The Ridge Pinehurst senior living team

Lori Closs

Executive Director, Independent Living

Lori was born in Nebraska and raised in western Kansas which is where she fell in love with senior living working as a Business Office Director at a home health agency and skilled nursing facility. She obtained her CNA certification so she could assist her team on the floor when needed. Lori moved to Colorado and took a position as Business Office Director in a memory support community she helped to open in 2014. Soon after, she obtained her Executive Director certification and served as the Executive Director there. She joined The Ridge Pinehurst in 2020 as the Business Office Director and soon was promoted to Associate Executive Director. The loss of her grandfather to Alzheimer’s in 2017 and that spurred her empathy and passion to serve families who’s loved ones are affected by the disease.

John McElderry 

Executive Director, Assisted Living and Memory Support 

After 15 years in hotel and restaurant management, John redirected his hospitality and leadership skills toward senior living. He has opened communities and managed others and, for 25 years now, found his joy helping older adults, their families and each community’s team members grow and succeed. Loyal to colleagues and known for his integrity, John’s goal is to do his best today and then better his efforts tomorrow. John grew up on Nantucket Island and has a BA in History & Comparative Literature and Culinary Arts and an MA in Long-Term Care Management & Gerontology. He loves scuba diving, spending time in the kitchen and puttering around his hobby farm. He’s inspired when he’s with family and friends — and whenever he can savor the satisfaction of a freshly mown field.

Wendi Apodaca

Business Office Director

While Wendi is often working behind the scenes, she is crucial to the operations of the community as she serves residents, families and teammates through meaningful contributions that promote The Ridge’s mission and values. Prior to joining The Ridge Pinehurst, Wendi worked in the hospitality industry in various roles that included customer service and project coordination and management. She made the transition to senior living because of the meaningful and rewarding nature of the work and the privilege of serving our residents every day. She is passionate about serving others and striving for excellence in her role. When not keeping things moving in the community, you might find her swimming laps in the pool or working out, spending time with family and friends and watching movies.

Austin Murphy

Director of Sales

A self-described work-hard / play-hard veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Austin’s five-plus-year military career included deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan, where he was awarded Airman of the Quarter honors for his service as AGE mechanic, a member of the aerospace ground equipment team. Born in Pittsburgh, Austin earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Cincinnati. He’s worked as a home care consultant for Home Instead Senior Care, and he served as admissions director for Genesis HealthCare before assuming his current post as director of community relations at The Ridge Pinehurst. Austin’s heart belongs to the seniors he works with. His pride and passion are in helping them transition to their new homes within the community, and he’s touched and inspired by the appreciation they show.

Genevieve Laca

Director of Outreach

From the Colorado Neurological Institute in 2013 to The Denver Foundation and most recently with the Metropolitan State University of Denver, Genevieve has served the causes of philanthropy and development. Now she brings to The Ridge her well-honed set of interpersonal skills: to earn trust, connect deeply, and match older adults with their ideal solution. Genevieve holds an M.P.A. in Nonprofit Management, an M.A. in Philanthropic Studies from Indiana University, and a Certification in Corporate Social Responsibility. She grew up in south Denver, attended J.K. Mullen High School, and finds reading, baking pie, and mountain journeys with her family to be her inspiration. Always seeking joy in life — and eager to help others do the same — Genevieve leans in.

Steven Hathaway

Resident Experience Director

With a passion for service that started back in his fraternity days at the University of Missouri, Steven brings that same dedication to serve and problem-solving nature to The Ridge Pinehurst. Steven has worked in so many different areas of senior living including staffing, HR, admissions, life enrichment, and sales and marketing. It is because of that breadth of experience that he is uniquely qualified to be the Resident Experience Director (a.k.a. problem-solver extraordinaire) for the community where he aids residents through the transition to senior living with guidance and emotional support. While his life plans didn’t have him serving in senior living, he quickly changed his mind because of the meaningful experiences, deep connections with residents, families, and team members as well as the opportunity for growth with strong and passionate leaders. When not at work, Steven is an avid traveler, explorer of the nearby mountains and enjoys concerts, movies, and cooking.

Lenide Leburn Ulysse

Director of Dining Services

Lenide brings a deep passion for hospitality, exceptional service, and culinary creativity to her role as Director of Dining Services. Born and raised in the Caribbean, Lenide carries with her the warmth, bold flavors, and rich cultural traditions of her island upbringing. At the age of 20, she relocated to Florida, where she began building a strong foundation for her professional journey.

Lenide graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in administration and Trade and has continued to expand her expertise through specialized training and certifications.

Her career in senior living dining reflects dedication, growth, and a genuine love for service. She chose senior living because it allows her to combine her love of cooking, service, and meaningful connections with residents. Creating memorable moments around food is not just her profession—it is her joy. She is known for her attention to detail and her belief that great service and good food have the power to bring comfort, joy, and a strong sense of community to senior living. Outside of work, Lenide finds her greatest inspiration in spending time with her two sons, Adrian (4) and Aiden (2), who keep her grounded, grateful, and motivated. She enjoys cooking, praying, and listening to music—activities that bring peace and creativity into her life.

Jean-Luc Voegele

Executive Chef

When not practicing his favorite hobby of pairing great food and wine, Jean-Luc is focused on ensuring our residents enjoy the amazing food he creates at The Ridge Pinehurst. He brings experience and skill gained at several Michelin Star restaurants in France, Relais and Chateau in addition to five-star hotels in Hong Kong, Hawaii and Vail to The Ridge and we are very grateful beneficiaries of that background. He was raised in the Alsace Region of France and began his culinary journey working with his parents in a small, family-owned restaurant the town of Mutzig. He learned at a very early age what good food was and the importance of using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. He studied and completed his apprenticeship at the world-renowned cooking school in Strasbourg. He enjoys a good laugh especially when connected to family gatherings, a good joke and even polka music.  

Brianne Elson

Community Life Director

Brianne is a Colorado native who loves the outdoors, her golden retriever, and trying new things. She has worked in Senior Living for about 10 years, graduated from Metropolitan State University of Denver with a baccalaureate in Healthcare Management with a Minor in Marketing and is a certified lifestyle coach. Brianne’s passion is to empower seniors to age successfully in their own way, providing the tools for a well-rounded lifestyle. Working in senior living brings joy to her life and inspires her to support as many community members as she can.

Rudy Santuario

Director of Building Operations

Rudy enjoys being a father, helping others, and has a passion for getting things done right. In his spare time, Rudy enjoys quality family time and tackling home projects. Rudy has worked for Radio Shack and AT&T Prime communications for several years in a supervisory position and store manager. He then worked for GTS, a technology/construction company. He learned about security, sound, and home automation systems and met a few notable celebrities through that job. After some years installing and wiring sound systems, he searched for a new opportunity to expand his already impressive vault of knowledge and had a chance to work for Shaw construction, where he could then move to the great state of Colorado. So, with several years of experience in a multi-faceted realm as a Field Superintendent, Rudy joined our ever-expanding family at The Ridge Pinehurst.

Kristal Wynn, LPN

Assisted Living Director

Currently working on her BS in Healthcare Administration, Kristal has been steadily advancing her skills since 2009, when she earned her Practical Nursing Degree. She worked as a CNA in a skilled nursing community, then helped open a CCRC in Bonita Springs. Her nine years in long-term care awakened her love for senior living. She became a nurse consultant for a long-term care pharmacy. Then she joined a memory care and assisted living community as its weekend director. Four and a half years later, she’s come to The Ridge full of compassion, loyalty, understanding and a readiness to serve. A southwest Florida native, she treasures her family and her young daughter.

Natasha Northway, LPN

Memory Support Director

Originally from Minnesota, Natasha moved to Colorado in 2013, down to Georgia in 2021, and returned back to Colorado in 2024. She’s worked with older adults for more than two decades. After ten years as a CNA, she became an LPN and worked in long-term care. She has eight years of assisted living and memory support experience and continues to be passionate about giving seniors the best care she can. She’s known as honest and compassionate, loves mountain drives and time with her family, and finds her joy in her children and grandchildren.

Jessica Balerio

Move-In Coordinator

Jessica is a Colorado native and brings more than 10 years of healthcare experience to The Ridge Pinehurst having earned her CNA license in 2011. Her studies in both nursing and healthcare administration make her uniquely qualified to serve as Move In Coordinator as she’s empathetic to the health and social issues that attract older adults to senior living. She believes that her work with seniors has given her a profound sense of gratitude for life and the learnings that age bring. Her time outside of work is devoted to her two children who inspire her to be the best person she can be. She is inspired by overcomers—those who beat the odds, no matter what.

Kimm Gillogly

Team Operations Director

Kimm says she stumbled into senior living in March of 2020 when the pandemic struck because she couldn’t just sit around and not help. So she approached a nearby senior living community and said, “Can I help?” They handed her a uniform and thus began her career in senior living. She worked as a memory support caregiver. Even though she went home exhausted, she was happy knowing that she wanted to work with seniors the rest of her life. She also has experience as a QMAP, Assistant Memory Care Director and Assisted Living Director before finding The Ridge Pinehurst. A native of central Ohio, Kimm will always be a Buckeye at heart. From Ohio, she moved to San Francisco and then on to Boulder. She graduated summa cum laude from Ohio State University with a BS in Elementary Education and an MA in Reading Instruction. She also graduated summa cum laude from Otterbein University with an MA in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She is most passionate about teaching and learning which is particularly important in her new role as she facilitates the training of the clinical teams. She’s a scientific and curious thinker and will continually strive to better serve our residents.

Brandy Boozer

Spa & Fitness Director

Brandy has a varied background with a degree in Criminology and Forensics from Colorado Technical University, a real estate license and a cosmetology license. Yet, she chose The Ridge because the 28 years she’s spent doing seniors’ hair has brought her such joy and fulfillment. She loves to help residents and her team to become their best through listening and understanding. Her compassion, organization and hard work set her apart. She was born in Houston, TX, and has lived in Georgia and Colorado for most of her life. When not at work, she’s enjoying the beautiful Colorado surroundings—soaking up all its goodness and keeping that beautiful smile on her face.