Our Staff
Tanglewood Assisted Living is proud to employ many compassionate, dedicated caregivers. You’ll find these smiling faces at the Maple Ridge of Plover Memory Care campus along with a devoted leadership team (as pictured).
Gina Herman
has been a director at Maple Ridge since 2013. She is RELATABLE and enjoys her job because “Tanglewood genuinely cares about the residents, their families and the employees. No two days are the same and there’s always something new to learn and new challenges to overcome”.
Jamie Palms
has been a caregiver at Maple Ridge for nearly 5 years. Jamie is a lead worker who values and inspires TEAMWORK. She enjoys her job “because when you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work”.
Karen Pawelski
is the head cook who specializes in HOMEMADE meals. Many of her recipes have been perfected in her own family for generations. Her job “gives her great satisfaction when the residents compliment me on how delicious the home cooked meals are. I am proud that I nourish our residents with food made from scratch”.
Karl Kiefer
is the activity director who brings FUN to each day for our residents. “I get to bring fun, humor and friendship into the lives of our residents. I believe in honesty and always have an open ear to listen with, and that makes a big difference in the lives of our residents and their families”.
Jessica Schmidt
is the owner who has made long-term care her CALLING. She has owned Tanglewood Assisted Living and the Maple Ridge buildings since 2007. Prior to that she worked for county Health and Human Services as the project manager for the State of Wisconsin’s innovative Family Care program which has helped countless elders live their final years in the setting of their choice. Jessica began her 30-year career as a caregiver while just out of high school, working at the very buildings that she now owns. Jessica enjoys her job because “I can directly influence the lives of our residents by making sure that our company policies support quality care and employment of competent and compassionate caregivers”.
Kelly Pliska
has been a caregiver and now administrator at Maple Ridge for over 14 years. Kelly is a true ADVOCATE for the elderly. Her life has been devoted to making sure that residents and their families receive the best care. Kelly’s own grandparents and family members have lived at Maple Ridge over the years. She enjoys her job “because it gives me an opportunity to make a difference in our resident’s lives as they transition to a new chapter in life. Tanglewood has a positive, caring and homelike environment that feels like family”.
About The Owners
Jessica and Brad Schmidt, owners of Tanglewood Assisted Living, Inc.
Jessica Schmidt holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology with a minor in Gerontology. She earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration (MPA), along with a formal Graduate Certificate in Health Care Finance. This education provided background in health law, health care organizational structure, and human resource management.
Jessica was a caregiver and manager through late high school and college working in the same CBRFs that she now owns nearly two decades later. In her youth, Jessica also maintained a volunteer position with Hospice of Portage County. At age 22, Jessica was recognized as the youngest hospice volunteer in Portage County. In 1997, Jessica left the private sector for professional career advancement, working with Portage County as the project manager for the State of Wisconsin’s “Family Care”, long term care program.
She then worked as the Provider Network Development Manager and was responsible for negotiating contracts with long term care providers, reviewing budgets, and working with providers to develop new long-term care service options for residents of Portage County.
Jessica’s husband and company co-owner, Brad Schmidt holds a Master’s Degree in instrumental music for K-12 and has 31 years of teaching experience at the junior high and high school level for band.
He is currently the band and jazz band director for Stevens Point Area Senior High School. He is also skilled in maintenance and construction work. He has owned several real estate investments, including rental properties and has constructed multi-family housing, including four-plex apartment buildings and townhouse condos.
Jessica and Brad live in Plover with their two daughters, Emma and Lauren, along with their Bernese Mountain Dog, Simon and Siberian Husky, Thor.
Jessica and Brad received Portage County’s “Young Leaders” Award in 2009 for their entrepreneurship. They share the philosophy that assisted living is the type of business that is most successful when it is locally owned and operated. Assisted living is about taking care of people who are aged and evolving through the final years of life. These are our respected elders who have lived in, contributed to and influenced the life of our community for generations.
No one can provide the kind of genuine, sincere care and attention that is so needed and deserved by our elders than business owners who share the same community values and hold in their hearts and sound business minds an unwritten commitment to care for one another through the passage of life.