Some people find their calling in the most unexpected ways. For Kathy Schoff, Housekeeping and Laundry Supervisor at Ware Presbyterian Village, it started with a daughter's invitation, a move from Baltimore to Pennsylvania, and a job as a housekeeper. Nearly two decades later, Kathy is one of Ware's most dedicated and beloved leaders, a team builder, a problem-solver, and a living example of what it means to show up for the people around you. On May 29th, she will celebrate 19 years with Presbyterian Senior Living, and she has no plans of slowing down.
Kathy's path to Ware Presbyterian Village began with family. After years of cleaning houses in Baltimore, her daughter, who had moved to Pennsylvania after getting married, encouraged her to make the move north.
"She said she could get me in as a housekeeper at Ware," Kathy recalls with a smile. Her daughter, who was working as a CNA at the community at the time, made the introduction. Kathy came, she saw, and she stayed.
What started as a favor to family quickly became something much more personal. Within two to three years, Kathy applied for a supervisor position and got it. She has been leading her team ever since.
If you ask Kathy what advice she would give to someone just starting out in her field, her answer is simple and direct: "Hard work. Hard work gets you where you need to be."
It is a philosophy she lives every day. Over the years, Kathy has made a point of learning far beyond the boundaries of her own role. When a gap appeared in central supply billing, she stepped in. "I said I thought I knew how to do that, and sure enough, I figured it out," she says. "I always try to jump in and help people so I can learn more."
PSL recognized that drive and invested in it. The organization sent Kathy to Drexel College to receive training in infectious control, a credential that proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. "It was very helpful," she says.
Her approach to growth is contagious. "Everybody helps everybody here," she says of the Ware community. "Everybody's willing to help." And when it comes to the mission that unites them all, Kathy puts it plainly: "We're here to take care of the residents. This is their home."
A typical morning for Kathy starts at the computer, checking for room changes so her team knows exactly what to do when they arrive. From there, it is a brief team meeting, then scheduling, budgets, applications, and whatever else the day brings.
"I am a list person," she says. "On Monday morning, I make my list of what I need to get done through the week and I cross it off as I do it."
That same organized, intentional energy extends to how she builds her team. "I'm very selective when I'm hiring to make sure they're going to fit in," she says. The result is a group of colleagues who genuinely show up for one another. During COVID, when room moves were needed to isolate residents, her team came in on their own evenings after just one phone call.
"If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be who I am," Kathy says. "We all get along so well and I've got a great team."
She is also quick to celebrate the people who make her job possible, giving a warm shout-out to Jen, Lena, Tabitha, Scott, and Pete. "We all laugh and make work fun," she says. Because for Kathy, joy at work is not optional. It is essential.
For Kathy, the residents at Ware are not just the people she serves. They are neighbors, friends, and the reason she comes in every day. She encourages her team to feel the same way.
"I encourage my staff while they're cleaning rooms to sit and chat with them," she says, "because a lot of them don't have people to chat with."
She leads by example. Over the years, she has bonded with residents over shared interests, from casino trips to vacation stories. "It's nice that they remembered stuff about me," she says of the independent living residents who became familiar faces. "They become friends."
And then there is the Ware mansion itself, a piece of history that Kathy finds endlessly fascinating. Originally owned by Mr. Ware, the historic mansion was physically moved to its current location and now serves as a place for family members of residents to stay during visits. "The mansion's really neat," Kathy says. "It's very old."
Kathy is candid about one of the moments that cemented her loyalty to PSL. Years ago, when her landlord gave her just two weeks to vacate her home, she had just returned from vacation with her savings depleted. Ware's employee giving program stepped in.
"Ware helped me with money for a deposit on an apartment I'm still at 10 years later," she says. Now, every October, she tells her own story when encouraging others to donate to the program. "I tell people about my story when I'm telling them about donating to it."
She also makes creative use of the UKG Wallet, setting aside a portion of each paycheck as a personal savings fund. It recently helped her purchase a plane ticket to Texas to visit her best friend. "I love our vacation package," she adds. "I've been here so long that I accrue 12 hours per pay period now."
Working at PSL has shaped Kathy in ways that go beyond the job. "It helped me with stress management and resolving conflicts," she says. "It's honestly made me a better person working here."