Our Leadership Team

Kevin McCollum has over 25 years experience in the financing, marketing, and operation of senior housing facilities. Prior to joining Heritage Senior Living, Kevin was Vice President of Marketing for Health Care REIT, Inc. Prior to joining Health Care REIT, Kevin was the director of operations of the Mid-Atlantic region for Newton Senior Living, a developer/owner/operator of independent and assisted living facilities in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. Kevin has successfully developed and implemented operating and marketing plans for the acquisition and development of senior living facilities. In addition, Kevin has extensive experience in the preparation of operational analyses, financial forecasts, and market studies.

Kevin is a graduate of Temple University's School of Business and Management.

kmccollum@heritagesl.com

Matt has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry focused primarily in the professional services arena. Prior to joining Heritage, Matt held COO and CFO positions in the consulting, advertising and sales services industries all serving healthcare clients. He has a track record of successful operational and financial transformations increasing margins and profitability for the companies he has managed. Matt is particularly adept at building management teams and conducting leadership training to help those management teams achieve and sustain organizational success.

Matt is a graduate of Penn State University and holds an MBA from Drexel University

mhayden@heritagesl.com

Terri Price has over 17 years’ experience in leadership, sales and operations of senior housing communities in and around Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Virginia. Prior to joining Heritage Senior Living as a Regional Director of Operations and Quality Assurance, Terri spent the last eight and a half years with Emeritus Senior Living, initially as an Executive Director/Area Director and most recently, a Regional Director of Operations. In this role, she was responsible for operational oversight of 10 communities in three states. Terri worked collaboratively with her regional counterparts to achieve regional, divisional and company goals. Terri is on the Board of Directors of Life Span Network. Her active involvement in the leadership is well focused on setting new standards of excellence in care for the senior community.

tprice@heritagesl.com

Gretchen Vakiener has over 20 years experience working with seniors in the long-term care industry. She started her career as a licensed nursing home administrator in Connecticut, Indiana and Ohio working with Life Care Services, based in Des Moines, Iowa. With LCS, she managed skilled nursing facilities, assisted living and memory care units and was the Executive Director of Friendship Village of Columbus, a Life Care Community in Columbus, Ohio with over 430 residents. Gretchen joined Heritage Senior Living as the Executive Director that opened Traditions of Hanover in Bethlehem, PA. She successfully reached 100% occupancy and in 2010 became part of the management team as a Regional Director of Operations. In 2013, Gretchen accepted the newly-formed Regional Vice President of Sales and Marketing position.

Gretchen has both a master's degree in Social Work and an MBA from the University of Connecticut.

gvakiener@heritagesl.com

Greg Bobka has nearly 25 years of experience in finance and accounting. Mr. Bobka began his career in manufacturing. During his early career, he was involved with multiple manufacturing entities, starting out as a plant Controller and ultimately rising to the position of Chief Operating Officer. Greg most recently was COO/CFO for a boutique insurance company that dealt with Elder Insurance issues. Greg joined Heritage Senior Living in 2010.

Greg graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with an MBA in Accounting and from Widener University in Delaware with a Juris Doctorate. Greg is also currently licensed attorney in Pennsylvania.

gbobka@heritagesl.com

Nicolle Williams has over 25 years of senior living management experience as an Executive Director, Director of Marketing and Regional Director of Operations. She has successfully operated and managed communities in Texas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. She is passionate about disrupting the senior living market and eradicating the stigma that comes with this later season in life! She has been married for 25 years to her patient and loving husband, and has two adult children. "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete" - Richard Buckminster Fuller

nwilliams@heritagesl.com

Jeremy joined the Heritage Senior Living team November 2018. His health care and management experience dates back to 1998 which guides him in his current role.

Jeremy graduated from Bloomsburg University with a Master’s Degree in Business Education. Also, he has an undergraduate degree from Elizabethtown College in Social Work and is a Licensed Nursing Home and Personal Care Administrator.

Jeremy is blessed to be a part of a wonderful team and enjoys working with the compassionate leaders at the communities Heritage Senior Living serves! 

jkeiter@heritagesl.com

Shawn has nearly 30 years of experience in caring for older adults in long-term care settings including Home Based Community Services, Senior Centers, Skilled Nursing Homes, and most recently Shawn served as the Executive Director of Chestnut Knoll Personal Care and At Home Services for 22 years.  Shawn has a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Kutztown University and holds her Personal Care Home Administrator's license in the state of Pennsylvania. Shawn was honored in 2003 with the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association's "Someone to Stand by You" award for outstanding volunteerism as well as being recognized as the 2014 Boyertown Area Citizen of the Year.  Shawn believes that the secret to quality care is to simply “treat others as you would want to be treated!”  Outside of work Shawn keeps busy with her family, being a sports Mom to her twin boys Mason and Logan. 

sbarndt@heritagesl.com

Shawn has over 21 years’ experience working within the healthcare industry. Prior to joining Heritage Senior Living, Shawn worked as the Managing Director of Asset Management for a private equity firm where helped to develop standard operating procedures and infrastructure for a new management company within the Independent Living space. Preceding that, he held roles such as Vice President of Operations, VP of Sales and Marketing, Regional Director of Operations, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing, and Executive Director. He has successfully managed communities in thirteen states and at times has managed portfolios exceeding 2,000 units.

“The greatest danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark” ~ Michelangelo

srose@heritagesl.com

Hope O’Pake has over 30 years of experience in Health and Human Services. The diversity of her roles throughout her career, from Caregiver to Manager to Administrator to Owner, have created for her a unique ability to have firsthand knowledge and understanding of every piece of the provider puzzle. With a degree in Gerontological Social Work and a passion for maximizing the quality of life for those who are aging and those with dementia, she has enjoyed serving others in a variety of settings. Prior to joining the Heritage Senior Living team in April 2020, she was a Licensing Representative for Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Human Services Licensing for eight years. Adding to her skill set the experience of licensing personal care homes and assisted living facilities, as well as investigating complaints and reportable incidents in those settings, allows her a wonderful perspective to analyze care from every possible angle, to best serve the residents who entrust us to support them. “Every opportunity is another chance to make it better” is her mantra.

hopake@heritagesl.com

Katie McConnell joined Heritage Senior living in 2009 as the Business Office Manager at Traditions of Hershey where she earned her place as the go to person for policies and procedures, platform training, and team support at Traditions of Hershey and eventually with Heritage communities. In 2017, she obtained her Personal Care Home Administrator license from Temple University. This allowed her to act as interim Executive Director at Heritage communities when needed while continuing her BOM responsibilities at Traditions. In October 2020, Katie joined the Heritage Senior Living team focusing her strengths on growing all of the Heritage communities’ best practices. Katie has a B.S. degree in Psychology from Mansfield University.

kmcconnell@heritagesl.com

Jennifer Murphy has 12+ years of experience working in the senior living industry and over 24 years of experience in marketing, public relations and sales. Jennifer worked for Hazleton General Hospital, SpeakEasy Communication Advertising Agency, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union - Financial Investing Department, Phoebe Richland – Skilled Nursing Facility, and most recently Traditions of Hanover – Independent Senior Living Community. Upon beginning her 10-year career at Traditions of Hanover, Jennifer found immediate success in using the Traci Bild Marketing System. She consistently used the system helping her to achieve maximum occupancy and a full waiting list during her first year. In Jennifer’s new role as Director of Sales for Heritage Senior Living her goal is to coach, train, and encourage marketing teams to achieve success utilizing the Bild System. Her focus for each community is to reach 100% occupancy with a waiting list. Jennifer loves helping the marketing teams visualize what’s possible and specializes in taking on challenges and turning them into opportunities. Her ultimate goal is to help each community achieve zero lost revenue days.

Jennifer received her BA Degree in Speech Communications from Kutztown University.

jmurphy@heritagesl.com

Jodie has dedicated her career to the care and services of older adults and their families. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Planning and Administration and a Certification in Long Term Care Administration. Jodie began her career in marketing and sales with Presbyterian Homes and then transitioned into community operations. She earned her Nursing Home Administrator’s license and went on to the role Assistant Executive Director and then Executive Director of Ware Presbyterian Village, CCRC, in Oxford, PA. Promoted to Regional Director of Mission Support for Presbyterian Homes, Jodie worked with major donors in establishing funds and identifying opportunities for giving. In October of 2003, Jodie joined Chestnut Knoll Personal Care, Memory Care and At Home Services as the Marketing Director. She was later promoted to Assistant Executive Director and served the Boyertown Community for 17 years in that role and as a Certified Senior Advisor. In December 2021, Jodie joined the Heritage Senior Living team as a Sales Director. She provides support and on site coaching to Heritage communities.

jdaniels@heritagesl.com

Lynn Desimone joined Heritage Senior Living in February 2004 and is responsible for accounting, human resources, building service, marketing support, and corporate office support. Prior to joining Heritage Senior Living, Lynn held various management positions in the Administrative Service and Claims departments in the insurance industry, where she worked for over 20 years, including 10 years at Prudential AARP.

ldesimone@heritagesl.com

Michael McCormick brings over 20 years of experience in the Senior Housing and Health Care Industry. Michael has broad experience and expertise in the areas of financial feasibility and facilities development. His experience working with facility operators, coupled with his efforts in partnering the real estate development industry with the senior care and support services providers, has gained him wide respect throughout the industry.

Michael is a graduate of Lehigh University.

mmccormick@heritagesl.com