Co-Founder & CPO, AlphaROC
Shanu Aggarwal is Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at AlphaROC, leading product strategy and research functions. Shanu brings 20 years of investing experience, including 17 years as a Portfolio Manager, to the team. Throughout his investing career he relied on deep research with varied datasets to generate alpha. Before co-founding AlphaROC, Shanu was the Founder/Managing Partner of Bodhi Tree Advisors, a global long/short hedge fund. Prior to Bodhi Tree, he was a Portfolio Manager at Citadel and Diamondback, and Partner/Portfolio Manager at Meru Capital, alongside a team he worked with previously at Old Lane from its inception through to its sale to Citigroup. Shanu began his career as an Investment Banker at Goldman Sachs after graduating Cum Laude from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
EVP, Growth, Health Dimensions Group
With more than 25 years of leadership experience in the senior care sector, Mr. Branin develops and implements sales and business growth strategies to position Health Dimensions Group® (HDG®) for success as a leading consulting and management firm. Collaborating with other HDG leaders and leadership teams, he cultivates and strengthens key organizational partnerships and evaluates potential management, development, and acquisition opportunities.
Mr. Branin has held a wide variety of titles at the community, regional, and national level. He has worked extensively with communities across the country, serving as executive director for assisted living and memory care facilities; overseeing the construction and development of communities in multiple states; consulting with both REITs and providers on operations and asset management; and working in private equity overseeing a nationwide portfolio of senior living assets.
Some of Mr. Branin’s core areas of expertise include:
Past accomplishments include the successful transition of operational management for 23 assets in nine states, encompassing 2,600 long-term care beds, and oversight of the acquisition and transitional operations of senior housing properties for a large national provider.
President & CEO, Massachusetts Assisted Living Association
Brian Doherty has served as president and CEO of the Massachusetts Assisted Living Association (Mass-ALA), since 2018. His successful leadership was recognized by Argentum, which named him a 2022 Champion of Seniors Awardee. As assisted living is a relatively new and fast-growing sector, and an innovative model of a social wellness environment, Doherty focuses on educating policymakers and the public on its beneficial role in healthy aging. This includes legislative and regulatory advocacy, and the production and promotion of consumer resources including the Assisted Living Resource Guide, which is published annually and provided free to members of the public.
Doherty has a proven record in association management, having successfully led associations in different sectors. He served as Executive Director at the Massachusetts Psychological Association and, prior to that, as CEO of the Northeast Association of REALTORS®. In a volunteer capacity, he currently serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the New England Society of Association Executives, where he has served on the Board since 2018.
Senior Vice President, Argentum
Maggie has nearly 30 years of experience in health care policy, leadership, and advocacy on federal and state levels. She joined Argentum in September of 2020 to construct a national policy platform for the Senator Living Industry to address the great care challenges of our nation’s aging population. At Argentum she oversees policy development, advocacy, and political communications. Prior to her service at Argentum, Maggie served as Vice President of Government Affairs and Policy at the National Rural Health Association. During this time, she transformed a small advocacy organization with limited resources into a nationally recognized leader in health policy, cited in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, and national cable and network news. Maggie has served on national task forces led by the White House, HHS, and both Republican and Democratic House and Senate Leadership. Prior to this, she served as an advocate for the American Medical Association and as Legislative Counsel to three U.S. Senators where she focused on intricate health care policy and Medicare and Medicaid legislation. Maggie has a B.S. in Journalism from Oregon State University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Oregon School of Law. She lives in Annapolis, Maryland with her husband, three children and two dogs.
President, Merrill Gardens
Tana Gall is responsible for all aspects of operations and growth at the 66 Merrill senior living communities in 17 states – Merrill Gardens and Truewood by Merrill. Gall has over 30 years of experience in senior living leadership roles, and she is focused on creating a culture where the 4,000 team members and 7,000 residents who live and work at Merrill thrive. Under Gall’s leadership, the company is recognized as one of the most respected providers of senior living in the country. Gall recently led the launch of the Truewood by Merrill communities with a focus on seniors in the underserved middle market.
Prior to joining Merrill, Gall spent 19 years at Leisure Care, where she worked in all aspects of operations, and she was named President in 2010. After leaving Leisure Care, Gall was President at Merrill Gardens for three years before becoming a principal and founding partner at 2Ten Consulting. She was the Chief Executive Officer at Blue Harbor Senior Living for three years before returning to Merrill Gardens as President in 2019.
Gall is an industry leader, serving as Vice Chairperson of the Argentum Board of Directors and she was previously the leader of the Argentum Executive Director Leadership Institute. She is focused on bringing new leadership to the industry and was instrumental in the establishment of the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living at Washington State University. Based on her career accomplishments, she was asked to join the Bellevue College Healthcare Management and Leadership Advisory. She was named a Woman of Distinction by McKnight’s Senior living, an award that honors women in senior living who inspire and impact the lives of residents and team members, and the Puget Sound Business Journal recently named Gall the Middle Market Executive of the Year. Away from work, Gall is on the Emeritus Board and volunteers with Treehouse, a Washington state organization supporting children in foster care, and works with the Husky Leadership Institute at the University of Washington, guiding students to become change agents in their communities.
Gall earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington.
Owner & CEO, Patriot Angels
In 2012, former Mrs. Alaska, Suzette Graham, founded patriot angels to help U.S. wartime veterans and their families access the VA’s aid and attendance pension. Frustrated by the complex application process, she created a streamlined solution to ensure veterans receive the benefits they earned.
Suzette’s passion for advocacy began early, earning the heroism award in 2000 for lobbying child welfare reforms. Recognizing another underserved group, she shifted her focus to aging veterans struggling to afford senior care despite their VA benefits.
Under Suzette’s leadership, Patriot Angels has become a trusted national resource, helping thousands secure VA benefits efficiently. Committed to leaving no veteran behind, she continues working with senior communities, caregivers, and policymakers to expand access, providing dignity, security, and peace of mind.
Chief Executive Officer and Principal
Erin Hennessey is a certified gerontologist with 20 years of experience in senior health care. As chief executive officer, she provides leadership and direction setting for HDG.
As both a strategic thought leader and tactical realist, Ms. Hennessey understands the complexities of moving from volume- to value-driven health care systems. She has considerable experience advising post-acute care providers in the areas of operational performance and financial improvement and development of health care strategies. Her experience also includes serving as administrator and senior leader of skilled nursing and senior living facilities in several states.
Ms. Hennessey’s areas of expertise include the following:
Ms. Hennessey is active in acute, post-acute, and senior services organizations, working to provide them with education resources, industry information, and support for members in the area of senior services. She is a sought-after speaker at state and national meetings on a variety of topics, including senior health care, health care reform, value-based transformation, and planning for aging populations. Ms. Hennessey was named a 2019 Senior Living Leader Under 40 by Argentum, a national senior living association. She has been named to the LeadingAge Minnesota Board of Directors and was chosen as a 2021 Women in Business honoree by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Most recently, she was recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the Top Women Leaders in Healthcare for 2023 and joined the Wallick Communities Board of Directors in 2024.
CEO-CEI, New Perspective
Chris has served residents, patients, family members, associates, shareholders, and suppliers for 30 years. Chris is currently in his seventh year as the co-CEO for New Perspective. Over the years, Chris served at Brookdale Senior Living, as Executive Vice President, Operations Support. Prior to joining Brookdale, via merger in 2014, Chris was Chief Operating Officer at Emeritus Senior Living. Chris embarked on his journey into seniors housing with Emeritus the latter part of 1998. Throughout his 16 years with Emeritus, he held a variety of servant leadership roles including: operations, health & wellness, administration, procurement, sales, marketing, information technology, innovation and optimization, resident engagement, culinary services, owner relations, and new development. Prior to Emeritus, Chris thoroughly enjoyed direct patient care at Mary Black Memorial Hospital, where he held various positions within the clinical realm.
Chris graduated from Spartanburg College and the University of South Carolina Upstate. Over the years, he successfully attained licenses in: Residential Care Home Administration, State & Federal Nursing Home Administration and from the Board of Nursing. Chris currently serves on the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and as the Public Policy Chairman for Argentum. He is also a member of American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing (NIC).
Senior Advisor, Husch Blackwell Strategies
Lynn Jacquez’s professional background spans private law practice, government relations, and service in the Federal government. Upon graduation from the University of Notre Dame School of Law, she came to Capitol Hill to serve as counsel for the House Judiciary Committee. In her work for its Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and International Law, she had primary responsibility for the drafting and processing of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) and refugee reauthorization legislation. After her tenure on the Committee, Ms. Jacquez entered private practice with Heron, Burchette, Ruckert & Rothwell, and later with McAuliffe, Kelly & Raffaelli. In 1992, she helped form the government relations firm which became CJ Strategies in 2006 and CJ Lake in 2011. In 2021 she established the law firm of JPH Law, LLC. She serves as Managing Partner and Principal at CJ Lake and as Of Counsel to JPH Law firm. Ms. Jacquez recently began an affiliation with national advocacy firm Husch Blackwell Strategies, with a federal presence and 11 offices located throughout the country.
In her legal practice, Ms. Jacquez represents employers in individual and class action litigation involving MSPA, wage and labor and immigration law. She counsels employer clients on statutory and regulatory compliance with employment laws including I-9 compliance and temporary foreign worker visa program compliance. She represents organizations seeking regulatory and legislative reform to address workforce issues and is actively engaged on behalf of employers in developing immigration program reform legislation. Ms. Jacquez also represents organizations working to develop policy on sustainable agriculture, resiliency and sustainable goods movement.
Ms. Jacquez is a member of the District of Columbia Bar. Ms. Jacquez received her undergraduate degree from L’Université d’Aix-Marseilles and holds a law degree from the University of Notre Dame School of Law.
CEO/Co-founder, AHMG/Elevate Senior Living
Joseph Jasmon serves as CEO of American Healthcare Management Group (AHMG), a nationally recognized consulting firm focused on operational and financial improvement in the following areas: multi-hospital health systems, stand-alone hospitals, rural hospitals, large physician groups, senior living communities, mental health facilities, and family-owned enterprises. AHMG also provides leadership training, corporate retreats, individualized staff training, human resources and insurance audit services along with cost reduction strategies. Jasmon has served as the CEO / Managing Partner of AHMG since its inception in 2004.
Joseph is also a Founding Partner in Elevate Senior Living a new mid-market assisted living and memory care community solution designed to serve the retired teacher, firefighter, policeman, factory worker, public service worker among other middle class retirees that are the backbone of our society.
Joseph is a Founding Partner in Crossroads, LLC , a new company built around the creation and development of a rural community healthcare replacement solution. Crossroads has created a Neighborhood Health Community concept that will provide and answer to the failing rural hospital dilemma.
Jasmon has also served as CEO of Shepherd Senior Living, where he was responsible for providing overall leadership to the organization and its Board of Directors, overseeing growth, development and strategy, and ensuring strong financial performance and outstanding resident care.
Prior to his role with Shepherd, Jasmon served as COO of The LaSalle Group, Inc., where he provided top-level leadership to The LaSalle Group’s overall operations and its four divisions. Jasmon also directed and oversaw the expansion efforts of the business, growing the Memory Care portfolio from 12 to 40 communities, with an average occupancy well over 94%. He researched and developed new business opportunities and furthered the strategic vision and goals of the company. Jasmon has served as visionary leader and Chief Operating Officer for multiple Health Systems – Renown Health, Memorial Health, St. Mary’s Medical Center, Caritas Christi Healthcare System, Good Shepherd Health System and Memorial Health University Physicians. With over 30 years of experience in operational improvement and optimization of resources, Jasmon has additionally served a multitude of healthcare, senior living and general business clients.
He holds a BA and MBA from the University of Illinois – Springfield, and is a member of Argentum, ASHA and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Medical Group Management Association and the Knights of Columbus.
Senior Advisor, Husch Blackwell Strategies
Bio coming soon.
CEO, NIC MAP
Arick Morton is the CEO of NIC MAP, the trusted intelligence partner exclusively built for the senior housing industry. Under his leadership, NIC MAP has transformed how the industry leverages data, becoming the first official data partner of Argentum and ASHA and introducing AI technology to enhance market insights. With 19+ years of market data on 35K+ properties, the platform serves over 8,000 customers nationwide. Arick serves on the Argentum Board of Directors, ASHA Advisory Board and was named a GlobeSt. Senior Housing Influencer.
Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Development, WellTower Inc.
John Olympitis is Executive Vice President – Head of Corporate Development and has responsibility for originating transactions and managing growth relationships across all asset classes, as well as leading the Business Development and Strategy teams. Previously, Mr. Olympitis served as a Senior Vice President and Vice President in both the Business Development and Investment groups and has been actively involved in acquisition and development, having served at the forefront of several Welltower joint ventures with world class institutions.
Mr. Olympitis started his career in real estate finance in Capital Markets and Investor Relations roles at The Rouse Company in Columbia, Maryland, and subsequently spent more than 10 years on Wall Street at Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and private investment vehicles in advisory and portfolio management roles before joining Welltower in early 2015. He completed 8 years of study in England and graduated with honors from University College London (UK), and sits on the board of directors of the University’s US non–profit.
Vice President of Government Affairs, Direct Supply
Brian is the Vice President of Government Affairs at Direct Supply, a leading provider of innovative solutions for the senior living industry. With over two decades of experience in government affairs, he is a healthcare policy expert who specializes in developing strategies to manage political relationships while navigating public policy opportunities and risks across the healthcare spectrum.
In his current role, he focuses on strategic business development through government relations and looks to advance the ways in which applied technologies and AI can be leveraged to enhance policy and market outcomes.
He serves on the Board of Directors for Direct Supply Senior Living Advocacy and has been instrumental in the Tell Our Stories platform and initiative, which showcases the stories of seniors and their caregivers, and advocates for innovation and excellence in the senior care industry.
Brian is passionate about improving the quality of life and care for seniors and their caregivers, and has a proven track record of policy development, legislative and regulatory strategy, political engagement, industry coalition-building, grassroots advocacy, and PAC management.
President & CEO, Georgia Senior Living Association
Catie is an accomplished association and nonprofit leader with over 20 years of experience in team leadership development, strategic planning, evaluation, fundraising, community & member engagement, board development, and volunteer management. An activator and achiever with a high capacity for work and engaging the teams around her, Catie manages complex, concurrent projects with ease, using analytical problem-solving skills to reframe challenges and develop effective and implementable solutions.
Catie is an exceptional communicator and collaborator who foundationally builds relationships with key stakeholders, colleagues, vendors, and the community.
As a manager, Catie leads staff teams and volunteer groups in furthering organizational strategies and improving processes. She has a deep commitment to the community and corporate social responsibility. She is an aspirational leader, not afraid to do what needs to be done, no matter the level of work. She encourages teams to challenge her, and one another, with the desire to help develop teams that are diverse and flexible. She loves the “how” and the “wow” of output development.
Her vast experience all connects to offer a strong and growing leader that can resource any need laid in front of her.
SENIOR Act Sponsor & Member of the House Long-Term Care Caucus
Congresswoman Lori Trahan proudly represents Massachusetts’ Third Congressional District, made up of 35 cities and towns including her hometown of Lowell. The granddaughter of immigrants, Lori grew up in a working-class family with her dad working long, hard hours as a union ironworker and her mom juggling part-time jobs while caring for her and her three sisters.
Lori is a proud graduate of the Lowell Public School system, and during her time at Lowell High School, she became a standout volleyball player. She earned a volleyball scholarship to Georgetown University where she became the first person in her family to graduate from college. Like many, Lori was introduced to public service as a college student in Washington, D.C. After college, she joined former Congressman Marty Meehan’s staff, working her way up to Chief of Staff. She deeply enjoyed working to serve her hometown and people across Massachusetts, but she also witnessed firsthand the increasing partisanship that served wealthy special interests instead of families like the one she grew up in.
After a decade in public service, Lori took on a new challenge in the private sector as the only female executive at a tech company. Her passion for bringing women into leadership positions led her to co-found a women-owned and -operated consulting firm. In that role, she advised various companies on business strategy and how to create the ideal conditions for employees – especially women – to thrive.
Lori decided to run for Congress in 2018 – the first time she had ever sought public office – because she wanted to expand economic opportunities for working families in Massachusetts. Sworn in alongside a historically diverse class of new members, Lori immediately got to work for the people of the Third District. Now, as a member of the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Lori is an advocate for Third District residents – working to expand access to affordable, quality health care, end the addiction crisis, rebuild our infrastructure, tackle climate change, protect kids online, and more. She also serves in House Democratic Leadership as Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy & Communications Committee, Senior Whip and member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.
During her time in Congress, Lori has responded swiftly to crises from the Merrimack Valley gas explosions, when she secured passage of the Leonel Rondon Pipeline Safety Act, to the COVID-19 pandemic, when she co-founded the Pandemic Preparedness Caucus, to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, when she immediately got to work on behalf of women and health care providers. With every issue, Lori continues to prioritize the district she was born in, raised in, and that she and her husband are now raising their two young daughters in. To that end, Lori has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for local infrastructure projects, small businesses, health centers, community organizations, and more.
Chief Executive Officer, Avanti Senior Living
As a Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Avanti Senior Living, Alford is known as one of the industry’s leading and most respected innovators of development, design and programming. Her future-forward vision and passion for the industry are paired with a history of implementing change at organizations of varying sizes and capacities.
For 25 years, she has been passionate about providing older adults with sophisticated living, state-of-the-art architectural and interior design, and wellness that surpasses the highest benchmark. Throughout her career, Alford has embraced the “disruptive theory” and has explored ways to challenge the status quo to improve the life of seniors and workplace environment.
Along with being recognized with numerous awards throughout her career, Lori is actively involved in numerous industry advisory roles and boards including Chair of Urban Land Institute’s Senior Housing Council, Environments for Aging Design, National Investment Committee, American Senior Housing Association, Aging 2.0, and Senior Living Innovation Forum. She is passionate for inspiring and mentoring women to achieve the best they can be professionally and personally.
CEO & Co-Founder, Charter Senior Living
After a humbling but formative beginning as a caregiver, Keven rose to executive ranks in the senior living sector, working for several large national providers. He worked in every functional department of a skilled nursing community before ultimately earning his Nursing Home Administrator License in the state of Ohio. Concurrently, he completed his MBA, receiving his Masters of Health Care Administration from Cleveland State University. Keven continued his career in several senior living companies, serving as Executive Director, Regional Director, and eventually becoming Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer of Senior Lifestyle Corporation in Chicago.
Now, with 30 years of experience, Keven leads Charter Senior Living as it enters into its ninth year of operation with 60 properties in 15 states, and he is focused exclusively on advancing his team-inspired culture and vision for senior living under the Charter banner.
Chief Experience Officer, Avanti Senior Living
Currently serving as Chief Experience Officer at Avanti Living, bringing over 25 years of expertise in health and wellness. Focused on enhancing the senior living experience, the role prioritizes customer experience design, project management, and integrated care to foster a vibrant and connected community for residents and staff.
Previously, contributed to health strategy and wellness initiatives as SVP of Health Strategy and Wellness at Watermark Retirement Communities. With a commitment to innovation and collaboration, the mission is to create impactful, resident-focused solutions that prioritize wellness and community engagement.
Chief Financial Officer, Hawthorn Senior Living
SVP, Chief Revenue Officer Senior Housing, Ventas
As Senior Vice President, Chief Revenue Officer, Senior Housing, Lindsay Casillas focuses on enhancing the strong organic growth and operational performance of Ventas’s Senior Housing Operating Portfolio (SHOP). A member of the senior leadership team, Casillas works in collaboration with more than 30 best-in-class senior housing operators and leverages Ventas’s proprietary data analytics and experiential insights platform, Ventas OITM, to drive the quality of service and performance of Ventas’s SHOP communities.
Lindsay’s past success spans the senior housing and hospitality industries and includes a proven track record of elevating customer experience and delivering strong performance. She has led teams and portfolios in numerous industries to surpass revenue targets, including in every product line in senior living.
Lindsay held leadership roles in Global Fortune 500 companies prior to joining Ventas, including as National Vice President of Sales, Corporate Services at Compass Group and SVP of Sales, Senior Housing at Sodexo. She has served in the private equity sector as Chief Growth Officer at Arcis Golf and spent 15 years in senior housing, including at Brookdale Senior Living, where she grew her career from regional sales director to Vice President of Owner Relations.
Casillas is a member of the board of Argentum, the leading national association dedicated to supporting companies operating professionally managed senior living communities. She is a member of the C-Suite Women’s Network, Chief, and KPMG Executive Leadership for Women. She holds a B.A in Speech Communications from Texas A&M University.
Founder & Partner, Evolve Senior Living
I love that I get to be a part of a team that is dedicated to positively changing the lives of our residents. Fundamentally, I believe that the senior living industry needs to change and am committed to leading the discussion to take us there.
Prior to founding Evolve Senior Living, I was the President of Anthology Senior Living – overseeing finance, investment, development, asset management, and operations for their 45-community portfolio. Before my time at Anthology, I served as Executive Vice President at Pathway to Living (a Waterton company); overseeing operational performance for their 48-community portfolio. I have also held development and investment-related positions at the Janko Group and Welltower (NYSE: WELL).
I live in Denver, Colorado with my wife and two children. In our free time, we like to ski, hike, and attend concerts at Red Rocks!
Education: BS, Purdue University
Partner, Hanson Bridgett
Joel represents a wide array of developers, owners, and operators of senior care communities, including, assisted living, continuing care, and congregate senior communities. He focuses on regulatory, licensure, and operational issues, as well as resident and risk management issues.
Joel has been a noted presenter at numerous conferences and seminars throughout the United States for senior care industry associations, legal organizations, and university academic programs. His practical approach to issues and vast experience with senior care communities also make him a popular presenter at in-house training programs for multi-facility providers. Joel is a founding member of the California Assisted Living Association and has served on its Board of Directors since its inception in 1994.
Executive Vice President & CFO, Distinctive Living (moderator)
Lindsey Hacker graduated with a Masters Degree in Accountancy from Florida State University magna cum laude. She is a Certified Public Accountant and started her career at Ernst and Young. She spent several years working with many clients including large businesses in the healthcare sector. Upon leaving public accounting, she began her career in Seniors Housing in 2008 at Horizon Bay in Tampa, Florida. Lindsey oversaw the life plan CCRC communities in the portfolio where she dealt with all aspects of operations, finance, and investor and owner relationships. When Horizon Bay was sold to Brookdale, she went on to hold several finance and operational roles learning all aspects of the business. Lindsey moved on to work at Validus as the VP of Accounting in 2017 and was quickly promoted to Chief Financial Officer shortly thereafter and then to President in 2021. With the acquisition of Validus by Distinctive Healthcare in 2024, Lindsey was named Executive Vice President & CFO of Distinctive Living.
Partner, Stellar Senior Living
Ray Henderson is a Partner at Stellar Senior Living with over 13 years of experience, previously serving as Chief Financial Officer. Ray specializes in financial stewardship, strategic planning, and operational leadership. Before joining Stellar, Ray held multiple finance and management roles at Medtronic, overseeing sales force structure, compensation modeling, and key account initiatives across several business divisions.
Senior Vice President, Senior Living, ERDMAN
Todd Hudgins leads ERDMAN’s senior living team. He is responsible for driving strategy to serve the seniors housing market. He spearheads initiatives that deploy ERDMAN’s multidisciplinary team of experts as we define our clients’ needs to support their operations and environments of care. He supports the delivery of client strategies that create award-winning residential experiences through designs that improve service and care delivery, as well as maximize operational efficiencies and profitability. Additionally, Todd is responsible for guidance and career development of the senior living studio team members.
I’m passionate about the seniors housing space. Having the opportunity to provide unique and creative housing solutions to our elderly population is a privilege. This growing segment of people has given so much and we can now celebrate them in a small way. As an organization, ERDMAN’s goal is to provide best-in-class services so that our clients can provide best-in-class care to their residents and families
Partner, Foley & Lardner, LLP
Matthew Jassak is a partner and real estate business lawyer with Foley & Lardner LLP and co-chair of the firm’s Post-Acute Care & Senior Housing Team. He regularly represents owners, operators, investors, and developers in connection with the development, acquisition, disposition, leasing, financing, and licensing of health care facilities.
As a member of the Real Estate Practice and Hospitality & Leisure Industry Team, Matthew also focuses his practice on representing investors, operators, and developers in all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition and disposition of retail, office, hotel and multifamily properties, commercial mortgage and construction financing, and joint ventures. Matthew also handles condominium formation, fractional ownership plans, private residence clubs, non-equity clubs, hotel conversions, state and federal filings, advertising, golf membership programs and other related matters in the hospitality sector.
In addition to his real estate practice, Matthew handles a wide variety of corporate law matters, including corporate formation; corporate operations and governance and other contract drafting, review and negotiation; mergers and acquisitions; and capital raising transactions.
Clinical Director, Direct Supply / Innovation & Technology Center @MSOE
Liz Jensen, MSN,RN,RN-BC is the Clinical Director with Direct Supply, Inc. She works with senior care providers, product managers and engineers to translate evidence-based research, regulations and risk management strategies into practical processes, technology and applications for clinicians and frontline care providers in senior care. Liz’s prior experience as a nurse executive, business owner, educator, program developer and direct care nurse informs her nursing practice in this unique role. She currently serves as Co-Chair of the Innovation Platform Advisory Council for AMDA/The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care; is a member of the AHCA Clinical Practice Committee; serves on the Argentum Quality Standards Committee and is a frequent speaker at national and local conferences on advancing innovation in senior care through collaboration.
Vice President, Investments, LCS
Graham Johnson brings a depth of real estate expertise, ranging from product development to deal origination, to his position as Vice President/Director – Investments for LCS Real Estate. In his role, Graham is responsible for leading the execution of LCS Real Estate’s investment objectives through targeted investment opportunities including development, acquisition and recapitalization efforts. In this capacity, his team serves as a key point of contact for market intermediaries and external consultants. In addition to sourcing opportunities, Graham works closely with key capital relationships on transaction and partnership structure, and serves on the NIC Future Leaders Council.
Graham earned his Bachelor of Arts in finance and accounting from the University of Northern Iowa. In addition, he has been a CFA Charterholder since 2019.
Founder & CEO, Solera Senior Living
In April 2016, Adam leveraged his 15+ years of experience to launch Solera Senior Living, a next-generation senior living operations, development, and investment company with the goal of elevating the resident experience. At Solera, Adam identifies strategic growth opportunities, sets the vision for the operating model and program design, sources and structures capital relationships, evaluates innovative technologies, and is responsible for building a highly engaging culture.
Adam received his BA from Cornell University, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, and his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Adam credits the constant love and support from his wife for his success to-date in building Solera. Outside of work, Adam enjoys spending quality time with his wife and three incredible children, two boys and a girl, socializing with close friends, traveling, reading, skiing, golfing, and fitness.
President, Belmont Village Senior Living
Mercedes Kerr is a recognized leader in health care real estate, with over 20 years of experience driving business development in the seniors housing sector. As President of Belmont Village Senior Living since July 2019, Mercedes has established enduring partnerships across the health care industry, building innovative care delivery models focused on wellness and cultivating strategic business relationships.
Previously, Mercedes served as Executive Vice President of Business Development at Welltower™ Inc., where she led initiatives to expand the company’s high-quality health care property portfolio through collaborations with health systems, seniors housing operators, real estate developers, and financial institutions. Her earlier roles include Senior Vice President and Vice President of Acquisitions and Dispositions at HCP, Inc., where she contributed to the company’s growth and strategic direction.
Mercedes holds a BA in Business and Tourism from Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, graduating with honors as valedictorian, and a Master’s in Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California. She is actively involved in industry organizations, serving on the Executive Advisory Board of Argentum, the Board of Counselors for the USC Davis School of Gerontology, and the Executive Committee of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA).
Fluent in English, German, and Spanish, Mercedes is widely endorsed for her expertise in real estate economics, real estate, and real estate development.
Senior Vice President, Development & Facilities Management, Trilogy Health Services
Peter Massey is an accomplished executive leader with a robust background in development, operations, and organizational management. With over 20 years of experience in various leadership roles, Peter has a proven track record of driving growth, operational efficiency, and strategic development across diverse industries, including healthcare, logistics, and non-profit event management. His leadership style is known for its effectiveness in both leading teams and providing support to ensure smooth and successful operations.
Currently serving as Senior Vice President of Development & Facilities Management at Trilogy Health Services, Peter oversees the growth and facilities management of over 135 senior housing and skilled nursing campuses across the Midwest. Over his 12+ years at Trilogy, he has played an integral role in the development of 70 healthcare campuses, totaling more than 4.7 million square feet and a combined cost of over $1.2 billion. His strategic vision and ability to coordinate cross-functional departments ensure that new senior living campuses are opened and stabilized successfully.
In addition to his development efforts, Peter has extensive experience in renovating existing campuses, managing an annual CapEx budget of approximately $20 million. His expertise in this area has been instrumental in modernizing facilities, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing the overall resident experience.
Vice President Operations, National Health Investors (NHI)
Today, as Vice President of Operations at NHI, Melanie leads the team managing the senior housing operating portfolio (“SHOP”) and select West Coast relationships. Her journey as a customer, consultant, and now employee of NHI reflects her dedication to excellence and her commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of seniors.
Melanie Mooney’s career is rooted in accounting and finance, beginning with CPA firms and progressing into a Controller role before transitioning to the childcare industry as Division Finance Partner at KinderCare. Her path led her into senior housing over eleven years ago, inspired by a referral from her former CFO. Melanie’s passion for the industry was ignited during her tenure as Senior Director of Asset Management at Holiday Retirement.
Motivated by a desire to make a meaningful impact, Melanie found purpose in childcare but discovered her true calling in senior housing. Her personal experience with family caregiving, especially during her grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, shaped her commitment to improving end-of-life experiences for seniors. She believes that access to high-quality senior housing can profoundly enhance well-being and quality of life.
Melanie’s career has spanned roles in asset management, consulting, and operations, including leadership positions at HCP (now Healthpeak Inc.), Morningstar Senior Living, and Avamere (now Arete). She has also earned a real estate broker license, further deepening her industry expertise.
Executive Vice President, American Healthcare REIT
Ray Oborn serves as executive vice president, asset management for American Healthcare REIT. He is responsible for the management of the company’s extensive portfolio of senior housing, skilled nursing and hospital assets throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. With more than 25 years of senior level experience in the healthcare space, Oborn has extensive experience in the administration and development of facilities that provide independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s/memory care and skilled nursing for seniors.
Oborn previously served as president of Cherrywood Pointe Investment, LLC and executive vice president of United Properties, a real estate investment and development company based in Minneapolis, MN. As president of Cherrywood Pointe, he was directly responsible for managing the firm’s senior housing portfolio and strategic growth initiatives.
Oborn served as senior regional vice president of operations for Brookdale Senior Living from 2014 to 2017. In this capacity, he was responsible for the operations of more than 50 communities in six states across the Mountain West region. He also previously served in executive capacities with New Perspective, Silverado and Sunrise Senior Living, where he was the senior vice president of operations for the western division and oversaw in excess of 70 communities in the Western US and Canada. He began his career with ManorCare Health Services in 1995 as a licensed nursing home administrator.
Oborn received a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science and health and an MBA from the University of Utah.
Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Brookdale Senior Living
Jaclyn Pritchett joined Brookdale in 2016 and has served as Executive Vice President-Human Resources since March 2022. She previously served as Senior Vice President-Human Resources since January 2021, Senior Vice President-HR Field Operations and Talent Management from October 2020 until January 2021, Vice President of HR Field Operations from March 2019 until October 2020, and in other human resources management roles from 2016 to February 2019. During her tenure with Brookdale, Ms. Pritchett has made it her mission to impact our People Strategy, with an intentional focus on attracting, engaging, developing and retaining the best associates.
Before joining Brookdale, Ms. Pritchett served as Senior Manager of Leadership Development at Bridgestone Americas.
Ms. Pritchett received her B.A. in psychology from Auburn University, as well as a master’s degree in industrial-organizational psychology from Middle Tennessee State University. She currently serves as on the board of directors for New Frontiers and as Executive Sponsor, Leadership Development for Middle Tennessee Society for Human Resource Management.
Co-Founder & CEO, Sentio Investments, LLC
John Mark Ramsey is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sentio Investments. Mr. Ramsey began his career in healthcare real estate as Co-founder of a regionally focused senior housing owner, operator and developer, before transitioning into working with real estate investment trusts. Mr. Ramsey is part of a select group of industry leaders evaluating the need for more cost-effective housing and care solutions for seniors—an initiative organized by the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC)—and a board member at Westminster Communities of Florida.
Education
B.S. in Finance from Florida State University
B.S. in Real Estate from Florida State University
Connections Director, Juniper Communities
MD, MPH, CEO, Aileen
Roy is a serial Health-tech entrepreneur. After founding and running both private and public companies, (now into his fourth venture), Roy’s Impact can be easily traced to everything from Tele-ICU to Patient Portals, the introduction of Telehealth and now Ai’s arrival into healthcare. He worked closely with leaders of our largest health systems, national and regional payers, blue chip tech companies, state and federal agencies, policy makers both in Washington and overseas.
Co-Founder, August Health
Justin Schram, MD is a physician leader dedicated to expanding access, convenience, and quality of care for older adults. His areas of expertise include innovative care delivery models, chronic disease management, digital health, and value-based care.
Justin Schram, MD is a physician leader dedicated to expanding access, convenience, and quality of care for older adults. His areas of expertise include innovative care delivery models, chronic disease management, digital health, and value-based care. He is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of August Health, a modern EHR and value-based care enablement platform for senior living communities. August Health promotes best clinical practices and efficient, collaborative care for frail older adults residing in residential care communities. In his prior role, Dr. Schram was Regional Medical Director for Landmark Health (acquired by Optum), where he led clinical teams caring for thousands of seniors in their homes and senior living communities. He also led the Landmark clinician advisory group for technology systems, including EHR development and population health analytics. He is a former faculty member at University of Washington Department of Medicine and has served in leadership and advisory roles at multiple digital health companies in the US and India. He received his M.D. from University of Pennsylvania and trained in primary care and internal medicine at University of Washington.
Senior Vice President of Development & Finance, DMK Development Group
Ben Spies is the Senior Vice President of Development & Finance at DMK Development Group, based in Louisville, Kentucky. With over nine years at DMK, Ben has held progressive leadership roles, including Director of Development & Capital Finance and Vice President of Development & Finance. In these positions, Ben has overseen major development projects and financial operations, contributing to the company’s sustained growth and success.
Prior to joining DMK, Ben served as Project Manager at Atria Senior Living, where Ben managed large-scale projects in the senior living sector. Earlier in Ben’s career, Ben worked as an Associate in Credit & Risk Management at Constellation Energy and as a Commercial Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Bank, gaining valuable experience in finance and risk assessment.
Ben holds a Master’s degree in Finance from Indiana University Southeast and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Kentucky.
Vice President, Capital Markets and Investments, Kisco Senior Living
Joe Weisenburger is responsible for overseeing the capital expenditure process and approvals. In addition, he leads efforts evaluating and negotiating new acquisitions and developments. His responsibilities also include raising debt and equity capital to continue the company’s growth as well as strategic dispositions.
Previously, Mr. Weisenburger spent 23 years at Welltower (“WELL”) in various capacities including SVP of Business Development and Investment Officer. He helped grow the Welltower/ Health Care REIT portfolio from under $1.0 billion to over $40 billion in real estate. He also served as VP of Business Development for LCS helping to grow the third-party management business. He has been actively involved in the National Investment Center and The American Senior Housing Association. He is a director with the Western Golf Association and actively involved with the Evans Scholarship.
VP Risk Management, Merrill Gardens
Responsible for overseeing strategy, compliance and operational risk for Merrill Gardens and sister company, Pillar Properties. A collaborative influencer, driving change and effectively balancing competing needs while bringing structure to enterprise risk management challenges. Drawing on industry knowledge, technology and people to create standard processes and frameworks. Designing and implementing holistic programs that provide key insights into the critical risks of each companies’ strategic objectives.