Jalene Carpenter
Board Member
Jalene is the President and CEO of the Nebraska Health Care Association (NHCA), which includes the Nebraska Nursing Facility Association, Nebraska Assisted Living Association, Nebraska Health Care Learning Center (a licensed, accredited college), and the Nebraska Health Care Foundation (a 501c3 charitable organization). In her role, she works to meet the needs of approximately 400 nonprofit and propriety member nursing homes and assisted living communities through advocacy and education.
Known for her energy, innovation, and expertise, Jalene is a frequent spokesperson at the local, state, and national levels on issues related to quality, leadership, and advocacy in long-term care. She has spent more than a decade advocating for providers at the state and national levels on topics such as reimbursement, staffing, and regulations.
Jalene serves on the Affiliated State Health Care Association Executives Board of Directors and the American Health Care Association-National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA-NCAL) Independent Owner Council. She is a graduate of the AHCA-NCAL Future Leaders Program.
During her earlier, 15-year tenure as a licensed nursing home administrator, Jalene led teams to earn two AHCA-NCAL Quality Awards. She is equally proud of her most recent achievement: the production of People Worth Caring About, an award-winning docuseries aimed atstrengthening the long-term care workforce by showcasing the authentic connections between nursing home and assisted living facility team members and residents.
Jalene received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. She and her husband, Ryan, have two children, Nyla and Crosby.