Leadership

Continually charting a course toward the future.

President and CEO: Jonathan R. Cook

Jonathan R. Cook joined the team of LifeSpire of Virginia as President/CEO on December 3, 2014. Before joining LifeSpire of Virginia, Mr. Cook worked for Life Care Services LLC. During his tenure, he served as both executive director and the regional position of director of operations management. He has more than 19 years of experience in the senior living/eldercare field, including experience in multi-site continuing care retirement communities. He is a graduate of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Chief Operations Officer: Tracey Jennings

Tracey Jennings joined the LifeSpire of Virginia team as chief operations officer in December 2021. In this role, will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the five LifeSpire of Virginia communities. Additionally, Jennings will oversee community operating budgets, policies and procedures and provide oversight of major vendor relationships.

Jennings brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in senior living and healthcare. Jennings held numerous positions at Centra Health including managing director of senior care. She oversaw long-term care communities; was the chief operating officer of Bedford Memorial Hospital and vice president of care coordination. She led care coordination and case management processes and systems.

Jennings holds a bachelor’s degree from Ferrum College and is a licensed nursing home administrator and preceptor in Virginia.

Chief Strategy and Integration Officer: Lisa Legeer

Lisa Legeer joined the LifeSpire of Virginia team as chief strategy and integration officer in June 2021. She will be responsible for growing top-line revenues and adding other complementary business lines to the organization. She will assist in leading strategic planning efforts and be responsible for the cultivation of acquisition, merger and affiliation opportunities for the organization.

Lisa has more than 20 years of experience serving senior living and healthcare organizations with strategic and development planning, performance improvement and marketing. Before joining the LifeSpire of Virginia team, she served as senior vice president of strategic partnerships for GlynnDevins—a data, analytics and marketing technology company. She also worked for the accounting firm Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP for 14 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric and communication studies from the University of Virginia.

Chief Marketing Officer: Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson was promoted to chief marketing officer in May 2021 after serving as LifeSpire of Virginia’s vice president of marketing and public relations since 2011. In this role, he will continue to provide oversight, strategic direction and leadership for the sales and marketing operations. Peter has more than 20 years of experience in the senior living industry. He first worked as a food services assistant at a local retirement community while attending high school and college in Harrisonburg, Va. Upon graduation, Robinson worked as a member of the marketing team at Sunrise Senior Living in various locations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. He first joined the LifeSpire of Virginia team in 2009 as the corporate director of marketing and public relations. Peter is a graduate of James Madison University with a B.A. in History and a graduate of George Mason University with an M.S. in Health Systems Management.

Vice President of Clinical Services: Paula Bolton

Paula, a registered nurse and licensed assisted living administrator and assisted living administrator preceptor, holds the vice president of clinical services for LifeSpire of Virginia. Paula joined the team at The Culpeper, a LifeSpire of Virginia community, in January 1997. While employed at The Culpeper, she held various positions within the nursing department, including the assistant director of nursing for nine years. In 2008, Paula transitioned to the role of assisted living administrator. She was responsible for the daily operations and oversight of delivering care and services to residents at all levels of care within the community. In May 2019, Paula transitioned to the corporate director of clinical services before her promotion to vice president in October 2020. Paula’s career has been dedicated to serving seniors and their families.  

Vice President, Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation: Jodi Leonard

Jodi is a native of Long Island, N.Y., and moved to Virginia in 2009. Jodi joined the Virginia Baptist Homes Foundation, LifeSpire of Virginia’s benevolent arm, in 2015, where she leads the annual planning, relationship building, and fundraising administration for the organization. Jodi’s entire career has been committed to serving non-profits and their needs, with more than 25 years’ fundraising experience in Virginia and New York. She attended Nassau College in New York and received fundraising certification from the University of Richmond’s Institute on Philanthropy.  Jodi has earned her Certified Fund Raising Executive credential that is recognized worldwide and signifies a confident, ethical fundraising professional.

Jodi keeps busy at home with three young adult children rotating in and out of the house, but she always makes time to join residents and team members in each of our communities for fellowship, conversation and celebration.

Vice President of Information Technology: Robert Wilbanks

Robert Wilbanks joined LifeSpire of Virginia of Virginia in September 2019. Robert recently served as information technology infrastructure manager with Langley Federal Credit Union. He also served in progressive leadership roles with Chesapeake Financial Shares in Virginia and Rancho Physical Therapy in California. Robert has more than 18 years of extensive working experience and is well versed in implementing innovative solutions to complex technical issues. His technical skills include business continuity, networking, and infrastructure design. He holds certifications in CCNA +Security, CISSP, and MCSE Microsoft.

Vice President of Human Resources: Laura Wooton

Laura Wooton joined the LifeSpire of Virginia team as vice president of human resources in January 2022. In this role, Wooton will be responsible for workforce development, human resources management and best practices, organizational effectiveness and performance measurement.

She has more than 20 years of experience in talent management and previously served as LifeSpire of Virginia’s corporate human resources director from 2011 to 2015. She rejoins the team from Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen, a Richmond law firm, where she served as human resources director. She also worked as a human resources consultant for Fortis Leadership & HR Business Solutions and corporate human resources director for Ingenco.

Wooton received her bachelor’s in science from Virginia Tech and a master’s in business administration with a concentration in human resources from Virginia Commonwealth University. She holds certifications as a Senior Professional in Human Resources and SHRM Senior Certified Professional.

Corporate Controller: Christine Moran

Christine Moran leads LifeSpire of Virginia’s accounting team and is responsible for all aspects of accounting information, production, compliance and management of LifeSpire of Virginia and its affiliates. In addition, she monitors and manages the company’s cash position and its nonprofit foundation’s business affairs and serves as a valued accounting and financial consultant to LifeSpire of Virginia’s senior leadership and communities. Christine has more than 25 years of experience in progressive leadership roles in accounting and finance, concentrating on nonprofit organizations. Christine holds a bachelor’s of science in accounting from the State University of New York, College at Brockport. She lives in the Richmond area.

Executive Assistant: Jennifer Cristello

Jennifer Cristello joined LifeSpire of Virginia in October 2019. Before joining LifeSpire of Virginia as Executive Assistant, Jennifer worked for Henrico County Public Schools for four years and spent 11 years at SunTrust in various professional roles. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in business. She lives in the Richmond area with her husband, Dominic, and daughter, Kate.

Corporate Director of Communications and Public Relations

Tammy Arnette is an award-winning communications strategist that joined the LifeSpire of Virginia team in October 2022.  In this role, Arnette will serve as the media spokesperson and direct and oversee the public relations, web presence and overall communications strategies for all five senior living communities under the LifeSpire brand.

Arnette brings a decade of public affairs, public relations and communications experience and is well versed in all aspects of media relations.  In her prior role, she spent six years working for AAA Club Alliance advocating for safe driving practices to include teen and senior driving.

Arnette is a graduate of Liberty University with a Bachelor’s in Business Communications and Master of Arts in Strategic Communications.  She is also a current member of the national Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and local Richmond chapter.

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