Brookdale Leadership Team
Nick Stengle
Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors
Nick Stengle joined Brookdale in October 2025 as Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors with a deep understanding of the senior living, healthcare, and hospitality industries. He has extensive leadership and operational experience, including multi-site, geographically dispersed healthcare settings.
Prior joining Brookdale, Mr. Stengle served nearly three years as President and Chief Operating Officer of Gentiva, a leading provider of hospice, palliative, and home health services with over 12,000 associates and approximately 550 locations across 38 states. Previously in his career, he had served as EVP and Chief Operating Officer for Kindred at Home, Gentiva’s predecessor company. In between his two stints at Gentiva, Mr. Stengle served as EVP and Chief Operating Officer for Sunrise Senior Living, a senior living services provider with approximately 250 communities in the United States and Canada.
During his career, Mr. Stengle led major transformation projects as a member of the portfolio operations team at global investment firm TPG Capital. He also led North American Operations for HMSHost International with more than 30,000 employees and hospitality operations in 84 airports and 105 motorway travel plazas. Before that, he served as VP of Global Operations for Marriott International and was a project leader for the Boston Consulting Group, where he led engagements focused on strategic growth, operational process improvement, pricing strategy, and organizational design. Earlier in his career, Mr. Stengle served 11 years in the U.S. Air Force, including as a Top Gun Instructor Pilot, Combat Fighter Pilot, Flight Commander and Deputy Director of Operations – experience that shaped his disciplined, mission-driven, collaborative leadership style.
Dawn Kussow
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Dawn Kussow joined Brookdale in March 2007, has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since February 2023. Ms. Kussow previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer from January 2016 until January 2023, Vice President and Corporate Controller from February 2014 to January 2016, Senior Director of Financial Reporting from June 2009 until January 2014, and Director of Financial Reporting from March 2007 until May 2009.
Chad C. White
Executive Vice President – General Counsel and Secretary
Chad C. White joined Brookdale in February 2007 and has served as Executive Vice President since January 2018, General Counsel since March 2017 and Secretary since March 2013. He previously served as our Senior Vice President and General Counsel from March 2017 until January 2018, Brookdale's Senior Vice President and Co-General Counsel from July 2014 to March 2017, Vice President and Co-General Counsel from March 2013 to July 2014, and Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary prior to that. Before joining Brookdale, Mr. White served in legal roles with Dollar General Corporation and Bass, Berry & Sims PLC.
Mary Sue Patchett
Interim Executive Vice President – Community & Field Operations
Mary Sue Patchett rejoined Brookdale in August 2025 and currently serves as Interim Executive Vice President – Community & Field Operations. Previously, she held various senior leadership positions at Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. from 2011 until her retirement in 2021. In her last position at Brookdale, she served as Executive Vice President of Strategic Operations from March 2020 to June 2021. Ms. Patchett also served as Executive Vice President of Community and Field Operations at Brookdale, and before that, was President of the Southeast Division.
Jaclyn Pritchett
Executive Vice President – Human Resources
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.
David Cygan
Chief Marketing Officer
David Cygan joined Brookdale in August 2014 and has served as Chief Marketing Officer since October 2019. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Marketing from August 2014 until October 2019. During his tenure at Brookdale, Cygan has helped transform the company’s digital and social media presence. Before joining Brookdale, Mr. Cygan served as Vice President of Marketing for Kindred at Home and Director of Marketing and Advertising for AT&T.
Tara Jones
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Tara Jones joined Brookdale in May 2020 and has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer since August 2020. She previously served as Vice President of IT Applications and Project Management from May 2020 until August 2020. Before joining Brookdale, Ms. Jones served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Hospitals and Health Systems for Tenet Healthcare, Chief Information Officer of The Detroit Medical Center, and Vice President Enterprise Solutions for Vanguard Health Systems.
Ben Ricci
Division Vice President
Ben Ricci joined Brookdale in August, 2013 and has served as Divisional Vice President of Operations since July 2021. He previously served as Brookdale's Senior Regional Vice President of Operations from 2013 until 2018. Before joining Brookdale, Mr. Ricci was Regional Vice President of Operations for the New England Region with Horizon Bay. In 2011, he was part of Brookdale’s Acquisition of Horizon Bay and became the Regional Vice President of Operations for the Northeast Region.
Rick Wigginton
Chief Sales Officer
Rick Wigginton joined Brookdale in May 2019 and has served as Chief Sales Officer since January 2023. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Sales from May 2019 until December 2022. During his tenure at Brookdale, Wigginton has led work to optimize the sales and operational processes most aligned to topline growth. Mr. Wigginton has been an industry leader since 2005.