Greater DC State of Senior Housing

Scott Stewart is the Founder and Managing Partner of Capitol Seniors Housing (CSH), a national seniors housing investment firm. CSH is a joint venture partner with one of the largest university endowments in the United States, and in 2013 became the first partner in the endowment’s direct investment business to recognize the sale of a portfolio of assets. CSH also partners with The Carlyle Group (Carlyle), one of the world’s largest private equity groups with $185.0 billion under management. Both CSH and Carlyle are headquartered in Washington, D.C. CSH was formed in the fall of 2003 with a mission to opportunistically acquire, develop and own independent living, assisted living and continuum of care retirement communities (CCRCs) in major U.S. markets. CSH utilizes third party operators to manage the facilities on a fee or joint venture basis. To date, the company has amassed a nationwide portfolio of more than 50 assets valued at more than $1.0 billion. CSH has also realized a combined gross profit of $335 million for its investors with the timely sale of certain assets within a seven year period. This track record has enabled the company to post an overall portfolio IRR in excess of 52%. Prior to forming CSH, Mr. Stewart ran the Acquisitions Group for Sunrise Senior Living, one of the country’s premier seniors housing service providers. Before that, he headed up the acquisitions, development and construction efforts for Homestead Village, Security Capital Group’s extended-stay hotel company. Throughout his career, Stewart has been a featured speaker at industry events, most recently with the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) and InterFace Seniors Housing Business. Mr. Stewart is currently an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, teaching the class “Multifamily, Affordable & Seniors Housing” (MPRE 709-40) for the university’s Masters in Real Estate Program. Active in the community, he is also a member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and serves on the boards of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and Hopecam, a nonprofit organization that uses technology to connect children undergoing cancer treatment with their classmates. In 2013, he founded Seniors4Seniors, a scholarship program that rewards college-bound high school seniors who have demonstrated active, consistent and dedicated involvement in their local seniors housing communities. Mr. Stewart earned an MBA from Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts and a BBA from The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Gabriela joined LandDesign in 1998 as a landscape architect with an architectural background, a passion for public spaces, and extensive experience in mixed-use urban infill projects. As Partner and senior lead designer, she is responsible for project visioning, sustainability, and resilience strategies, as well as storytelling through placemaking. She leads projects through zoning entitlements bringing to light each project's unique sense of place as well as codifying the foundation of its overall vision. She has led the project delivery for large complex projects such as Midline, National Harbor, and Potomac Yard. Her contributions to urban design in the redevelopment of Tysons guided the implementation of its public realm. She is a Fulbright Scholar with a degree in Architecture from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, and a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the State University of New York. She is registered in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia. She is a member of the ASLA, AIA, and ULI, and serves at the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership as the Chair of the Board of Directors Executive Committee.

Janet has been involved in a wide range of projects in both private and public sectors, throughout her career, specializing in multi-generational housing. Her responsibilities include design, project management, construction documentation, and construction administration. Having overseen the design and construction of 2000+ units in her 20-year career, Janet brings a strong mix of creative design and practical insights to her projects. Her senior living work challenges the traditional senior housing model by taking a holistic “place making” approach to the site selection and design. She aspires to create an integrated experience for the residents by maximizing connections to, and opportunities with, adjacent retail and hospitality uses. She believes that successful residential projects—whether for seniors or millennials—require solid design principles, creativity and comprehensive market knowledge combined with the appropriate amenities.

Colette Dafoe is the office managing partner of the firm’s DC office, and focuses her practice on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, representing owners, investors and developers in acquisitions, sales, leasing, financing and development of commercial real estate. Her practice involves drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases and loan documents and performing due diligence and other site acquisition services.

Brett J. Gelsomino is the Vice President of ZOM Senior Living. He is responsible for overseeing and implementing all aspects of senior housing development nationally, with an emphasis on luxury in-fill opportunities. Since joining ZOM in 2007, Brett has developed over 1,700 multifamily units across multiple markets, at a cost value of nearly $600 million. He is experienced in a wide variety of residential and mixed-use product types, ranging from wood-frame lowrise to 50-story podium highrise, and everything in between. Brett graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management, and a Master of Science degree in Real Estate. He is a licensed real estate broker, a certified general contractor and a graduate of the ULI Leadership Institute. He is also an instrument rated, single- and multi-engine pilot.

Chris Painter joined EagleBank in 2018 as a Senior Vice President. Chris oversees EagleBank’s seniors housing and healthcare platform, working with developers, owners and operators to structure financing which meets their short term and long term goals. Chris also serves as EagleBank’s FHA Chief Underwriter, and manages credit and underwriting for EagleBank’s FHA lending products, as well as the Bank’s relationships with HUD staff and leadership. Prior to joining EagleBank, Chris was an SVP for Pillar/SunTrust’s Seniors Housing & Healthcare group. Chris began his real estate finance career at CWCapital (acquired by Walker & Dunlop) in FHA underwriting, after a stint in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Chris majored in Accounting and Finance at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is a licensed CPA. EagleBank offers pre-development, land, construction, and bridge financing on its balance sheet as well as long term, fixed rate, non-recourse financing through its FHA insured loan platform for seniors, healthcare, and multifamily properties. EagleBank is a FHA MAP and Lean approved lender and Ginnie Mae issuer, and regularly provides affordable, short term balance sheet solutions to its FHA lending customers.

Adam has a deep track record of excellence in finance, development, and strategic operations. In April 2016, Adam leveraged his 15 years of experience to launch Solera Senior Living, a next-generation senior living operations, development and investment company targeted at the luxury segment. Solera currently has 6 properties under management or development with a total market capitalization in excess of $250 MM. At Solera, Adam identifies strategic growth opportunities, sets the vision for the operating model and program design, sources and structures capital relationships, evaluates innovative technologies and is responsible for building a highly engaging culture. Adam received his BA from Cornell University, School of Hotel and Restaurant Management, and his MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. Adam credits the constant love and support from his wife for his success to-date in building Solera. Outside of work, Adam enjoys spending quality time with his wife and three kids, socializing with close friends, traveling, reading, skiing, golfing, and fitness.

Gale is responsible for the coordination and oversight of sales and occupancy efforts for Mather senior living residences. She works with sales teams within each residence to guide them in meeting their goals, and has led them to master the art of relationship selling. Gale has also been instrumental in training management and frontline teams within senior living and community-based initiatives in providing extraordinary customer experiences. Before joining Mather, Gale served as AVP of Sales & Marketing for Classic Residence by Hyatt and Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Retirement Community Specialists. Gale earned her bachelor of business administration degree in Marketing from the University of Phoenix. Gale Ages Well by hiking in the lovely Arizona desert. Gale earned her bachelor of business administration degree in Marketing from the University of Phoenix.

McAfee is responsible for all aspects of the company’s real estate development activities from project conception through completion. Most recently, she spearheaded the successful construction of The Fallstead at Lewinsville Center – an 82-unit affordable independent living community for seniors in McLean, Virginia. McAfee joined Wesley Housing in 2008 and previously served as Wesley Housing’s Director of Real Estate Development, a Development Associate with Forest City Washington in Washington, DC, and Director of Public Finance at the District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA). McAfee was a Fellow at the Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence (CUREx) at the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a B.S. in finance and new and small business development from Georgetown University and a master’s in business administration from American University.