Patriots Landing Leadership Team

Gidgette Chesley, a WA state native, started at Patriots Landing as the Business Office Manager in 2009. She worked tirelessly with her Leadership team to ensure her business’ success and development before being promoted to Executive Director in 2015. Gidgette has extensive experience in supervisory and management roles in the senior living and restaurant industries. Her love and dedication towards seniors began as a child while spending time with her grandmother and continuing to this be day while assisting with her father. She is proud of the family environment and teamwork among the staff at Patriots Landing and the relationships they continue to build with residents and their extended families. Gidgette, along with her team, has led her community to be deficiency free during survey for 2 years in a row now.

Aside from Gidgette’s experience, her studies include Human Resource Management as well as various certifications through DSHS and WHCA. At the age of 16, Gidgette was awarded a Dale Carnegie Leadership Scholarship through Junior Achievement with completion in the following year.

During her free time, Gidgette enjoys spending time with her husband of 24 years, her son, and her four legged princess, Penny.

Sheryl Baker has more than 30 years of civilian and military nursing experience, with more than nine years in the Assisted Living and Memory Care fields, along with pediatric, mother and baby, and managed family practice expertise. Sheryl graduated from nursing school in California and holds Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees from Pierce College in Puyallup, Washington. She believes that every day provides a fresh chance to make a difference. Sheryl enjoys the fact that Patriots Landing embraces her desire to help seniors and celebrates and utilizes her military background as a U.S. Army veteran.

Senior living has been Cristina Sundita’s career path for about 12 years now and she doesn’t plan on stopping.

Growing up as the middle child, Cristina credits those years for her ability to stay cool, calm, and collected. She enjoys problem solving, development, and organization. She welcomes new challenges and uses that as a motivational tool. In her early years, she had sought out a Vocal Performance Degree at Pacific Lutheran University but later changed her focus to Human Resources - a degree which she hopes to complete in the next few years.

Cristina has come full circle in her career path. She actually started at Patriots Landing in 2007 as the Overnight Receptionist and worked her way up to Executive Assistant and Move-In Coordinator before moving to Williston, ND in 2014. From there, she overlooked 11 Surgical Specialty Clinics with CHI Franciscan and brought her team to #1 in the Fargo Division in Patient Charts and Informatics and the Customer Experience. Upon moving back to the PNW, she decided to try her hand at Senior Living once again as the Assistant General Manager at an Independent senior community. In the Spring of 2019, she took a break for her most loved title of becoming a mother.

“Patriots Landing has always been the standard for me and for what I feel our retirees deserve; quality living and peace of mind for their families. They have given so much of their lives to us, it’s our time to give back.”

When given the opportunity, Cristina, her husband, and her son, Micah, enjoy the outdoors such as camping and hiking.

Greg Mundell has more than a decade of experience providing social and health services in various settings. He began his career coordinating transition resources at a referral agency through the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, and then worked for several years as a Skilled Nursing discharge planner before joining the Patriots Landing team. He loves learning the histories of Patriots Landing residents and applying their life lessons to his own journey. Greg holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree from the University of Puget Sound and is state certified to lead Mental Health and Dementia training classes.

Patti Cooper first learned about Patriots Landing when her parents moved here after her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. After beginning her career in physical education and teaching, Patti was hired at Patriots Landing in 2008 and worked as a server, housekeeper, and fitness instructor, before being promoted to Life Enrichment Director in 2017. She tests her imagination and uses her energy and creativity to continually explore new ideas to enrich resident activities at Patriots Landing. Patti holds a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Western Washington University, a state certification as a Stay Active & Independent for Life instructor, and Department of Health certifications as a Tai Chi Quan: Moving for Better Balance instructor and a Health & Safety (EMS) CPR instructor.

Craig Willis began his career at Patriots Landing in 2009, shortly after graduating from high school. He came here first as a dishwasher, then progressed through the ranks of prep cook. line cook, and sous chef. In 2020 he became interim Kitchen and Dining Director and quickly proved himself obtaining the management spot in early 2021.

Family is very important to Craig. His 2 children are the main priority when he's not at work. He is raising a beautiful daughter and a very rambunctious son. In his spare time, Craig also enjoys sports and has become quite the champion of his Fantasy Football League.

Through the years of employment for Patriots Landing, Craig has sharpened his cooking skills and welcomes new menus and ideas from all walks of life. This will continue to be his passion for years to come.