Leadership
Executive Team
Debra A. Cafaro
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
Debra A. Cafaro
Chairman andChief Executive Officer
Debra A. Cafaro is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ventas, Inc., an S&P 500 company and real estate investment trust that owns approximately 1,200 demographically driven healthcare, research and innovation and senior living properties in North America and the United Kingdom and serves as a leading capital provider to premier care providers and research institutions.
A recognized industry leader, Cafaro set and oversaw execution of a long-term strategy that drove Ventas’s market capitalization to $28 billion in 2019, from $200 million since her leadership began in 1999. The Company’s compound annual total shareholder return (TSR) has exceeded 20 percent for the 21 years ended December 31, 2020.
Widely-acclaimed for her strategic vision and enduring business success, Cafaro has received multiple professional recognitions. Cafaro has been twice named one of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (Forbes Magazine), a list of global political, media, entertainment and business leaders; a Top 100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World for six consecutive years (Harvard Business Review); and the top female executive in the commercial real estate industry (National Real Estate Investor). She has also been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare six times (Modern Healthcare); highlighted in The 70 Elite real estate executives who shaped the industry for the past 70 years (Real Estate Forum); and selected multiple times to the Top 25 Women in Healthcare (Modern Healthcare) and the All-America Executive Team (Institutional Investor). Cafaro was named a Top 50 Woman in World Business (Financial Times), one of the Bankable 21 CEOs in Jim Cramer’s book Get Rich Carefully and one of nine Game-Changers in commercial real estate since 2000 (GlobeSt.com). To honor her contributions to her industries, she received the Industry Leadership Award from the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), where she previously served as Chair, and was inducted into the ASHA Senior Living Hall of Fame.
In addition to her work at Ventas, Cafaro is broadly engaged across business, public policy, academic, sports and non-profit sectors. Cafaro is the immediate past Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable, a public policy organization that brings together leaders of the nation’s top real estate firms on key national policy issues and the Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the Business Council, and serves on the Boards of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), the University of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and World Business Chicago. She is an Advisory Board Member of the Harvard Kennedy School Taubman Center for State and Local Government. She served successive terms on the Board of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust. Cafaro is an owner and member of the Management Committee of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins, 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup Champions.
Cafaro established the Cafaro Scholars program at the University of Chicago Law School. It provides full scholarships to students with outstanding potential whose parents did not attend college. Over 20 students, many of them diverse, have been recipients of the Cafaro scholarships.
Prior to joining Ventas, Cafaro was President of an NYSE-listed multi-family REIT, a practicing lawyer for 13 years and a judicial clerk for the Hon. J. Dickson Phillips, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was named its 2011 Distinguished Alumna, and her B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame. She is married and has two children.
Peter J. Bulgarelli
Executive Vice President, Office; President and CEO,
Lillibridge Healthcare Services
Peter J. Bulgarelli
Executive Vice President, Office; President and CEO,Lillibridge Healthcare Services
Peter J. Bulgarelli is the Executive Vice President, Office of Ventas, Inc. and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Inc. ("LHS"), a fully integrated medical office building ("MOB") operating company and wholly owned subsidiary of Ventas. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Bulgarelli is responsible for Ventas’s growing integrated Office platform which combines the LHS MOB and university-based life science and research and innovation center portfolios, as well as its healthcare asset management team. Bulgarelli joined Ventas in 2018 following a successful 28-year career at Jones Lang LaSalle, a global professional services firm specializing in real estate, where he most recently led their industry-focused businesses including life sciences, higher education and academic medical centers.
Bulgarelli serves on the Board of Directors of PMB Real Estate Services, LLC, a real estate service firm, and Ardent Health Services, a hospital and healthcare company, and he was the Illinois Board Chair for the American Diabetes Association. Bulgarelli earned his B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Illinois and received his M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business.
Robert F. (Bob) Probst
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Robert F. (Bob) Probst
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Robert F. (Bob) Probst has been our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since October 2014. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Probst plays a key role in all aspects of finance, accounting, IT, tax, strategy and investor relations. Prior to joining Ventas, Probst served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Beam Inc., a global spirits distributor, from its inception as a standalone publicly traded spirits company in October 2011 to its sale to Suntory Holdings Limited in May 2014. Probst also previously served as Vice President of Finance, Strategy and M&A for the Medication Delivery business division at Baxter International, Inc., a multinational healthcare company, and he spent eight years with UK-based Diageo PLC, a British multinational beverage alcohol company, most recently as its Chief Financial Officer, Global Supply. His early career in finance began with roles at The Pillsbury Company, a flour miller and food products manufacturer, and as a Commercial Lending Officer with The Northern Trust Bank, a financial services company.
In addition to his work for Ventas, Probst is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, and he serves on the boards of the Chicago Botanic Garden and Camp Kesem, a nationwide community supporting children who have lost a parent to cancer, have a parent undergoing cancer treatment, or whose parent is a cancer survivor. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Duke University Financial Economics program. In 2018, he was named the Chicago Public Company CFO of the Year by the Chicago Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI), and, in 2019, he was named FEI’s Public Company Financial Executive of the year, a national award. Probst earned his B.A. degree with honors in Economics from Duke University and received his M.B.A. degree with highest honors in Finance and Accounting from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Robert F. (Bob) Probst
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Robert F. (Bob) Probst has been our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since October 2014. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Probst plays a key role in all aspects of finance, accounting, IT, tax, strategy and investor relations. Prior to joining Ventas, Probst served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Beam Inc., a global spirits distributor, from its inception as a standalone publicly traded spirits company in October 2011 to its sale to Suntory Holdings Limited in May 2014. Probst also previously served as Vice President of Finance, Strategy and M&A for the Medication Delivery business division at Baxter International, Inc., a multinational healthcare company, and he spent eight years with UK-based Diageo PLC, a British multinational beverage alcohol company, most recently as its Chief Financial Officer, Global Supply. His early career in finance began with roles at The Pillsbury Company, a flour miller and food products manufacturer, and as a Commercial Lending Officer with The Northern Trust Bank, a financial services company.
In addition to his work for Ventas, Probst is a member of The Economic Club of Chicago, and he serves on the boards of the Chicago Botanic Garden and Camp Kesem, a nationwide community supporting children who have lost a parent to cancer, have a parent undergoing cancer treatment, or whose parent is a cancer survivor. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Duke University Financial Economics program. In 2018, he was named the Chicago Public Company CFO of the Year by the Chicago Chapter of Financial Executives International (FEI), and, in 2019, he was named FEI’s Public Company Financial Executive of the year, a national award. Probst earned his B.A. degree with honors in Economics from Duke University and received his M.B.A. degree with highest honors in Finance and Accounting from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Peter J. Bulgarelli
Executive Vice President, Office; President and CEO,
Lillibridge Healthcare Services
Peter J. Bulgarelli is the Executive Vice President, Office of Ventas, Inc. and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Lillibridge Healthcare Services, Inc. ("LHS"), a fully integrated medical office building ("MOB") operating company and wholly owned subsidiary of Ventas. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Bulgarelli is responsible for Ventas’s growing integrated Office platform which combines the LHS MOB and university-based life science and research and innovation center portfolios, as well as its healthcare asset management team. Bulgarelli joined Ventas in 2018 following a successful 28-year career at Jones Lang LaSalle, a global professional services firm specializing in real estate, where he most recently led their industry-focused businesses including life sciences, higher education and academic medical centers.
Bulgarelli serves on the Board of Directors of PMB Real Estate Services, LLC, a real estate service firm, and Ardent Health Services, a hospital and healthcare company, and he was the Illinois Board Chair for the American Diabetes Association. Bulgarelli earned his B.S. in civil engineering from the University of Illinois and received his M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business.
Debra A. Cafaro
Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer
Debra A. Cafaro is the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Ventas, Inc., an S&P 500 company and real estate investment trust that owns approximately 1,200 demographically driven healthcare, research and innovation and senior living properties in North America and the United Kingdom and serves as a leading capital provider to premier care providers and research institutions.
A recognized industry leader, Cafaro set and oversaw execution of a long-term strategy that drove Ventas’s market capitalization to $28 billion in 2019, from $200 million since her leadership began in 1999. The Company’s compound annual total shareholder return (TSR) has exceeded 20 percent for the 21 years ended December 31, 2020.
Widely-acclaimed for her strategic vision and enduring business success, Cafaro has received multiple professional recognitions. Cafaro has been twice named one of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women (Forbes Magazine), a list of global political, media, entertainment and business leaders; a Top 100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World for six consecutive years (Harvard Business Review); and the top female executive in the commercial real estate industry (National Real Estate Investor). She has also been recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare six times (Modern Healthcare); highlighted in The 70 Elite real estate executives who shaped the industry for the past 70 years (Real Estate Forum); and selected multiple times to the Top 25 Women in Healthcare (Modern Healthcare) and the All-America Executive Team (Institutional Investor). Cafaro was named a Top 50 Woman in World Business (Financial Times), one of the Bankable 21 CEOs in Jim Cramer’s book Get Rich Carefully and one of nine Game-Changers in commercial real estate since 2000 (GlobeSt.com). To honor her contributions to her industries, she received the Industry Leadership Award from the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), where she previously served as Chair, and was inducted into the ASHA Senior Living Hall of Fame.
In addition to her work at Ventas, Cafaro is broadly engaged across business, public policy, academic, sports and non-profit sectors. Cafaro is the immediate past Chair of the Real Estate Roundtable, a public policy organization that brings together leaders of the nation’s top real estate firms on key national policy issues and the Economic Club of Chicago. She is a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and the Business Council, and serves on the Boards of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), the University of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and World Business Chicago. She is an Advisory Board Member of the Harvard Kennedy School Taubman Center for State and Local Government. She served successive terms on the Board of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust. Cafaro is an owner and member of the Management Committee of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins, 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup Champions.
Cafaro established the Cafaro Scholars program at the University of Chicago Law School. It provides full scholarships to students with outstanding potential whose parents did not attend college. Over 20 students, many of them diverse, have been recipients of the Cafaro scholarships.
Prior to joining Ventas, Cafaro was President of an NYSE-listed multi-family REIT, a practicing lawyer for 13 years and a judicial clerk for the Hon. J. Dickson Phillips, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She received her J.D. cum laude from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was named its 2011 Distinguished Alumna, and her B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame. She is married and has two children.
John D. Cobb
Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer
John D. Cobb
Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer
John D. Cobb has been our Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer since March 2013; he previously served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer beginning in 2010. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Cobb is responsible for Ventas’s extensive acquisition, disposition and investment strategy across multiple healthcare sectors including senior housing, life science & innovation centers, medical office buildings and hospitals. Prior to joining Ventas, Cobb served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Senior Lifestyle Corporation, an owner, operator and developer of senior living communities. He spent much of his formative career at General Electric (GE) in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently serving as Senior Managing Director of GE Healthcare Financial Services.
In addition to his work at Ventas, Cobb serves as a member of the Executive Board of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), the premier source for research, conferences and advocacy for senior housing and on the Board of the Geneva Lake Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of open space, ecology and history. He previously served on the Board of Atria Senior Living from 2012 – 2021. Cobb earned his B.A. degree in Finance from Lehigh University.
Carey S. Roberts
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Ethics & Compliance Officer
Carey S. Roberts
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Ethics & Compliance Officer
Carey S. Roberts has been our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Ethics & Compliance Officer since March 2020. She also serves as our Corporate Secretary and principal counsel to our Board of Directors. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Roberts is responsible for Ventas’s legal, compliance and enterprise risk management functions. Prior to joining Ventas, Roberts was Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Assurant, Inc., a global provider of risk management products and services (NYSE: AIZ). Prior to that, Roberts served as Deputy General Counsel, Global Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., a global professional services firm (NYSE: MMC) and as a partner in the corporate practice of Covington & Burling LLP, an international law firm, where she counseled companies in a wide range of industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and information technology.
In addition to her work at Ventas, Roberts is a member of the Board of Directors of The American Alpine Club. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, both with honors.
J. Justin Hutchens
Executive Vice President, Senior Housing
J. Justin Hutchens
Executive Vice President, Senior Housing
J. Justin Hutchens has been our Executive Vice President, Senior Housing since March 2021 and previously served as our Executive Vice President, Senior Housing, North America beginning in March 2020. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Hutchens is responsible for Ventas’s Senior Housing portfolio. Prior to joining Ventas, Hutchens served as Chief Executive Officer for HC-One, where he led the company through a significant period of refinement and growth resulting in Britain’s largest residential and nursing care home operator. Prior to that, Hutchens held senior executive and leadership positions in various publicly traded and private equity-backed organizations, including serving as President of HCP (now Healthpeak Properties, Inc.), a healthcare real estate investment trust (NYSE: PEAK), Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and President of National Health Investors (NYSE: NHI), a real estate investment trust specializing in senior housing, and Chief Operating Officer of Emeritus Corporation, a senior living company that was the largest operator of assisted living facilities in the United States during his tenure and which was acquired in 2014 by Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE: BKD).
A frequent speaker on investment practices, company performance and senior housing and care operations, Hutchens was recognized in Forbes Magazine’s Top 20 "Most Powerful CEOs Age 40 and Under" list for four consecutive years. In addition to his work at Ventas, Hutchens currently serves on the Board of Directors of Atria Senior Living, an industry leader in active assisted living, independent living and memory care retirement communities; Eclipse Senior Living, a national manager of senior housing communities; and the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing. Hutchens earned his B.S. in Human Services from the University of Northern Colorado and his M.S. in Management from Regis University.
J. Justin Hutchens
Executive Vice President, Senior Housing
J. Justin Hutchens has been our Executive Vice President, Senior Housing since March 2021 and previously served as our Executive Vice President, Senior Housing, North America beginning in March 2020. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Hutchens is responsible for Ventas’s Senior Housing portfolio. Prior to joining Ventas, Hutchens served as Chief Executive Officer for HC-One, where he led the company through a significant period of refinement and growth resulting in Britain’s largest residential and nursing care home operator. Prior to that, Hutchens held senior executive and leadership positions in various publicly traded and private equity-backed organizations, including serving as President of HCP (now Healthpeak Properties, Inc.), a healthcare real estate investment trust (NYSE: PEAK), Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and President of National Health Investors (NYSE: NHI), a real estate investment trust specializing in senior housing, and Chief Operating Officer of Emeritus Corporation, a senior living company that was the largest operator of assisted living facilities in the United States during his tenure and which was acquired in 2014 by Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE: BKD).
A frequent speaker on investment practices, company performance and senior housing and care operations, Hutchens was recognized in Forbes Magazine’s Top 20 "Most Powerful CEOs Age 40 and Under" list for four consecutive years. In addition to his work at Ventas, Hutchens currently serves on the Board of Directors of Atria Senior Living, an industry leader in active assisted living, independent living and memory care retirement communities; Eclipse Senior Living, a national manager of senior housing communities; and the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing. Hutchens earned his B.S. in Human Services from the University of Northern Colorado and his M.S. in Management from Regis University.
Carey S. Roberts
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Ethics & Compliance Officer
Carey S. Roberts has been our Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Ethics & Compliance Officer since March 2020. She also serves as our Corporate Secretary and principal counsel to our Board of Directors. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Roberts is responsible for Ventas’s legal, compliance and enterprise risk management functions. Prior to joining Ventas, Roberts was Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Assurant, Inc., a global provider of risk management products and services (NYSE: AIZ). Prior to that, Roberts served as Deputy General Counsel, Global Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Secretary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc., a global professional services firm (NYSE: MMC) and as a partner in the corporate practice of Covington & Burling LLP, an international law firm, where she counseled companies in a wide range of industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and information technology.
In addition to her work at Ventas, Roberts is a member of the Board of Directors of The American Alpine Club. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School, both with honors.
John D. Cobb
Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer
John D. Cobb has been our Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer since March 2013; he previously served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer beginning in 2010. As a member of the Ventas executive leadership team, Cobb is responsible for Ventas’s extensive acquisition, disposition and investment strategy across multiple healthcare sectors including senior housing, life science & innovation centers, medical office buildings and hospitals. Prior to joining Ventas, Cobb served as President and Chief Executive Officer at Senior Lifestyle Corporation, an owner, operator and developer of senior living communities. He spent much of his formative career at General Electric (GE) in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently serving as Senior Managing Director of GE Healthcare Financial Services.
In addition to his work at Ventas, Cobb serves as a member of the Executive Board of the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), the premier source for research, conferences and advocacy for senior housing and on the Board of the Geneva Lake Conservancy, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of open space, ecology and history. He previously served on the Board of Atria Senior Living from 2012 – 2021. Cobb earned his B.A. degree in Finance from Lehigh University.
Senior Leaders
Christian N. (Chris) Cummings
Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Seniors Housing)
Christian N. (Chris) Cummings
Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Seniors Housing)
As Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Senior Housing), Christian N. (Chris) Cummings oversees asset management of the Ventas senior housing portfolio (SHOP and NNN) which represents almost half of the Company’s net operating income (NOI). He leads a team of 14 asset management professionals who collectively manage a portfolio of more than 700 independent and assisted living communities across the United States and Canada.
Since joining Ventas in 2002, Cummings has managed a wide variety of healthcare asset classes, including senior housing, skilled nursing, hospitals and medical office as well as overseeing construction & development and financial planning & analysis. He has extensive experience with RIDEA, NNN, loan and joint-venture structures.
Cummings is a member of the board for Argentum, the leading national association dedicated to supporting companies operating professionally managed senior living communities and has participated in several healthcare real estate industry initiatives, including The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) Skilled Nursing Financial Benchmarks Task Force, and assisted in the drafting of the NIC Investments Guide for Seniors Housing. Prior to joining Ventas, Cummings worked for Lightyear Communications, a telecommunications company, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cummings received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, and his MBA with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Louisville.
Bhavana Devulapally
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Bhavana Devulapally
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
As Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Bhavana Devulapally oversees the development and implementation of strategy for the company’s information systems, infrastructure, cyber-security and data analytics and is responsible for the Company’s 30+-strong technology team. A member of the senior leadership team, she serves on the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management and IT Governance Committees.
With more than 25 years of experience in the field of information technology, Devulapally joined Ventas from Hyatt Hotels Corporation where she spent 12 years driving transformational change through technology. In her most recent role, she was responsible for application management and support of enterprise-wide systems, led a team of over 150 employees and had responsibility for global service desk support for more than 100,000 employees.
Devulapally serves as a Governing Board Member of The Simple Good, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth to bring positivity into communities through social emotional learning and mindfulness-based youth art programming and public art projects. She received a dual bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business and in systems engineering from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, both at the University of Pennsylvania. She is married with two children.
Gregory R. Liebbe
Senior Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer and Controller
Gregory R. Liebbe
Senior Vice President andChief Accounting Officer and Controller
Gregory R. Liebbe currently serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller at Ventas, Inc.
Before serving as Chief Accounting Officer and Controller, Liebbe was Vice President, Accounting from July, 2011 to August, 2015; Director, Accounting from February, 2011 to July, 2011 and Manager, Accounting from February, 2007 to July, 2011.
Liebbe holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance from the University of Iowa, a Master of Business Administration, Finance and Marketing from Loyola University and is a Certified Public Accountant. Liebbe is a member of AICPA, the Kentucky Society of CPAs and NAREIT.
Gregory R. Liebbe
Senior Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer and Controller
Gregory R. Liebbe currently serves as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller at Ventas, Inc.
Before serving as Chief Accounting Officer and Controller, Liebbe was Vice President, Accounting from July, 2011 to August, 2015; Director, Accounting from February, 2011 to July, 2011 and Manager, Accounting from February, 2007 to July, 2011.
Liebbe holds a Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance from the University of Iowa, a Master of Business Administration, Finance and Marketing from Loyola University and is a Certified Public Accountant. Liebbe is a member of AICPA, the Kentucky Society of CPAs and NAREIT.
Bhavana Devulapally
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer
As Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Bhavana Devulapally oversees the development and implementation of strategy for the company’s information systems, infrastructure, cyber-security and data analytics and is responsible for the Company’s 30+-strong technology team. A member of the senior leadership team, she serves on the Company’s Enterprise Risk Management and IT Governance Committees.
With more than 25 years of experience in the field of information technology, Devulapally joined Ventas from Hyatt Hotels Corporation where she spent 12 years driving transformational change through technology. In her most recent role, she was responsible for application management and support of enterprise-wide systems, led a team of over 150 employees and had responsibility for global service desk support for more than 100,000 employees.
Devulapally serves as a Governing Board Member of The Simple Good, a nonprofit organization that empowers youth to bring positivity into communities through social emotional learning and mindfulness-based youth art programming and public art projects. She received a dual bachelor’s degree in economics from the Wharton School of Business and in systems engineering from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, both at the University of Pennsylvania. She is married with two children.
Christian N. (Chris) Cummings
Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Seniors Housing)
As Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Senior Housing), Christian N. (Chris) Cummings oversees asset management of the Ventas senior housing portfolio (SHOP and NNN) which represents almost half of the Company’s net operating income (NOI). He leads a team of 14 asset management professionals who collectively manage a portfolio of more than 700 independent and assisted living communities across the United States and Canada.
Since joining Ventas in 2002, Cummings has managed a wide variety of healthcare asset classes, including senior housing, skilled nursing, hospitals and medical office as well as overseeing construction & development and financial planning & analysis. He has extensive experience with RIDEA, NNN, loan and joint-venture structures.
Cummings is a member of the board for Argentum, the leading national association dedicated to supporting companies operating professionally managed senior living communities and has participated in several healthcare real estate industry initiatives, including The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) Skilled Nursing Financial Benchmarks Task Force, and assisted in the drafting of the NIC Investments Guide for Seniors Housing. Prior to joining Ventas, Cummings worked for Lightyear Communications, a telecommunications company, in Louisville, Kentucky.
Cummings received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, and his MBA with a concentration in Entrepreneurship from the University of Louisville.
James E. (Jim) Mendelson
Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Office)
James E. (Jim) Mendelson
Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Office)
As Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Office and Healthcare), James E. (Jim) Mendelson leads asset management for the Office (Medical Office/Outpatient and Research & Innovation) and Healthcare portfolios and oversees a team of 20 asset management professionals. Collectively, these portfolios represent approximately 45% of the Company’s net operating income (NOI) annually.
With more than 35 years of commercial real estate experience in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom, Mendelson joined Ventas in 2015. Prior to Ventas, he held roles of increasing responsibility focused on investing, leasing, operating, and selling office and industrial properties at GE Capital. Mendelson’s earlier career involved underwriting new investment opportunities and restructuring loans secured by commercial real estate at Heller Financial and The Balcor Company (a subsidiary of American Express).
Mendelson earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Missouri.
Brian Newman
Managing Director and Fund Manager
Brian Newman
Managing Director and Fund Manager
Brian L. Newman is the Portfolio Manager for the Ventas Life Science and Healthcare Real Estate Fund, a perpetual life vehicle that focuses on investments in core and core plus life science, medical office and senior housing real estate in North America. He is responsible for supervising the investment and asset management functions of the Fund as well as strategic planning and investor relations. The $2+ billion open-end fund is sponsored by Ventas, Inc.
Prior to joining Ventas, Newman enjoyed an extensive career in global private equity involving $10+ billion in invested equity covering more than $40 billion in assets under management. As a real estate investor, Newman has been responsible for acquisitions covering every asset class with a focus on healthcare, hospitality and distressed situations where value is created at the intersection of real estate fundamentals, active business operations and strategic legal maneuvering.
Prior to Ventas, Newman honed his real estate experience at Madison Dearborn Partners; Merrill Lynch’s Global Principal Investments real estate platform; real estate private equity fund manager Walton Street Capital; and as a private equity attorney at Kirkland & Ellis.
Newman earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business, his Juris Doctor (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard Law School and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois where he was the Lincoln Laureate.
Ankit Patel
Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance
Ankit Patel
Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance
As Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance, Ankit Patel leads the Corporate Finance team in its responsibility for company-wide budgeting and forecasting, the quarterly earnings process, monthly business reviews and a variety of other corporate finance activities. A member of the senior leadership team, he is also responsible for Investor Relations, where he is accountable for creating and presenting a consistent investment message and increasing institutional ownership of our stock.
Patel joined Ventas in 2009 as an analyst and has held roles of increasing responsibility in Corporate Finance and the Investments group where he played a key role in many transactions including the spin-off of Care Capital Properties, the acquisition of Ardent Health Services and Atria Senior Living and the merger with Nationwide Health Properties. Prior to joining Ventas, Patel was an analyst in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group at UBS and a strategy consultant at IBM Business Consulting Services. He also serves as a member of the Board of EverThrive, a nonprofit organization that champions health equity and advocates for access to high-quality healthcare for women, children and families in Illinois.
Patel holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (magna cum laude) from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration (with high honors) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is married with two children.
Ankit Patel
Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance
As Senior Vice President, Corporate Finance, Ankit Patel leads the Corporate Finance team in its responsibility for company-wide budgeting and forecasting, the quarterly earnings process, monthly business reviews and a variety of other corporate finance activities. A member of the senior leadership team, he is also responsible for Investor Relations, where he is accountable for creating and presenting a consistent investment message and increasing institutional ownership of our stock.
Patel joined Ventas in 2009 as an analyst and has held roles of increasing responsibility in Corporate Finance and the Investments group where he played a key role in many transactions including the spin-off of Care Capital Properties, the acquisition of Ardent Health Services and Atria Senior Living and the merger with Nationwide Health Properties. Prior to joining Ventas, Patel was an analyst in the Healthcare Investment Banking Group at UBS and a strategy consultant at IBM Business Consulting Services. He also serves as a member of the Board of EverThrive, a nonprofit organization that champions health equity and advocates for access to high-quality healthcare for women, children and families in Illinois.
Patel holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (magna cum laude) from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Administration (with high honors) from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. He is married with two children.
Brian Newman
Managing Director and Fund Manager
Brian L. Newman is the Portfolio Manager for the Ventas Life Science and Healthcare Real Estate Fund, a perpetual life vehicle that focuses on investments in core and core plus life science, medical office and senior housing real estate in North America. He is responsible for supervising the investment and asset management functions of the Fund as well as strategic planning and investor relations. The $2+ billion open-end fund is sponsored by Ventas, Inc.
Prior to joining Ventas, Newman enjoyed an extensive career in global private equity involving $10+ billion in invested equity covering more than $40 billion in assets under management. As a real estate investor, Newman has been responsible for acquisitions covering every asset class with a focus on healthcare, hospitality and distressed situations where value is created at the intersection of real estate fundamentals, active business operations and strategic legal maneuvering.
Prior to Ventas, Newman honed his real estate experience at Madison Dearborn Partners; Merrill Lynch’s Global Principal Investments real estate platform; real estate private equity fund manager Walton Street Capital; and as a private equity attorney at Kirkland & Ellis.
Newman earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business, his Juris Doctor (Magna Cum Laude) from Harvard Law School and his Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois where he was the Lincoln Laureate.
James E. (Jim) Mendelson
Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Office)
As Senior Vice President, Asset Management (Office and Healthcare), James E. (Jim) Mendelson leads asset management for the Office (Medical Office/Outpatient and Research & Innovation) and Healthcare portfolios and oversees a team of 20 asset management professionals. Collectively, these portfolios represent approximately 45% of the Company’s net operating income (NOI) annually.
With more than 35 years of commercial real estate experience in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom, Mendelson joined Ventas in 2015. Prior to Ventas, he held roles of increasing responsibility focused on investing, leasing, operating, and selling office and industrial properties at GE Capital. Mendelson’s earlier career involved underwriting new investment opportunities and restructuring loans secured by commercial real estate at Heller Financial and The Balcor Company (a subsidiary of American Express).
Mendelson earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Missouri.
Julie Robinson
Senior Vice President, Investments
Julie Robinson
Senior Vice President, Investments
As Senior Vice President, Investments, Julie Robinson leads the Ventas team responsible for the risk assessment, diligence, negotiation and execution of all the firm’s investments, including real estate acquisitions, ground-up developments, joint venture investments and loans in the U.S. and internationally.
Under Robinson’s leadership, the Company has closed in excess of $20 billion in transactions including transformative investments in the Hospital (Ardent Health Services) and Research & Innovation (Wexford Science & Technology) sectors as well as trophy developments in medical office, senior living and research & innovation. With an emphasis on optimizing business operations and improving performance, Robinson also plays an important role in evaluating and reviewing investment opportunities presented to the Ventas Management Capital Committee.
An accomplished business leader with more than 20 years’ experience in acquisitions, deal structuring, corporate finance, management consulting and process improvement, Robinson joined Ventas in 2012 following a successful career at General Electric (GE). During her GE tenure, Robinson played a lead role in the underwriting, due diligence and negotiation of debt financing for the seniors housing and skilled nursing industry at GE Healthcare Financial Services, and led GE’s strategic initiatives across a variety of industries, including the acquisition of a software company serving the utilities industry and the IPO of Genworth Financial.
Robinson is a member of the Kellogg Real Estate Advisory Council whose mission is to enhance the Northwestern Business School’s impact on the field of real estate through efforts to support quality teaching, research, and curriculum development; to promote student recruitment and placement; and to advance relations with alumni and other leaders in the real estate industry. She also founded the Ventas Women’s Network, an employee resource group dedicated to the success and engagement of women at Ventas through professional development, career management and mentoring.
Robinson received her B.S. in Finance from Miami University and her M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Brian K. Wood
Senior Vice President and Chief Tax Officer
Brian K. Wood
Senior Vice President and Chief Tax Officer
As Senior Vice President, Chief Tax Officer and Head of the Louisville Office of Ventas, Inc., Brian K. Wood leads an integrated team of tax and finance professionals who drive strategic value for the Company by improving the efficiency of tax operations and the REIT structure, increasing transparency and aligning with business goals. He is responsible for developing, implementing, managing and defending the Company’s tax strategies, providing internal guidance and counsel on all tax matters and financial tax reporting.
In his role as Head of the Louisville Office, Wood also serves as a leadership focal point within the Ventas Louisville office, and as a prominent Company ambassador within the regional business and extended community.
Wood joined Ventas in 2000 after early career roles spanning taxation, accounting and insurance. He served as Vice President, Tax for Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: KND) from 1991 – 2000, and as a tax manager with Ernst & Young LLP from 1985 – 1991.
Wood serves on the Board of Atria Senior Living, Inc. He is a member of NAREIT and serves as a member of their Government Relations Committee. He is also a member of the Tax Executives Institute, Inc. and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He received a B.A. degree in Accounting from Eastern Kentucky University.
Brian K. Wood
Senior Vice President and Chief Tax Officer
As Senior Vice President, Chief Tax Officer and Head of the Louisville Office of Ventas, Inc., Brian K. Wood leads an integrated team of tax and finance professionals who drive strategic value for the Company by improving the efficiency of tax operations and the REIT structure, increasing transparency and aligning with business goals. He is responsible for developing, implementing, managing and defending the Company’s tax strategies, providing internal guidance and counsel on all tax matters and financial tax reporting.
In his role as Head of the Louisville Office, Wood also serves as a leadership focal point within the Ventas Louisville office, and as a prominent Company ambassador within the regional business and extended community.
Wood joined Ventas in 2000 after early career roles spanning taxation, accounting and insurance. He served as Vice President, Tax for Kindred Healthcare, Inc. (NYSE: KND) from 1991 – 2000, and as a tax manager with Ernst & Young LLP from 1985 – 1991.
Wood serves on the Board of Atria Senior Living, Inc. He is a member of NAREIT and serves as a member of their Government Relations Committee. He is also a member of the Tax Executives Institute, Inc. and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He received a B.A. degree in Accounting from Eastern Kentucky University.
Julie Robinson
Senior Vice President, Investments
As Senior Vice President, Investments, Julie Robinson leads the Ventas team responsible for the risk assessment, diligence, negotiation and execution of all the firm’s investments, including real estate acquisitions, ground-up developments, joint venture investments and loans in the U.S. and internationally.
Under Robinson’s leadership, the Company has closed in excess of $20 billion in transactions including transformative investments in the Hospital (Ardent Health Services) and Research & Innovation (Wexford Science & Technology) sectors as well as trophy developments in medical office, senior living and research & innovation. With an emphasis on optimizing business operations and improving performance, Robinson also plays an important role in evaluating and reviewing investment opportunities presented to the Ventas Management Capital Committee.
An accomplished business leader with more than 20 years’ experience in acquisitions, deal structuring, corporate finance, management consulting and process improvement, Robinson joined Ventas in 2012 following a successful career at General Electric (GE). During her GE tenure, Robinson played a lead role in the underwriting, due diligence and negotiation of debt financing for the seniors housing and skilled nursing industry at GE Healthcare Financial Services, and led GE’s strategic initiatives across a variety of industries, including the acquisition of a software company serving the utilities industry and the IPO of Genworth Financial.
Robinson is a member of the Kellogg Real Estate Advisory Council whose mission is to enhance the Northwestern Business School’s impact on the field of real estate through efforts to support quality teaching, research, and curriculum development; to promote student recruitment and placement; and to advance relations with alumni and other leaders in the real estate industry. She also founded the Ventas Women’s Network, an employee resource group dedicated to the success and engagement of women at Ventas through professional development, career management and mentoring.
Robinson received her B.S. in Finance from Miami University and her M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.