Arlena Ryan: Administrator of Skilled Nursing Facility

The Alumni Spotlight shines this month on Arlena Ryan from Jonesport, Maine, who graduated from the University of Maine at Machias in 2016 with a major in College Studies and Business Management. She is currently working as an administrator at Sunrise Care Facility.

Tell us a little bit about what you are doing now:

Sunrise Care Facility is a 28 bed, community based, skilled nursing facility serving  Downeast Maine.  S.C.F. employs approximately forty full & part-time employees. As the administrator, my role includes oversight and guidance in all aspects of day-to-day operations. The administrator is accountable for developing the annual operating budget and for financial stewardship. The facility is required to operate within the regulatory guidelines set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

What is the most valuable thing you learned while at UMM?

The accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship and leadership classes were perhaps the most helpful in preparing me for my role here at Sunrise Care Facility.

Do you have any advice for current students at UMM?

Dreams do come true, goals are realized, but only through hard work and dedication to their pursuit.

How did your time at UMM prepare you for what you are doing now?

Previously, my work had been as a registered nurse which provided me the clinical skills that I needed to understand quality patient care. Prior to transitioning to the administrator’s role, I needed the education that would allow me to better understand the business aspect of long-term care.

How has UMM made a positive impact on your life?

My life’s work has been serving my community through caring for our oldest, frailest citizens. Over the past thirty years I have done this in various capacities. My educational experience at UMM has allowed me the opportunity to gain self-confidence through knowledge and to achieve a major professional goal. I continue to serve the elderly and their families, my co-workers and my community, just in a new way.