James L. West CEO Receives Prestigious Award
McKnight’s is pleased to announce that Cheryl Harding, Ph.D., President and CEO of James L. West Center for Dementia Care, has been chosen as a 2026 Pinnacle Award honoree, elected from a remarkable pool of nominations in the competition’s fourth year of honoring distinguished industry leaders.

The McKnight’s Pinnacle Awards recognize sector veterans with 20 or more years of service who have set new standards, driven innovation, and inspired colleagues across the senior care, skilled nursing, and home care fields.
Dr. Harding will receive the Thought Leader Award, which recognizes a leader in senior living and long-term care for innovative, actionable insights that shape the industry.

Photo courtesy of James L. West Center for Dementia Care
“It’s no surprise to us that Cheryl was selected for this Thought Leader award,” says Amy Patyk, Chairman of the Board of The West Center. “We admire how forward-thinking she is, and we support her focus on being a national leader in dementia education and care.
“These Pinnacle Award winners embody an incredible collection of wisdom and experience that the sector could not do without. Their contributions to the field have been exemplary and deserve this great recognition,” said McKnight’s Vice President and Associate Publisher John O’Connor. “We look forward to honoring them in person in March, and even greater things out of them in the future.”
All winners will be celebrated at an awards banquet and ceremony on March 18 at the Edison Rooftop in New York City! Among the honorees will be the Career Achievement Award winner, who will be revealed in the coming days.

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About McKnight’s
McKnight’s is the oldest, most trusted independent source for professional news, information, analysis, and perspective in the skilled nursing, senior living and home care fields.
About the James L. West Center for Dementia Care
For 32 years, the James L. West Center for Dementia Care, a not-for-profit organization, has served those impacted by dementia. Established by Eunice West in honor of her late husband, James L. West, who passed away from dementia, the Center continues to build on its excellence in compassionate care and caregiver and dementia education by expanding its service lines to meet the community’s needs. The Center offers residential care, a Senior Day Program, Short-Term Respite Care, Short-Term Rehabilitation, and professional and family caregiver education, which was recently rebranded as Dementia-IQ Powered by James L. West.


