Brookdale Leadership Team
Denise W. Warren
Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chairman
Denise W. Warren W. joined the Board in October 2018 as an independent director and was appointed Interim Chief Executive Officer of Brookdale in April 2025. Ms. Warren brings more than 30 years of operational, financial and healthcare experience. Most recently, she served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of WakeMed Health & Hospitals from October 2015 through December 2020, where she was responsible for the strategic, financial and operational performance of the organization's network of facilities in the North Carolina Research Triangle area. Prior to that, from 2005 to September 2015, Ms. Warren served as Chief Financial Officer of Capella Healthcare, Inc., an owner and operator of general acute-care hospitals, as well as its Executive Vice President since January 2014, and as its Senior Vice President prior to that. Before joining Capella, she served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Gaylord Entertainment Company from 2000 to 2001, as Senior Equity Analyst and Research Director for Avondale Partners LLC and as Senior Equity Analyst for Merrill Lynch & Co.
Ms. Warren currently serves on the Board of Directors of TruBridge, Inc. (formerly known as Computer Programs and Systems, Inc.), where she serves as Chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the Compensation Committee. She also serves on the Board of Directors of Newport Healthcare, Straive, and Virtusa, Inc.
Ms. Warren is National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) Directorship Certified(TM) and received a Corporate Directors Certificate from Harvard Business School. Ms. Warren earned a B.S. degree in economics from Southern Methodist University and an MBA from Harvard University.
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.
Kim Elliott
Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer
Kim Elliott joined Brookdale in July 2014 and has served as Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer since August 2021. She previously served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Services from July 2014 until August 2021. Elliott has more than 27 years of experience in senior living and has developed a care philosophy based on the importance of individualized care, personal choice and resident independence. Before joining Brookdale, Ms. Elliott served as Senior Vice President of Clinical Quality and Compliance for Centerre Healthcare Corporation and Director of Compliance and Risk Management for Kindred Healthcare.
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.
H. Todd Kaestner
Executive Vice President – Corporate Development and President – CCRCs
H. Todd Kaestner became Executive Vice President – Corporate Development and President – CCRCs in August 2021. Prior to that, Mr. Kaestner served as the Company’s Executive Vice President – Asset Management and Division President – Entry Fee since June 2019 and Executive Vice President – Corporate Development since July 2006. Prior to joining Brookdale, Mr. Kaestner served as Executive Vice President – Corporate Development of American Retirement Corporation since September 1993 and served in various capacities for ARC’s predecessors since 1985, including Vice President – Development from 1988 to 1993 and Chief Financial Officer from 1985 to 1988.
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.
Ray Leisure
Division Vice President – West
Ray M. Leisure joined Brookdale in 2005 and has served as Division Vice President of Operations for the West Division since August 2024, after serving as Interim Division Vice President of Operations for the West Division from April 2024 to August 2024. Mr. Leisure previously served as a Regional Vice President of Operations from 2018 to April 2024, District Director of Operations from 2016 to 2018, and prior to that, as an Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director and Sales Director.
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.
Ben Ricci
Division Vice President – East
Ben Ricci joined Brookdale in August, 2013 and has served as Divisional Vice President of Operations for the East Division 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.
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.
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.