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About Us

Roaring Fork Senior Living Management

At Ascent Senior Living Communities, we are more than Colorado-based. We are 100% Colorado-present. Every community we develop and manage is in the state of Colorado. Our founders’ 40+ years of combined professional backgrounds provide the backbone of our operation. You’ll often find us walking through our communities, working with our teams and interacting with residents. We want our residents to feel at home where they live, with convenient access to all the beauty, perks and opportunities for healthy living that Colorado provides.

We carry our beliefs through everything we do.

We are invested in creating first-class senior living for residents and their families, and in hiring and retaining the best associates in the business—and we believe we do it all exceptionally well.

We also invite families to be part of each community, finding innovative ways to link the generations whether through sharing a meal, participating in holiday traditions, celebrating birthdays or anniversaries, or simply enjoying time together as a family.

Management

We are here with you.

We here at Ascent Living Communities operate senior living communities in Colorado. We currently have four senior living communities, including our newest community in Glenwood Springs. We provide only the best in independent living, assisted living and memory care, catering to your needs and desires. Our communities have varying amenities, including life enrichment activities, fitness opportunities, fine dining and daily entertainment. Our communities are near amenities such as shopping, restaurants, movies, and more. You most likely do not want to take care of a house during your retirement years. Allow us to free you of that burden! If you are searching for a senior living community, we are confident that we have some of the finest independent living options you will find in Colorado.


Safety of Residents and Families

With Colorado-based management, Roaring Fork Senior Living can provide greater oversight over safety standards within our senior care community.

We want everyone—our residents, their families, our prospective residents and visitors from outside the community—to feel safe and at ease. We will continuously monitor and upgrade our safety guidelines for each person’s well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Also, as the senior living industry has taken an active role in the protocol concerning distribution of a vaccine, our residents and team members will be prioritized to receive it.

Just a few aspects of our enhanced safety regimen:

  • Frequent cleaning of high-touch surfaces with state-of-the-art cleaning products to enhance virus protection

  • 24-hour care staff available for extensive oversight of residents

  • Hand sanitizers located throughout the community

  • State-of-the-art emergency response system in all residences and key common areas

  • 24-hour emergency response system and safety protocols

Leadership

An extraordinary senior living community such as Roaring Fork calls for a special team of professionals who are passionate about what they do, and how they do it. Our group truly embodies our promise to elevate senior living in every way we can.

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Jerry Thomas

Executive Director
Jerry was born and grew up in Louisiana and was primarily raised by his grandparents and great grandparents. The respect for, and love of seniors engendered by that early life experience would ultimately lead Jerry to the senior living industry in Colorado. However, first he went on to enjoy a successful 20-year career with American Airlines, during which he managed airport operations in the U.S. and Europe, in addition to managing numerous corporate organizations at American’s headquarters in Dallas, including HR and corporate finance. After his time at American, Jerry began his career transition to senior living, initially obtaining a nursing home administrator license and becoming the administrator at a Denver-area skilled nursing facility. Subsequently, he managed a large CCRC in Denver which included independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. Jerry has an undergraduate business degree from Louisiana State University and an MBA from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Jerry describes himself as honored and thrilled to be tapped as the leader of the Roaring Fork senior living community, and he is eager to serve the seniors that will call this community their home.
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Lisa Curley

Director of Sales and Marketing
Originally from Chicago, Lisa headed west after high school to attend the University of California, Santa Barbara where she earned a BA in Communications. She worked in the entertainment industry, TV and feature films, as a production associate and an assistant to several actors. Lisa has twenty-five years of sales and marketing experience which began in residential real estate. “I realized my passion is helping people and making a noticeable difference in their lives.” After moving to Park City, Utah where she raised her daughter, Lisa worked in locum tenens, staffing physicians in healthcare institutions within communities that had a shortage of providers. Next, she supported businesses in the achievement of their marketing goals by developing strategic print and digital advertising campaigns. After personally experiencing the decline of aging loved ones, Lisa transitioned into senior living in hopes of helping families navigate the complex process she experienced firsthand. “I love being a part of the community; getting to know residents and their families.” In her free time, Lisa loves to travel, explore, take river trips, and ski Snowmass.
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Michelle Stubbs

Assisted Living Director
Growing up Michelle’s grandmother was her best friend. She spent a lot of time with her and the “fun bunch”. The “fun bunch” was a group of ladies that liked to laugh and socialize. This is where Michelle developed her love for seniors and senior living. Michelle says the best part of her job is creating opportunities that will enrich lives and bring smiles to faces. When she isn’t working, she’s spending time on the farm with her grandkids and teaching them how to be a “fun bunch” with their grandmama.
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Sarah Bernard

Assisted Living Life Enrichment Director
Sarah is a dedicated professional with a passion for serving others and adding joy to every interaction. Originally hailing from the Texas Hill Country, she made the bold decision to relocate to Ontario, Canada, where she established her family roots. During her decade in Ontario, Sarah prioritized raising her children and giving back to her community through volunteer work with Rotary International. Her experiences as a caregiver for her family ignited a deep-seated commitment to serving others with compassion and purpose. Drawing from over 20 years of combined experience in hospitality and management, Sarah approaches each day with a customer-centric mindset, ensuring that every interaction is infused with warmth and positivity. Now proud to call Glenwood Springs home, Sarah resides with her daughter and partner, Wes, embracing the vibrant community and scenic beauty of the area. Whether she's engaging with customers, volunteering her time, or enjoying quality moments with her loved ones, Sarah's dedication to making a positive difference shines through in all aspects of her life.
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Elizabeth Rodfong

Monarch House Life Enrichment Director
Elizabeth was born and raised in Rifle, Co. “I grew up with the values and respect for people that this valley is so proud of. My desire to help people and strive to make positive impacts on the world has followed me through life. After moving to Virginia and becoming a mother, I decided I wanted my daughter to have the same values I had growing up and moved back home.” Elizabeth said having the opportunity to work at Roaring Fork has given her a purposeful and rewarding career all the while still allowing her to raise her daughter and she couldn't be more thankful.
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Tom Dujka

Environmental Services Director
Tom grew up in southern Illinois. After earning his MA in history, he moved to Colorado because he was tired of driving through Kansas. Skiing, rock climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking were his passions before he met his wife. In fact, they only went to two movies while they dated. Their first date was a mountain bike ride and they also rock climbed their way throughout their courtship. They now have three wonderful kids. Tom has always gravitated to customer service style jobs from being in ski and mountain bike retail and service for 12 years, to being a mail carrier, even to working in TSA. Tom has always enjoyed the challenge of making the customer satisfied. Tom’s dad’s struggles with Alzheimer’s and his mom’s stubborn independence in wanting to be cared for at home only prepared him to take on the adventure of working in this setting.

Ascent Living Leadership

The Ascent Founders are notable for their roll‐up‐your‐sleeves, detailed, and focused approach that is further augmented by creating a familial environment within each senior living community we own and/or operate. We create highly successful and market differentiated communities that we can hang our hats on. We are ambitious; however, we have the discipline and patience to operate within our means.

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Tom Finley

Founder & Principal
Tom Finley is a founding member of Ascent. Prior to Ascent, he held positions with a senior living and development company as a finance and development manager. His professional career in finance and real estate began with Arthur Andersen in their tax consulting practice. He then worked for ProLogis, a large REIT, in various capacities ultimately serving as fund manager for a $2 billion property trust which was publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange. He is a member of the Board of Trustees for Havern School, a nationally recognized school serving students with diagnosed learning disabilities since 1967. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from the University of Arkansas, and a Master’s Degree in Taxation from the University of Denver, and is a certified public accountant (inactive). Mr. Finley is responsible for the strategic direction of the company, its communities, and future growth opportunities. He oversaw over $300 million in completed senior living development and acquisitions for the company over the last several years. He has over 23 years of experience in finance, real estate, and operations.
Susie Finley, Ascent

Susie Finley

Founder & Principal
Susie Finley is a founding member of Ascent. Her professional career in senior living spans over 24 years. She began her career working in various capacities in day-to-day operations for local and regional senior living operators in the Midwest. Mrs. Finley then joined a large national senior living firm, where she has served as Executive Director for multiple communities in the Denver market. She joined Ascent in her current capacity in 2013. She received a Bachelor of Science in Gerontology from The Ohio State University. She is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and an Assisted Living Administrator. Mrs. Finley serves on the Board of Trustees for Temple Emanuel & serves on the Assisted Living Advisory Committee for the Colorado Department of Health. Mrs. Finley previously served as a Board Member and the Assisted Living Chair of the Colorado Healthcare Association from 2011 to 2018. She is responsible for the evolution of Ascent’s operating model, strategic planning, functional programming, project design, and optimizing ongoing operational performance.