Molly Aileen McIntyre
Molly McIntyre is a Life Enrichment Director at Shawnee Gardens Healthcare & Rehab Center and a dedicated healthcare professional with nearly 17 years of experience serving individuals across the continuum of care. She began her career as a nurse’s assistant in an assisted living community, where she first discovered her calling to support older adults with dignity and compassion. She later advanced to working on a traumatic brain injury unit and went on to serve in Level 1 trauma and neurology units within hospital settings, including Overland Park Regional Medical Center. Her extensive clinical background in high-acuity and neuro-focused environments shaped her deep understanding of complex medical needs, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the critical importance of patient-centered care.
Through her work in neurology and brain injury care, Molly recognized that healing extends far beyond physical treatment. She saw firsthand that many individuals—particularly those navigating cognitive decline, trauma recovery, or end-of-life transitions—require meaningful psychosocial engagement, emotional support, and authentic human connection alongside clinical intervention. Guided by this insight, she intentionally redirected her professional path toward life enrichment and holistic care. For the past three years, she has served in life enrichment leadership roles, overseeing the mental and emotional well-being of approximately 110 to 170 residents at a time. She designs and implements comprehensive enrichment programming, fosters community partnerships, leads interdisciplinary collaboration, and creates individualized experiences that honor each resident’s story, preferences, and legacy.
Molly leads with heart-centered conviction, integrity, and unwavering faith. As a practicing Catholic, she brings spirituality into her work in an inclusive and compassionate manner, believing that God is present in all people and speaks through every culture and faith tradition. She views spirituality as a source of comfort, hope, and peace—especially for residents and families navigating profound life transitions. Her leadership is rooted in empathy, perseverance, and servant-hearted dedication, ensuring that every individual entrusted to her care feels seen, valued, and enriched each day. Through her work, Molly continues to cultivate communities where compassion is intentional and every life is honored with dignity and purpose.
• Johnson County Community College - AAS, Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General
• Compassionate Service Award
• Catholic Charities
• Catholic Community Health
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my mother. She has been the foundation of who I am and what I have been able to accomplish in my life and career.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Love everyone. That's the best advice I've ever received.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't give up; don't stop even when it's hard. We're all capable of difficult things.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think that the biggest challenge for me is I would like to be able to reach more people to be more impactful.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Love everyone. What matters to me is what I'm doing with my ability and capability that God gave me on a daily basis. To me, it's all one thing - work, what I do in the community, my hobbies are taking care of everyone.