The Bristal: Committed to excellence; passionate about senior living

The Bristal is the Tri-State region’s most trusted provider of senior living services. Our focus is helping every resident celebrate and share the experiences they’ve gathered over a lifetime. We offer luxurious senior living accommodations in privately owned communities on Long Island, in Manhattan, NY, in Westchester County, NY, and in New Jersey.

Known for our exceptional management and top-quality care teams, residents can choose from our luxury senior apartments for independent living, assisted living, and accommodations for memory care.

Each of our communities is designed to help seniors stay active and independent and flourish in all aspects of daily life. You’ll find everything you’re looking for and more here at The Bristal.

Our Mission and Vision: A commitment to caring

Our genuinely compassionate and caring staff is committed to our residents’ well-being, ensuring our residents experience extraordinary accommodations, expert care, and any necessary support.

Genuine caring is a quality we regard as essential for The Bristal, which is why we not only demand that all personnel possess the proper training, background, and experience, but that each individual demonstrates the character to champion our mission and vision.

the mission of the bristal

Our Mission at The Bristal Assisted Living

Our mission at The Bristal Assisted Living is to ensure residents experience the absolute finest in assisted living today — by providing extraordinary accommodations, delivering expert care and support, as well as ensuring a lifestyle that is healthy and active, abundant in dignity and grace.

the vision of the bristal

Our Vision at The Bristal Assisted Living

Our vision at The Bristal Assisted Living is to challenge every preconceived notion of what assisted living is believed to be — by creating an environment so uniquely loving, so rich in genuine compassion, and so driven by exceptional senior living, that residents and loved ones fully embrace The Bristal as their home.

Our Core Values at The Bristal Assisted Living

Succeeding in our mission begins with the caring professionals who make up our dynamic team, and relies on their enthusiasm toward meeting and exceeding The Bristal’s standards of excellence.

This understanding of what it takes to be the very best in assisted living inspired us to establish a set of core values, which champion a culture of care and compassion throughout every community of The Bristal, and inform and inspire all that we do:

  1. Integrity — a heart and soul committed to upholding impeccable ethical standards
  2. Enthusiasm — personal investment and genuine passion inspires each word and action
  3. Respect — extended fully, freely and unconditionally to residents, to families and to one another
  4. Collaboration — uniting residents, family, staff and community in a seamless circle of care
  5. Responsibility — the pledge to be dependable and accountable, to each other and as a team
  6. Excellence — to be the gold standard by which all assisted living communities are measured

These six values guide our perspective here at The Bristal. With them at our core, we consistently provide exceptional service and unparalleled care – the very thing that continues to set The Bristal apart.

Welcome to Ultimate Care Management

Ultimate Care Management is a division of B2K Development, developers of The Bristal organization. When the first community of The Bristal opened its doors back in 2000, B2K Development realized early on that they would need to bring management in-house if they were to ensure the top-quality experience they were after. They assembled a team with highly specific strengths who led The Bristal to resounding success, and multiple communities soon followed.

Today, Ultimate Care remains in total control of all aspects of life at The Bristal, providing the Executive Directors and their staff with field-proven guidance and support. The team at Ultimate Care ensures efficiencies and monitors performance in every department. We uphold the highest industry standards. And we take exceptional care of our team, so they do the same for our residents.

Meet the Ultimate Care Assisted Living Management Team

Amy Silva-Magalhaes
Chief Operating Officer
Amy Silva-Magalhaes joins the Ultimate Care team with over 15 years of executive leadership in the senior housing and hospitality industry. While leading teams at some of the nation’s most well-known senior living brands, Amy has a proven record of building cohesive organizational cultures, strong teams, and highly scalable operating platforms in mission-driven organizations.

Amy’s team-focused approach seeks to enable productive dialogue and engagement to foster diversity and inclusion – all in an effort to create value and drive long-term, sustainable, strategic growth. She also brings with her a valuable service-oriented perspective, having spent five years in hospitality management at Hilton, Marriott and Starwood hotels.

Amy has served in several roles during her time in assisted living, including Executive Director, Corporate Director of Resident Services, and most recently Senior Vice President of Community Operations. Her extensive experience allows her to lead with a brand-wide mindset focused on growth, compliance, strategic planning, seamless execution of initiatives, and consistency across the portfolio – for both our own team members and the residents in our care.

Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southern Connecticut State University and a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration from Post University. Amy serves on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Assisted Living Association and Friends of Parkinson’s Inc.

Eileen RainerEileen Rainer
Chief Financial Officer

For over twenty years, Eileen Rainer has brought impeccable and dependable expertise to Ultimate Care Management in the areas of accounting and finance. She possesses the hands-on knowledge for managing day-to-day financial issues with confidence; and yet, she brings both creativity and an enthusiastic vision for tomorrow, to help pave the way to a strong and stable future. Eileen has been honing these management and analytical skills specifically within a senior living setting since 1995.

She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from State University of New York at Fredonia, and quickly climbed the rungs of success – first beginning as a staff accountant and eventually working her way up to serve in the capacity of Chief Financial Officer, which she does for us today. Augmenting her financial credentials, Eileen is also proficient on numerous software platforms. Her exceptional management, evaluation and forecasting skills have been essential in keeping all of the communities that we serve on solid ground, and she continues helping to position the organization for steady and healthy growth.

Ellen AntonucciEllen Antonucci
Vice President of Marketing

Ellen brings to the table over twenty years of experience in the sales and marketing of various real estate properties, multi-use developments and single- and multi-family residential homes and communities. In that time, Ellen has personally sold over 1,000 properties. She possesses a deep understanding and a focused specialization in the senior living segment – particularly, with assisted living and 55+ active adult communities – which makes her, of course, an invaluable asset to our organization. Ellen is familiar with what families need in senior living, and she is able to convey with clarity and confidence the life-enriching qualities that residents can expect to experience.

Ellen completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics at Union College, and periodically attends conferences and seminars to continue expanding her education and training. She is also CAASH-certified — Certified Active Adult Specialist in Housing. Familiar to many families and professionals across LI for her work with B2K Development, as well as other numerous community initiatives, Ellen is frequently recognized for her commitment to the industry, and has been honored by the JCC (Sid Jacobson Jewish Community Center) in Roslyn, NY. She has been with Ultimate Care Assisted Living Management since its inception.

Samantha Fischgrund, MBA
Vice President of Strategy
Samantha originally joined the Ultimate Care Team in 2015 after receiving her Bachelors of Science in Human & Organizational Development and Corporate Strategy from Vanderbilt University and spending 3 years in Healthcare focused Management Consulting at Huron Consulting Group Inc. Her first project at Ultimate Care was to develop a robust management training program. She assembled a comprehensive curriculum, then put herself through it to ensure that future recruits would learn the fundamentals of the business from the ground up.

Samantha subsequently spent nearly three years as an Executive Director at The Bristal at Armonk, eventually deciding to pursue an advanced degree to further her skillset. Before returning to Ultimate Care in 2022, Samantha earned her MBA at Columbia University and spent time working for Welltower, a REIT in the Seniors Housing space.

With a truly unique 360 degree view of the Seniors Housing Industry, Samantha is an asset to the Ultimate Care team. As Vice President of Strategy, she is driving corporate development at every level through tactical, purposeful and goal-driven initiatives. Her work is crucial to census growth, employee retention, company culture, and ensuring that The Bristal brand remains the premier choice in assisted living.

Kristen Celender
Vice President of Human Resources

Kristen Celender joined the Ultimate Care Assisted Living Management team in 2020 with over 20 years of experience in the human resources field. She graduated from Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania, and eventually relocated to Long Island in 2008. She earned her master’s degree in Professional Studies with a concentration in Human Resources from Stony Brook University. Prior to joining Ultimate Care, Kristen worked for a nonprofit organization which supports children and adults with developmental disabilities. During her time there, she led the development and growth of their HR department, which included streamlining and centralizing training, recruitment, and payroll processes.

Kristen serves the employees of Ultimate Care with a mission-oriented mindset. Superior benefits packages, continuous training opportunities, and employee appreciation programs are just some of the ways that The Bristal supports the team members. Kristen firmly believes that the exceptional team who take care of the residents who choose to call our communities home, deserve to be well-taken care of, too.

Michael DePeola
Vice President of  Sales

Michael joined the Ultimate Care as the Vice President of Sales to strengthen and unify company processes and regional teams as the portfolio of managed communities grows. With over 15 years in the assisted living industry, Michael knows what it takes to succeed – having worked his way up through various sales roles with national operators throughout his career. With field proven sales skills, and a data-driven approach to driving occupancy, Michael ensures that sales and operations blend seamlessly and execute with efficiency.

Raised by his grandparents, Michael knew early on that seniors would always play an important role in his life. After training in Fine Arts & Photography at the University of the Arts, his creative spirit led him to the hotel and hospitality industry, eventually bringing him to a career dedicated to serving seniors. This unique background lends itself to the caring and service-based nature that makes Michael the perfect balance of head and heart when it comes to coaching, leadership, strategy, and results.

Melissa Marino, MSN, RN-BC
Vice President of Clinical Services

Melissa Marino brings with her over a decade of experience working in the geriatric field. Her impressive clinical career includes positions in a variety of long-term care settings, including skilled nursing, assisted living, and hospice care. From her beginnings as a geriatric psychiatric nurse to her current position as the Vice President of Clinical Services of New Jersey, her continual focus has been to deliver compassionate, competent care.

As the Vice President of Clinical Services, Melissa oversees the clinical operations for all of The Bristal Assisted Living’s communities. She is responsible for resident care services, developing healthcare policies, and providing oversight and guidance to the nursing team. A graduate of the College of State Island, she is also board certified in gerontological nursing. She received her Master of Nursing from Western Governors University, and is currently working on her doctorate in nursing practice leadership.

Mark Paretti
Vice President of Resident Experience

Mark Paretti joined Ultimate Care in 2023 as the Vice President of Resident Experience. With a strong focus on optimizing the quality of life for our residents, Mark leads our team in recreational programming, with a special emphasis on providing enriching daily activities for those in our Reflections neighborhood living with Alzheimer’s Disease or Dementia. His role extends to ensuring the quality and consistency of programming across all our communities. Mark is a quality-focused business leader, bringing over two decades of progressive experience from various industries including senior housing management and retail operations. His skill set is broad and impressive, and his active and empathetic listening skills, coupled with his leadership skills, have consistently distinguished him in his field.

In addition to his rich experience, Mark holds a Master of Arts in Law & Governance from Montclair State University and graduated with honors from the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Business. He further bolsters his credentials with several certifications, including as a Certified Validation Worker, a Certified Validation Group Worker, an Alzheimer’s Association essentiALZ Certification holder, and a Certified Assisted Living Administrator in New Jersey.

Shawn Philp
Vice President of  Government Affairs

Shawn Philp has been a cornerstone of Ultimate Care since 2007, currently serving as our Vice President of Government Affairs. With an unwavering eye for detail, Shawn expertly manages the legal and compliance aspects of our Department of Health licensure, risk management, and policy and procedure. Her role extends to working closely with our attorneys on contracts and serving as a liaison to our state assisted living associations. With prior experience as an Executive Director, Shawn’s experience, combined with her thorough and detail-oriented approach, has made her an invaluable asset to our team.

Shawn holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Services from the State University of New York Cortland and a Master’s degree in Health Care Administration from The New School. Her academic background, coupled with her extensive hands-on experience, ensures she is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of residency agreements and uphold our commitment to excellence in senior care services.

Jacques P. Preval Jr.
Vice President of Business Optimization

Jacques joined the Ultimate Care team to support the business operations at each community as Vice President of Business Optimization. With an impressive career of over 25 years in accounting, finance, operations, and business management – all in the senior living industry – Jacques is extremely well-versed in the financial intricacies that help businesses thrive. Jacques puts his leadership training to great use, guiding executives in the field on financials, collections, revenue and expense management, labor, and many other KPI’s that drive our overall business results.

Jacques earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Accounting, then quickly rose through the ranks from Accounting Clerk to Regional Business Manager, most recently serving as Vice President of Community Accounting for a national senior living brand. Jacques is an invaluable addition to the Ultimate Care team, bringing with him an unmatched level of professionalism, wisdom, and operational expertise.

Maureen ScalesiMaureen Scalesi
Vice President of Quality and Compliance

Maureen Scalesi comes to us with over 25 years of experience in senior care with a special emphasis in assisted living and resident services. During her career, she has been promoted through the ranks from nursing home admission coordinator to serving as regional director for an assisted living organization, giving her broad, first-hand experience and making her an expert in her field. Her meticulous attention to detail and deep understanding of residents’ needs enable her to develop policies and procedures that help empower local management to provide the most commendable, consistent and compassionate resident care.

Maureen is well known and well respected within the senior living community. She is an active participant and presenter at conferences, seminars and other events, sharing her experiences and mentoring. She earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Gerontology from Molloy College and a Masters in Public Administration from Long Island University – CW Post, both with highest honors.

Kyra SosnowKyra Sosnow
Vice President of Information Systems

Kyra has been with the organization since June 2003, and during that time she has continued to be instrumental in the grand openings and renovations of numerous communities, as well as daily operation across all communities. In many respects, Kyra is the administrative IT glue that keeps Ultimate Care Management up and running. Among her many responsibilities are included configuring and maintaining our various hardware and software platforms to ensure the operational integrity and security of our network. She manages the provisioning of all server and PC applications and oversees IT operations for our employee and resident populations.

Kyra serves as the liaison between in-house operations and our numerous information systems vendors, as well as construction and development partners, ensuring all aspects of expansion, build-out and renovation align with our IT goals, objectives and daily operation. Kyra received both her Bachelors in Sociology and her Masters in Business Administration from SUNY at Albany; her Masters has a concentration in Human Resources Information Systems.

Randy TrembleRandy Tremble
Vice President of Food & Beverage

The importance of having true gourmet food at an assisted living community simply cannot be overstated. We fundamentally understand this at Ultimate Care, which is why we hired Randy Tremble to oversee the dining experience at the senior living communities that we manage. Few resumes in this industry come as solid and comprehensive as his, culminating in over 30 years of experience in the culinary arts. Formally trained in the U.S. Air Force, Randy has served the private sector now for decades, and has worked alongside some of the world’s best chefs, both nationally and abroad.

His many and impressive credentials include being twice-decorated for meritorious service, he earned participation in the esteemed Hennessey Trophy, a worldwide cooking competition across all branches of the military, and he has won Best in Show for culinary display; the list goes on. This massive talent and global expertise all translates into a consistently exceptional Resident Dining Program for the residents we serve. His uncompromising attention to detail, his understanding of senior nutrition and his love for the culinary arts have all been instrumental in making our senior living communities second-to-none when it comes to dining.

Brian WhiteBrian White
Vice President of Environmental Services

The build-out, expansion or renovation of a senior living community is no standard project – nor are the countless maintenance, refurbishment and construction tasks required on a daily basis. No one knows this better than Brian White and his team. There is a complex balance that must be maintained between functional need, design aesthetics, and resident safety and comfort. One of the differentiating aspects of the communities that we manage is how well these dynamics are executed and managed every day.

With over twenty years of hands-on experience in the environmental maintenance and construction fields – and with a specific concentration in senior living settings – Brian brings this unique expertise to all of our communities. With unquestioned integrity, a sharp eye for quality and an extensive knowledge of State Department of Health codes for assisted living communities, his work helps ensure the quality of life of every resident.


Richard Youngberg
Vice President of Operations
Richard first joined The Bristal team in 2004 as an Executive Director. He was instrumental in the opening of several properties, filling in as needed and training new hires. Given his deep knowledge of senior living operations and his approachable management style, it was apparent that Richard had the experience and the talent to take on a larger role within the company. He was promoted to Regional Director before moving into the role of Vice President of Operations, where he continues to excel today, overseeing operations at all of Ultimate Care’s communities in the tri-state area.

Richard earned a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management from the New York Institute of Technology. After he graduated, he went on to complete a Graduate Certificate program in Gerontology at LIU Post. The unique understanding of resident needs with a foundation rooted in hospitality gives Richard a dynamic viewpoint into the assisted living industry. He sets the bar high and empowers his teams to exceed expectations, making him an asset to the Ultimate Care team.

Have Questions?

Contact The Bristal Assisted Living today.