Providing a good life today and a solid plan for the future.

Chip joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2022. As a Navy veteran, Chip is thrilled to be part of a team serving residents who are themselves committed to service. Following his time in the Navy, during which he served as a nuclear engineering officer and an instructor of English literature at the U.S. Naval Academy, Chip has worked in executive leadership roles for over 20 years. For nearly 15 of those years, he has worked in senior living and services. At Erickson Senior Living, Chip served as Executive Director of communities in New Jersey and Maryland. He also worked in corporate roles at Erickson, which included the leadership of nine communities as Regional Executive Director.

Chip is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and he also holds an MA in English from the University of Maryland and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Chip and his wife Allison have two children, Grace and Fletcher, and they also share their home with Lucy the labradoodle. During Chip and Allison’s free time, they are often chasing kids participating in youth sports around the mid-Atlantic. Chip also volunteers with several community organizations and is an avid (if not speedy) runner.

Rick joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2018. Prior to his arrival in Virginia, he was the CEO for four years at Oakwood Lutheran Senior Communities in Madison, Wisconsin. He was the CFO for one year beginning in July 2013. He spent another 10 years with two other long-term care providers in the role of CFO. He has worked with a variety of organizations — from large public companies to family-owned businesses. Rick is a CPA and spent about seven years in public accounting, mostly focused on accounting and business systems consulting. In 1984, he received a B.S.B.A. in finance and an A.A.S. in data technology from the University of Louisville. Rick’s early career in both public accounting and private industry gave him the opportunity to work with companies of all sizes and in various industries. He has led numerous enterprises to exceptional growth and stability through effective process improvement, insightful managerial skills, and peerless financial leadership. With demonstrated capabilities in management development, financial reporting and analysis, innovation and business unit operational guidance, he has proven his ability to push organizations toward success.

Rob joined the team at Vinson Hall Retirement Community as vice president of operations in 2022. As a former U.S. Marine, Rob is delighted to be able to contribute to a senior retirement community with such a rich military heritage. Over the past 12 years, Rob has held multiple leadership positions in aging services, including corporate director of facility services for Lutheran Social Ministries of Maryland. In this role, he successfully transitioned an outsourced contacted service to the facility and environmental services and completed multiple energy initiatives, significantly lowering operational costs that directly impacted the residents.

Prior to Lutheran Social Ministries, Rob was the regional director of property management for the Ingleside communities and led the property management division of a new startup entity. He created and maintained the operational budget, oversaw multiple building renovations and managed all federal life safety and emergency management programs that led to deficiency-free health surveys.

Born and raised in Ohio, Rob received a B.S. degree in business management from the University of South Florida. Following his service in the Marines, Rob owned and operated a contracting business in Florida for several years before shifting his career direction to serving older adults. When not working, Rob enjoys spending time with his wife and three children on their small farm in western Loudon County. He coaches his daughter’s softball team and volunteers at his children’s school and 4H clubs regularly. His hobbies include fishing, carpentry, and being a dad.

Denese has had 20 years of experience working in senior living communities prior to joining Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2022. At Westminster at Lake Ridge continuing care retirement community, Denese held several positions in facilities management, including director of plant operations, assistant director of environmental services, and interim independent living administrator. Most recently, as senior transition manager, Denese led multiple capital improvement and renovation projects, as well as played a pivotal role in the coordination of Westminster at Lake Ridge’s repositioning project.

Denese was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. She attended North Carolina State University and earned a facilities engineering management diploma. Denese is a certified professional maintenance manager (CPMM) and has completed several of the National Fire Protection Association’s life safety courses. She is also a graduate of the LeadingAge Leadership Academy.

Denese lives in Ashburn and enjoys spending her free time with friends and her family, which includes two adult daughters and their husbands. She welcomed her first grandchild in September 2022 and loves adding grandmother to her many roles.

Winoka joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2019, after working in human resources for more than 12 years. Winoka holds a bachelor’s degree in human resource management and a master’s degree in instructional design/training development. She is also a licensed nursing home administrator. She is excited to be a part of the Vinson Hall team helping to ensure that both our residents and employees live life their way.

Winoka was born in Fulda, Germany, and spent her first 18 years as an Army brat. She then raised two children and is now the doting grandmother of five. An avid reader, Winoka shares that she has more books in her home library than she has time to read: 300 and counting. She has lived in the Washington, D.C. metro area since 1998 and enjoys its history, good food and diverse culture. It has become her home.

Michelle Crone joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community in the fall of 2019 as philanthropy & engagement coordinator, and was promoted to senior director in spring 2020. Michelle is passionate about the mission and the people of VHRC. Under her leadership, philanthropic giving to the Navy Marine Coast Guard Residence Foundation has increased, the donor base has grown, and a planned giving program was initiated. As a 30-year resident of McLean, Michelle has also increased VHRC’s engagement with the greater community by establishing new partnerships with local entities. She has served on the board of various community organizations, including McLean Project for the Arts for over 13 years, and fundraised extensively for local nonprofits.

Michelle grew up in California and earned her B.A. in English at Stanford University. Prior to joining VHRC, Michelle was an editor of various publications that included The New York Times Magazine, the Washington Post, and Architectural Digest magazine. Michelle leads the communications efforts for VHRC and has launched several new publications, including The Beacon weekly newsletter for residents, a monthly community newsletter, and a planned giving newsletter. A storyteller by nature, Michelle is honored to be able to tell the story of VHRC and the remarkable residents who live here.

Michelle is married to a Dane, has lived in Copenhagen and speaks Danish but failed to teach her two grown children the language, a fact they often remind her of. She and her family love to travel and have been blessed to see a great deal of the world.

Lisa Desmond came to Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2019 to become VHRC’s newly established director of clinical operations. Shortly thereafter, the pandemic began, and Lisa successfully led the community through a year of COVID testing, established safety protocols, and conducted a series of vaccination clinics to ensure resident and staff safety. In 2021, Lisa was promoted to chief nursing officer, then later that year moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she now works remotely as operations manager of Vinson Hall at Home, VHRC’s new home health care venture.

Lisa received her B.S. degree in nursing from the University of South Carolina, and holds two master’s degrees in business administration and nursing with a specialty in health care management. Lisa has an accomplished background as a home health care nurse, serving in and leading practices across the country, including in Alaska and Hawaii. Prior to joining VHRC, Lisa initiated and served as the director of a pilot home care program at Westminster at Lake Ridge, part of Ingleside Senior Living Company. This program eventually expanded to become Ingleside at Home, a home health care service with offices at the three Ingleside residences in the Washington D.C. area. Lisa served as executive director of Ingleside at Home from 2017 to 2019.

Lisa and her husband, Michael, have two children, Nate and Layla. All four are avid Steelers fans. Lisa loves to travel and especially enjoys family trips to the beach.

Stephanie joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community eight years ago. In the fall of 2014, Stephanie became VHRC’s independent living marketing counselor, and was subsequently promoted to assistant administrator in independent living. In 2019, she was named the senior director of marketing, and has kept VHRC’s 343 apartments and suites in independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation, and memory care consistently occupied ever since.

Stephanie holds a B.S. degree in psychology and theater from Mary Washington College and a master’s degree in gerontological studies from Miami University. She was selected as a fellow for the 2017 inaugural class of the LeadingAge D.C., Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Leadership Academy, where she was able to hone her leadership philosophy and skills. In addition to being a licensed nursing home administrator, Stephanie also teaches courses on aging services through Fairfax County’s Adult and Community Education program. With more than 15 years of experience in senior housing, Stephanie looks forward to meeting and educating new residents and their families about the services available to them at VHRC.

The mother of three boys, Stephanie enjoys hiking, camping and traveling. Married to her college sweetheart for over 25 years, Stephanie loves to plan adventure weekends for her family, taking them to both state and national parks across the country.

Haider has more than 20 years of experience in the senior living field in various roles. He first came to Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2018 with Sodexo Seniors as director of dining services. In 2021, Haider was promoted to administrator of Vinson Hall and Willow Oak, VHRC’s independent living areas of campus, and serves as administrator to nearly 300 residents. In this role, Haider also supervises the concierge team, special events, fitness center, transportation services, art center, social services, and the health and wellness clinic.

Haider earned his bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, as well as a master’s degree in management of aging services from the University of Maryland in Baltimore. Haider is a licensed assisted living facility administrator. He also holds credentials as a certified dietary manager (CDM), certified foodservice management professional (CFMP), and foodservice management professional (FMP).

Haider lives in Annandale and enjoys spending time with his family and friends.

Theresa has 30-plus years of experience in clinical nursing management and leadership in various senior living communities and hospitals. She joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community in 2019 as director of nursing services, and was instrumental in improving professional nursing practices and resident care at Arleigh Burke Pavilion. Her work in quality assurance and performance improvement resulted in VHRC achieving a 5-star rating in assisted living and skilled nursing care. Theresa also played a pivotal clinical leadership role throughout the pandemic. In 2022, Theresa was promoted to senior director of clinical operations campus-wide.

Theresa earned her A.S. degree in nursing at Excelsior College of Nursing in Albany, New York, her licensed practical nursing degree at Prince William Country School of Nursing, and became a registered nurse in 2009. Her nursing career includes roles as the senior director of nursing at Sunrise Senior Living’s eastern division, director of nursing at Westminster at Lake Ridge, quality care coordinator at Ashby Ponds at Erickson Living, and neonatal nurse at Inova Fairfax Hospital.

Theresa, who lost her husband nine years ago after 30 years of marriage, has five beautiful children and four grandchildren whom she loves spending time with. She has a small home on a lake in North Carolina. Her absolute favorite things to do are sitting on the dock in the early morning watching the mist rise off the lake and boating in the evening while watching the sun set.

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Bishal has more than 16 years of management experience in dining services in senior retirement communities in Virginia and Maryland. Bishal joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community in April 2021 as the senior director of dining services, where he leads a dining team of 50 and manages four dining venues across campus. Bishal received his education as a culinary specialist in the U.S. Army at Fort Lee. He also earned his A.A.S. degree in hospitality management from Northern Virginia Community College. Additionally, Bishal holds a number of credentials in the dining services field, including as a certified dietary manager (CDM), certified food protection professional (CFPP), foodservice management professional (FMP), and a ServSafe instructor and proctor in food safety and sanitation.

Bishal continues to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve, attending monthly drills at the 200th Military Police Command in Fort Meade, Maryland. Born and raised in Nepal, Bishal now lives in Manassas with his wife, Binita, and their two daughters, Nava and Aviva. Bishal also has a four-legged, one-and-half-year-old “son,” a Siberian husky named Volker. When Bishal and Binita are not working, their kids have their time. Bishal also loves to catch up with the news and watch sports. An avid soccer fan, he follows Chelsea Football Club.

Dr. Cissy Pottanat is a board certified geriatrician and primary care physician who has been providing services to Vinson Hall Retirement Community for 20 years. Dr. Pottanat’s career encompasses 34 years of medical experience. After completing her medical residency at Howard University in Washington, D.C., she did a geriatrics fellowship at George Washington University while earning a master’s degree in public health.

In addition to seeing patients at VHRC and through her practice in Falls Church, Dr. Pottanat has served as medical director in other assisted living and long-term care facilities and for hospice care. She is also a clinical preceptor for medical students from George Washington University, and has been recognized by Northern Virginia Magazine as one of the best geriatricians in the D.C. metropolitan area.

Analisse joined Vinson Hall Retirement Community three years ago as an administrative assistant in Vinson Hall and Willow Oak. In February 2021, she was promoted to become assistant administrator of The Sylvestery, and in 2022 she was named senior director and administrator of Arleigh Burke Pavilion and The Sylvestery.

Analisse was born in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and immigrated to Virginia with her family when she was three years old. She is a first-generation aging services professional who earned her bachelor’s degree in health care administration with a minor in sociology from Mary Baldwin University. It was through an administrator-in-training internship in college that Analisse discovered her passion for working with older adults. In 2016, she earned her nursing home administrator license, and worked for three years in senior living communities in Kansas and Georgia before coming to VHRC in 2019. Analisse is a graduate of LeadingAge Virginia’s Leadership Academy program, and she also holds a dementia certified practitioner credential.  

Analisse has a young daughter, Faviana, and loves spending her free time with her daughter, family and friends.