee and Empira’s Operations Committee.

As Chief Financial Officer of Walker Methodist, Jim oversees all aspects of finance, accounting, information systems, corporate risk management, and employee benefit programs.

Prior to joining Walker, Jim spent sixteen years in public accounting and management consulting, including ten years as a designated health care industry specialist in a national accounting and consulting firm. Jim has extensive experience in financial analysis, financial planning, government and other third-party payment systems, capital financing, and acquisitions/development.

His educational background includes a B.A. cum laude in accounting from the University of Saint Thomas. Professional credentials include membership in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Health Care Financial Management Association.

As President/CEO for Walker Methodist, Lynn is responsible for the overall planning and operations of the organization’s non-profit housing and health care properties and for-profit development group. Walker serves approximately 2,300 seniors in its system.

Lynn was a shareholder with the law firm of Larkin, Hoffman, where she practiced in the areas of Labor and Employment, Health Law, and Litigation working with providers on state and regulatory issues, facility and professional licensure, Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement, fraud and abuse, and various business issues. Lynn has an extensive background in health care administration and management with both the elderly and disabled adults. Lynn first became affiliated with Walker in 1990 when Walker became one of her legal clients. From 1990-2003, Lynn was general counsel for all of Walker's legal issues.

Lynn received a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree, and a Behavior Analyst III Certification from the University of Minnesota, dual Master’s degrees from the University of St. Thomas in Psychology and Special Education, and her Juris Doctor from William Mitchell College of Law.

Lynn is a member of the American, Minnesota State, and Hennepin County Bar Associations, and American Health Lawyers Association. Lynn is a director for Wingspan Life Resources Inc., a non-profit organization which works with developmentally disabled adults and Hmong Elders. Lynn is a General Delegate and Minnesota's sole Legal Delegate to the American Association of Homes & Services for the Aging (AAHSA). She sits on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance (MHHA), and Chairs MHHA's Regulatory Committee.

Shawn has been Director of Spiritual Care Walker Methodist since 1999. He coordinates and supervises spiritual care in Walker’s communities and is part of the pastoral leadership in Walker Chapel’s worshiping community on Sunday mornings. In the last several years, he has guided Walker into chaplaincy training programs through relationships with the City of Lakes Clinical Pastoral Education program, Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul’s diaconate training program, and United Seminary’s pastoral care program.

Shawn’s has extensive professional experience in pastoral care. As an associate pastor in charge of pastoral care at Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis, he coordinated care for its 4,000-member congregation. He was also part of the Fairview Health system as a hospice chaplain.

He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Gustavus Adolphus College in religion and sociology, a Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, and he completed his advanced Clinical Pastoral Education at Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center in Denver, Colorado. Currently, Shawn is seeking certification as a supervisor in Clinical Pastoral Education.

Denny oversees the operations of Walker’s senior housing and assisted living communities and is instrumental in the efforts of Walker ElderCare Services, Walker’s for-profit subsidiary that provides a complete continuum of consulting services.

He has extensive experience in the senior housing field and multi-property supervision. Denny supervised thirty senior properties in fifteen states and was involved in all areas of operations, including food service and marketing. For several properties, he developed and implemented comprehensive assisted living programs that enhanced revenue and reduced turnover. Denny is experienced with workers’ compensation and unemployment claims and has worked with managers to effectively manage claims to reduce costs. He is proficient in the development of pro-forma financials for new developments and retirement community property purchases.

Denny served on a development team that opened three new properties within one year, working closely with the general contractor, architect, and project manager. He has also worked with sellers, buyers, lending institutions, and government agencies through the due diligence process for acquisitions, refinancing, management contracts, and the selling of properties. In addition, he has produced budgets for potential acquisitions.

In addition to his vast and innovative senior housing experience, Denny has also worked with several national hotel management companies, gaining a broad range of experience in the areas of food and beverage management, operations, staffing, and safety programs.

Denny graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management.

Greg is a member of the Walker senior management and development team and directs work related to the technical review and construction administration for senior communities. Greg’s responsibilities include request for services proposals, program development coordination, development scheduling, contract development and administration, contract document management, construction project management, on-site management and project close-out/building turnover coordination. His career experience encompasses numerous residential and commercial senior housing projects in the Twin Cities and throughout the United States. Greg joined Walker Methodist in 1988, and his experience in the construction industry extends back to 1982.

At Walker Methodist, Greg has provided development leadership and construction management for a 99-unit senior congregate living facility for the city of Plymouth. In addition, he has taken the lead role in owner representation for two nonprofit church organizations in the development and construction of independent and assisted living communities in the greater Chicago area. Greg has provided both development and construction project management to all of Walker Methodist’s senior housing projects, including the addition of “The Village at Walker” Alzheimer’s unit on the Walker Campus.

Greg graduated from the St. Paul Technical Vocational School in 1985 and the Associated General Contractors Superintendent Program in 1989.

As Corporate Director of Marketing for Walker Methodist, Cathrine develops and implements Walker’s corporate advertising plan, oversees marketing for Walker’s senior housing properties, and is a consultant for Walker ElderCare Services’ clients.

She has more than twenty-five years of experience in acute health care, managed care, and the senior living industry. Prior to joining Walker, as Corporate Director of Marketing, Cathrine oversaw marketing for thirty senior housing, assisted living, memory care, and long-term care properties in eleven states. In addition to serving on the development team, Cathrine managed start-up marketing for six new upscale retirement, assisted living, and memory care properties in three years.

Cathrine has a wide breadth of experience in both for-profit and nonprofit communities and organizations and has served as Director of Marketing for a company specializing in managed care for seniors, Walker Senior Services, and North Memorial Medical Center. She has an extensive marketing management background including experience in business and marketing plan development; strategic planning; sales training and supervision; and consumer brand loyalty programs.

Cathrine has received awards and recognition for her marketing achievements and has lectured at various conferences. She serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of Minnesota Health & Housing Alliance.

Cathrine has a degree in social work from the University of Minnesota.

Walker Methodist is pleased to announce the promotion of John Huhn to Chief Operations Officer. John joined Walker Methodist in 1997 and has been the Administrator of Walker Methodist Health Center for the past five years. As COO, John will provide oversight for the five properties that make up the Walker Campus. The Walker Campus provides an array of services including skilled nursing care, a transitional care unit, dental services, adult day services, independent living with services, market rate housing, and subsidized housing. In addition to the enhancement of current products and services, John will lead the transformation of the campus to meet the needs of elders into the future.

John will also continue his role as Administrator of Walker Methodist Health Center until the position is filled. Since joining Walker in 1997, one of his primary goals has been the creation and improvement of Interdisciplinary-Focused Care for residents. Recent accomplishments include development of a partnership with the University of Minnesota. This partnership has brought to the Walker community University of Minnesota faculty from the schools of Nursing, Pharmacy, Family Practice, Academic Health, and Dentistry. Walker Dental Clinic won the 2006 MHHA Innovation of the Year award.

Prior to joining Walker Methodist, John was Project Manager for Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He facilitated the design and construction of an array of living options for seniors including a Household/Neighborhood skilled nursing home addition with the design philosophy of a resident-focused, outcome-based, interdisciplinary process. This design received the WAHSA Innovative Design Award as well as the National Nursing Home/SAGE, Best in Category, New Construction Design Award.

John received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin in River Falls, Wisconsin. John is Co-Chair of Fairview Partners Management Council, a Charter Member of Minnesota Culture Change Coalition, and in the past has served as Chair of the MHHA Culture Change Steering Committee, Vice Chair of MHHA Regulatory Affairs, and on numerous committees, work groups, and task forces representing the long-term care profession.