Christy Van Der Westhuizen

Brooke Saxon-Spencer grew up immersed in the senior living industry, beginning her career as a Marketing Director at her family’s community in the Chicago suburbs. Her dedication and expertise quickly propelled her to the role of Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, where she transformed the community into Illinois’s leading post-acute rehabilitation center.

After her family sold the business in 2015, Brooke remained deeply committed to senior living, focusing her talents on brand management, strategic marketing, and enhancing the customer experience. As a key member of the executive team at Claiborne Senior Living, she drives marketing strategy, team member training and development, resident engagement, human resources, and innovative initiatives that set the company apart.

A proud alumna of Wheaton College, Brooke resides in Chicagoland with her husband, Caleb. Together, they share three children and five cats. In her free time, Brooke enjoys reading, knitting, and indulging in plain M&Ms.

Jenni Bost is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Radiant Senior Living, a multi-community organization serving Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care residents across four states. She oversees sales strategy, marketing execution, and occupancy performance, with a focus on turning data, CRM insights, and KPIs into clear, repeatable actions for community and regional leaders.

Jenni specializes in building scalable sales cadences, aligning campaigns with local market needs, and coaching teams to consistently improve conversion and revenue. She is passionate about systemizing success—designing frameworks, routines, and training that help senior living organizations move from dashboards to meaningful results.

Michelle Curnow is a dynamic sales and brand leader with over two decades of experience driving growth, leading high-performing teams, and building strategic pathways for operational excellence. As the Senior Vice President of Sales and Brand, Michelle oversees the full spectrum of sales process leadership, performance analytics, CRM strategy, and integrated branding initiatives across the organization.

Michelle brings a proven track record of elevating team capability, developing sales playbooks, and fostering a data-informed, customer-centric culture. Her leadership in brand strategy and public relations has fueled occupancy and revenue gains, while positioning Asbury as a mission-driven market leader.

Katharine is passionate about serving seniors better by helping families navigate complex decisions with clarity, trust, and respect.

As President of Ross Media Solutions, she works closely with her team across two long-standing platforms—SeniorsGuide.com, a senior living research tool serving families since 2001, and BoomerMagazine.com, an editorial publication launched in 2006. Through this work, she has been a firsthand witness to evolving patterns in how older adults and caregivers research, engage, and ultimately choose care. With 25 years of hands-on experience in senior living marketing, she brings a steady, data-informed perspective shaped by long-term consumer behavior trends. Her work emphasizes transparency, predictability, and relationship-driven marketing that balances operator outcomes with a better buying journey for families.

At her core, she believes learning should be engaging and meaningful. She approaches each day with curiosity, a sense of connection, and an openness to the God Winks that often guide her. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, biking, and aerial yoga. Time with her husband Johnny, their 16-year-old son, and a competitive extended family (often over a deck of cards) keeps her grounded and laughing.

At conferences and through LinkedIn, she frequently speaks about senior living marketing, evolving consumer behavior, and what performance data reveals about the real senior living buying journey.

Christy Van Der Westhuizen is a senior living sales and marketing executive with more than 18 years of experience leading high-performing teams, driving occupancy growth, and building strong sales cultures. As Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Jaybird Senior Living, Christy is passionate about developing sales leaders, strengthening community performance, and bringing energy, strategy, and heart to the senior living industry. Known for her engaging leadership style and practical approach, she speaks on sales leadership, team development, marketing strategy, and creating momentum in challenging markets.

Jessi Weldon serves as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Primrose Retirement Communities. Her senior living career began as a Resident Aide during college and has grown through more than 20 years of leadership in sales, operations, and executive strategy. Jessi is passionate about helping teams build meaningful connections, coaching sales professionals to move beyond information-sharing into conversations that truly matter, and supporting families through important life decisions. As a parent of a medically complex child, she is also a disability rights advocate whose perspective continues to shape her leadership and commitment to inclusion, dignity, and belonging.