Meet the leadership team at Willow Ridge Senior Living, an owner and operator of senior care communities located in various markets throughout the United States. We are experts in the senior living industry, dedicated to advancing care and enriching the lives of older adults.
Michael Morris
President
Michael is the President and CEO of Willow Ridge Senior Living. With over 15 years of industry experience, Michael has devoted his entire career to serving older adults throughout multiple product lines in the senior living space.
Before founding Willow Ridge Senior Living, Michael worked with some of the nation’s largest senior housing providers, including Emeritus Senior Living, Brookdale Senior Living and most recently, Holiday Retirement. Michael has followed his heart and passion to work with seniors and his dedication to this path in life is evident to his staff, residents, friends and loved ones.
Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from SUNY Empire State College and sits on the board of directors for an Albany, NY based non-profit organization. He also serves on the Customer Advisory Board for Eldermark senior living software and is an active member in the Empire State Association of Assisted Living.
Michele Sepples
Vice President of Operations
Michele is the Vice President of Operations and is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations for the communities within her respective assignments. She has a 20-year background in operations and community level leadership within multiple regulatory venues.
Prior to joining Willow Ridge in April of 2024, Michele worked for some of the nation’s most well-known operators in NJ, CT, CO and most recently PA.
Michele’s leadership approach and values align perfectly with that of Willow Ridge’s making her a wonderful addition to our team.
Greg Bobka
Chief Financial Officer
Greg is the Chief Financial Officer of Willow Ridge Senior Living. With over 15 years of finance leadership in senior living, Greg has built and led finance functions for multi-site organizations spanning both for-profit and non-profit ownership models, and brings a rare combination of legal, tax, and financial expertise to the CFO role.
Before joining Willow Ridge, Greg served as CFO of Liberty Lutheran Services, a non-profit, faith-based senior living organization in Pennsylvania. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as the founding CFO of Heritage Senior Living, where he built the finance team and infrastructure that grew the company from 8 to 22 communities across three states. Earlier in his career, Greg progressed through finance leadership roles spanning internal audit, corporate controllership, and executive management in manufacturing and financial services.
Greg holds a Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law, an LLM in Taxation and an MBA in Accounting from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BS in Finance from Creighton University. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar and has completed executive programs through Columbia Business School and the University of Pennsylvania.
Kaitlin Cavinder
Vice President of Financial Planning & Analysis
Kaitlin Cavinder is a senior living executive with nearly 20 years of experience in finance, operations, and strategic planning. Throughout her career, she has partnered with community leaders and ownership groups to drive performance, support growth, and enhance the resident experience.
Prior to joining Willow Ridge Senior Living, Kaitlin held leadership roles with national senior living organizations, overseeing financial planning, business analytics, and strategic initiatives across multi-state portfolios. She is known for her collaborative leadership style, data-driven decision-making, and commitment to helping communities thrive.
Christina Palma
Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Christina is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing and is responsible for leading the organization’s sales processes and performance, culture and results. As the leader of the organization’s sales department, Christina has been tasked with globally leading the company through the exciting growth that is planned ahead for Willow Ridge Senior Living.
Christina brings decades of multi-site sales experience in the seniors housing industry. For the last 10+ years, she worked for Brentwood, TN based Brookdale Senior Living as a District Director of Sales. She will be based remotely in the Rochester, NY MSA.
Jeffrey Buenau
Vice President of Human Resources
Jeffrey is the Vice President of Human Resources where he leads the strategic direction of the organization’s employee experience and satisfaction. In his role, Jeffrey strives to create a culture that is rewarding, fulfilling, and fun for our employees.
Prior to joining Willow Ridge, Jeffrey worked as an Optician who managed a family-owned Optical business for 32 years. In his role Jeffrey helped grow the small business by expanding the insurance offerings to reach new customer bases. He led his team through decades of changes within the Optical industry prior to making the difficult decision to retire from the Optical field and pursue his passion for corporate level leadership.
Robert Aroesty
Vice President of Operations
Robert (Rob) Aroesty, is the Vice President of Operations for Willow Ridge Senior Living, where he oversees multisite senior living operations with a focus on quality care, regulatory compliance, and sustainable growth. With over three decades of leadership in healthcare and senior living, Rob has held executive roles at Rochester Regional Health, Atria Senior Living, and senior operational positions with Davita Dialysis, Genesis Eldercare, and Jewish Senior Life.
Known for driving financial performance, improving employee engagement, and elevating resident satisfaction, Rob combines strategic vision with hands-on operational expertise to create thriving, mission-driven communities for older adults.
Cathy Krege
Vice President of Clinical Services
Cathy Krege is Vice President of Clinical Services where she is responsible for resident care, programing, regulatory compliance, and all aspects of clinical oversight within our respective communities.
Bringing more than 35 years of experience in healthcare operations, clinical leadership, and compliance, she has led multi-state clinical teams, supported the opening and licensure of over 30 senior living communities, and driven improvements in clinical quality and operational performance. Cathy is nationally recognized for advancing technology in senior care and was inducted into the McKnight’s Women of Distinction Hall of Honor for Healthcare.
Edward Hatch
Vice President of Maintenance
Edward is the Vice President of Maintenance for Willow Ridge Senior Living, where he oversees all aspects of the company’s preventative maintenance, life safety and capital expenditures. He is responsible for supporting community-level maintenance directors to achieve substantial regulatory compliance while ensuring resident satisfaction.
Edward has over a decade of multi-site leadership experience and takes a “hands-on” approach to support the communities within his scope of responsibility. Prior to joining Willow Ridge, Edward worked for a few large operators in the senior care industry and most recently with the Hearth Management Company located in the Syracuse, NY market.
Mindy Brodie
Regional Director of Sales
Mindy is the Regional Director of Sales for Willow Ridge Senior Living, responsible for driving regional sales strategy, performance, and culture across multiple senior living communities. In this role, she leads initiatives focused on strengthening occupancy, enhancing outreach efforts, and supporting the organization’s continued growth in the senior living market.
Mindy brings extensive multi-site sales and leadership experience within the senior housing industry. She has a proven track record of guiding teams through expansions, improving sales processes, and fostering high-performing, mission-driven sales cultures. Prior to joining Willow Ridge Senior Living, she held key sales leadership positions overseeing diverse community portfolios and consistently championed best practices that improved overall sales results.
Based remotely in Philadelphia, PA, Mindy is deeply committed to supporting community sales teams. Her passion for developing strong, high-performing sales professionals, combined with her dedication to advancing the mission of senior living, makes her a valued leader in the organization’s continued success.
Gina Sorokti
Regional Director of Operations
Gina is a Regional Director of Operations for Willow Ridge Senior Living. Gina brings more than a decade of leadership experience in senior living, guiding teams with clarity, consistency, and strategic focus. She is recognized for elevating operational performance, strengthening community culture, and developing high‑impact leaders who deliver exceptional resident experiences.
Gina’s background includes executive roles in the New York markets, including nearly six years with Atria Senior Living. Her expertise in regulatory compliance, financial stewardship, and organizational transformation has earned her a reputation as a trusted, results‑driven leader.
Mission‑focused and deeply committed to resident‑centered care, Gina continues to shape thriving communities where teams feel supported and residents feel at home.
Jason Morgan
Regional Director of Operations
Jason serves as a Regional Director of Operations at Willow Ridge Senior Living. As a previous multi-site Executive Director with extensive leadership experience across the South and Midwest, he is recognized for stabilizing underperforming communities and elevating high-performing teams to the next level. Jason brings a balanced approach of financial strategy, operational discipline, and people-centered leadership to every community he supports.
Throughout his career, he has combined strategic operational oversight with hands-on leadership, fostering environments where residents feel at home, families feel confident, and team members feel empowered.
Dave Buckley
Corporate Director of Resident Engagement
David is the Corporate Director of Resident Engagement and is responsible for leading the programing and resident engagement for Willow Ridge Senior Living communities. He focuses on creating an individual experience for our residents that are specific to their interests, fine-tuning the schedule of activities that are unique to the markets that we serve while creating uniformity throughout the organization.
David developed a passion to work with seniors at an early age when he worked as a dietary aide in an assisted living community for 3 years while in high school. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Hartford and a master’s degree in education from Saint Joseph’s University. For the last 13 years, he worked as a history teacher and a basketball coach where he developed a passion for leadership, mentorship, and helping others achieve their goals.
He is a perfect match for Willow Ridge’s culture and brings an energy to the team that is unmatched.
Mary Dabulas
Controller
Mary serves as Controller at Willow Ridge Senior Living. A seasoned accountant with extensive experience managing full‑cycle accounting operations across the real estate and property management industries. Her work with BBL Construction and Bonacio Management directly translates to her position with Willow Ridge Senior Living.
She is adept at improving processes, instituting efficiencies and problem solving to supporting the financial health and growth of Willow Ridge.
Cherry Stonecipher
Sales Specialist
Cherry Stonecipher is the Sales Specialist for Willow Ridge Senior Living. With more than 50 years of experience in the senior healthcare field. She began her career as a nursing home aide and has since served in a variety of roles supporting seniors throughout their care journey.
For the past 25 years, Cherry worked as a Sales and Marketing Director with Brookdale Senior Living, where she built strong relationships with residents and families while guiding them through important lifestyle decisions. Cherry is deeply passionate about working with seniors and values the meaningful connections formed through listening to and sharing their stories.
Gary Young
Regional Director of Maintenance
Gary Young serves as Regional Director of Maintenance for Willow Ridge Senior Living, bringing more than 40 years of experience in maintenance, engineering, and facility operations. He has spent the past 13 years in senior living, leading maintenance teams and overseeing building operations, life safety systems, regulatory compliance, and capital improvement projects.
Prior to joining Willow Ridge, Gary spent 22 years with Hyatt Hotels, where he advanced into engineering leadership roles. His extensive experience in facility management, renovations, and regulatory compliance helps support safe, efficient, and well-maintained communities across the organization.
Mackenzie Blair
Executive Assistant
Mackenzie serves as the Executive Assistant for Willow Ridge Senior Living’s corporate office. She supports executive operations, manages key administrative processes, and helps streamline communication to field operations.
Mackenzie graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a double major in Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness and Sustainability Management, bringing a strong academic foundation in organizational leadership, strategic planning, and process improvement.