Applewood’s professional team makes all the difference

Applewood’s Executive Director is Keith Grady. Keith is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LHNA) and has more than 35 years of management, operational and development experience in continuing care communities. Keith is responsible for the administration of the day-to-day operations and the development of Applewood’s future strategy. His innovative ideas and charismatic personality have shaped Applewood into one of New Jersey’s top choices for retirement living. “I was extremely close to my grandparents and felt the need and desire to serve others at a very young age, providing a compassionate approach to care,” Keith says. “Most people usually pick their occupation, but this occupation picked me. I wouldn’t want to spend my life anywhere else than in a continuing care community.”

Heath Braunstein has been Director of Dining Services at Applewood since 2013 and oversees all restaurant, catering and healthcare dining operations.  He is a graduate of the Michigan State University School of Hotel and Restaurant Management and has attended courses at the Culinary Institute of America.  Prior to working at Applewood Mr. Braunstein’s work experience included Director of Training, Director of Quality Assurance & Food Safety and Director of Purchasing for a Regional Contract Food Management Company.  Mr. Braunstein has also received “Food Management Professional” and “Serve Safe” certifications from the National Restaurant Association.

Jennifer Kohan, Director of Sales and Marketing, has been with Applewood since August 2021.  Jennifer is a highly experienced sales and marketing professional and brings more than 20 years of experience working with senior living and continuing care retirement communities in New Jersey.

Ramon Vargas is the Manager of Facilities Management which includes Building Services, Housekeeping and Security. Ramon has over 25 years of experience in facilities management with more than 17 of those years being in the healthcare field. He is a Certified Assisted Living Administrator in the State of New Jersey.

Debbie has been in the healthcare field for over 25 years. She began her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant and grew professionally & academically from that starting point. Debbie has been a Recreation/Activity Professional for over 16 years and loves every minute of her profession!  She feels as though she truly makes a positive difference in the lives of the residents, family members and staff whom she works with. Debbie believes that education is continual and vital and has her BA in Healthcare Administration, has an Assisted Living Administrator Certification in addition to being a Certified Dementia Practitioner and having her Activity Consultant Certifications through the National Certification Council for Activity Professionals. Debbie is very passionate about her role as part of the Team and is very happy to be an integral part of the Applewood Family.

Samantha is the first manager in this role to have a master’s degree in Social Work. As a result, her expertise will allow new experiences for residents that promote even greater support of social growth. Working previously with Monmouth County Social Services, Samantha’s daily services include helping new residents move and settle-in to Applewood, providing guidance and helpful resources to residents and helping people who need to move to a higher level of care.

Susan Gelbard is the Assistant to Keith Grady, Executive Director, and is also the Customer Relations Coordinator. In addition to her administrative duties, Susan is responsible for the oversight of the Concierge /Reception Desk. She also manages Transportation Services which includes drivers and a fleet of six vehicles. Susan has been with Applewood for 27 years and is the managers’ “go to” person.

Kerry Piscitelli, Applewood’s Assisted Living Coordinator, has worked at Applewood for the past 12 years. She started with CentraState Medical Center in November of 2003 as a staff nurse in Orthopedics and Maternity. Kerry transferred to Applewood in August of 2010 and worked as a Charge Nurse on the HCU. For the past two years, Kerry currently has worked as the Assisted Living Coordinator. Kerry graduated from St. Vincent’s Nursing School in 1994 and received an Associate’s Degree from the College of Staten Island. She worked for St. Vincent’s Medical Center for 10 years before coming to CentraState.

Courtney is a local senior living lifestyle expert who transitioned from a CCRC community in Tinton Falls. She hit the ground running by distributing a resident survey to gauge the specific interests of Applewood residents.

“We’re going to amplify what’s going on in popular culture and tweak it to meet our specific interests,” says Courtney, who used the return of Pop-Up events as an example.

“We also received approval to schedule more day trips,” she says. “One of the survey findings was that residents enjoy outings together as a group—and they love to dine together.”

Charles joined the Applewood team after amassing a wealth of experience in the restaurant industry. Charles spent nearly 40 years working in hotels and restaurants both as the Head Chef and General Manager. Charles’ culinary experiences began in New York City and have taken him throughout Europe. This has made him a very diversified chef, able to accommodate a variety of tastes and preferences.