PRESS RELEASE

May 2021

Rathke Elected to State Board

Charlotte Rathke, Administrator of Locust Grove Village, La Crosse has been elected to the Board of Directors of the LeadingAge Kansas Association. LeadingAge Kansas isan association of 160 not-for-profit aging services providers dedicated to serving the needs of aging Kansans. They advance policies, promote practices and learning that empowers the members to help seniors live fully as they age. The LeadingAge Kansas members serve nearly 25,000 seniors in Kansas each day. Charlotte Rathke has served in aging services for over 37 years, including the past 17 years at Locust Grove Village. Locust Grove Village, is a lifecare campus that provides independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing home care for elders in Rush County and the surrounding central Kansas counties. Under her leadership, Locust Grove Village has received recognition over the years for excellence in workforce, person-centered care, and other areas. Debra Zehr, CEO of Leading Age Kansas expresses, “Charlotte is one of our premier advocates for small, rural providers… with state legislators and members of Congress”. Rathke previously served on the LeadingAge Kansas Board from 2011-2017 and is completing her term of service on the LeadingAge Kansas Employee Benefits Association Health Plan. “I am honored to be elected by my colleagues to serve in this capacity. I have a passion to represent the small, rural, stand-alone providers and share the not for profit difference regarding quality of care,” Rathke states. She is a licensed adult care home administrator and has a degree in Music Therapy from the University of Kansas. Rathke resides in Hays, KS with her husband, Eric. They have two adult sons, Tyler and Denton.