Las Vegas, Nev. – Today, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) elected AHCA’s Board of Governors and NCAL’s Board of Directors for the 2025/2026 term. Chris Wright of Connecticut was elected as AHCA Chair, and Sarah Silva of Oregon was elected as NCAL Chair.
“It is an honor to have Chris and Sarah as the new chairs of our boards,”
said AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Clif Porter. "Their years of expertise and passion for the long term care sector will be key in taking the work we do to new heights. I’m grateful to them and all our board members for dedicating their time and energy to keeping the sector united and charting our course forward.”
Wright is the co-founder and current chairman of iCare Health Network and has nearly four decades of leadership in long-term and post-acute care. iCare manages 12 skilled nursing facilities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, and is known for providing a wide range of services, including placement and care for residents with complex and challenging conditions and those who are under-served. Wright previously served as Vice Chair on AHCA’s Board of Governors, as Secretary-Treasurer and Vice Chair, and was a former president of the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities. Earlier this year, he received the Connecticut Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his extensive contribution to advancing the industry and ensuring resident access to compassionate care.
The members of AHCA’s 2025-2026 Board of Governors include:
- Chris Wright of iCare Health Network (Conn.), Chair
- Nate Schema of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (S.D.), Vice Chair
- Tina Thomas of Mission Health Communities (Wis.), Secretary/Treasurer
- Phil Scalo of Bartley Healthcare (N.J.), Immediate Past Chair
- Jay Moskowitz of Vivage-Beecan (Colo.), Regional Multifacility Representative
- Brian Bernander of St. Otto's Care Center, Inc. (Minn.), Independent Owner Representative
- Barry Port of The Ensign Group (Calif.), Multifacility Representative
- Heath Boddy of Vetter Senior Living (Neb.), Not for Profit Representative
- Tara Gregorio of Massachusetts Senior Care Association, ASHCAE Representative
- Bill Charnetski of PointClickCare, Associate Business Member Representative
- Norman Rokeach of Marquis Limited (Mass.), At-large Representative
- Bill Weisberg of Saber Healthcare Group (Ohio), At-large Representative
- Tina Sandri of Forest Hills of DC (D.C.), At-large Representative
- Chris Chirumbolo of Carespring Health Care Management (Ky.), At-large Representative
- Fran Rainer of PruittHealth (Ga.), At-large Representative
- Nigel Santiago of Cascadia Healthcare (Ariz.), At-large Representative
- Barry Carr of Ignite Medical Resorts (Ill.), At-large Representative
NCAL also elected its board of directors today, including Sarah Silva as its new chair. Silva is the president & co-founder of Arete Living, which operates assisted living, memory care, and independent living communities in nine states. She is a distinguished leader in the senior living profession, bringing more than 20 years of experience. Silva is the 2023 recipient of the NCAL Jan Thayer Pioneer Award, demonstrating her significant contributions to the field and her passion for elevating quality care.
The members of NCAL’s Board of Directors include:
- Sarah Silva of Arete Living (Ore.), Chair
- Dave Chensvold of HealthCare of Iowa, Inc. (Iowa), Vice Chair
- Julie Simpkins of Gardant Management Solutions (Ind.), Secretary/Treasurer
- Mark Maxfield of The Cottages, LLC (Idaho), Immediate Past Chair
- Todd Dockerty of Dockerty Health Care Services (Mich.), At-large Representative
- Darryl Fisher of Mission Senior Living (Nev.), At-large Representative
- Tandie Hastings of Companion Health Services (Okla.), At-large Representative
- Laurie Henley of Grand Oaks Assisted Living (D.C.), At-large Representative
- Drew Hood of Oak Terrace Senior Communities (Minn.), At-large Representative
- Camille Jordan of Brookdale Senior Living (N.J.), At-large Representative
- Tracy Lichti of New Cassel Retirement Center (Neb.), At-large Representative
- Meredith Mills of Country Meadows Retirement Communities (Penn.), At-large Representative
- Logan Pratt of Caring Places Management (Wash.), At-large Representative
- Jennifer Svoboda of Arete Living (Ore.), At-large Representative
- Sharon Thole of The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society (Wis.), At-large Representative
- Jessica Pelligrino Tsoukalas of Bridgeway Senior Healthcare (N.J.), At-large Representative
- Kris Woolley of Avista Senior Living (Ariz.), At-large Representative
- Emmett Reed of the Florida Health Care Association, ASHCAE Representative
- Doug Farmer of the Colorado Health Care Association, State Affiliate Representative
- David Voepel of the Arizona Health Care Association, State Affiliate Representative
- Sarah Dirks of Behavioral Health Solutions, ABM Representative
“We are incredibly grateful to our newly elected board members for stepping forward to lead us into the next chapter for our profession,”
said NCAL Executive Director LaShuan Bethea. “It is their compassion, integrity, and shared commitment to advancing the quality of care for residents and communities that will push us toward a brighter future.”
Members of the AHCA Board of Governors are elected by the association’s governing body, the Council of States. The NCAL Board of Directors is elected by current members of the NCAL Board and by the NCAL state leaders. Both boards held the elections at Delivering Solutions 25, the AHCA/NCAL Convention & Expo.