Katie Buck, LPN
Executive Director

With more than 10 years' experience in healthcare and healthcare operations management, Katie came to SeniorBridge from the Retirement and Assisted Living Industry. She worked as a Regional Operations Manager for Sunwest Management, and prior to that she was an Administrator for a large Retirement and Assisted Living community in central Texas. For eight years, Katie was an accomplished Non- Commissioned Officer (NCO) in healthcare and public affairs for the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. She attended the Licensed Practical Nurse Course at the U.S. Army Medical Department School at Ft. Sam Houston, TX and Ft. Lewis, WA, and Primary Leadership Development Course at Ft. Lewis, WA, all where she earned placement on the Commandant's List. She also served at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Unit in San Antonio, TX, where her work with injured servicemen/women in 2004 was recognized by the Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army. Katie's experience as a civilian and military licensed practical nurse covers many areas including Burn and Wound Care, Trauma, Oncology/Hematology, OB/GYN, and Nephrology. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Washington.

Molly S. Stuart
Director of Professional Relations

Molly joins SeniorBridge from a position as Community Relations Coordinator at Tudor Heights, an assisted living facility. She previously taught anatomy, physiology, and biology courses to college-bound students at the Institute of Notre Dame in Baltimore and planned individualized educational programs for emotionally disturbed teens at The Pathways School. Molly has been a fitness specialist, student athletic trainer, and certified group exercise instructor at health facilities and at the State University of New York at Potsdam, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Health. She was also a mentor for Future Nurses of America and a varsity cheerleading coach at the Institute of Notre Dame.

Jeanne Leonard, RN

Jeanne Leonard has 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse in hospital, homecare and assisted living settings. Most recently she was the Health Care Coordinator for Brighton Gardens of Towson, a Sunrise Senior Living Community. Previously, she worked with Personal Touch Home Care in Towson Md. and Ander-Care Home Care, Inc. in Springfield, MA, as a patient care coordinator; MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Il. and Morristown Memorial Hospital in Morristown, NJ. as a staff nurse. Jeanne has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT.

Mary Ellen Koontz, R.N., B.S

Mary Ellen Koontz has almost 15 years of experience as a home health provider and case manager in hospital and eldercare environments. She comes to SeniorBridge with experience dedicated to the older adults in her community. She served as Case Manager at the Erickson Retirement Communities and United Health Care's Evercare. She spent eight years working with Medicare Demonstration Projects focused on improving benefits for seniors. Mary Ellen is a registered nurse who also has B.S. in Health Care Administration from Columbia Union College in Takoma Park. She also has her Graduate Certificate, Parish Nursing from St. Mary's Seminary and University.

Mary Ellen Koontz recently completed The 2008 Baron Scholar Program. This is a 40-hour training certification course offered by The Copper Ridge Institute. Copper Ridge and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine collaborated to create one of the only "teaching long term care facilities" in the world. Attendees of the program collaborated with a network of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia care-specific professionals and learned state-of-the-art education taught by nationally acclaimed experts.

Ruth Farrago
Vice President of Regional Operations

Ruth Farrago has over 20 years of experience in health care administration. She was the Administrator of an inpatient and outpatient comprehensive Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Division at Downstate Medical Centers in Brooklyn. She has an extensive background in home care marketing and management having worked for St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers as the Director of Intake and was then the Branch Manager/Administrator at New York Health Care. Ruth was also the Executive Director of Sunrise Assisted Living of East Meadow where she was responsible for the daily operations of the facility, client and family satisfaction, management of the sales and marketing team and coordinated community outreach and events. Ruth has a Bachelors of Science from SUNY College of Oneonta where she majored in Business Economics and she is currently completing a Masters Degree at Long Island University specializing in Gerontology.

Marilyn Goldman, LCSW-C
Social Worker Care Manager

Marilyn Goldman has over a decade of experience as a clinical social worker and therapist and is an experienced case manager. She holds the credential from the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners to supervise social workers preparing for licensure. Before coming to SeniorBridge she worked as a Clinical Psychiatric Social Worker with chronically mentally ill and geriatric clients in a variety of settings, including mental health clinics, hospital-based psychiatric programs, substance abuse programs, and in a private psychotherapy practice. Marilyn has a BA in English from Harpur College, State University of NY and an MSW from Syracuse University, School of Social Work. Her graduate education was in clinical social work, with a specialization in family systems theory. She also received post-graduate supervision in the practice of psychodynamic psychotherapy.