T. Andrew Smith, Non-Executive Chairman

Mr. Smith has been our Non-Executive Chairman since February 2022 and one of our independent directors and a member of our Audit Committee since December 2019.  

Mr. Smith has over 30 years of experience in seniors housing, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, capital markets transactions, corporate finance and healthcare. Mr. Smith served as the Chief Executive Officer of Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE) from February 2013 until February 2018, as President from March 2016 until February 2018, and as a member of the Board of Directors from June 2014 until February 2018. From October 2006 to February 2013, Mr. Smith served as Brookdale’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. In addition to his role in managing the company’s legal affairs, Mr. Smith was responsible for the management and oversight of the company’s corporate development functions (including mergers and acquisitions, and expansion and development activity); corporate finance (including capital structure, debt and lease transactions and lender/lessor relations); strategic planning; and risk management. Prior to joining Brookdale, Mr. Smith served as a member of Bass, Berry & Sims PLC's corporate and securities group and as chair of the firm's healthcare group. Mr. Smith previously served as a member of the board of directors of the Nashville Health Care Council, Argentum and the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing & Care Industry (NIC), and as a member of the executive board of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA).

Mr. Smith received his Bachelor of Arts from Vanderbilt University and his Juris Doctor from Southern Methodist University School of Law.

Jonathan A. Carnella, Independent Director

Mr. Carnella has been one of our independent directors and a member of our Audit Committee since April 2021.

Since 2013, Mr. Carnella has served as a member of the board of DCMS Holdings Inc. and Verve Equity Corporation, Canadian companies that comprise the business of Diversicare Canada, a group of privately-held entities that own and operate approximately 35 seniors housing residences in Canada under the Verve Senior Living brand. From May 2013 through December 2020, Mr. Carnella served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Diversicare Canada. From 2011 to 2013, Mr. Carnella served as President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Royal Host Inc., a Toronto Stock Exchange listed hotel owning company. Prior to joining Royal Host, Mr. Carnella served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International and prior to that he served as Senior Vice President and Treasurer of Host Hotels and Resorts. Mr. Carnella began his career as an investment banker with Lazard and later worked for NatWest Markets, the investment banking division of National Westminster Bank.

Mr. Carnella is a member of the Cornell Council. He holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a Masters in Business Administration from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Gregory A. Samay, Independent Director

Mr. Samay has been one of our independent directors and a member of our Audit Committee since June 2011. He was also an independent trustee and member of the audit committee of NorthStar Real Estate Capital Income Master Fund and its feeder funds from March 2016 to October 2020. Mr. Samay served as Chief Investment Officer for the Fairfax County Retirement Systems consisting of three public pension systems with a combined $6 billion of assets from July 2013 (having previously served as an Investment Officer since July 2011) to July 2016.

Mr. Samay served as Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer for Arlington County Employees’ Retirement System, a $1.3 billion public pension plan, from August 2005 to September 2010. Mr. Samay served as Assistant Treasurer for YUM! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), a quick service restaurant company, from 2003 to 2005. From 1998 to 2002, he served as Vice President and Treasurer of Charles E. Smith Residential Realty, Inc., a publicly-traded REIT that merged with Archstone Communities of Denver in 2001 to form Archstone-Smith Trust, a publicly-traded REIT until acquired by Tishman Speyer and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in October 2007. Mr. Samay served as Senior Manager, Capital Markets and Investments, for MCI Corporation from 1996 to 1998. From 1987 to 1996, he held various positions, progressing from Senior Financial Advisor-Corporate Treasury to Assistant Treasurer-Corporate Treasury, for COMSAT Corporation, a global telecommunications company.

Mr. Samay holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Kendall K. Young, Director, Chief Executive Officer and President

Mr. Young joined our board of directors in October 2022 in conjunction with the internalization of the management team.  He has over 38 years experience in real estate and over 11 years experience in senior housing.  During his career, Mr. Young has been involved in all major facets of real estate including acquisitions, joint ventures, dispositions, asset management, lending and restructuring.  Mr. Young was also a CPA early-on in his career.

Prior to this role, Mr. Young was an Executive Vice President and Head of Senior Housing for Healthpeak Properties (NYSE: PEAK) from 2010 to 2019, was the Global Head of Asset Management for real estate for hedge fund Strategic Value Partners in Greenwich, Connecticut, from 2007 to 2010, was Managing Director and Global Head of Asset Management in Merrill Lynch's Global Principal Investing business from 2005 to 2007, and was a Managing Director with GE Capital Real Estate from 1992 to 2005.  

Mr. Young holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of California Irvine.