Joel has 30+ years’ experience innovating and redefining home- and community based senior services.
Starting as a frontline registered nurse who witnessed seniors experiencing a ‘sick care’ system, he founded Lifespark, a complete senior health company with a clear mission … to spark lives, connecting seniors to whole person senior services that empower them to age magnificently. Under Joel’s leadership, Lifespark has seen year-over-year double-digit growth, closing 2025 with over $70 million revenue and 3,500+ employees.
Joel has positioned Lifespark as the fully integrated delivery system for senior living, bridging years of health and senior living management expertise. This transformational model called COMPLETE Senior Living builds on Lifespark’s decades of high-performing senior living management by integrating its geriatric medical expertise, in-home urgent response services, and world-class gamified resident wellness with a comprehensive path to hospice services. The result: a model that breaks the mold to deliver true health and wellness with top-of-the-market outcomes that matter … to seniors, families, employees, senior living owners.
Lifespark has pioneered global-risk value-based partnerships with the largest Medicare Advantage plans in Minnesota, tested and learned from partnerships across the continuum, secured multiple investments in Lifespark’s growth, and acquired Tealwood Senior Living (35 properties) which Lifespark has expanded to 50 across Minnesota and Wisconsin with market-leading performance.
Known as a business innovator, Joel has earned numerous accolades, including being a finalist for Leaders in Health Care by the Minnesota Business Magazine, one of the Twin Cities’ 40 under 40, and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award® finalist for the Upper Midwest four times. Prior to Lifespark, Joel founded and served as CEO for AdvoLife, Inc., a venture-backed company in San Jose, CA.
He trained as a critical-care nurse with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN and graduated from Viterbo College in La Crosse, Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. For more on Joel’s vision visit: https://lifespark.com/partner/