Future Leader: Sophie Mitten, Sales Director, Skybrooke At Simsbury

Sophie Mitten, Sales Director at Skybrooke at Simsbury, has been named to the Future Leaders Class of 2026 by Senior Housing News.

To become a Future Leader, an individual is nominated by their peers. The candidate must be a high-performing employee who is 40 years of age or younger, a passionate worker who knows how to put vision into action, and an advocate for older adults and the committed professionals who ensure their well-being.

Mitten sat down with Senior Housing News to share what drew her to the senior housing & senior living industry, the biggest leadership lessons she has learned, her thoughts on the future of senior housing & senior living, and much more. To learn more about the Future Leaders Awards program, visit https://futureleaders.wtwhmedia.com/.

SHN: What drew you to the senior housing & senior living industry?

Mitten: The short answer is COVID. I had a decade-long career in the history museum field. When COVID hit, my work became fully remote and I found my newfound isolation challenging. It clarified for me that the elements I most enjoyed about my work were daily interaction with people and the opportunity to learn and tell compelling stories.

At the time, my husband was an engagement associate for our sister community. If I recall correctly, the day I spontaneously adopted a guinea pig was the day he encouraged me to apply to be an evening concierge so I could get out of the house and engage with residents and their families.

The more connected I became with our residents, associates, and routine visitors, the more invested I felt in the industry as a whole. The museum field prepared me well for senior living by inspiring curiosity in others’ stories. Instead of only reading about history, I now have the honor of learning from living, breathing sources. 

SHN: How would you describe your leadership style, and how has it changed over time?

Mitten: My leadership style falls squarely in the collaborative category. It is important to me to lead by walking around, having conversations with our residents and all associates. While my leadership style has not changed, my soft skills have strengthened. All feedback and ideas are welcome and inform our community’s next steps, and it took a few years for me to not take feedback personally.

SHN: What is the biggest leadership lesson you’ve learned while serving the senior housing & senior living industry?

Mitten: The senior living industry is rooted in people helping people. When I first started serving seniors professionally, I felt a deep sense of responsibility for everyone and everything in my community.

The greatest leadership lesson I’ve learned is to trust our team. Initially I tried to be the “fixer” for everyone. Now I share information, concerns, and questions with my peers and the associates who can provide the best care and attention to our residents. Not only has this been a positive shift for my own well-being, it is a meaningful way for our team to demonstrate we are in this together. 

SHN: In one word, how would you describe the senior housing & senior living industry and why?

Mitten: Dynamic.

No two days are the same in senior living, and small actions can make a great impact. 

SHN: What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges currently facing the senior housing & senior living industry?

Mitten: The biggest opportunity is changing the way senior housing and senior living are perceived as we welcome the next generation of seniors into our communities. I am connecting with more adult children from my generation helping their parents plan for their next steps. While their parents have an outdated perception of what senior living is, imagining “the homes” their parents and grandparents lived in, the adult children see the variety available to their loved ones.

The challenge is the other side of the same coin: helping adult children have sensitive conversations with their parents in a way that empowers our seniors. 

SHN: If you had a crystal ball, what do you think will impact the senior housing & senior living industry over the next 5-10 years?

Mitten: We are already preparing for the “Silver Wave” as Baby Boomers enter the senior living chat, and my thoughts are that we will see this impact more generations.

I have observed a generational difference in how folks view independence. Older seniors tend to reflect on what tasks they can accomplish without assistance, where younger seniors tend to focus on having more accessible options and opportunities for engagement. I predict that in addition to this demographic and ideological shift among residents in senior living communities, we are going to see more communities creating space for residents’ adult children, grandchildren, and great-grandkids. 

SHN: In your opinion, what qualities must all Future Leaders possess?

Mitten: Curiosity, trust, and patience.

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