THE TEAM
DAVID ASHEN | CO-FOUNDER OF AGELESS LIVING COLLABORATIVE | PRESIDENT & CEO, DASH DESIGN
In 2002, David Ashen founded dash design, an interior design and branding firm, with the ambition of using his innovative and strategic creative thinking to enhance the success of his clients. David’s market-savvy approach combines business acumen and a keen design eye. With over two decades of industry experience in multidisciplinary design and branding, and a proficiency in the hospitality and retail sectors, David’s clients appreciate his collaborative process, and trust him to deliver on-target solutions.
Known for his ability to creating compelling, user focused experiences, global brand leaders have looked to David for his strategy driven approach and expertise in Interior Design and Branding Services.
At dash design, David serves as the company’s Executive Creative Director to ensure that all projects maintain a standard of excellence.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Factors Engineering at Tufts University, then a Masters of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.
PHOEBE STEIN | CO-FOUNDER OF AGELESS LIVING COLLABORATIVE | FOUNDER OF OLIVE PRESENTS
Phoebe has been a relentless advocate for emerging and existing brands throughout her career. From the introduction of cellular technology for U.S. West Cellular, to launching flat screen technology for SONY, to the branding of Crypton, Phoebe has built brands, communities and industries, in multiple market segments. Through strategic communications programs, Phoebe has been instrumental in developing start-up brands and elevating existing brands in the hospitality, senior living and contract design industries. Her crisis management work in the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, earned her a PRSA Silver Anvil Commendation award. Prior to re-launching her namesake agency, Phoebe Stein Public Relations, in Chicago, she served as in-house, independent counsel at the Leo Burnett Company and managed national accounts for global public relations firm, Golin Harris. During the past 12 years, she has worked to develop and evolve the connectivity of the senior living design segment by aligning designers, manufacturers and suppliers in meaningful industry initiatives. Her passion for design and best outcomes for seniors recently led her to, with David Ashen, co-found the Ageless Living Collaborative. Today, her primary role is that of business strategist, connector and communicator and out-of-the-box thinker.
FAITH MARABELLA | CEO & PRESIDENT | REGISTERED ARCHITECT, LEED AND SENIOR DESIGN PRINCIPAL | WDC INTERIORS
Faith Marabella has specialized in Senior Living Design for over 20 years; first as an Architect, then as an Interior Designer. She now owns Wellesley Design Consultants, Inc. in Haverhill MA, which has a rich history designing Senior Living for more than 30 years. She carries on that expertise, while continuously innovating in a dynamic market by attending conferences, seminars, and symposiums. She actively collaborates with manufactures who focus on the best solutions for Seniors. Faith is passionate about her affordable housing projects that contribute towards minimizing the current New England housing crisis. Faith instills in her team that, “Senior design, is Universal design”.
LISA M CINI | FOUNDER, PRESIDENT & CEO | MOSAIC DESIGN STUDIO
Lisa M. Cini is the Founder and CEO of Mosaic Design Studio. A global commercial design, project management and procurement company, Mosaic’s mission is to "Improve Quality of Life by Design."
Mosaic has dedicated itself to meeting clients’ needs, while upholding their mission, vision, and values. Lisa has helped a diverse clientele, among them are: Top global senior living operators, US Air Force, US Navy, NHL, Coopers Hawk Winery and The OhioHealth Hospital System.
Lisa’s business has brought her into the publishing world. BOOM The Baby Boomers Guide to Leveraging Technology, so that You Can Preserve Your Independent Lifestyle & Thrive, made #1 on Amazon Kindle in 4 countries!
Hive: The Simple Guide to Multigenerational Living How Our Family Makes it Work, is Lisa’s personal account of how her family designed a home in which 4-Generations lived together and lead productive, happy and healthy lives, while dealing with Alzheimer’s/Dementia.
Lisa is also the author of THE FUTURE IS HERE…Senior Living Reimagined, as well as many articles. She has received numerous awards, which span multiple industries. A sought-after speaker, Lisa has been featured on radio and CNN, CBS, FOX, and NBC. She also appeared on Today in America with Terry Bradshaw and is quoted frequently in The New York Times.
Lisa is regarded as the leading Alzheimer's and long-term care design expert in the nation.
Her most recent venture, Infinite Living, is a live senior friendly 10,000 square foot historic mansion that she is converting into an Airbnb model which showcases the latest tech, creates multigenerational connections and moves people from Fear to Freedom as they age.
Infinite Living Collaboration encompasses the top designers and products in the Aging in Place market and also showcases all of Lisa’s products she has personally curated at www.BestLivingTech.com , think AARP meets Sharper Image.
DALE MILLER | PRESIDENT & CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER | DARING BY DESIGN
Dale Miller began her career as an interior designer at a noticeably young age. As a seven-year-old she began making furniture out of scraps of materials and pasting them into shoe boxes, to create miniature rooms. That evolved into a design career in New York and Florida where she opened Daring by Design, Inc.
Dale Miller is President and Chief Creative Officer at Daring by Design. She is a Florida Registered Interior Designer, regulated by the Board of Architecture and Interior Design. She is consistently recognized as one of the top Senior Living Interior Designers in the U.S. Her vision of Community, Lifestyle, Workplace and Health are unsurpassed.
Dale has a unique talent to assist people and businesses in navigating the impact of industry trends and issues. She helps them to explore how design turns client challenges into competitive advantages. Her achievements have earned her numerous awards. Dale believes that design is strategy in action, with a focus on results. As Chief Creative Officer she is responsible for the design of award-winning healthcare, hospitality and senior living projects.
Her personal experiences with aging parents caused her to think about how she could make life easier for them by giving them the opportunity to continue to safely thrive in their own home. Three years ago, Dale Miller fulfilled her dream and became a Certified Aging in Place Specialist accredited by the National Association of Home Builders. She then launched Aging in Place USA, a company enabling people of all ages to live safely and comfortably forever.
Dale is a mentor for Women of Tomorrow, assisting disadvantaged high school girls in learning skills that will enable them to succeed in life and earn scholarships for higher education. She is also an active participant in Women Build for Habitat for Humanity.
JANE ROHDE |
, AIA, FIIDA, ASID, ACHA, CHID, LEED AP, BD+C, GGA -EB | PRINCIPAL | JSR ASSOCIATES
Jane Rohde believes in a global cultural shift toward person-centered solutions for healthcare settings and sits on various healthcare and sustainability committees supporting research, advocacy, and humanistic approaches to care. In 2015, she received the first Changemaker Award for Environments for Aging from The Center for Health Design and in 2018, she received the ASID Design for Humanity Award, has been recognized as an Honorary Alumni of Clemson University’s Architecture + Health program, and has been honored as one of the top ten Women in Design demonstrating leadership in healthcare and senior living design. Jane Rohde’s areas of expertise include person-centered care model development, architecture and design for the aging population in senior living and related healthcare settings, sustainability initiatives supported by performance characteristics, education to peers, regulators, and care providers, guideline development and licensing code, focus groups and primary research, demographic studies, and development expertise.
KEVIN SWANSON | DIRECTOR OF INTERIOR DESIGN AT HAWTHORN CONSTRUCTION GROUP
Kevin as recently joined the team at Hawthorn Construction Group, as Director of Interior Design, who develops and builds senior living communities across the country for Hawthorn Senior Living. Prior to his move to Hawthorn Construction Group, Kevin led the interiors for Columbia Pacific Advisors where he brought with him fifteen plus years of senior living design experience. Kevin worked within the Real Estate Investment group and manages all aspects of interior design for the senior living communities throughout the country. Prior to joining Columbia Pacific Advisors, Kevin was the Director of Interiors at Emeritus Senior Living for thirteen years. Emeritus, which no longer operates was based in Seattle, WA. Having worked with both the provider and owner/developer side of the industry, Kevin brings with him, a vast range of experience. Kevin graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design from North Dakota State University.
LAURA BUSALACCHI | SENIOR DIRECTOR OF INTERIOR SERVICES |
BROOKDALE SENIOR LIVING
Laura works for Brookdale Senior Living and currently manages a staff of 14 that include: in-house interior designers, a logistic team and a drafter. Brookdale is the largest senior living provider in the U.S. with over 740 communities nationwide. Prior to Brookdale, she started the interior design department for a design build firm and then owned her own business for over 4 years. With over 27 years of experience in residential, healthcare and senior living design, her passion has been with senior living. The reason is the impact design has on the residents. Laura has a BFA in Interior Design and holds her NCIDQ, is a Wisconsin Registered Interior Designer and has her Evidence Based Design Certification. Laura and her husband will celebrate their 20 th wedding anniversary later this year. They have son that will be entering his senior year at high school and live on 20 acres with their three dogs. Her favorite pastimes are gardening, running, cooking, wine tasting and spending time with her family and friends.
RACHEL RANGELOV | SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT | DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION | LONGVIEW SENIOR HOUSING ADVISORS
Rachel joined Longview in May of 2018 as Senior Vice President, Design and Construction. Her current responsibilities include the oversight of major projects at 87 seniors housing assets nationwide. Prior to joining Longview, Rachel was the principal of Saddle Rock Consulting where she was actively involved in identifying opportunities to develop new seniors housing projects, completing due diligence for acquisitions, team selection, and oversight of design and construction projects. During her time with Saddle Rock, she was involved in over $300m in seniors housing projects. Prior to establishing Saddle Rock Consulting, Rachel was the NE Director of Design and Development for Watermark Retirement Communities, and SVP at The Freshwater Group. For over 11 years, Rachel was responsible for managing large capital and ROI projects; and was instrumental in identifying opportunities for new development within Watermark’s primary markets. Rachel began her career in Construction Management, and during her 11 years as a project manager she was involved in a variety of projects including commercial tenant renovations, medical office construction, and design-build projects for the US Department of the Army and the US Coast Guard. Rachel attended Albertus Magnus College and Harvard University Extension School.
ALICIA JONES | PRINCIPAL & FOUNDER OF WEST END INTERIORS
With degrees in Interior Design and Textiles and Merchandising, Alicia realized her passion for Senior Living design 25+ years ago while interning as an interior designer for a privately-owned Operator. A few years after receiving a degree in Interior Design, Alicia began her career with a large Operator in Tennessee. Here, she was given the opportunity to develop custom designs for all building types: Independent, Assisted, Skilled Nursing and Alzheimer’s, as well as, CCRC developments.
As a result of the financial crisis in 2009, Alicia made the decision to carve her own path through the launch of West End Interiors, LLC [WEI]. Focusing solely on Senior Living design, Alicia and her team applied evidence-based research and end-user successes and quickly became known as a top contender in the senior living design industry.
Combining experience and intense product knowledge, she began producing products and programs that filled the many voids within the market. These creations include, but are not limited to: a furniture line designed specifically for our aging population, design standard programs for all acuity levels, Memory Lane®, an Alzheimer’s life skills product line, a comprehensive unit turn and model room program, and Design Lift™, an interior design service that provides a “face lift” approach to updating the appearance of senior living environments.
With her 25+ years of senior living design experience Alicia is proud to be celebrating WEI’s 11th year in business and is thrilled to be a part of senior living’s design future.
B. DEAN MADDALENA | AIA, NCARB, IIDA, ASID, NEWH
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT OF STUDIOSIX 5
Dean is a licensed architect who earned a Bachelor of Architecture from University of Notre Dame and a Master of Architecture from University of Michigan. He founded StudioSIX5 in 2003 to elevate the design discourse for senior living communities and an industry thought leader whose focus is the continual improvement of the lives of seniors.
Prior to his dedication to seniors, Dean created architectural and interior designs for a variety of specialties, including commercial office space, higher education, hospitality, multifamily housing, and retail. Once he saw the positive effect modern interior design had on seniors, their families, and caregivers, he was hooked and never looked back.
It was Dean who reimagined senior living interior design, transforming it into what is found in every newly developed community.
He was the first to realize future residents would want a new and modern product that fit their lifestyles and aesthetics. So, he applied his skills to updating every facet of senior living interior design at all levels of senior care throughout the United States and Japan.
He has also designed specialized technology, furniture and flooring products that meet the unique ergonomic needs of seniors. Those products have become standard lines of national manufacturers, and designers across the country specify them, expanding Dean’s impact on the lives of seniors.
At the request of clients, Dean has included the multifamily, student housing, and hospitality industries into StudioSIX5’s offering. This allows he and his team to spread their mission of…
Creating Environments to Celebrate Life.
BRUCE HENTGES | VICE PRESIDENT, SPELLMAN BRADY & COMPANY
Bruce Hentges is the Vice President of Spellman Brady & Company, a nationally recognized commercial interior design & procurement firm with over 28 years of success & counting. A positive leader, high-energy professional with a focus on business development through strategic partner relationships, Bruce lives by the motto, “People will do business with those they know, like and most importantly trust.” He takes a consultative approach in developing innovative solutions to common frustrations and challenges often experienced in specialized interior environments. As a key member of the senior management team at Spellman Brady, he advises on strategic growth and operational efficiencies. Bruce is recognized as a passionate leader who maximizes team members through collaboration, encouragement, and ownership of a shared vision.
Bruce is also a co-founding partner of Elevate Senior Living, a lifestyle project focused on providing affordable, yet stylish, housing for the ever-growing population of seniors in the U.S. Through its mission “Beyond Expected. Within Reach.”, Elevate strives to construct 10 new 55,000 SF Assisted Living and Memory Care communities targeted at the middle-market over the next 5 years.
Bruce graduated from University of Northern Iowa and his hometown is Dyersville, Iowa – home of the movie “Field of Dreams.”
MARITZA ZAPATA |
CMO of the ALC, dash design
After over a dozen years in the brand development world, Maritza Zapata understands the massive reach of a successful strategy. Maritza rose through a few other branding firms, including G2 Worldwide and Enterprise IG. She then reconnected with David Ashen, the former head of Retail Architecture at desgrippes gobé.
As dash’s director of marketing, Maritza’s focus is never on how to land any particular client. Rather, she assesses whether the entity is a good fit, and if so, how she can help build a relationship. “We want to work with clients who have a basic understanding of what effective design can do for them. That way, we can really leverage the power of design to execute upon their business strategies, and in the process, increase their ROI,” she says.
Design has always been a passion for Maritza and she consistently advocates and reinforces the fact that design has intrinsic value and can change people’s lives in a very compelling and meaningful way.
She also helped to conceive the Ageless Living Collaborative, a project that is also very dear to her heart!
Maritza studied Fashion Buying and Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Design and transitioned into Brand Development early in her career. Since then she has worked for leading design firms in New York City.