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Home > Career Center > Success at GRS > Therapist Success Stories

Gina Ford, Area Director

Gina Ford started her career with Genesis Rehabilitation Services in February, 2000 as a per diem speech-language pathologist.  She worked her way up the ranks, and was named Area Director (AD) in January, 2006.

When I came to work for Genesis, I was coming off a two-year “vacation” of just working per diem after a three-year stint as the manager of a rehab department for a home health agency.  While killing time waiting to pick up my kids from school one day, I glanced through a copy of Advance Magazine.  I saw an ad for a Clinical Specialist (CS) position with Genesis Rehabilitation Services.  For some reason that I only consider to be fate, I called the number.  The AD at the time saw that I had management experience on my resume and began to talk to me about a Program Manager (PM) position.

I decided to come on per diem to explore how I felt about getting back into the skilled nursing arena.  I had been gone for six years, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to jump back into a full time position. I ended up working per diem for 2 months, and it was what I saw during those first two months that convinced me this was a company I wanted to be a part of. The thing that attracted me most was seeing the relationship that the PM had with the center.  When I had worked in skilled nursing before, it was for an outside contractor company.  I liked the relationship the center had with the rehab team, and thought that this would be good ground to get my feet wet again in the management realm. I took the position as PM at Cedar Ridge Center in April of 2000. Four months into the role, I was given another 120 bed site to oversee in addition to the 120 bed building I had.

I attended a Management Conference with another fellow PM that first year (who is now a Vice President!), but wasn’t yet convinced that I’d be able to advance my career at Genesis.  I laugh about that now!

Within a short year, that same colleague was promoted to AD. From that point forward, I felt that I would be able to grow in my management track. I began to see and have some investment in my skills as a manager. I began to feel like I had a voice in my area as a PM and that I could work as a part of a team to make my area everything it could be.  It was the beginning of one of the most valuable lessons I have learned… to build relationships and always strive to make your team better.

With the help of an AD who both supported my professional growth and empowered me to continue to develop my management skills, I gained solid skills that enabled me to continue to stay engaged in my position.  I was promoted to Senior PM in 2002, and Area Director in 2006.

My career growth with Genesis is a direct result of a company that demonstrated vision, excitement, and trust in my professional abilities.  I would have not continued with my career here if I had not been given opportunities that kept me from feeling stagnant.

I feel fortunate that when I was killing time looking at mail, that it was the Genesis ad that caught my attention. I have soon been with Genesis for 6 years and I am so excited about where I have been with the company, and the challenge and growth it provides for my future. I know another company could not have provided me with more growth and fulfillment than Genesis.