Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at [email protected].
Presbyterian Homes names Nadim Abi-Antoun president and CEO
Nadim Abi-Antoun has been named president and CEO of Skokie, IL-based Presbyterian Homes. The independent, not-for-profit, faith-based senior living organization has two life plan communities in Illinois that collectively serve 1,400 residents.
He succeeds Todd Swortzel, who previously announced his retirement and now will serve as an executive adviser to Presbyterian Homes.
Abi-Antoun joined Presbyterian Homes in 2011 as vice president of information technology, and and became chief operations officer in 2015. He has been serving as COO since then. A search for a new chief operating officer will begin in early 2023.
He began his career in senior living in 2001 when he joined CJE SeniorLife as director of information technology.
Abi-Antoun graduated from American University of Beirut with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree, and he earned an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Lake Forest, IL.
He is chair-elect of the board of directors of LeadingAge Illinois, the state partner of both LeadingAge and Argentum. Additionally, he is a co-founder and board member of Brightside, a pediatric cancer research foundation.
National Church Residences announces Damita R. Brown as chief diversity officer
Damita R. Brown has been named the new chief diversity officer at National Church Residences, Columbus, OH.
Brown comes to the organization from the city of Columbus, where she had served in three positions since 2016. Over the past three years, Brown was the leader and chief architect of the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. She was responsible for setting priorities across city government operations, instituting the city’s first employee engagement survey and citywide racial equity and implicit bias training, and developing DEI performance measures and comprehensive plans to achieve greater accountability and transparency.
Prior to her work with the city of Columbus, Brown advanced diversity and inclusion initiatives at Huntington National Bank and the Columbus Regional Airport Authority.
Brown holds a Master of Public Administration degree from Ohio State University and an undergraduate degree in political science from Capital University, Columbus.
Health Services Management appoints Brian Jackson as chief quality and risk officer
Brian Jackson, MBA, NHA, has been appointed as chief quality and risk officer for Health Services Management.
In this new role, he is responsible for assessing and mitigating significant competitive, regulatory and internal risks, as well as managing the company’s quality improvement systems and processes.
He also will continue his work as the company’s designated corporate compliance officer to promote compliance with federal, state and jurisdictional-related policies and procedures.
LCS promotes GeLynna Shaw to EVP of operations
GeLynna Shaw has been promoted to the role of executive vice president of operations / senior living management at LCS.
Shaw’s 25-year senior living career includes experience in finance, mergers, acquisitions and operations for both continuing care retirement communities and rental communities. She joined LCS in 2018 as the senior vice president of operations for the rental division. She was promoted in 2020 to senior vice president and managing director of operations, overseeing the operations and sales for approximately 50 communities in 19 states.
Shaw, a certified public accountant, is active in the LCS Women’s Leadership Council and Public Policy Committee.
Lorien Health Services names John Mangione Jr. VP, care forward
John Mangione Jr. has been named vice president, care forward, at Lorien Health Services.
In his new role, he will oversee Lorien’s assisted living communities and home health services and will be involved in areas that include brand exposure, operations and sales. He also will focus on identifying trends that will affect the future of care.
Mangione started at Lorien’s Columbia, MD, facility in 2009 and after working in various roles throughout the company was accepted into the administrator-in-training program. He received his nursing home administrator license in 2012 and opened up Lorien Elkridge, Elkridge, MD.
Mangione graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in agricultural and resources economics.
Civitas’ Elk Creek welcomes Shelly Griffin as executive director
Shelly Griffin has been named executive director at Elk Creek, a Civitas Senior Living community in Burleson, TX.
Griffin brings more than 10 years of supervisory, administrative and interpersonal communication experience to her new role.
Juniper Communities announces Randy A. East as Applewood Place executive director
Randy A. East has been named executive director of Applewood Place, a Juniper Communities assisted living community in Lakewood, CO.
East as a teenager was a caregiver to his grandmother, who had dementia. His career in healthcare and serving older adults spans 25 years. His senior living roles have included operations leadership, sales and marketing management and time as a dementia care educator and administrator. Most recently, he consulted with multiple upscale continuing care retirement communities and provided care management for older adults living dementia.
East formerly was a member of the board of the Alzheimer’s Association of the National Capital Area, serving as the development and communication committee chairperson for four years.
He has an education in theology, training as an assisted living administrator and advanced training in dementia pathology, care and best practices.
Oakmont Management Group announces 3 promotions
Brooke Coyne, John Diaz and Honey Obymako have been promoted by Oakmont Management Group.
Coyne began with Oakmont Senior Living as a concierge focusing on resident relations at Oakmont of East Sacramento. Her new position will be marketing director for Oakmont of Westpark.
Diaz began as a sous chef supporting oversight of the day-to-day kitchen while also helping lead and support kitchen staffs in menu preparations and meeting goals. He now has obtained the title of executive chef and will spearhead Oakmont of San Jose’s culinary operations and employee development.
Obymako has been promoted from marketing coordinator to marketing director, focusing on internal sales and team leadership at Ivy Park at Santa Rosa.
JLL hires Alison Flynn Gaffney as division president, healthcare
Alison Flynn Gaffney, FACHE, has been named division president, healthcare, at JLL.
With more than 30 years of industry experience, Flynn Gaffney most recently was the interim chief operating officer with the University of Utah Health Hospitals and Clinics, where she had executive and financial oversight for all inpatient and ambulatory operations.
Flynn Gaffney has held senior operational, consulting and strategic executive-level roles within healthcare organizations. As a founding member of Nexera, she oversaw operations, compliance and strategic planning. She also worked for Giuliani Partners, leading its international healthcare practice.
Ecore International names Debra Lechner CMO
Debra Lechner has been hired as chief marketing officer for Ecore International.
Lechner has more than 30 years of experience in the flooring and building materials industry. She started her career with global flooring manufacturer Armstrong World Industries, where she spent 12 years in various marketing and product management roles. In 2014, after 10 years leading member services for Starnet Commercial Flooring Cooperative, she returned to Armstrong World Industries, where she spent six years in marketing leadership roles, including commercial marketing director, director of channel marketing and, ultimately, vice president of marketing. In 2020, she moved to Cornerstone Building Brands, where she oversaw channel marketing, digital marketing, product management, training, merchandising and sustainability for the company’s Ply Gem Siding and Fence and Railing business.
Lechner earned her undergraduate degree in communication arts from Grove City College in Grove City, PA, and has completed multiple leadership programs throughout her career.
Lument hires Justin Elshire as managing director
Justin Elshire has joined Lument as a managing director. He is responsible for originating and structuring commercial mortgage loans for seniors housing and healthcare clients across the country, focusing primarily on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Housing Administration and US Department of Agriculture loan programs, as well Lument’s proprietary lending products.
Elshire has more than 20 years of financial and commercial real estate experience, most recently leading a bridge lending, FHA and agency platform as managing director for Hudson Realty Capital. Other previous roles include executive vice president at X-Caliber Capital, vice president at Arbor Realty Trust and positions at TD Bank and Wells Fargo.
Luminaut hires client leader, senior interior designer
Connie Jung has been named client leader, and Debra Sparks has been named senior interior designer at Indianapolis architecture and interior design firm Luminaut.
Jung is an award-winning interior designer with more than 30 years of experience. For the past 19 years, she was principal and founder of Jung Design, a commercial design firm based in Indianapolis. She was the first registered interior designer in Indiana and is a past president of the Interior Design Coalition of Indiana
Sparks is an award-winning designer with more than 27 years of experience. She specializes in senior living communities and public libraries, and her portfolio also includes healthcare, higher education, religious and civic spaces. She is a former instructor of professional practices at Ball State University and a former art teacher at the Anderson Museum of Art.
Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at [email protected]. High-quality color headshots are welcome but not required.
