Lydia Seibert, the first female board chair of Friendship Village, will continue a tradition of strong leadership with emphasis on listening to residents in her new position.

Seibert recently took over as head of the 11-member local board that manages the two Friendship Village senior living communities in Sunset Hills and Chesterfield.

She earned a bachelor of science degree from Washington University, works for Physical and Sports Therapy Services in Clayton and runs a subscription-based leadership development company.

Seibert replaces Howard Curtis, a retired Monsanto human resources executive who now serves as executive vice president at Quest Management Consultants. He rotated off the board with Seibert’s election.

One major challenge for Seibert and the staff revolves around the changes and construction on the two campuses, including a $58 million expansion program at the Sunset Hills community.

“Senior adults can prove sensitive to change, and construction makes for mess, disruption and change. Nevertheless, we must move into the future,” she stated in a news release. “Construction and renovation remain an important key to shoring up and refining our continuum of care …”