Her Story
About Erica
Erica Braun, MA, LNHA, is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator with more than a decade of experience serving the geriatric population and leading operations within skilled nursing and long-term care settings. She currently serves as Administrator at Complete Care at Barn Hill, where she oversees facility operations and is committed to delivering high-quality, resident-centered care. Her leadership reflects a strong focus on staff development, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, and creating an environment where residents receive compassionate and individualized support. Erica began her career in music therapy, earning a bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy from Temple University and a Master of Arts in Music Therapy from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. Her early professional experience included therapeutic activities and behavioral health, as well as developing creative therapeutic programs for geriatric residents. She later transitioned into healthcare administration, progressing from Recreation Director to Assistant Administrator and ultimately Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Her diverse clinical and administrative background has given her a unique perspective on both the operational and human aspects of long-term care. As a healthcare leader, Erica is passionate about improving outcomes for residents, strengthening teams, and building a culture of continuous improvement. During her leadership at Complete Care at Barn Hill, she has highlighted achievements including improved employee retention, stronger customer satisfaction, enhanced clinical programs, and recognition with the AHCA/NCAL Silver National Quality Award. Beyond facility operations, Erica contributes to her community through the Newton Rotary Club and applies her expertise through consulting and expert-witness services related to Nursing Home Administration. Her career reflects a commitment to compassionate leadership, professional growth, and excellence in geriatric care.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Erica
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being extremely ambitious, disciplined, and passionate. I exude passion in everything I do. I am goal-oriented and thrive under pressure, excelling at multitasking and managing many responsibilities simultaneously.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received was to "inspect what you expect". As an Administrator in a healthcare setting, the tasks and regulatory requirements are endless. Delegation is a key component to ensuring all requirements are met and all residents' needs are being fulfilled. However, I believe it is essential that I close the loop and "inspect" what I "expect" so that I can ensure that the operation is meeting my standard for high-quality care.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The advice I would give to young women entering my industry would be to lead by example. Be a part of your team, not above them. The best way to make a change is to be a part of the solution and create an atmosphere where all of your staff believe they too can be a part of positive change for the better of the residents they serve.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge in my field right now is staffing. There are several reasons for this challenge such as the pandemic creating a decline in people's desire to work in healthcare, people are fearful of being surrounded by various contagions, most positions require a high rate of physical labor, and the increase in minimum wage has steered people to different options such as retail and fast-food restaurants. On the other hand, the fact that healthcare workers such as nurses (RNs and LPNs) and Certified Nursing Assistants are extremely needed right now, creates a great opportunity for young people to enter into a field where the jobs availability is high.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me are integrity, accountability, collaboration, and transparency. At the core of everything I do, I try my best to always lead with integrity by making decisions based on morals and ethics regarding the specific situation. Accountability is crucial because owning your decisions and your mistakes is important and shows humility. Collaboration is another core value of mine. Everyone on my team comes to the table with a different expertise, life experience, and world view. This is to our benefit, because when we sit down to put a plan in place to resolve a situation, we are able to throw ideas back and forth and come up with the best solution. There are very few decisions I make without input from my team. Lastly, transparency is important as a leader as well. Most people do not like change, so when I am implementing something new, I make sure that I communicate with my staff the "why". Providing reasons and insight, help my staff see that the intentions are positive and that this specific change is only happening after careful consideration. Being transparent helps me to build stronger and more trusting relationships with all of my staff.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.