Discovery Senior Living Leadership

Chief Executive Officer

Richard J. Hutchinson

Mr. Hutchinson is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Senior Living; a family of companies which include: Discovery Management Group, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Marketing Group and Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company.

As an industry leader in seniors housing, Discovery Senior Living currently has in excess of 8,500 units in operation or under development throughout the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Southern United States. The company has expanded to include an array of living options which include: senior apartments, independent living in both multi-apartment and villa environments, supervised independent living, personal care, assisted living and memory care. The successful and diverse rental portfolio features large luxury, resort-style campuses, state-of-the-art care communities, smaller village- inspired wellness and care communities and secured memory care neighborhoods.

Through Mr. Hutchinson’s leadership, the family of companies has achieved significant growth. His vision of developing a business culture of innovation, integrity and creativity, while being analytically driven, has pushed the company to the leading edge of the industry, redefining seniors housing along the way. The companies have been recognized for their exceptionalism and ingenuity and have received accolades and awards from The National Association of Home Builders 50+ Seniors Housing Council, Southeast Builders Conference, National Mature Media and Generations Awards as well as earning a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Quality of Patient Care.

Chief Operating Officer

Bill Sciortino

Bill is the Chief Operating Officer for Discovery Senior Living. He previously spent the past 18 years at Vi Living where he joined as Chief Information Officer in 2001. In this role, he enhanced the organization’s network infrastructure and security while leading the design and implementation of systems for billing, job costing, clinical operations, facilities management, and financial reporting.

In 2003, Bill was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations. He oversaw the corporate operations team as well as community functions such as food and beverage, lifestyles, resident care, housekeeping and facilities maintenance. In 2012, his role expanded to include oversight of Vi’s sales, marketing, and market research departments, and he became COO in 2017.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Bill graduated magna cum laude from Hiram College with a degree in Business Management. His career started in paper sales and sales management before moving to the construction industry where he focused on cost accounting and estimating systems as general manager of a commercial contractor. Next he opened his own firm helping other builders with strategy and software installations which led him to Chicago and a consulting position with Ernst & Young’s real estate IT practice. A return to the construction industry as CIO for a multi-state contractor was his last stop before assuming the role at Vi.

Bill connects with the larger senior living industry through his work with the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and, more recently, Argentum.

Chief Financial Officer

Thomas J. Costello

Mr. Costello is the Chief Financial Officer for Discovery Senior Living. He previously held the position of Senior Vice President of Finance, Accounting and Information Technology and managed the treasury and IT operations for over a decade. In that role his responsibilities included managing cash flow, short- and long-term planning, financial analysis and reporting, as well as risk management. Additionally, he was responsible for constructing the pro forma financial models for all new projects and he worked closely with the CFO on all major financing transactions.

Mr. Costello brings a wide range of experience to Discovery beyond debits and credits. He began his career in Boston in the property & casualty insurance industry where he gained proficiency in many of the nuances of risk management. In 1994 he relocated to Tampa, Florida, where he went to work for Price Waterhouse providing research and analysis to the firm’s management. It was also at Price Waterhouse where Mr. Costello began building complex financial models and database applications. These solved many of the firm’s logistical problems.

Additionally, Mr. Costello has worked as a consultant with companies such as the New York Times, Inc. to streamline efficiencies in finance and accounting operations through rigorous workflow analysis and identifying and implementing best practices.

In 2000 Mr. Costello joined Discovery’s predecessor, Aston Care Systems, Inc. while the Aston Gardens portfolio was in development. Mr. Costello managed the cash flows and cost reporting for the last four projects Aston developed. He also developed the pro-forma models for each of the projects, which planned the projects from land acquisition, development, fill-up, stabilized operations and, ultimately, to sale.

Mr. Costello graduated from Bentley College with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Fraternity. He lives in Land O Lakes, Florida, and when he is not spending time with his wife and two children he is active in Tampa’s live music scene playing bass and guitar.

Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales

Diana Ferrante Thies

Ms. Thies is the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Discovery Senior Living and its affiliated entities. Ms. Thies has a diverse marketing background ranging across a number of different industries, including banking and consumer products, but since 2001, she has directed marketing and sales for the company. She is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction and new initiatives of the business’s marketing and sales departments, as well as corporate and community branding, and increasing revenue and occupancy growth and overall census; ensuring all remain consistent with the company’s vision.

After leaving her home state of New York and moving to Florida, Ms. Thies entered into seniors housing, where she continues to serve the industry with cutting-edge marketing and sales programs. Her creative marketing and sales strategies and ability to react to the changing market needs have propelled Discovery Senior Living to become a leader in the industry.

She has been the recipient of a multitude of regional, national and international marketing awards from the National Association of Homebuilders-Seniors Housing Council, the Mature Media Awards and the International Generations Awards for various marketing arenas including print media advertising, promotional events, collateral, video and magazine production, copywriting, photography, direct mail, and electronic media.

Ms. Thies graduated Cum Laude from Pace University, Lubin School of Business and holds a B.B.A. in Marketing with a minor in Advertising and Promotion. While at Pace, she was a member of Alpha Chi Honor Society. When she isn’t boating or enjoying the outdoors with her husband and her dogs, Ms. Thies can be found volunteering and fighting for animal rights.

Senior Vice President of Human Resources

Lisa Lacy

Lisa Lacy has more than twenty years’ experience in human resources, with the majority specifically in the senior living industry. Lisa has a bachelor’s degree and has completed her certification in Human Resource related law. She is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and has obtained the credentials as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Vice President of Sales

Lou Maranto

Mr. Maranto is the Vice President of Sales for Discovery Senior Living and its affiliated entities. He recently relocated to Florida to join the Discovery Senior Living team. He is directly responsible for leading the sales efforts across the country with their regional teams to build census and reach occupancy goals.

Mr. Maranto’s 10 years in the senior living industry were spent in various sales positions including Sales Director, Director of Sales Education and Talent Development and most recently Senior Director, Sales Operations. During these 10 years, he developed a multitude of sales best practices and customer-focused programs, while designing and delivering sales education and leadership development programs for team members.

Prior to his entering senior living, he spent 20 years in the print media industry working 14 years for USA Today and 6 years at The Baltimore Sun holding various leadership positions in circulation sales.

He graduated from Towson University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and earned his M.B.A. from Loyola University. He also was awarded a Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Instructional Systems Development.

Vice President of Operations

Jeff Floyd

Jeff brings over thirty years of senior living experience to Discovery and has served in leadership roles developing, mentoring and building high performance teams. Most recently, Jeff spent the past five years at Enlivant and joined the company at the beginning of its turnaround in 2014 where he led nine regional teams with the responsibility for 105 communities and grew occupancy from 62% to 89%. Previously, Jeff served as the COO of a regional senior living company based in Needham, MA, Wingate Healthcare. He also served as the VP of CCRC Operations for Chicago based Senior Lifestyle and prior to that, spent ten years with Sunrise Senior Living where he was the VP of Operations for seventy communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic and portions of the Midwest. His last role at Sunrise was serving as the SVP of Team Member Services (Human Resources). Jeff began his career in senior living with ManorCare as a regional controller, skilled nursing administrator, regional vice-president of operations and VP of High Acuity Services. Combined, Jeff’s experiences are concentrated in operations with a strong financial and sales slant. Jeff believes in advancing the mission, teamwork, collaboration, integrity and being a champion for both the residents and the team providing their care and services. He is competitive and always wants the team to excel and exceed expectations. Jeff currently lives in Chicago with his wife, Carolyn and they have two adult children, Alex, living in Kansas City and Jackie living in Newport Beach, CA. Jeff enjoys outdoor activities, nature, traveling and helping others find their path to success and fulfillment.

Regional Director of Sales, Panthers

Christian Steil

Christian has worked in the Senior Living Industry for the past 20+ years in sales and business development. He began his career in senior living as a sales associate, promoted to a sales director and promoted to various regional and divisional leadership roles. He has expansive experience with multi-site management, new construction, acquisitions and mergers, establishing culture, growing sales talent and strategic sales.

Christian residents in the Greater Tampa Area where he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

Regional Director of Operations, Panthers

Marisa Crockett

Marisa Crockett has been in senior living for almost two decades. She began her career as a Registered Nurse and has multifaceted experience in clinical management, operations, and sales. She has held regional roles in both operations and sales for more than 15 years, overseeing multi-community portfolios.

Regional Director of Sales, Roadrunners

Julie Thompson

Julie grew up in South Georgia and attended Georgia Southern University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations.

She has worked in the healthcare industry for the past 17 years in Home Health, Diagnostic Testing, and the largest part of her portfolio is in Hospice. Julie has over 10 years of sales management experience, where she has lead organizations to substantial growth in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Virginia.

Regional Director of Operations, Roadrunners

Richard Totorico

Richard has more than 25 years of healthcare administration experience working in acute care, community-based, and senior living settings. He served as an Analyst, Human Resource Director, Administrative Director 5, and Deputy Executive Director with various Louisiana State Agencies, including the Louisiana Health Care Authority, LSU Medical Center, Medical Center of New Orleans, University Hospital and the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. He received his Bachelors of Science in Management with a concentration in Human Resources from the University of New Orleans where he was a Board Member of Alpha Theta Epsilon Honor Society and was elected to the Student Government Association as a member of the House of Representatives. He received his MBA from South Eastern State University. He holds or has held a certification as a Level 4 Assisted Living Administrator, Certified Public Manager, Professional of Human Resources, and has served on the Boards of the Louisiana State Personnel Council, The New Orleans Compensation Association, the Department of Health and Hospital Hurricane Task Force, and the Greater New Orleans Society of Human Resource Professionals.

Richard served as the Executive Director of The Trace for six years before being promoted to Regional Director of Operations with Discovery. Richard prides himself on his accessibility to residents, their families and the community on matters of senior care and advocacy.

Richard is a veteran of the armed forces and as a Sergeant in the United States Air Force he received the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal for his work as an F-15 Crew Chief.

Regional Director of Sales, Eagles

Matt Pavlick

Matt grew up in Maryland and attended Towson University. He has more than 10 years sales experience in both active adult sales and senior living sales. Matt’s held Regional Sales Director roles in communities throughout DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Regional Vice President of Operations, Eagles

Mitch Richman

Mitch Richman has been actively involved in senior housing operations for more than 30 years. Mitch embraces a philosophy which governs his approach to leadership which is, “seniors have already contributed to society; some in a very big way, others in a smaller way. It doesn’t matter how big or small a contribution. It is our turn to give back.” Mitch is driven with a passion to help improve the lives of seniors by fostering environments that feel like home and where seniors are encouraged to enjoy life to the fullest.

Regional Director of Sales, Vipers

Cindy Crowley

Inspired by close, personal relationships with her own grandmothers, Cindy Crowley attended Penn State University, where she studied Health Care Administration before embarking upon a 30+ year career focused on serving seniors and their families.

She spent 14 years working for Marriott Senior Living Services as well as other, prominent senior living providers, and worked to open state-of-the-art Assisted Living and Memory Care communities in Florida, Atlanta, Louisiana and Texas.

Having served multiple roles including Executive Director, Operations Development Director, Vice President of Sales and Regional Vice President of Operations and Sales, Cindy brings a diverse and extensive skill set to the Discovery Senior Living organization and its growing community portfolio. A passionate and high-energy sales coach and developer, she works alongside communities and Senior Lifestyle Counselors throughout the Florida region in an effort to make upscale, amenity-rich senior living openly available to the growing senior population.

Cindy proudly resides in Tampa’s beautiful Westchase community with her husband, John, and several four-legged family members. The couple also have a daughter, Mackenzie, who recently graduated with honors from the University of Florida. Outside of work, Cindy enjoys spending time outdoors, enjoying the pool and walking the neighborhood with their 11-year-old Chihuahua, Gizmo.

Regional Vice President, Portfolio Manager

Erin Miller

Erin Miller brings over 20 years of experienced leadership in the senior living industry to her role as Regional Vice President, Portfolio Manager. Having held positions in business development, operations, management, sales and strategic marketing, she utilizes quantitative and qualitative research methods and critical thinking and analysis to develop brand awareness, create efficiencies and cost savings, increase revenue streams, and provide strategic and tactical support to Discovery communities.

Erin recently worked as Vice President of Sales for a prominent, luxury senior living provider, a role in which she focused sales efforts in order to grow census and revenue, and cultivate a 15% occupancy gain.

Best described as a decisive decision maker, Erin creates revenue- and resident-focused programs for changing markets, all while fostering an inclusive environment that values the diverse, multicultural and multigenerational nature of the senior living industry and workforce.

Erin holds a Masters of Arts in Multicultural/Organizational Communication and Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies from DePaul University, where she has also served as an Adjunct Professor for that institution’s College of Communications.

She participated with the RafiKi Collaborative in Kenya as an Educator/Evaluator for an HIV/AIDS capacity building workshop. She also served as a Peer Mentor for DePaul University: International Students and as a volunteer leader for Ready, Set, Ride providing equine therapy for special needs children.

Regional Vice President of Operations

Nicole Gasaway

Nicole Gasaway began her journey in senior living as a Home Health Aide while attending college. And throughout the 20 years that followed, she’s held a variety of additional titles, having worked in skilled nursing, admissions, marketing, and sales leadership capacities before being appointed Regional Vice President of Operations.

From planning and executing mergers and acquisitions to redeveloping and converting senior apartment complexes to independent living, Nicole has been integral in bringing quality senior living to discerning seniors across multiple states and locales.

Nicole graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Texas A&M University in College Station, and later received an MBA from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Nicole is also a Certified Dementia Practitioner and was honored as Volunteer of the Year from the Alzheimer’s Association in San Antonio and South Texas in 2014.

When away from work, you’ll find Nicole spending time with her husband and their two daughters. Never one to waste a moment of precious family time, she thoroughly enjoys exploring the country with her troupe, indulging in exotic dishes and making memories at every opportunity.

Regional Director of Sales, Jaguars

Gary Allinger

Gary has worked in the Senior Living industry for the past 12+ years in both Sales, Marketing, and Operations as a Sales Director, Executive Director and Regional Director prior to joining Discovery Senior Living. In his tenure, Gary has helped develop new construction communities, purchase and onboard acquisition properties and establish a senior living division for a major company. Prior to his career in Senior Living, Gary was a secondary education teacher for over 11 years and an Opera Singer for 5 years (reportedly on sabbatical currently).

Gary enjoys his family, pampering his two fur babies, Tygar and Lillee, spending time with friends and doing community service work for multiple charity organizations throughout Texas and the United States. He feels he has been blessed in many ways and wants to share those blessings with others.

Associate Vice President of Resident Experience

Jolene Moore

Jolene is a multiple award winner for her contributions in the field of senior lifestyles and wellness. A recent recipient of the ICAA NuStep Beacon Award in Wellness for her achievements with Chicago-based Vi Senior Living, she was recognized for pioneering an officially trademarked wellness program/philosophy that changed the footprint of the resident wellness experience.

She has long been working to transform operational strategies and develop innovative programs that impact the health and wellness and overall experiences of community residents and team members. In her current role with Discovery Senior Living, she oversees the company’s Celebrations Activities & Events program as well as the national implementation of FitCamp®, a concierge senior fitness solution designed and developed by the company.

A proud Spartan, Jolene graduated from Michigan State University where she was a scholarship athlete. She also holds a graduate degree from Loyola University of Chicago and numerous health and wellness certificates. She is an accomplished track and field athlete and multi-time national champion, at one point even holding a world age group record and having competed and later coached on behalf of Team USA.

She is the mother of three grown children and resides in Chicago. When not promoting health and wellness in her profession, she is practicing it at home. She runs marathons for charity, and enjoys volunteering, playing golf, hiking, gardening, practicing yoga and particularly likes her book club.

Sales Training and Development Director

Lynn McCarthy

Lynn brings to Discovery Senior Living over 20 years of Learning and Development experience in the areas of Sales, Leadership and Performance Management. Most recently, she led the talent management and development initiatives within the Senior Living industry.

Lynn holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University in Hospitality Management. She began her career with Walt Disney World and has extensive experience in hospitality, professional services, and senior living industries. Lynn was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She enjoys an active lifestyle including kayaking, biking, pickleball and travel.

Vice President of Marketing

Heidi LaVanway

Heidi is the Vice President of Marketing for Discovery Senior Living. An experienced corporate strategist and implementer, Heidi has been developing marketing, sales and creative strategies for highly matrixed healthcare, real estate, tech enterprises and nonprofit organizations for more than eighteen years.

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Marketing and Graphic Design from Michigan State University, she served large-scale, Chicago-based healthcare entities for more than 12 years, leading the development and execution of traditional and digital marketing programs, branding and communications initiatives, creative direction and design, content production and user experience, and other key strategic functions.

As a Certified Direct Marketing Professional and multiple national award winner for outstanding media and specialized print publications, Heidi’s combined healthcare and real estate industry experience, and ability to leverage data-driven analysis and modern marketing technologies has empowered high-performance lead generation and supported the continuing expansion of Discovery Senior Living’s portfolio.

Heidi is a proud volunteer and contributor to multiple charitable and healthcare organizations. She enjoys travel, spending time with family in the Midwest and Rocky Mountains, downhill skiing and outdoor activities. She resides in Naples with her husband and son.

Director of Marketing

Cassandra Engeldinger

Cassandra is the Director of Marketing for Discovery Senior Living and an experienced leader in digital marketing, marketing communications, and campaign execution. With over 20 years as an ambitious and highly-strategic marketing professional with an entrepreneurial spirit, Cassandra has applied her creativity and innovative marketing skills across several industries with a focus on real estate technology and most recently health care.

Early on in her career, Cassandra was recognized by Gulf Shore Business Magazine as one of Southwest Florida’s 40 under 40 top Professionals for starting her own successful digital marketing agency at just 23 years old. The agency targeted real estate brokerages and their agents and focused on marketing strategies for lead generation and management. In 2010, Cassandra shifted her efforts toward health care and has spent the last 10 years building global marketing and communication campaigns for a large medical device company.

Cassandra has a proven track record of expertise in all verticals within marketing communications including print, marketing automation, email, social, SMS/MMS, web, SEO/SEM, customer journeys, content marketing, audience building, lead acquisition and data analytics.

After having grown up in Janesville, WI, Cassandra received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at The Ohio State University. She moved to Southwest Florida shortly thereafter in 1998. An avid animal lover, she spent three years on the Board of Directors for the Animal Refuge Center in Fort Myers, FL. She is a passionate artist, having painted several murals locally in addition to pottery. She has one son and on weekends you can find her enjoying her time in the sun by the beach, lake, or pool – you may even catch her paddle boarding or wakeboarding when she gets the chance!

Controller

Thomas Lastrom

Thomas Lastrom has worked in the accounting profession for more than 20 years, is a licensed CPA in the state of Florida, and has worked in a variety of industries from health care to telecommunications. He has worked for both privately held and publicly traded companies.

Senior Director of Finance

Brian Hendricks

Brian grew up in Florida and attended The University of Florida where he earned a B.S. in Finance. Mr. Hendricks has worked in the commercial real estate industry for more than 12 years and has been involved in more than $500M of real estate transactions. Prior to joining Discovery Senior Living, he was the Controller at Antaramian Development Group, a developer of commercial/retail/Condo real estate. Brian is responsible for assisting in analyzing, due diligence and execution of potential development projects and property acquisitions as well as focus on managing and analyzing financial, operational and business risks.

Brian is also a US Veteran (USMC) where he held a Government Secret Security Clearance while stationed overseas and was awarded two Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Director of Financial Planning and Analysis

Amie Humphries

Amie was born and raised in Southwest Florida. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a MBA from Florida Gulf Coast University. She has worked in healthcare finance for the majority of her career for both independent and private equity-owned companies. Amie’s experience is primarily in acquisitions, due diligence, financial planning, budgeting, and profitability analysis. Whenever she gets the chance, Amie likes to spend time in the outdoors enjoying the unique nature that Florida has to offer.

Vice President of Construction

Tammy Kaminski

Ms. Kaminski was recently promoted to Vice President of Construction from Director of Project Management and Construction. Her primary responsibility is planning and overseeing the construction of each new community from start to finish, as well as expansion projects and remodeling projects.

Ms. Kaminski has more than 20 years of diverse experience across all levels and segments of construction, having worked and managed extensive projects large and small. Her accomplishments as a project engineer and manager include production in the commercial, educational, governmental, recreational, and retail shopping center industries. She holds a Class “A” Florida General Contractors License, and a LEED AP credential from the U.S. Green Building Council, affirming her advanced knowledge in “green” building.

Prior to joining Discovery Senior Living, Ms. Kaminski was a project manager with Lodge Construction for six years, where her accomplishments include overseeing the work on several Southwest Florida Projects, including three fire stations, the Fort Myers downtown library, two parks, and an $8 million renovation and addition to Florida Gulf Coast University’s Student Union building.

Ms. Kaminski started her construction and engineering career with Whiting-Turner construction company as a project engineer working on various renovations at Yale Medical School. After being transferred to Naples, Florida she was an engineer for a $13 million expansion of a mall in Fort Myers and the construction of the $18 million Coastland Center shopping mall in Naples. In 1997, she joined Owen-Ames-Kimball where she managed several large construction projects, including Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero, Chico’s FAS world headquarters and McGregor Baptist Church in Fort Myers, and the 149,000 square-foot Diplomat Middle School in Cape Coral.

In 2002, Ms. Kaminski accepted a position with J. L. Wallace Inc. as a Senior Project Manager. Her experience during five years with the company ranged from job cost estimates and budgeting to job-site scheduling and presentations for prospective projects. Overseeing three superintendents, Ms. Kaminski was involved with building, restoring or renovating a fire station, an automobile dealership, a community clubhouse and the 40-acre Estero Community Park, among other assignments.

Ms. Kaminski graduated from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1994 where she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Architecture with a sub-concentration in Construction Management.

Director of Interior Design

Donna Boniello

Donna Boniello is an accomplished design expert with more than 25 years’ experience in residential kitchens and baths, multifamily communities and amenities, and project management service to large-scale and custom home builders. A graduate of Pace University in New York, she began her career in the New York tri-state area before serving a 12-year tenure with nationally renowned Spectrum/Skanska and WCI Communities when it entered the Northeast market.

Now with Discovery Senior Living, her scope includes the full conceptualization and execution of new construction and large-scale renovation projects throughout Discovery-owned communities across the country. Donna heads up the multiple design teams tasked with intermingling current and emerging aesthetics while also preserving architectural and regional design character, maximizing functional space across residences and common areas, and providing warmth and home-like comfort and convenience for discerning, upscale seniors.

A relatively recent Florida transplant, she enjoys the active, outdoor lifestyle including health and fitness, yoga, the beach, and hosting friends and family.