Meet our Mission Partners!
Our mission of fostering a beautiful Home extends even to our Mission Partners. We believe that in order for our Mission Partners to be equipped to love and serve our residents like a family, we must also love and serve our Mission Partners in the same way. In a spirit of generosity and joy, our Mission Partners give of themselves to our residents and to each other in dedicated teamwork.
Sister M. Anselma Belongea
Administrator
A native of Appleton, Wisconsin, Sister M. Anselma spent her childhood on the ski slopes of the Upper Peninsula, camping in the northern woods and enjoying the excitement of Green Bay Packers home games at Lambeau Field. She is youngest of seven children and entered the religious congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George in 1997. During her years of apostolic work, she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville and an MBA from St. Louis University, using them as she served in human resources and hospital administration in the OSF Healthcare system.
In January 2020, Sister M. Anselma came to serve as the Administrator here at the Mother of Good Counsel Home after having become familiar with the Home as one of its Board members. Using her education and experiences in healthcare, she is passionate about building a team focused on living the sisters’ mission and creating a true “Home” for each of our residents where they are loved, nurtured, and can live the mature years of their life with great joy and freedom of spirit.
Robin White, RN
Director of Nursing
Joining us from her hometown of Wood River, IL, Robin graduated from Lewis and Clark Community College as a Registered Nurse in 1993. Growing up, the opportunity to have a close relationship with both sets of grandparents, two great-grandmothers and one great grand-father instilled a deep familiarity and respect for our elderly. Before joining our team, she spent the past 27 years in several skilled facilities in a variety of capacities, but felt a genuine connection with the mission of our Home to provide the care and love our aged residents deserve. She takes pride in bringing increased consistency to our nursing services with laser-focus on the well-being of our residents. And when she’s not here cheering on our residents and staff, she enjoys being with her family and ardently cheering on the St. Louis Cardinals- GO CARDS!
Ella Jordan
ADON / First Floor Nursing Supervisor
While in nursing school, Ella prayed this prayer to the Lord: “If you help me through this, I will love everyone you send my way as if they are my own.” And as always, the Lord was faithful! With this prayer in her heart, Ella emerged from Applied Tech Practical Nursing Program in St. Louis, Missouri to start her calling in 2000. From geriatric and rehab at one facility to Dialysis at another, Ella created lifelong relationships with families and staff members while expanding her clinical experience, serving at both locations for 5 years consecutively. After accepting geriatric nursing as her calling in 2008, she joined Mother of Good Counsel Home. It quickly became her home away from home. She began as a floor nurse, then was promoted to supervisor status, and subsequently elevated to her current position of ADON, all while supporting her son through college and 3 daughters through nursing school to follow in her footsteps. Now, Ella strives daily to beautifully fulfill her commitment to Christ at the Home, where service is her passion and everyone is her family.
Keith Vollmer
Director of Finance
After completing his Bachelor’s degree in Finance at University of Missouri-Columbia and Master’s degree in Business Administration at University of Missouri-St. Louis, Keith Vollmer spent the next 28 years working as a construction accountant in the private sector. In 2012, he sought work that he would find more intrinsically rewarding and spiritually satisfying. He was led to Mother of Good Counsel Home, where his grandmother lived in the 1960s, his aunt in the 1980s, and his father in the late 1990s. His mother also was one of the Home’s quilters for decades. After tackling the finances every day, Keith helps paint rooms, trim trees and plant flowers. He is a “handy” and generous man who embodies the Home’s mission of joyful service in all things.
Nick Sorensen
Manager of Support Services
Graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a minor in Psychology, Nick brings 20 years of experience in the retail sector, where he developed a strong foundation in human resources, operations, and leadership. Drawn to work that is both meaningful and mission-driven, he joined Mother of Good Counsel Home, where he is committed to fostering a positive workplace culture and supporting the dedicated staff who provide exceptional care. He is passionate about ensuring employees feel valued and empowered, knowing their experience directly contributes to creating an outstanding environment for residents and families.
When he’s not at the Home, he enjoys spending time with his family, gardening, and reading.
Lynn Brown
Admission Coordinator & Social Services
Lynn is a 2nd generation Mission Partner. Her mother was the administrative assistant at the Home for 11 years and her father was a resident. Lynn joined the team knowing first hand about the care and community of this Home. She began as the laundry supervisor and after working various jobs and departments she has settled into her current role. Lynn’s goal is for the transition to our Home to be pleasant and comfortable for our residents and their families. This continues with communication with each of our department heads to ensure our residents live fully in every aspect of their lives. Lynn likes reading, sewing, and traveling on short weekend adventures.
Sister M. Luka
Mission Support Coordinator
The motto “obedience works miracles” guides Sister M. Luka’s philosophy of service. Hailing from a much-moving military family, she entered the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George right after graduating from high school. Initially educated at the University of Missouri-St. Louis as a high school mathematics teacher, she later earned a master’s degree in education from St. Xavier University in Chicago. Before coming to our Home, Sister M. Luka, taught every level of high school math for 17 years, as well as a multitude of other jobs before landing here as our sacristan, then administrative assistant, and now Mission Support Coordinator. She loves to read – anything, everything. She enjoys new challenges and learning new things. Her favorite activity (and real mission in life) is to help each person she meets to grow and mature, and draw closer to God.
Jennifer Lamons
Marketing Coordinator
As a graduate of Lindenwood University’s Graphic Design and Art programs, Jennifer came to our Home with a natural passion for creating beautiful things. With her Catholic faith at the center of her life, she holds the charism of making Christ’s merciful love visible very close to her heart in all that she does for the Home. Jennifer is originally from St. Louis, but at the time of her transition to the Home, she was living with her parents in El Dorado, Arkansas. She was praying for an opportunity to move back to St. Louis, where she could use her design experience to serve God. And God, in His providence, brought her home to us! She says that she comes to work every day filled with gratitude that she gets to spend her days working at the Home. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies, reading books, and drawing.
Sister M. Elena
Activities Department Supervisor
Sister M. Elena is a native of Peoria, Illinois and is one of nine children. After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Illinois State University, she entered the religious congregation of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George. The sisters’ mission is to be “simply ready in obedience to God’s call.” This simple readiness has led Sister M. Elena to further education in Theology and Bioethics from Holy Apostles College & Seminary and working in both the education and healthcare fields. Her love for the elderly and infirmed stems from her childhood in which love, care, and attention was given to her grandparents and extended family members with disabilities. Sister M. Elena was an activities assistant at the Home in 2018 and returned in 2023 as the department supervisor. She is grateful to be back at the Home and being part of a team who cares for God’s eldest children. During her free time, she enjoys being in nature, playing cards and games.
Betty Nairn
Food Service Manager
Being raised on a very large grain and livestock farm, Betty learned to “live off the land” at a young age. After graduating from Lewis & Clark Community College with a business degree, Betty bought her first restaurant located in Alton, IL at the age of 21. Almost 20 years later, she sold the restaurant and brought her experience here to MOGCH. Betty likes to incorporate the “farm to table” mentality she had growing up in her ventures here at the Home. When she isn’t working, she loves spending time with her family and friends. Her motto is “There is always room at the table for another!”
Ron Walton
Director of Maintenance
Ron Walton came to us from Cardinal Ritter Senior Services where he was an Operations Manager working under the Director of Maintenance. Here at the home, Ron manages the day-to-day operations of our buildings and grounds, and works to ensure that our facility meets all state guidelines set forth by Missouri Health and Senior Services. Ron is kind, dedicated, and a hard worker, and his joyous heart makes everyone in our facility feel instantly at home. Ron is devoted to his wife of 35 years and his 2 children. In his free time, he enjoys visiting his children every chance he gets.
Pat Henderson
Housekeeping / Laundry Supervisor
Pat Henderson was born and raised in St Louis MO. Her grandparents always told her to strive to be the best her that she can be and to treat people the way that she wanted to be treated, and to this day she still lives by this. She has seven children from the ages of 27 to 47 years of age.There is never a dull moment in her home!
She graduated high school in 1979 and attended college for a short time as an adult. She also has several awards from her field of work. She has been in the hospitality field for over 20 years and she loves it. Her titles start from housekeeper to supervisor, to manager, to night auditor manager, and WIC technician.
Pat says that when she grows up, her goal is to be a retired fisherwoman.
She has been employed with MOGCH on and off for about 8 years and she says definitively that there is nowhere else she would rather be employed.
