Justina Pilkonis

Justina Pilkonis is a senior living professional, educator, and national speaker with a deep passion for transforming resident experience through purposeful, evidence informed programming. She currently serves as a Regional Director of Resident Experience, where she supports and mentors teams across multiple states, focusing on dementia care, engagement strategies, and culture building within senior living communities.

With a background in psychology and communications, Justina brings a unique blend of brain science, storytelling, and practical application to her work. She is known for translating complex concepts like dementia, behavior, and circadian rhythms into clear, actionable strategies that frontline teams can realistically implement. Her approach emphasizes dignity, autonomy, and meaningful moments at every stage of aging.

Justina has presented at state and national conferences and regularly leads trainings for executive leaders, nurses, and activity professionals. Her sessions are engaging, relatable, and rooted in real world experience, often blending humor, reflection, and hands on tools to spark perspective shifts and inspire change.

Outside of her professional work, Justina enjoys traveling with her husband, exploring new cities and cultures, and spending time outdoors with their Irish Wolfhound. These experiences fuel her creativity, curiosity, and people first perspective, which she brings into both her leadership and teaching.

At the heart of her work is a belief that resident experience is not an add on, but a powerful driver of quality, culture, and outcomes.