About Us - Ponderosa Assisted Living Community

Assisted Living and Retirement Community in Yakima, Washington

Built in 1976, The Ponderosa is one of the most established assisted living and retirement centers in Yakima, Washington. As such, we feel that we have much to offer residents! Ponderosa offers an independent living experience with personal care and health services as needed.

Our community is situated in a very quiet neighborhood in the heart of Yakima, close to shopping, parks, and restaurants. Ponderosa is also in close proximity to Virginia Mason Memorial Hospital in case of emergencies.

Our residents come from throughout Central Washington communities and find living in Yakima convenient to friends and family.

Meet Our Team

We are a family of employees that surround our residents with an environment of love, respect, and dignity. We function as a team, which is unique in the workplace. The Ponderosa is not a facility, it is home.

Manuel “Manny” DelozaExecutive Director

Manny oversees the day-to-day operations at the Ponderosa. He has an extensive background in Operations Management, working for one employer for over 25 years. Manny has certifications in Business Management, Better Processing of Agriculture and Lean Management through WSC & UW. He has worked in assisted living since 2017 in various positions. Manny possesses a big heart and strong passion for working with seniors and building a strong team of leaders in the Ponderosa Community. He is married and has two sons one daughter and a wonderful wife. When not working, he loves to attend his grandkids’ sports events and family get togethers.

Diana ManzanaresCommunity Relations Director

As Director of Community Relations & Marketing, Diana oversees all Resident Inquiry requests, Move In’s, and Community Outreach at The Ponderosa.
Diana has 16 years of professional experience in community relations, researching in-depth client’s needs, and building strong relationships, which has resulted in long term partnerships within the community.

Johny GarciaDietary Services Director

Chef Johny Is the Dietary Director at The Ponderosa Assisted Living Community. Born in Ensenada, Mexico and raised in Los Angeles, California, Johny comes to the Ponderosa with 20-years’ experience in Culinary Arts.
Chef Johny’s secret ingredient is love with a dash of passion that’s offered to all your loved ones with every dish that comes out of his kitchen. Johny’s goal is to make the Ponderosa the Best Dining experience in an assisted living community in Yakima Valley.

Zaundra LarsonNursing Director

Zaundra brings not only her experience as a geriatric nurse but a lifetime of experience as a caregiver. Caring for seniors is her passion, especially in assisted living. Zaundra enjoys helping our seniors age in place and hopes they will really feel The Ponderosa is their home. She comes with 45+ yrs of experience as she became a CNA when she was a 16 year old high school student. Zaundra went to college after her first grandchild was born so her grandchildren would know how important it is to follow your dreams as she feels she has. “I had dreams of being a nurse from age 2 and still love what I do today.”

Ronnie JonesActivities Director

Ronnie is a local Yakima resident who has
over 12 years of experience with elderly care.
He has a passion for taking care of others and putting a smile on their face. Ronnie loves
planning activities and social events for his residents. He recognizes the importance of socializing and encourages residents to attend daily activities and all social events. Ronnie is dedicated to enriching every residents’ life at the Ponderosa, knowing that an active life is a happy life.

Ray CardenasMaintenance Director

Ray is the Maintenance Director and is responsible for overseeing the maintenance department at the Ponderosa. He has a vast understanding of the building and phenomenal problem-solving skills, which makes him a great benefit to our community. You will find Ray throughout the hallways jumping into whatever needs to be done with a smile on his face.

Michelle KochieBusiness Office Manager

Michelle started working in Health Care at the age of 15 for Parkside Nursing Home as an after-school job. She continued until she was 21 and went to Business College. Michelle worked in banking for 6 years and then took a position for a Heavy Equipment school in White Swan. When her company moved, she decided to stay in Yakima and took a position at International Paper for 10 years. After that Michelle worked at Fieldstone Memory Care as an Administrative Assistant. She then worked as the Business Office Manager at Landmark for 3 years before making her new home at Ponderosa Assisted Living as the Business Office Manager.

Careers

Employment Forms

We are always looking to add talented people to our Ponderosa team. Please come in and complete the application and background check forms.

Would you like to take a Tour?

Just contact us and we’ll be happy to schedule your in person or virtual tour today.