Integral Senior Living, Solstice Senior Living to share president / CEO, CFO

Collette Gray has been named president and CEO, and Jennifer Ferrer has been named CFO, of senior living management services company Integral Senior Living and Solstice Senior Living, a joint venture of Integral Senior Living and NorthStar Healthcare Income. In these positions, they will have C-suite responsibilities for both ISL and SSL.

“Bringing leadership of both ISL and SSL together allows us to streamline the services we provide for our communities and ensure both Integral Senior Living and Solstice Senior Living are receiving exceptional management, as well as having community-specific needs and services met,” said Sue Farrow, ISL founder and owner. “Having overarching members in the C-suite allows us to continue to strengthen ISL and SSL’s relationship and optimize the overall service provided to residents.”  

Collette Gray headshot
Collette Gray

Gray, formerly CEO and COO of ISL, joined the Carlsbad, CA, company in 2010. Under her leadership, ISL has been ranked as the 17th-largest senior housing provider in the nation and one of the largest providers in the state of California. In 2017, she helped launch SSL in partnership with NorthStar, bringing ISL’s style of management services to 32 independent communities; she also was CEO and COO of Solstice.

In addition to her role at ISL, Gray is a long-standing board member of the California Assisted Living Association. She has served as the chairwoman of its Workforce Development Committee for three years. She also serves on the Argentum Board of Directors and is the chairwoman of the Women in Leadership Committee.

Gray has a degree in business management from the University of Nevada–Las Vegas.

Jennifer Ferrer headshot
Jennifer Ferrer

Ferrer joined ISL in 2019, bringing with her more than 15 years of experience in finance. She previously worked in accounting with a variety of companies, including Ernst & Young, the National Hot Rod Association, and Picture Head, where she worked her way up to vice president of finance and accounting.

Ferrer earned her undergraduate degree in business economics with an emphasis in accounting and a minor in Asian American studies from the University of California–Santa Barbara.

ISL manages more than 45 independent, assisted living and memory care properties throughout 18 states. Solstice Senior Living manages 32 communities. NorthStar originates, acquires and asset-manages equity and debt investments in healthcare real estate, specifically needs-driven senior housing sector — independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing communities.

HC-One CEO Justin Hutchens steps down

Justin Hutchens

Justin Hutchens is stepping down from his position as CEO as HC-One to return to the United States to pursue a new healthcare-related finance and investment opportunity, according to HC-One. The company said Hutchins would share the details “publicly in due course.”

Hutchens has been the CEO of the home care provider in the United Kingdom since 2017. Before joining HC-One, he was president of HCP (now Healthpeak Properties) in 2017 and the real estate investment trust’s executive vice president and chief investment officer from 2015 to 2017. Before that, he was CEO, COO and president of National Health Investors from 2009 to 2015.

With Hutchens’ departure, HC-One said, Sir David Behan, CBE, is moving from chairman to executive chairman, John Ransford, CBE, is moving to the role of interim chief operating officer, and David Smith, chief financial officer, will retain his existing responsibilities and assume additional operational responsibilities.

Mather announces Wayne Langley, David Murlette as senior vice presidents 

Wayne Langley headshot
Wayne Langley

Wayne Langley is now senior vice president of community initiatives of Mather and the Mather Institute, and David Murlette is Mather’s new senior vice president and managing director of senior living.

Langley will oversee community resources and identify and bring new programs and practices to older adults in their communities, as well as provide leadership to Mather Institute’s applied research initiatives to support older adults and professionals in senior living and aging services.

David Murlette headshot
David Murlette

Murlette will oversee operations of the organization’s senior living residences, including a life plan community in Tysons, VA, slated to open in 2023.

Langley comes to Mather with significant experience in the aging services field, including executive positions with Sodexo, a national contract services company that provides services to senior services providers, and as president of national advertising agency Varsity.

Murlette has experience managing life plan communities across the country, including 12 years as president and CEO at Montereau in Tulsa, OK, and as a senior vice president with CRSA in Memphis, TN.

IVY Marketing Group hires Maureen Longoria as vice president

Maureen Longoria headshot
Maureen Longoria

Maureen Longoria has joined IVY Marketing Group as a vice president. The company recently developed ResponderHub, which the company says is the first crisis communications solution designed specifically for the senior living industry.

Longoria has been employed in executive positions across the Chicago area and has served on several business and charitable committees. She most recently was chief revenue and marketing officer at Moving Station for three years, and prior to that was chief revenue officer for sister company Orion Mobility for three years. Longoria also has held leadership roles with The Paxton Companies, Promisor Relocation, Resource Solution Affiliates and NRI Relocation.

She is a business administration graduate of St. Mary’s College, South Bend, IN.

United Hebrew of New Rochelle appoints Grace Ferri chief marketing officer

Grace Ferri headshot
Grace Ferri

Grace Ferri has been named chief marketing officer for United Hebrew of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY.

Ferri, a 26-year healthcare veteran, most recently was vice president of marketing and development for United Hebrew. In her new role, she is responsible for overseeing the fundraising and marketing for United Hebrew while serving as an ambassador for the organization’s New Rochelle campus. She also provides tours and one-on-one counseling to help families navigate the levels of senior care.

Ferri joined United Hebrew in 2007. Before then, she was director of annual giving and special events at Calvary Hospital for 13 years.

Ferri has an undergraduate degree in healthcare administration from Iona College.

Watermark Retirement Communities names national director of capital and plant operations

John Toro headshot
John Toro

John Toro has been named national director of capital and plant operations at Tucson, AZ-based Watermark Retirement Communities. He will have responsibility for Watermark communities across the country.

With two decades of experience in senior living, Toro had been Watermark’s regional director of plant operations in the West and Southwest from 2015 to 2017. He most recently was national director of plant operations for Senior Lifestyle Corp.

Sagewood names Jennifer LaForest director of business development at Acacia Health Center

Jennifer LaForest headshot
Jennifer LaForest

Jennifer LaForest has been named director of business development at the Acacia Health Center at Sagewood, a Phoenix life plan community.

With more than 20 years of experience in the retirement community and skilled nursing industry, LaForest previously was the campus director of admissions and marketing at Springsdale Village in Mesa, AZ, and prior to that was the director of admissions and marketing at Avalon Shadow Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ.

Acacia Health Center offers memory support, skilled nursing services and rehabilitative therapy for individuals who are seeking short- or long-term care. Desert Willow Assisted Living at Acacia Health Center has 44 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

Cypress Cove promotes Mary Franklin to associate executive director

Mary Franklin headshot
Mary Franklin

Mary Franklin has been promoted to the position of associate executive director of Cypress Cove at HealthPark Florida, Fort Myers.

Franklin joined Cypress Cove as director of resident services six years ago. In her new position, she will continue her leadership role with resident service functions and assume oversight for Cypress Cove’s three health service communities. She will work closely with Tim Ficker, who returned last fall as executive director, a position he held from 2009 to 2013.

Before joining Cypress Cove, Franklin spent eight years with Shell Point Retirement Community in Fort Myers working as resort services manager. Previously, she held recreational and fitness leadership positions at Grey Oaks Country Club in Naples and the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo.

Franklin graduated from Ohio University, Athens, OH, with a degree in recreation management. She recently completed work toward her administrator of assisted living certification.

Cypress Cove is home to more than 600 residents and offers independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, home health and rehabilitative care.

Zanthion hires Chad Anfinson as chief strategy and business development officer

Chad Anfinson has accepted the role of chief strategy and business development officer at Zanthion. He comes to the artificial intelligence digital healthcare company by way of the senior living industry.

Anfinson began his career in the late 1990s as the sales leader for newly constructed assisted living communities in Florida. After two years of leasing up multiple projects, he set his sights on the operations side of the house. He has experience as an executive director of an independent living community, an area director and a regional operations specialist. He was a consultant and troubleshooter for Emeritus Senior Living and Summerville Senior Living and later owned a home health operation. After selling that business, he worked again with Emeritus and Brookdale Senior Living. He has held regional vice president and vice president of ancillary services titles. Before joining the Zanthion team, Anfinson also developed a senior healthcare consulting company.

VirtuSense welcomes Tom Hale, M.D., Ph.D, as chief medical officer

Tom Hale headshot
Tom Hale, M.D., Ph.D.

Tom Hale, M.D., Ph.D., has joined VirtuSense Technologies, Peoria, IL,  as the company’s first chief medical officer. In this role, he will help VirtuSense build value-based services for accountable care organizations, Medicare Advantage plans and other at-risk models.

Hale comes to VirtuSense from Mercy Health, where he led virtual care services.

Hale has a Ph.D. in pharmacology from Saint Louis University. He earned his medical degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia Medical School and subsequently completed his internal medicine internship and residency at Mercy Hospital St. Louis, leading to board certification in 1983. In 2011, he earned a master’s degree in medical informatics from Northwestern University.

VirtuSense uses proprietary technology to prevent falls, pressure injuries and provide proactive care in senior living communities, skilled nursing facilities and hospitals.

Debi Damas joins Prime Care Technologies as senior director of product management

Debi Damas headshot
Debi Damas

Debi Damas has been appointed to the Prime Care Technologies product management team as senior director. She will contribute her post-acute care and regulatory expertise to the development of the company’s software as a service (SaaS) solutions.

For the past 28 years, Damas has held leadership roles in clinical services and product management for long-term care / post-acute care organizations looking to increase quality of care, retention and return on investment.

Damas has an Associate of Applied Science degree and a registered nurse degree from Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, as well as a diploma in paralegal studies / legal nurse consultant and a nano-degree in data foundations.