Dee has a background in nursing. She was a medic in the army and has worked in the school system, hospitals, and nursing homes. She brings a wealth of nursing home knowledge and a deep compassion for caring for the elderly and their families. She has strong leadership skills to encourage the Forest Ridge team to excel in compassionate care with heart. Dee is a Colorado native and grew up in the Westcliff area. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her dog, Misty. Her door is always open so feel free to stop in and say hi.

Wendy Peel was born and raised in Minnesota.  She moved to Colorado in 1988.  Wendy was a stay-at-home mom of 4 and decided to get into the medical field when her youngest was 5 years old.  Wendy attended IntelliTec College Pueblo and graduated Valedictorian of her class in 2006 with an Associates of Science in Medical Assisting.  Wendy has a passion for caring for others and joined the Forest Ridge team in August 2022.  Wendy enjoys crafting, movies, sports and spending time with her children, grandchildren and her dog Walter.

Karrie Tomlin first received her Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) License in 1997; then an associate degree in nursing and RN in 2000 from Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Karrie has worked in many areas of nursing all over the U.S., including hospitals, long term care, home health, hospice, and teaching.  Karrie received her BSN (2013) and MSN (2016) from Purdue University when it was Kaplan University.  When Karrie finished her master’s degree, she thought she was done with school for a while, but then began thinking about going back to get her DNP for a couple years.  Karrie started the DNP program in January 2023, and expects to graduate in November 2024.  Karrie joined the Forest Ridge team in October 2023 as Director of Nursing.  Karrie is a voracious reader. Karrie enjoys spending time with her husband, 4 cats, and 2 dogs. Karrie and her husband also enjoy going Jeeping, off-roading, and camping (for Karrie the camping is preferably in a hotel).

Jamie Hutchins began pursuing an education in nursing after being a homemaker and home educating her 4 children. Jamie began working in Colorado Springs at a skilled nursing facility as a charge nurse and then became a primary care nurse for a hospice organization. When Forest Ridge Senior Living opened, Jamie was among the first group of nurses hired. Jamie came on as Resident Assessment Coordinator in June of 2016. In her years at Forest Ridge, Jamie has worked in the capacity as Director of Nursing, Transitional Care Manager, Resident Assessment Coordinator, and Infection Preventionist. Through her work at Forest Ridge Senior Living, Jamie desires to honor the Lord by serving others — the residents, their families, and the Forest Ridge staff. This desire is summed up in a statement often heard at Forest Ridge Senior Living — “Compassionate Care with Heart.” When Jamie is not working, you will find her exploring the beauty of Colorado or playing Disc Golf with her husband or spending time with her children and grandchildren.

Shane grew up in Nebraska but moved to Colorado in 2012 after graduating from Clarkson College. He enjoys and has always had a passion for working with the geriatric population. He has been providing physical therapy to the geriatric community since graduating in 2012. Outside of work, Shane lives in Florissant, Colorado and enjoys spending time with his wife and kids. He also enjoys going on hikes with his family, hunting, fishing and all the outdoor activities Colorado has to offer.

Christi has chosen healthcare as her career for the past 34 years, starting as a nurse’s aide in Missouri.  After arriving in Colorado, she obtained her gerontology certification and her Assisted Living Administrator License at UCCS.  Christi was quickly recognized for her skills and was promoted to a regional business office consultant overseeing multiple Colorado and New Mexico facilities.  When Forest Ridge opened, she decided to quit travelling to spend time with her family.  Here at Forest Ridge, she currently manages both the Business Office and Human Resources Departments.  Christi brings great knowledge, passion and compassionate care to the residents, family members and employees of our Forest Ridge family. Her passion and love of the profession carries over to her co-workers who nominated her to the Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce employee of the year in 2022.  Christi won this distinguished award with grand accolades from the community and her co-workers combined.  In her spare time Christi can be found hiking the local trails, reading a great book, playing with her dog and spending time with her spouse, son and seven grandkids.