Benevilla

Rotary Host: Merlyn Carlson

Joanne Thomson was born and grew up in Reno, Nevada. She went to California State University, Chico where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Recreation Administration with the option of Therapeutic Recreation.

She has been working in the non-profit field helping people who are disabled for over 17 years. Joanne has worked with people who have intellectual and cognitive disabilities, people who have dementia, stroke survivors, mental illness, and those who have Parkinson’s. 

Through her leadership, Benevilla’s programs and services have thrived and increased the number of persons served throughout the years.  With her guidance, the Adult Day Services were transformed into Life Enrichment Programs to better serve the needs of the future customers. 

Joanne is an Aging Services CARF Surveyor and travels around the U.S.A. and Canada to assess other aging service providers’ best practices.  In October of 2016, Joanne Thomson was chosen as the President/CEO for Benevilla.  With her leadership, Joanne will help to strategically lead the organization to meet the needs of the Baby Boomer generation to help them age gracefully in place.

Read more about Benevilla here.