Caring for the community

Katie Cavazos, Senior Executive Director

Katie Cavazos is the senior executive director at Heartis Brookfield. She began her 20-year career in health care as a certified nursing assistant and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration in 2012. Ten of Katie’s 20 years in health care have been spent in the senior living industry. Katie loves knowing that her job enhances seniors’ lives and makes a difference.

Katie has one daughter, and they enjoy traveling together and making memories. She is also a huge animal lover and has one dog.

LeiAn Lynch, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing

LeiAn is a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire graduate with a degree in graphic design and marketing. She comes to Heartis Brookfield with over 25 years in the health care field, including experience in assisted living and memory care. Additionally, she has been a motivational speaker for over 15 years. LeiAn has two wonderful children as well as two dogs. She enjoys working with foster children and mentoring young adults, gardening, traveling, reading and photography.

Her life mottos are “pay it forward” and “make a difference”– two things she is looking forward to doing at Heartis Brookfield.

Ross Worzalla, Director of Sales and Marketing

Ross Worzalla has over eight years of experience in the senior living industry and says that the time spent working with seniors has been incredibly rewarding. Ross is a UW–Milwaukee graduate who spent years working in advertising sales and marketing before becoming Heartis Brookfield’s director of Sales and Marketing.

Ross and his wife live in Franklin, Wis., and they have four children and five grandchildren. Ross enjoys spending time with his family and friends and can often be found traveling, hiking, biking, taking photos, reading or writing.

Abbey Boero, Senior Resident Care Director

Abbey Boero is the senior Resident Care director at Heartis Brookfield. Each day, she happily strives to provide the best care to each resident and their family. She has worked as a nurse for 12 years and has specialized in assisted living and memory care for the past six.

Abbey has a son and two daughters. In her free time, Abbey loves to watch football, cheer on her kids at sporting events, try new restaurants and travel to Mexico.

Latoya Hayes, Generations Program Director

Latoya Hayes has been working in the memory care industry since 2012 and has developed a passion for helping others in need. She came to Heartis Brookfield over three years ago and spent time as the lead medical technician and the resident care coordinator before becoming the Generations Program director. She lost her grandmother in 2020, but has been able to share the hugs that she would’ve given her grandmother with someone else’s grandparent every day.

Latoya was born and raised in Milwaukee and still lives here with her four children and amazing spouse. She takes pride in her work and enjoys what she does. She says Brookfield’s staff and residents are like her family.

Ashley Taft, Senior Vibrant Life^® Director

Ashley Taft is Heartis Brookfield’s senior Vibrant Life^® director. Her passion for working with seniors started when she began volunteering at 13 with the activities department at a skilled nursing facility. In high school and college, she was a certified nursing assistant. She progressed to become an activity director and has enjoyed leading activities for the last 14 years.

Ashley earned a master’s degree in art therapy from University of Wisconsin–Superior, which has helped mold her career in activities by bringing out creativity in people of all ages. She has served on the board for the Milwaukee Area Activity Professionals and Wisconsin Representatives for Activity Professionals, and in 2019, Ashley was named runner-up for Activity Professional of the Year by the Wisconsin Representatives for Activity Professionals.

In her free time, Ashley enjoys going on adventures with her husband and two children.

Katie Scheib, Senior Business Office Director

Katie Scheib brings over five years of experience in the senior living industry to the position of Senior Business Office director here at Heartis Brookfield. She also has a background working in the medical field for 18 years. Katie is originally from Michigan but has lived in Wisconsin since 2017.

In her free time, Katie enjoys knitting and spending time with her dog, Casey, and her cat, Sadie.

Wilfredo Cubero, Building Services Director

Wilfredo Ramos Cubero has worked in many different fields but found his passion in health care while working with senior residents. As the Building Services director, Wilfredo is responsible for maintaining a positive and clean environment for all residents and staff.

Wilfredo was born in Puerto Rico before his family moved to Milwaukee when he was 9 years old. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his children, family and friends. Wilfredo enjoys playing video games and working on cars with his best friend.

Nick Markestad, Culinary Services Director

Chef Nick Markestad graduated with an associate degree in culinary management in 2017 and has been working in kitchens since he was 14 years old. His work experience spans a variety of venues, including bars and grills, food trucks, private event catering and 10 years with assisted living communities. Chef Nick grew to love cooking when he was first hired as a server in an assisted living setting at the age of 18.

In his spare time, Chef Nick likes to take his wife on Harley rides, go to the movies and play board games with his other chef friends.