November 6-7, 2025

Dallas, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

© Senior Housing News 2023.  All rights reserved.

9:30 – 10:00 AM

Early Bird Deadline

FInal Entry Deadline

November 6

11:00 – 11:30 AM

10:30 – 11:00 AM

12:05 – 1:00 PM

2:30 – 3:00 PM

1:30 – 2:30 PM

Samantha Eckhout
Sr. VP of Development
American House/REDICO

3:05 – 3:35 PM

November 7

Jim Coughlin
CEO
NorthBridge

Over its 26-year history, The Springs Living has built a reputation as an innovative senior living provider building on a rich family heritage, with a wellness focus. Hear how the company is building for the future with ambitious projects in spectacular locations.

Tom Grape
 CEO
Benchmark

Hear from senior living visionary Tom Grape about Benchmark's plans to expand beyond the Northeast for the first time with a D.C. development. Learn what has changed, and what has not, in his approach to development over the years, and get his insights into some of the innovative building projects that the company has brought to market.

Richard Hutchinson
CEO
Discovery Senior Living

Discovery Senior Living is on the leading edge of several senior living development trends; the company is creating “experiential living” communities featuring more flexible pricing and access to nearby amenities, is building a multi-brand portfolio with largely autonomous regional businesses, and recently overhauled its memory care program, including physical plant updates. CEO Richard Hutchinson will discuss how the effort to “scale, not fail” is going, with development as one part of the growth strategy for a company that is now among the largest U.S. operators. 

John Shafaee
Founder and CEO
Medtelligent

Larry Graeve
Senior Vice President
The Weitz Company

Marie-Anne Bazerghi
Growth and Innovation 
Eugeria

Justin Dickinson
President
Anthology Senior Living

Despite the current challenges in new development, including tighter lending and higher costs, Anthology has closed on seven new construction deals since July 2021. Hear from the company’s newly named president, Justin Dickinson, about his first priorities while at the helm, and how Anthology is growing in new directions. 

1:00 – 1:30 PM

Tom Grape
 CEO
Benchmark

Past Attendees

Companies

Amazon
Atria Senior Living
Best Buy
Bethesda Senior Living Communities
Brahms Construction
Brightview Senior Living
CBRE
Contour Real Estate Development
Dover Development
Harbor Retirement Associates
Huntington National Bank
Lifespark
Lighthouse Investment Group
Mansions Senior Living
Mitsubishi Electric Trane HVAC
NexCore Group
Vi Living
Watermark
Welltower, Inc

Titles

Chairman & CEO
Chief Design Officer
Chief Development Officer
Chief Economist
Chief Impact Officer
Chief Investment Officer
Director Business Analysis
Director of Marketing 
Director of Design Development
Director of Development & Construction
SVP, Sales and Marketing
Vice President - Design and Construction
Vice President - Development
Vice President of Design
Vice President of Operations
Vice President of Property Management
VP - Real Estate Development - Senior Living
VP Sales & Marketing
VP Senior Design Development

Become an SHN+ Member and get 25% off your BUILD+BRAIN ticket.

Did you know that SHN+ members get 25% off their ticket to ReBUILD? They also get exclusive access to an SHN+ members-only luncheon during Build+Brain. Get an SHN+ membership today to meet the leading executives in senior living.

Converting hotels, schools, offices and other types of real estate into senior living is not for the faint of heart, but such projects offer unique opportunities and have spurred creativity in design, construction and operations. Delve into some recent and ongoing adaptive reuse projects for insights into this exciting area of development.

9:05 – 9:10 AM

Unlocking the Power of AI: How to Navigate Real World Obstacles of Software Adoption, Data Hygiene, and ML Model Opacity

Kristina Troyer
Data Scientist 
Cypress Living

Hester Le Riche 
CEO & Founder  
Tover

Ger Schuivens 
CEO
Crdl (Cradle)

Wayne Sanner 
CEO Designate
Silverado

AI is transforming how we live today, from communication to care, and it will only become more powerful and prevalent in our lives. Join SafelyYou CEO George Netscher, Priority Life Care CEO and Co-founder Sevy Petras, and Lifespark COO Matt Kinne, to learn the practical applications of AI in senior living to drive both clinical and business results, including:

• increased occupancy
• optimized revenue
• improved staff efficiency
• reduced falls, risk, and costs
  

9:00 – 9:10 AM

11:10 –11:40 AM

11:45 –12:15 PM

David Eskenazy
USA CEO
Cogir

Cogir is one of the leading senior living developers and operators in Canada, and its US arm is being led by industry pioneer David Eskenazy. Learn how these two leaders work together, and what US-based companies can learn from the Canadian model.

Mathieu Duguay
CEO
Cogir

The benefits of university-affiliated senior living have long been clear, but the process of working with schools has been time-consuming and fraught with challenges. Hear how this model is evolving for the future to address these issues and make this model more accessible.

Todd Shaw
Vice President
LCS

Tiffany Cobern
Director of Senior Housing Operations
MedCore Partners

Laurie Steber
Executive Director
The Spires at Berry College

With demand for senior living set to explode, Senior Housing News is pleased to combine our BUILD and BRAIN conferences into a single event in 2025.

This blockbuster event will be an unprecedented opportunity to drive thought leadership related to two of
the most pressing issues confronting senior living as the consumer base rapidly expands.

With the senior living construction pipeline at anemic levels compared to the growth in demand, BUILD will
focus on the future of development and design. Operators, owners, architects and designers, construction
firms and contractors, capital providers, technology companies and other key industry stakeholders
will convene to discuss their strategies and challenges, brainstorm solutions and lay the groundwork for
innovative partnerships and projects.

Memory care is poised to be one of the fastest growing parts of the senior living industry, considering that
the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease is projected to double in the next decades. BRAIN will bring
together top provider executives and clinicians, along with a variety of other leaders in the field, to discuss
the latest best practices and breakthroughs, as well as the most serious barriers to overcome in the quest
to elevate care for some of the most vulnerable populations in senior living.

The combined BUILD and BRAIN conference promises to be the industry’s preeminent event where the
worlds of construction and care will combine, shedding new light on what the future holds for senior living.

Will there be a hotel room block?
Hotel room block is now closed.

What ticket should I purchase?
Owner/operator tickets are for senior living owners and operators. Vendor tickets are for finance, technology, consulting and other roles that do not directly own and/or operate a senior living community.

My company or organization owns or is an active investor in a provider. Which ticket type can I purchase?
If your organization owns or invests in a provider or providers in this space, your firm is classified as a private equity investor. If you wish to get the provider pricing, you would need to use that organization's email system/ domain to register for the ticket to qualify as a provider. No exceptions. 

What does my ticket include?
A ticket includes access to all sessions, breakfast, refreshments, lunch, and a networking reception.

Will sessions be recorded?
We will not be audio or video recording any sessions. We encourage attendees to review our agenda in advance so they can attend the sessions that are of most interest.

What is the refund policy?
For all tickets, no refunds are available 45 days before the event. No exceptions.

Will there be vendor booths?
There are options for sponsor exhibit space. Please click here to request information on sponsorship opportunities.

How do I contact the organizer?
Email us at [email protected].

Have 2025 Event dates been announced?
Click here to see all upcoming SHN Events.

Are there kosher meals or other dietary options at the event? 
Please email [email protected] for more information.

Omar Zahraoui 
Senior Principal
NIC

Isaac Scott
CEO
Anthem Memory Care

9:00 – 9:30 AM

9:35 – 10:05 AM

Dustin Sayre 
Director of Renovations
Presbyterian Homes & Services

Patricia Will 
CEO
Belmont Village

Lauren Renehan 
Executive Director
Willow Valley Communities Charitable Foundation

Tom Cana
Senior General Manager, Sunrise at East 56th
Sunrise Senior Living

Dawn Platt
National Director of Memory Care Programs
Discovery Senior Living

Dr. Ashlea Smalley
National Director of Memory Care and Life Enrichment
Grace Management

Brittany Coleman , CDP, CADDCT 
Divisional Director of Memory Care
Senior Lifestyle

Kelsey Burnham
Certified Dementia Practitioner and Memory Support Program Manager
Ascension Living

Loe Hornbuckle
CEO
Sage Oak

Jill Kreider
President
Azura Living

Melissa Dillon
Vice President of Memory Care
SRG

Justin Dickinson 
Co-Founder
Evolve Senior Living

Brian G. Lawrence
President and CEO
FellowshipLIFE

Stephen Eatman
Vice President
Sunshine Retirement

Jenna Anderson
VP of Sales & Marketing
Maplewood Senior Living

Greg Roderick
CEO
Frontier Senior Living

Dr. Sandra Petersen
Senior Vice President of Health and Wellness
Pegasus Senior Living

Teresa Galbier
VP of Dementia Program Development
Episcopal SeniorLife Communities

Steve Nygren
Founder and CEO
Serenbe

Maureen Charlton
Regional Director of Resident Programs
Commonwealth Senior Living

Katie Pelczar 
Chief Investment Officer
GSI/Transforming Age

Tiffany Goodman
Senior Director of Real Estate, Active Adult
Greystar

Will Saunders
CEO
At Home Harmony

Amy Birkel
Chief Operating Officer
Heritage Communities

Rajesh Kalra
Founder
Aroha Memory Care

Trent Czisny 
Owner
Archwood Senior Living

Reanae Clark 
Vice President of Business Development and Acquisitions
Sonida Senior Living

Ali Shivji
Principal
Optima Living

Erin Render
CEO
Legato Living

9:10 – 9:25 AM

Mike Wang
Founder/Chief Clinical Officer
Inspiren, Inc.

11:35 – 12:05 PM

In the last 20+ years, many senior communities shifted from a reactive medical model that focuses on resident care to a proactive wellness model that fosters self-efficacy and supports healthy lifestyles to manage health conditions and enhance quality of life.  
Like any paradigm shift, change did not happen overnight. Early adopters of this new model had to continually justify the value of wellness programming. And there were limited resources for programming, e.g., wellness “centers” were often small, windowless rooms with cast-off or inappropriate fitness equipment.  
Over time, evidence-based research that validated the positive impact of wellness programming helped boost acceptance. Professional associations also advanced - and legitimized - the role of wellness in senior settings. Annual conferences offering professional development with educational sessions focused on older adult wellness helped provide a roadmap for communities ready to make the change.
Today, many communities have moved beyond the idea of wellness being a program in a room. It’s been integrated into the community’s culture.  And because they can identify the ROI (see below for Top Level Benefits), communities are investing in thoughtfully designed and well-equipped wellness spaces – not just for current residents, but for those coming 10 years down the road.  

Brian Geyser
Chief Clinical Officer
Inspīr/Maplewood Senior Living

Emily Davenport
Director, Fitness Management
National Institute for Fitness & Sport

How Maplewood is transforming the apartment into a data machine and a member of the care team.

Kelli Davis
Vice President
Select Rehab

Marisa Strain
VP of Clinical Services
SRI Management

Ted Tzirimis 
CEO
Intrex

Laurie Shultz 
Partner
Avenue Development

Heather Tussing 
President
The Aspenwood Company

Andrew Gerber 
Vice President of Acquisitions and Investments
Belmont Village 

Pilar Carvajal
Founder and CEO of Innovation
Senior Living and Longevity Day Club

Denise McQuaide
Chief of Middle-Market Innovation
2Life Communities

5:00 – 7:00 PM

November 5

3:35 – 5:30 PM

Emily Sitzes
Wellness Director of Laclede Groves
EverTrue

Jamie Johnson
Corporate Director of Memory Care
Merrill Gardens

Brenda Gurung
National Director of Memory Care
Kisco Senior Living

Daniel Nead 
CEO/Founder
MedviewConnect Inc.

Jeff Huang
CEO/MIT, PhD
PREDICTif Solutions

Kelly McCarthy
Vice President, Resident Engagement and Memory Care Services
Northbridge Companies

10:00 – 10:30 AM

George Netscher 
Founder & CEO
SafelyYou

Brandon Ribar 
President & CEO
Sonida Senior Living

Sue Coppola 
Healthcare Executive
Sabra Health Care REIT

Trisha Cole 
Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel
Alis

Dillon Painter
Senior Director of Operations Integration
Priority Life Care

Shelley Esden 
Chief Operating Officer
Nobi

Event Details

Location
JW Marriott Dallas Arts District
800 North Harwood Street Dallas, Texas, USA, 75201

Ticket Prices
Provider: $700
Vendor: $3,600

Hotel Accommodations
 Hotel room block is now closed

Hours
Networking Reception | Nov. 5, 2025 | 5PM - 7PM
Conference Program | Nov. 6, 2025 | 9AM - 3:35PM
Conference Program | Nov. 7, 2025 | 9AM - 10:05AM 

Exhibit Table Setup / Teardown
Setup | November 5th | 3:00 - 5PM
Teardown | November 7th | 10:05AM (at the conclusion of the event)

Registration Hours / Location
November 5th | 3:00 - 7:00PM
November 6th | 8:00AM - 5:30PM
11th floor Flora Foyer

Tiffany Cobern
President 
Paragon Senior Living

8:00 – 9:00 AM

8:00 – 9:00 AM

Allison Singler 
EVP of Sales and Marketing
Edison Equity Residential

Reid Bonner 
President
Senior By Design

Christal Hoffman
Vice President of Corporate Operations
Sagora Senior Living

Mary Fregia
VP, Human Resources
Lifespace Communities

Helen Adeosun
CEO & Founder 
CareAcademy

3:00 – 7:00 PM