Meet the Team
Rosemarie Reid
Executive Director
I have always had a passion for working with the elderly and their families. Both of my grandmothers lived with dementia and I was able to witness firsthand the love and compassion that was given to my grandmothers during a difficult time for our family. These caregivers were angels and a god send to our family. This led me to devote my life to improving the lives of others. I began by volunteering at a Skilled Nursing Facility’s Memory Care Unit. I learned the importance of creating moments of joy and happiness for each resident and to help the resident’s family members find joy with their loved ones. I bring many years of experience working in Skilled Nursing, Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care in upstate New York and in Central Florida. I have held the roles of Business Office Manager, Business Director, Healthcare Administrator, Assistant Executive Director, and Executive Director.
I am very passionate when it comes to improving the lives of our residents and our associates. I realize and understand that it takes a very special person to care for and have patience when working with the elderly. I love working side by side with our caregivers whether it is serving a meal or helping with programming. I always instill teamwork to give the best possible care to our residents and I also remind our associates that “Our Residents do not live in our workplace; we work in their home”.
I enjoy spending time with my 3 beautiful grandchildren, cooking and baking Italian recipes handed down from my mother and grandmothers for my family and friends, going to the beach, visiting family and friends in upstate New York and my grandmother taught me the love of crochet.
Cindy Johnson
Director of Nursing
I am a Registered Nurse with over 30 years of experience in the senior living industry. At the age of 17 I was working as a dietary aide and from there I found a passion for the care of seniors. I have worked as a certified nurse’s aide for 6 years before becoming a nurse myself. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband, children, and grandchildren.
Yvette Jenkin
Director of Sales and Marketing
Yvette Jenkin is the Sales and Marketing Director at Alura Senior Living. She has nearly 25 years of sales and marketing experience in the tourism and senior living industries in Central Florida.
Yvette moved from her native Puerto Rico to Florida and began working in sales and marketing positions in the Orlando tourism industry. Yvette also worked as a sales and marketing manager for Delaware North at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for 8 years.
After transitioning to the senior living industry, Yvette has worked for several of the top assisted living and memory care properties in the area before bringing her passion and experience to the Alura team.
The most rewarding part of Yvette’s work is helping seniors and their families find a community where they feel safe and can enjoy a fun, new way of senior living.
Yvette, her husband and daughter live in Melbourne and enjoy playing golf, attending church, watching movies, volunteering, and driving Vanessa to her martial arts classes.
Yvette is excited to introduce Alura to seniors and family members. Call her for an appointment to tour our beautiful new community and she will greet you with a big smile.
Shyamala Nanton
Memory Care Director
Originally from British Columbia Canada where she graduated with (BSW) bachelorette in Social Work and advance studies in gerontology at Simon Fraser University in 2000. Then moved to Seattle Washington to pursue her love for working with seniors. During the last fifteen years working in the senior living communities especially in memory care, Shyamala continues to develop innovative ways to keep seniors engaged in life enrichment programs using her experience in art and hospitality. As an athlete in the sport of fencing and love for yoga she has created daily exercise programs for Memory Care residents. She is always looking for ways to create moments of joy for both residents and families.
Kirk Borde
Lifestyle Director
Kirk was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, the birthplace of the steel drum, then moved to New York City, where he subsequently developed deep-seated emotions for pizza; he now resides in Palm Bay, FL. Fitness and the outdoors are usually the common trends in Kirk’s lifestyle. Some other interests include, traveling, road trips, live music, surfing, movies, international cuisine, the arts, reading, volunteering, and amusing his labradoodle, Roman.
While most of the neighborhood kids were tolerable, Kirk often found solace spending time with his grandparents; gardening, cooking, painting, and chit chatting; cultivating an admiration for their wisdom, experiences, and strength. These moments became a catalyst in Kirk’s decision to pursue a profession in healthcare.
Anthony Curtis
Dining Director
Anthony was born in Bronx, New York, later relocating to Palm Bay, Florida, where he has been a resident for 28 years. He Graduated from Melbourne High School in 2005 and has been in food service for 15 plus years. He obtained a wide variety of experience ranging from fine dining, and catering, and for the last 6 years senior living. Anthony is engaged and has 3 daughters, who all mean the world to him and are the primary reason he strives for greatness each day of life. His passion for cooking was implanted in him at a young age; through the biggest and most influential women in his life, his mother and grandmother, who are no longer living, but forever alive in his heart. Anthony has a love for football since he was a child. He has recently fallen in love with fishing and is obsessed with making memories with his family. “I’m honored to be at Alura Senior Living, and I promise to put my heart in each meal we serve each day”.
Thaddeus Chapman
Director of Operations
Thad has been in the physical plant and preservation field for over 15 years. He is a United States Navy Veteran E-5 who served on the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Persian Gulf. The Navy instilled important core values in Thad like honor, courage and commitment and he applies those values to all situations.
Thad grew up with his grandparents who taught him skills which have been an asset to him throughout his life. His grandparents taught him to garden, play sports and other important skills which lead him to have a passion to help seniors as they raised him.
Thad is knowledgeable in assisted living maintenance processes and procedures which make him a valued asset. He strives to support the seniors of the community with any of their maintenance or housekeeping needs, so they have a comfortable standard of living.
During Thad’s free time his family and he love to fish, boat, and visit amusement parks. He enjoys teaching his children sports and exploring new places with them. Thad has dedicated himself to helping seniors and enjoys bringing them peace of mind. He is passionate about making sure the seniors of the community have exceptional care and support.
Michael Croy
Director of Hospitality
Michael Croy came to Alura in April of 2022 as the Sales Counselor. Michael worked in his church and school for 5 years in marketing. Michael grew up in Roanoke, Indiana on farmland, so he is a country boy at heart. He met his wife, Jimena, in 2015 and got married a year later in New Jersey. He moved to Florida in 2017. He now has 2 kids and enjoys spending time with his family. He also loves sports and playing basketball, and enjoys playing his guitar on occasion for the residents.
