Mary Ann Stallings
Owner/Founder
Mary Ann grew up on a farm in western Nebraska and has lived the majority of her adult life in Lincoln. She has been married for over 50 years to Bob Stallings, a retired family dentist, and they have 3 married children and 10 grandchildren. She enjoys following the University of Nebraska sports, listening to music, hosting family gatherings…big and small, and going on family outings.
Her Bachelor of Science and Masters of Education degrees are from UNL and she taught grades K through 7 for 28 years in the Lincoln Public Schools. She was involved in leadership positions as a team leader and is a member of the educational and professional organizations.
Although education has been a major part of her professional life, she was the first director of the Lincoln Children’s Museum, first director of the Lincoln and Lancaster Children’s Consortium, and managed two successful political campaigns—one for city council and the 1988 LPS school bond issue. She has also been involved in numerous community and neighborhood organizations.
MaryAnn@BridgetoBetterLiving.com • (402) 525-1109
Kristine Dykeman-Schoening
Director of Operations
Kristine Dykeman-Schoening has spent her entire career serving in the Senior Health Field. She has a BA in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, a Certification of Gerontology from UNL Omaha and is a Certified Social Worker with the State of Nebraska. Her talents in social work, supervision, leadership, and administration have helped thousands of Seniors navigate their aging journey over the past 35 years. She is passionate about building relationships with individuals, resources, and communities to ensure a common goal. As a dedicated advocate to Seniors, she draws on her extensive knowledge and resources, including post-acute care, hospice and home care.
Kristine was recognized for her accomplishments by receiving the Coalition for Older Adult Health Promotion Professional of the Year award in 2016. She is a graduate of Leadership Lincoln Class XXX and currently serves on the Seniors Foundation Board of Directors, the Rudge Memorial Board and The Grace Space Advisory Committee.
She is married to Dave Schoening and has two children and additionally has a wonderful son-in-law and daughter-in-law. Abby is a dentist in Lincoln and Creighton works for Hudl sports technologies. Kristine and Dave are spoiling their first grand baby, Mason. She is a born Husker fan and enjoys tailgating every home game with family and friends. She enjoys reading and her flower gardens.
Kristine is a tremendous asset to the Bridge to Better Living’s team and will serve in both an administrative capacity and as one of our Transition Consultants. Her resources are endless and she embodies the mission of Placement with Passion®.
Margaret Burnham
Transition Consultant
Margaret Burnham has been a caregiver for most of her life. Her grandfather was in his eighties when she was born. Her home was filled with great aunts and uncles of the same generation. Margaret cared for them, laughed with them, and valued their stories well into her adulthood. Margaret is a Registered Nurse with a specialty in Gerontology. While working in a clinical setting she saw upfront the changes aging brings to lives. Margaret has experienced in her family and the families of others the complexities of finding a Retirement option and knows how stressful those decisions are. She found working with Bridge to Better Living a natural choice and joined the team of consultants in April of 2018.
Margaret has three sons ranging from mid-teens to early twenties. She has enjoyed watching the older two grow and begin to define themselves in adulthood. Her youngest enjoys riding Motorcross like his father. All three keep her on her toes. Margaret and her husband have a home full of fur with two dogs, two cats and the infamous farm toad. The boys brought him home over a decade ago and he is still very content.
Margaret is an avid gardener and can often be found in her yard or purchasing plants. Her office could be considered a secondary greenhouse. She also enjoys dinner with friends, playing games and puzzles.
Bridge to Better Living saw their motto Passion with Placement as a natural quality in Margaret. We are pleased she agreed!
Margaret@BridgetoBetterLiving.com • (402) 525-6374
Stephanie Sacco
Transition Consultant
Stephanie brings a background of fourteen years as an assistant vice-president of marketing working with hundreds of Seniors and their families while opening Independent Senior Living communities in Omaha, Lincoln, and Iowa.
Relationships are her priority and her favorite part of being a Bridge to Better Living transition consultant is getting to know and developing relationships with her clients. She thrives on introducing Seniors and their families to communities fitting the client’s needs and criteria and then seeing how rewarding and beneficial a move is for them. Steph has often stepped into the role of providing emotional support and help with friends and family when they were faced with making a transition to a Senior retirement community.
She and her husband, Joe, have been married for over 25 years and have two sons and a daughter-in-law. Garrett attends medical school at UNMC and his wife, Amy, is an equities analyst. Noah, a senior at Simpson College in Iowa also plays baseball and is a sports communications major.
Steph and Joe love living in Omaha, filling the calendar with Shakespeare, Jazz On the Green, farmers’ markets, art fairs, outdoor music, baseball, and entertaining. Steph places fitness and friends as priorities in her life and combines the two with power walks. Her past times include singing, both in church choir, community theater, and too many weddings to count.
Stephanie is originally from central Iowa where she treasures the life lessons learned on her grandparent’s farm, especially her work ethic.
Stephanie@BridgetoBetterLiving.com • (402) 218-5610
Kaye Jesske
Director of Marketing
Kaye grew up on a farm in Nehawka, NE, and enjoyed spending time with her grandparents as they lived right across the road. She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She dreamed of being the next Barbara Walters. She enjoys visiting with others about their life experiences, plans for their future and treats everyone like she would treat her own mother.
Prior to joining Bridge to Better Living, she worked in development/fundraising roles at the University of Nebraska Foundation and Bryan Health for over 25 years. These positions taught her to listen and understand the impact others wanted to make with their giving and be grateful for lasting relationships made during conversations and interactions.
Kaye is married to Jud Jesske and has three children. Her oldest son, Jared, works in Denver for Co Bank; middle son, Jacob, is on the Audit team with Forvis Mazars in Lincoln and the youngest son, Will, attends UNL, studying business and plays baseball for the Huskers.
Kaye serves on the YMCA Board of Directors, Christ Lincoln Foundation, Coalition for Older Adults Health Promotion, and Lincoln Public Schools Foundation. In her role with Bridge to Better Living, she serves as the Director of Marketing and as a Transition Consultants. In her free time, she loves to follow Husker baseball, travel with her family, and laugh with her friends.
Kaye@BridgetoBetterLiving.com •(402) 326-8588
Jodi Ledgerwood
Transition Consultant
Jodi grew up in a small central Nebraska town, moving to Lincoln after graduating from high school to attend Nebraska Wesleyan University where she completed her bachelor’s degree. Jodi has worked in Lincoln’s professional world for the past several years and has a passion for helping others. She cares deeply about others’ needs and aspires to make their lives better.
Jodi serves on several Boards and committees in Lincoln and enjoys giving back to the community. Jodi and her husband, Derek, have three teenage sons who are very involved. She often may be found at a baseball field or basketball gym proudly supporting her boys and their interests. Jodi enjoys spending time with family and friends, golfing, being outdoors and being social. She and her family cheer for the Huskers and North Carolina Tarheels.