Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at [email protected].
Emerald Communities promotes Michelle Wood to VP of operations
Michelle Wood has been promoted from corporate controller to vice president of operations at Redmond, WA-based Emerald Communities, a nonprofit senior housing organization serving life plan communities Emerald Heights and Heron’s Key.
With Wood’s promotion, the Emerald Communities executive leadership team is now comprised entirely of women. This is the first time in Emerald Communities’ history that the company has a women-led and operated executive team.
Wood joined the Emerald Communities’ leadership team in 2013 as the corporate controller. In 2020, her role expanded to oversee accounting and information systems.
Wood earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting from Seattle University, where she now is pursuing an MBA. She expects to graduate next year.
Epoch Senior Living founder Laurence Gerber passes away
Laurence “Larry” Gerber, who founded Epoch Senior Living in 1997 and was president and CEO of the company, passed away March 25. He was 66.
Gerber had been active in the senior living industry in New England for more than 30 years. His career included service as board chair of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association and the Massachusetts Senior Care Association as well as Hebrew SeniorLife.
Before Epoch, Gerber was a management consultant at Bain & Company and a senior tax accountant and certified public accountant at Arthur Anderson & Co. Also, he was president and CEO of the Berkshire Group from 1991 to 1997.
Gerber received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and his MBA from the Harvard Business School.
He is survived by his wife, Laurie; his mother, Rebecca; daughters Cheryl, Jennifer, Julie Rivera (Yimi); granddaughter Luna; and brothers Steven (Ellen) and Geoffrey (Laurie).In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Temple Beth Elohim or Brigham and Women’s Hospital, according to a published obituary.
Lorien Health Services hires Johnna Brandt as LNHA to oversee assisted living, skilled nursing
Johnna Brandt has been hired as the licensed nursing home administrator at Belair, MD-based Lorien Health Services. She will oversee both assisted living and skilled nursing.
Before joining Lorien, Brandt went through multiple clinical rotations — cardiac, pulmonary, and renal rehab, as well as exercise counseling — while she attended the University of Delaware. She completed the first six months of her administrator-in-training program at Lorien’s community in Mount Airy, MD, and the second portion at Villa Rosa Nursing Rehabilitation in Mitchellville, MD. After earning her nursing home administrator license, Brandt became the administrator of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center subacute unit. She worked there for a year before returning to Lorien.
Brandt graduated from Gettysburg College in 2019 with a major in health science and a minor in education and religious studies. In 2020, she earned a master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology from the University of Delaware.
Monarch Landing promotes Kelli Cox to associate executive director
Kelli Cox has been promoted from director of resident life and wellness to associate executive director at Monarch Landing, Naperville, IL. She formerly was resident life and wellness director.
During her 20-plus year career, Cox has worked as a case manager, volunteer coordinator, director of resident and family services and executive director for senior living communities. She also has run a concierge service assisting older adults. She earned her real estate broker’s license, becoming certified as a senior real estate specialist.
Buckner names Stephan Pyles chief culinary adviser for Texas communities
Stephan Pyles has been named chief culinary adviser for Buckner Retirement Services’ communities in Texas.
Pyles, a James Beard Award-winning chef from Texas, will advise regarding culinary services at Buckner Villas in Austin, Calder Woods in Beaumont, Parkway Place in Houston and Buckner Westminster Place in Longview, in addition to his established advisory role with Ventana by Buckner in Dallas.
Pyles has created 23 restaurants in six cities over the past 32 years, including Routh Street Café, Baby Routh, Star Canyon, Stephan Pyles, Samar, Stampede 66 and Flora Street Café.
Wheelock Terrace names Doug Langevin executive chef
Doug Langevin has been named executive chef at Wheelock Terrace, Hanover, NH.
Langevin comes to Wheelock Terrace after owned and operate his own restaurant, Kitchen 56, in Enfield, NH. With an undergraduate degree in the culinary arts from Johnson and Wales University, Langevin has owned and operated several restaurants in New England and he has won awards for his culinary expertise across the country. His experience includes upscale hotels and fine dining experiences in Newport Beach, CA, South Beach in Florida, Washington, DC, and Atlanta.
Care Providers of Minnesota seeks new CEO as Patti Cullen announces retirement
Patti Cullen is retiring as president and CEO of Care Providers of Minnesota, effective in December.
Starting her career as a direct caregiver to people with disabilities, Cullen’s professional journey eventually took her into politics and management. She started her career at Care Providers of Minnesota, he state affiliate of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, as an advocacy specialist in 1986 after working for several years as a provider member of the association. Cullen served for several decades as one of the association’s lobbyists and vice president of advocacy before being selected to be president/CEO in 2007.
Over the years, she has mentored many women and served on many state and national boards.
Cullen has a master’s degree in mass communication and political science and has been a certified association executive since 2006. In 2018 she was awarded the Dutch Kastenbaum Outstanding Gerontologist by the Minnesota Gerontological Society, which recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the lives of older persons and the field of aging throughout Minnesota. In 2020, she was named to the Hall of Honor in the McKnight’s Women of Distinction program.
A search for Cullen’s successor has begun. Questions and letters of interest may be sent to [email protected]; further information is available here.
Bethesda CEO Michelle Haefner joins board of directors at LeadingAge Minnesota
Michelle Haefner, the CEO at Bethesda, has been appointed to the board of directors at LeadingAge Minnesota.
Haefner has extensive experience in the field. She has been helping to lead Bethesda’s mission since 2005 and has been serving as CEO since 2013. She has earned several accolades, including being named to LeadingAge Minnesota’s 50 for the Next 50, which recognizes innovative and influential leaders who are charting the course for the next wave of older adult services that empower Minnesotans to age well and live fully.
Benchmark names Devin Becker-Currlin annual ‘Service Champion’
Devin Becker-Currlin, a resident care associate at Benchmark Senior Living’s The Village at South Farms, was selected from more than 6,000 associates to receive the company’s 2023 Service Champion Award.
March 9 at the company’s 20th annual awards gala, Becker-Currlin was honored for going above and beyond to provide transformative experiences for residents, families and fellow employees.
Service champions are chosen monthly at each of Benchmark’s 65 communities and the Waltham, MA, home office. At year-end, an overall winner is chosen. Becker-Currlin was selected as the overall winner for creatively elevating human connection, improving the experience of aging and demonstrating a commitment to Benchmark’s mission, vision and values.
Caddis Partners welcomes Cassandra Foster as vice president, transactions
Cassandra Foster has been hired to lead the transactions team at Dallas-based national healthcare real estate firm Caddis Partners.
Prior to taking on her new role, Foster was a real estate attorney with more than 10 years of law firm experience. During her tenure with Hallett and Perrin PC, she served as Caddis’ outside transactional counsel. Most recently, she was director and shareholder at Otten Johnson Robinson Neff + Ragonetti PC, where she represented real estate developers, institutional lenders and private equity groups.
Foster is a member of the Colorado and Texas state bars. She earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law and holds an undergraduate degree in applied economics and management from Cornell University.
Partner Valuation Advisors names Brian Chandler senior managing director
Brian Chandler has been named senior managing director at Chicago-based national commercial real estate valuation advisory firm Partner Valuation Advisors. He will lead the seniors housing practice, focused on conducting appraisals, market studies, large portfolio engagements and consulting assignments for properties on a national basis. He also will be a member of the firm’s national leadership team.
Chandler brings more than 30 years of commercial real estate experience. Before Partner Valuation Advisors, he most recently was managing director for JLL Valuation and Advisory, overseeing the seniors housing team for more than six years in Dallas.
Chandler holds an MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute, is a member of the American Senior Housing Association, and earned a CRE designation from the Counselors of Real Estate in 2012. He earned an undergraduate degree in business administration from the University of North Texas.
Rendever adds two executives
Catherine Day has joined Boston-based virtual reality platform company Rendever as vice president of product strategy, and Nathan Myers has joined as vice president of global healthcare partnerships.
In her new position, Day will assume leadership over existing products and services while leading strategy and product design. Day has worked in media and technology for almost 20 years, is an award-winning filmmaker and has led impact-focused VR projects with industry leaders.
Myers has more than 20 years of experience. In his role, he will round out Rendever’s services in healthcare by bringing its technology to hospitals across the country, where VR will aid patients in their healthcare journeys as they undergo treatments.
Joe & Bella adds new board members
Chicago-based adaptive apparel brand Joe & Bella has named a new advisory board to “support the brand’s growth and further its connection to the senior-housing industry.” The new members:
- Scott Blount, senior managing director, VIUM Capital
- Sevy Petras, CEO, Priority Life Care
- Tony Ruberg, senior managing director, VIUM Capital
- Jason Zuccari, Hamilton Insurance; Board member, Hilarity for Charity
Send your personnel news to Lois Bowers at [email protected]. High-quality color headshots are welcome but not required.
