Leadership

Bob Peterson serves as Chief Financial Officer of UMC. In this role, he works closely with teams across the organization to ensure strong financial performance that supports UMC’s mission and long-term sustainability.

Since joining UMC in 2019, Peterson has focused on strengthening financial performance so the organization can continue to invest in its communities, residents, and teammates. He believes that high-quality operations and clinical excellence are the true drivers of financial success in senior living, and he values collaboration across departments to achieve shared goals.

Peterson brings extensive experience in healthcare and nonprofit finance, with a career that includes senior leadership roles at Atlantic Health System, where he served as Chief Financial Officer of Hackettstown and Newton Medical Centers.

Much of Peterson’s career has been devoted to not-for-profit and faith-based organizations, drawn by their emphasis on service, compassion, and quality of care. UMC’s mission and values resonated with him immediately, aligning closely with both his professional background and personal beliefs.

Peterson is deeply committed to helping older adults live abundant lives. Having seen firsthand the impact dementia can have on individuals and families, he is especially appreciative of UMC’s Tapestries memory support program and the meaningful difference it makes for residents and their loved ones. He also strongly believes that aging should not limit a person’s ability to live fully, socially, and joyfully.

Christina Esandrio serves as Vice President of Sales and Marketing at UMC, where she leads the strategic direction and execution of marketing, sales performance, and business development across the organization. In this role, she works closely with sales teams, executive leadership, and strategic partners to increase awareness, drive census growth, and strengthen UMC’s brand across its full continuum of services.

With nearly 30 years of experience in senior living sales, marketing, and business development, Esandrio brings deep expertise in building high-performing teams, launching and supporting new communities, and developing strong referral networks and community partnerships. She is known for her data-driven approach to sales leadership, utilizing CRM intelligence and performance metrics to support accountability, consistency, and scalable growth. A passionate mentor and trainer, Esandrio is also deeply committed to helping sales teams serve families with clarity and compassion.

Esandrio joined UMC, drawn by its mission-driven culture and not-for-profit commitment to reinvesting in the communities it serves. She believes that people are often better with support than without it, and she is dedicated to normalizing the act of asking for help, especially for older adults and their families navigating important life decisions. A central focus of her work is elevating storytelling across the organization, sharing real resident and family experiences that authentically reflect UMC’s mission and impact.

Prior to joining UMC, Esandrio held senior leadership roles with Life Care Services, Brandywine Living, Chelsea Senior Living, and the Alliance Continuing Care Network, where she partnered with healthcare systems, academic institutions, and development teams across the Northeast. Throughout her career, she has helped countless families navigate Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care options with empathy and expertise.

Esandrio’s commitment to senior living is both professional and personal. Having supported her grandmother through senior living decisions and later walking alongside her family during her father’s journey with Lewy body dementia, she understands firsthand the transformative power of the right care at the right time. She is driven by the belief that older adults deserve to live with purpose, dignity, and connection, and that families deserve a trusted team to guide them every step of the way.

Pamela Garofolo serves as Vice President of Programming Excellence at UMC, where she leads the development and execution of strategic, evidence-based programming for residents, teammates, and the broader community. In this role, Garofolo oversees interdisciplinary teams across New Jersey, ensuring programs align with organizational goals while enriching daily life and supporting person-centered care.

Garofolo brings more than three decades of experience in aging services and has been with UMC since 2008. She began her UMC career as Director of Memory Support at The Shores, where she led therapeutic programming and teams serving residents living with dementia. She later served as Assisted Living Administrator at The Shores, overseeing leadership staff, regulatory compliance, and operational performance.

From 2018 to 2025, Garofolo held the role of Corporate Director of Tapestries, where she developed and implemented UMC’s Tapestries Model of Dementia Care across the organization. In that capacity, she became a driving force behind UMC’s person‑directed culture change efforts, expanded therapeutic engagement programming, and provided dementia care training and consultation both within and beyond the organization. She was appointed Vice President of Programming Excellence in 2025.

A nationally recognized leader in aging services, Garofolo is deeply focused on innovation and culture change. Her work includes implementing Montessori-based approaches for dementia and aging across UMC’s Tapestries Memory Care; expanding Memory Cafés, dementia early-intervention initiatives, and community education programs; and championing UMC’s designation as an Age-Friendly Health System through the 4Ms framework. She also works to strengthen university partnerships to advance research and cultivate the future workforce in aging services.

Her leadership and impact were nationally recognized in 2024 when Garofolo received the LeadingAge Leadership Award, which honors individuals whose work has made a significant difference in their organization or local community. Her enthusiastic promotion of a culture of engagement among teammates and residents alike was noted as a defining strength of her leadership and a driving force behind meaningful, lasting change.

Travis Gleinig serves as Chief Innovation Officer at UMC, where he leads the organization’s technology and innovation strategy, overseeing cybersecurity, data and analytics, and digital infrastructure. His work focuses on ensuring technology is implemented thoughtfully and securely to support residents, teammates, and UMC’s mission.

In this role, Gleinig also leads BEAM Advisors, extending UMC’s technology expertise to aging services providers nationwide. He partners closely with executive leadership to align technology investments with organizational priorities, modernize systems, and leverage emerging tools to improve efficiency and give teams more time to focus on residents.

With 14 years at UMC, Gleinig has served in a series of progressive IT leadership roles, including IT Support Technician, Information Security Analyst, IT Manager, IT Director, and Chief Information Officer, before being named Chief Innovation Officer. He was originally drawn to UMC through a strong connection to the organization and its mission, which continues to guide his work.

Prior to joining UMC, Gleinig served in the U.S. Army National Guard. He is a member of the LeadingAge CAST industry association, serves on the Board of Directors of the Thrive Center (an aging services innovation center) and is a frequent national speaker on technology strategy, cybersecurity, governance, and innovation in aging services.

Gleinig is deeply motivated by the belief that aging is a universal human experience and that communities have a responsibility to create systems that allow people to age with dignity, connection, and opportunity — now and for generations to come.

David Glenn serves as Senior Vice President of People & Culture for UMC, where he leads and directs all aspects of the organization’s Human Resources operations. In this role, Glenn provides strategic guidance and subject matter expertise to senior leadership and community team members, while ensuring compliance with federal and state labor laws and fostering fair, supportive workplaces for all teammates.

With 12 years at UMC, Glenn has played a critical role in strengthening the organization’s workplace culture and labor relations, helping build a people-first culture across UMC’s communities and offices. Leading by example, UMC has been certified a Great Place to Work® for nine consecutive years.

Glenn joined UMC in 2014 as Vice President of Human Resources and was promoted to Senior Vice President of People & Culture in 2023. Prior to UMC, he held senior HR leadership roles at CPC Integrated Health, Bright Harbor Healthcare, and Norkus Enterprises/Foodtown, bringing more than two decades of experience across healthcare, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from Monmouth University and is a Certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SHRM-SCP). Glenn also served as an EAGLE Accreditation Commissioner for the Methodist Ministries Network from 2019 to 2025.

Glenn’s commitment to serving older adults is deeply personal. Inspired by his love and respect for his grandparents, he brings a sincere dedication to supporting seniors and ensuring that the teammates who serve them find meaning and purpose in their work.

Cynthia Jacques serves as Senior Vice President of Programs and Services at UMC, where she leads the strategic direction and performance of the organization’s senior housing, home care, and community-based programs. In this role, she collaborates closely with senior leadership to advance UMC’s mission, ensure excellence and innovation across all services, and provide high-level support to the President and CEO.

With more than 25 years at UMC, Jacques brings deep institutional knowledge and a lifelong commitment to serving older adults. Her career at UMC began as a Social Worker in one of the organization’s communities and progressed through a series of leadership roles, including Executive Director, Special Assistant to the President, Vice President of Housing and Home Care, and ultimately Senior Vice President of Programs and Services. Across each role, she has played a key part in strengthening affordable housing, expanding home care, advancing dementia-care programming, and supporting the organization’s overall strategic growth.

Jacques' professional background spans geriatric social work, housing development, and home care, including work with Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Geri-Psychiatry Dementia Program and Catholic Charities of Middle Tennessee. She is widely regarded for her expertise in dementia-related programming and her ability to translate mission-driven values into high-quality, person-centered services.

In 2014, Jacques was honored as a nominee for The Greater Monmouth Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Leadership Award®, which recognizes professional excellence and a commitment to mentoring and advancing women in leadership — an effort that has long been a personal and professional priority for her.

At the heart of Jacques' work is a deeply held belief in fairness, independence, and the inherent dignity of every person. She is passionate about ensuring that older adults are empowered to make their own decisions, shape their lives, and continue pursuing their goals. She is also committed to innovation and collaboration, including partnerships with higher education to support lifelong learning for seniors.

David Rayha serves as Vice President of Operations at UMC, where he oversees administrative, clinical, and operational functions for UMC’s full-service communities. In this role, Rayha is responsible for ensuring compliance with all relevant policies and regulations while setting objectives that support successful aging, resident satisfaction, program quality, and strong financial performance. He also monitors economic and regulatory trends and works closely with leadership teams to advance UMC’s mission and vision.

Since joining UMC in 2020, Rayha has focused on refreshing communities through continuous improvements to shared spaces and amenities. His work includes updating both interior and exterior environments to ensure they are welcoming, functional, and supportive for residents, team members, and visitors alike.

Rayha brings extensive senior living leadership experience to UMC. Prior to joining the organization, he served as Vice President of Operations and Chief Operating Officer at Brethren Village in Lititz, Pennsylvania, where he was responsible for the development and delivery of health and wellness services. Before that, he served as Executive Director at Bellingham Retirement Community in West Chester, Pennsylvania and as Executive Director for the Lakes Campus at Willow Valley Retirement Communities in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He is also a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Helping older adults live abundant lives is a guiding principle for Rayha. His professional journey with faith-based, not-for-profit organizations has reinforced the importance of compassion, respect, and stewardship — values that align closely with UMC’s mission and inspire him to create communities where older adults can thrive.

Jim Roberts serves as Vice President of the UMC Foundation, advancing the organization’s mission to reimagine aging and empower people to live with purpose, connection, and choice at every stage of life. In this role, he is focused on strengthening the Foundation’s public visibility and expanding philanthropic support to ensure housing and care for current and future residents.

Roberts joined UMC in 2024 after coming out of retirement, inspired by the opportunity to help reposition the UMC Foundation. A lifelong commitment to service runs deep for him. His father, a United Methodist minister, served on UMC’s Board of Directors in the 1980s and helped shape the Foundation during its early years. After his first meeting with UMC leadership, Roberts knew this was where his experience and passion could make the greatest impact.

With decades of leadership experience in nonprofit, healthcare, and philanthropic organizations, Roberts brings a proven record of success in fundraising, community engagement, and organizational growth. He has served as President and CEO of The Roberts Consulting Group and as Executive Director with the New Jersey Hall of Fame, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (NYC), Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) (NYC), the American Diabetes Association (New Jersey), and the National MS Society (New Jersey).

Throughout his career, Roberts has been recognized for staging major fundraising events and concerts featuring nationally known artists, helping establish the ShopRite LPGA Classic as one of the premier charitable events on the ladies professional golf tour, and supporting large-scale initiatives such as the United States Olympic Committee and the New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream. He also served on the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports and has long been a sponsor and board member of Special Olympics New Jersey.

Roberts is deeply committed to helping older adults live abundant lives, a value shaped by his upbringing and decades of service to vulnerable populations. He considers it a privilege to work alongside UMC teammates and community partners, using his experience,

relationships, and passion for philanthropy to make a lasting difference in the lives of residents and the communities they call home.

Jennifer Tedora serves as UMC’s Assistant Vice President of People & Culture, where she is committed to ensuring teammates feel respected, supported, and encouraged to grow in their careers. Tedora views Human Resources as a vital customer-service function — one that exists to advocate for teammates, promote equity, and uphold policies that strengthen the organization as a whole. She believes that when teammates feel valued, it directly impacts the quality of life and care experienced by residents.

Since joining UMC in 2023, Tedora has held several roles, including Associate Resource Director at Bristol Glen and, most recently, Corporate Manager of HR Operations. Currently, she is focused on fostering UMC’s strong organizational culture while advancing training and development initiatives. Tedora is especially passionate about hospitality training that creates welcoming, engaging environments where UMC’s residents and teammates alike feel a strong sense of belonging.

Prior to UMC, Tedora built a diverse professional background spanning education, workforce development, marketing, and human resources. Her experience includes roles as an English teacher at Barnegat High School, Public Relations Director for the Tuckerton Seaport, Training and Development Specialist with Workforce Development in Atlantic City, and Marketing Manager and HR Director at Trump Casinos. She brings extensive union experience, from both labor and management perspectives, which informs her balanced, thoughtful approach to employee relations.

Tedora’s commitment to UMC’s mission is deeply personal. Having cared for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and seeing a family member thrive as a resident at Bristol Glen, UMC’s continuing care retirement community in Sussex County, New Jersey, she understands the importance of compassionate, high-quality support for older adults. Tedora is proud to help shape policies and programs that empower teammates and enable residents to live abundant lives.

Patricia Koepplinger serves as Executive Assistant in the Office of the President & CEO at UMC. She plays a key role in supporting the executive office and ensuring the smooth, efficient operation of the UMC Home Office. Koepplinger manages priorities and logistics to support the day-to-day functions that allow leadership to focus on advancing the organization’s mission. She is also actively engaged in interpreting business strategy and identifying innovative solutions that support the successful implementation of UMC’s strategic plan, approaching challenges with a proactive and thoughtful mindset.

Koepplinger joined UMC in 2013 and has held her current role throughout her tenure. She was drawn to UMC after relocating to the Jersey Shore, seeking an opportunity to use her background in sociology to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. The organization’s not-for-profit mission and commitment to compassion, respect, stewardship, and service resonated deeply with her.

Prior to joining UMC, Koepplinger worked as a real estate agent and served as an executive assistant at St. Paul Reinsurance in Manhattan.

Her dedication to older adults is rooted in personal experience. Having witnessed her parents’ lifelong devotion to caregiving, she believes strongly in giving back to older adults so they can live comfortably and joyfully, and in honoring the wisdom and experience they bring to our communities.