Meet Our Team

Rebecca Catalanotto
Regional Executive Director

Rebecca has over 20 years of progressive health care experience, with her focus on management, leadership, and working with the senior population. Rebecca served as the Director of Health Services at The Village at Gainesville for five years, overseeing all assisted living services, The Village Vitality Program, the private duty home care program, and the entire Health Services staff.

In her role as Regional Executive Director, Rebecca has overall responsibility and accountability for strategic, operational, and financial performance. Rebecca is accountable for providing exemplary executive leadership, planning, and directing the overall on-going operations of the community in accordance with the Values, Vision, and Mission. Previously, Rebecca served for 12 years as director of North Florida Regional Medical Center’s senior health care centers, working to enhance primary care services to seniors in Gainesville, Starke, and Melrose.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Master of Health Science degree, both from the University of Florida.

Miguel Parks
Associate Executive Director

Miguel Parks was born and raised in Honolulu, HI. He moved to California to attend college and graduated from Menlo College with a bachelor’s degree in business management and a minor in sports management. After graduation, Parks became the Assistant Director of Dining Services for Vi at Palo Alto in Arizona and later the Food and Beverage Director. After four years in Arizona, he then moved to Port Charlotte, Florida and served as the Food and Beverage Director at South Port Square for four years before joining East Ridge at Cutler Bay.

Marco Gonzalez
Director of Marketing & Sales

Marco has been a “Miami Kid all my life”. Marco received an A.A. in Accounting with a Minor in Building Construction from Miami-Dade Community College. After MDCC, Marco attended FIU College of Business to pursue his B.A. in Accounting.

He started his career at Coconut Grove Bank on Main Highway. Soon after, he continued to work while going to school at Barclays Bank, Florida Power and Light and Enterprise, where he was one of five Accounting Managers for the Corporate Office in South Florida. Marco came to East Ridge in 2009 as a temporary accountant, eventually becoming the Accounting Manager, moving on to the Home Health Manager, Assisted Living Director, and in 2018 took on his present position as Director of Sales and Marketing.

Marco and his wife have two children – Adrian and Daniel. Marco enjoys fishing, boating, and tinkering around with tools in his garage.

Kristian Vargas
Director of Human Resources

Kristian Vargas, MSHRM, SHRM-SCP, is the Director of Human Resources at East Ridge at Cutler Bay. He has over 15 years of experience in the Human Resources field with a focus in not-for-profit organizations. He is very passionate about aligning organizational and employee goals to foster a culture of collaboration and inclusion. As a people-driven leader, Kris’ main objective is to develop strategies that deliver talent acquisition and retention solutions to East Ridge.

Kristian earned his master’s degree in Human Resources from Florida International University in 2022. In his time off, Kris enjoys exercising and outdoors activities.

Kiyria Jimenez
Director of Assisted Living, Memory Support and Community Life

Kiyria Jimenez is the Director of Assisted Living, Memory Support and Community Life at East Ridge at Cutler Bay. She provides oversight, continuity and guidance for the activity programming for residents in our independent, assisted living and memory care communities.

Previously, Jimenez served as a registered dietitian for East Ridge’s Three Palms Health Center. In her new position, she will direct campus-wide activity programs to meet the physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of residents.

Under her supervision will be East Ridge’s Lifestyle Center, the Wellness and Fitness Center and the community’s salon and spa. She is spearheading innovative volunteer programs including a new intergenerational initiative with Cutler Bay Senior High School as well as those for Three Palms that involve residents and volunteers from the Cutler Bay area

Jimenez has a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics and Nutrition and graduated from Florida International University in 2002.

Prior to joining East Ridge, she was with Morrison Healthcare for five years as a Clinical Nutrition Manager. A native of Brazil she grew up in Miami. She is trilingual and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Kemuel Chance
Director of Food & Beverage

Kemuel Chance was born and raised in Jamaica. He joined our East Ridge team as director of food & beverage in October 2022. He has 27 years of experience in hospitality management. His work experience includes Royal Caribbean Cruises and serving as the personal butler for the prime minister of Jamaica. He had the privilege of catering an executive event for King Charles when he was Prince of Wales. Kemuel was also the food & beverage task force transition manager opening various brand hotels all over the country for Starwood Hotels & Resorts.

Gilbert Augustin
Director of Nursing

Gilbert Augustin is the director of nursing for East Ridge at Cutler Bay. He has over 12 years of experience in the health care field. Gilbert has served as the administrator for a long-term care facility and has years of clinical experience in residential and acute-care settings. Gilbert has a bachelor’s degree in health service administration from Florida International University and a degree in nursing from Excelsior University.

Janine Betancourt
Director of Assisted Living and Memory Support

Bio coming soon.

Sacasha Brown
Senior Director of Health Services

Sacasha Brown is the Senior Director of Health Services at East Ridge Retirement Village Inc. d/b/a East Ridge at Cutler Bay. She feels very fortunate to serve the residents of East Ridge and learn from and with passionate colleagues who are focused on excellence and enriching the life of each senior we serve. In essence, we will do whatever we can to make a positive difference in the lives of all those we serve.

Previously she was a member of the Alternatives-Private Equity team at Allstate Investments, LLC, where she focused on investing in and monitoring private equity investments, and at Lilly Ventures, the venture capital arm of Eli Lilly and Company, where she evaluated business plans and conducted due diligence on potential investment opportunities. Brown also worked in the Alternative Capital and Investment Banking divisions at Credit Suisse First Boston, where she helped raise over $4 billion of capital for private equity firms. Brown transitioned from a career in finance to long-term care because she wanted to be a part of the change she wanted to see.

Brown has served as Church Clerk and as a member of the Ministry of Directors at New Mount Olive Baptist Church since 2018. Brown currently serves as a committee member of the Moving Forward Coalition and the LeadingAge Florida Nursing Home Public Policy Committee.

Outside of her professional experience, Brown enjoys both serving her community and enjoying the natural beauty around her. She loves mentoring young adults and is grateful for the lasting impact that young adults and elders have had on her life. She has not walked on a beach that she has not loved, and when she is her best self, she has gone for her daily sunrise or sunset walk.

Brown earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, where she was a Toigo Fellow, a MHA from Florida Atlantic University, and a BS from Georgetown University.