This month, we’re thrilled to shine the spotlight on Perry Colley, who has been serving as the Executive Director of our Paducah, Kentucky market since April 2024. With a strong foundation in nursing and clinical care, Perry brings passion, versatility, and a collaborative mindset to his role at Giving Home.
After earning his associate’s degree in nursing from West Kentucky Community and Technical College, Perry dove headfirst into the world of critical care as an RN. He thrived in the fast-paced ICU environment, training on complex equipment, assisting in post-op heart recoveries, and embracing the nature of the work. “It was a lot of fun,” he recalls. “Pretty intensive, but very cool.” In 2016, Perry furthered his education at Frontier Nursing University, expanding his skills to become a nurse practitioner. From urgent care to long-term care, to 3 ½ years assisting in foot and ankle surgery, his journey has taken him through a wide range of clinical experiences.
Still, leadership found him in a surprising way. Perry discovered the opportunity at Giving Home through an online job posting — one he initially suspected might be a scam due to its vague description. But after meeting the team, everything changed. “I fell in love with the people and the company,” he says. Since then, he’s been leading the Paducah office from its very beginning.
What makes his role special is that it’s a unique blend of clinical and business leadership — a mix that challenged him to grow and try something new. “Giving required the Kentucky Executive Director to be a nurse practitioner,” Perry explains, “and that really intrigued me. I was ready for something that allowed me to use my clinical background while expanding into the business side.” As Executive Director in a newer (“De Novo”) market, no two days look the same for Perry. Whether it’s handling audits, meeting with his team, or jumping back into clinical tasks, he thrives in the hands-on, all-in environment.
When it comes to his team, Perry is especially proud of their resilience and adaptability. As a De Novo team, they’ve had to stay flexible and pivot quickly when needed. Whether it’s rolling out new initiatives or adjusting SOPs, Perry says his team continues to keep patients at the center of what they do. One standout moment has been watching his Patient Coordinator, Tate, provide a high level of customer service to Paducah patients. “He goes above and beyond and adds a special touch to every interaction. It’s really cool to witness.”
Leadership has been a recent chapter for Perry, but one he’s embraced fully. “I’ve learned how to manage people, how to adapt my leadership style to different personalities and situations, and how to effect change not just on a team level, but across the organization.” He’s played a role in company-wide initiatives that will have a lasting impact, such as creating new care plan materials and developing a more efficient nursing assessment process. “Giving does a great job listening to the people they hire,” he says. “They actually want your input, and they hear you and often act on it.” He shares that it’s an element of company culture that he hasn’t experienced anywhere else.
Perry finds opportunities to stay involved outside of work, as well. He’s been married to his wife for 14 years, and they have two kids: Nora (8) and Dane (4). He’s also a private pilot with an instrument rating and part-owner of a plane. When he’s not in the air, he can be found officiating high school football games or staying active in his church.
Thank you, Perry, for everything you do — your leadership inspires us all!
