Yountville veterans home administrator to retire

The top administrator of the Veterans Home of California in Yountville, the largest such home in the United States, will retire from her post at the end of the month.

Lisa Peake announced her resignation last week and in a statement said the decision to step down was difficult.

“It is the managers, supervisors and line employees who keep the home running, and who keep our residents safe, engaged and active in the community,” she said. “The staff are the unsung heroes, and I will miss them, as well as the home’s residents and my colleagues across CalVet.”

Peake, a retired U.S. Army colonel, was appointed deputy administrator of the veterans home in July 2019 after a 33-year career with the Army, according to CalVet’s website. Gov. Gavin Newsom then promoted her to the top administrative position three months later.

Peake said she’ll return to Sacramento to “be near lifehlong friends, relax and see what my next chapter holds.”

The Yountville home was founded in 1884. Today, it serves roughly 600 residents on a 600-acre campus.

CalVet Secretary Lindsey Sin said in a statement that Peake has been a dedicated administrator who’s improved the lives of veterans and staff.

“We are grateful for her leadership these last five years, especially through the hardships of the pandemic,” Sin said. “She leaves the home in a great place to welcome a new administrator, and we wish her the very best in the next chapter of her life.”

Jeremy Kirk, a longtime employee of the home, was named deputy administrator last month, CalVet spokesperson Joshua Kiser said. But no official replacement for Peake has yet been announced.

The Saturday following Peake’s announcement, a home resident raised concern and attention about power outages that have been happening there amid days of high heat.

Kiser confirmed the outages were planned and are connected to construction of a new skilled nursing and memory care facility on the campus.

He also said residents were notified at least 24 hours prior to the planned outages, and generators were providing power to much of the home, including the main dining room that’s been used as a cooling center during hot weather.

You can reach Staff Writer Edward Booth at 707-521-5281 or edward.booth@pressdemocrat.com .