Meet Our Team

Prior to joining QSLM, Russ was engaged in private practice with two preeminent law firms for more than twenty-five years. He represented business, banking, and real estate development interests in a wide range of complex, high-stake matters and was frequently engaged as outside general counsel for a number of start-up companies and long-term clients. Russ served three years as a National Director for the Defense Research Institute (22,000 members), where he most recently chaired the External Policy Group of the Center for Law and Public Policy. He also served in leadership roles at the International Association of Defense Counsel and Lawyers for Civil Justice.

Russ has published and lectured on matters involving antitrust, predatory pricing, false advertising, and professional liability. He’s admitted to practice in the Fourth, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuit Courts of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. Russ is a graduate of Samford University and NYU.

Will is the Executive Vice President of operations for QSLM. He has been working in senior living for more than 13 years, and he can lay claim to being our very first senior leader who began his career as a personal assistant. Will started working his way through college as a caregiver at Morning Pointe Senior Living in Chattanooga, and he learned very quickly that he had found his calling. In the years after college, Will worked in a number of leadership roles. He’s served as an Executive Director, a Senior Executive Director, an Operations Specialist, and most recently as an RVPO and then VP of Operations with Dominion Senior Living.

Will holds a BS in Health Science and an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Southern Adventist University. When not working, Will finds his joy in cycling, running, and embracing the outdoors. He and his wife Sarah, along with their 4-year-old daughter Amelia, reside in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

As Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Tiffany supports new development communities, live operations sales, corporate marketing, and sales revenue growth for The Blake by QSLM. Tiffany started with The Blake in January 2014 and has lead sales in various role within The Blake family to include Director of Sales, Regional Director of Sales, Regional Vice President of Sales, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, and currently Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. She graduated from the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications with a specialization in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing. She also received a sales management certification. As a proud Pensacola native, Tiffany has served in various senior advocacy groups within the Pensacola community and she is a graduate of Santa Rosa Leadership, class 30. She and her husband welcomed their first child in 2022, and they love spending time with him, as well as their two goldendoodles.

Laureine is a Licensed Practical Nurse with over eight years of experience in the healthcare industry. Prior to joining The Blake she worked in assisted living as a Charge Nurse, a Director of Nursing, and a Director of Resident Care. She joined The Blake in 2014 as a Director of Wellness at The Blake in Pensacola and rose to the rank of Regional Director of Quality Assurance and most recently to the Vice President of Wellness and QA. She is ALF Core Certified, IV Therapy Certified, and holds a Practical Nurse with Multi-State Compact License. 

Coming soon!

As Senior Director of Marketing, Chelsea guides the overall marketing efforts of The Blake by QSLM, including Design, Social Media, and Marketing Analytics. Chelsea's marketing background includes experience in international business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing. She also has marketing agency experience, which allowed her to gain knowledge in a wide variety of industries. Chelsea obtained her Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Siena College, as well as a graduate certificate in Human Resource Management and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Champlain College. Along with this experience and education, she has eight years of logistics experience serving in the US Army Reserve within a Combat Support Hospital. Having recently relocated from New York, she enjoys the Florida Sunshine with her husband and their two dogs.

Jason Hendrickson is the Controller at QSL Management. He is originally from Centerburg, Ohio, and has received his Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. He has 16 years of experience in Long Term Care with Laurel Health Care Co.

Jason's favorite part of working at QSL Management is the family atmosphere in the office. When he isn't working, he likes to watch anything motorsports-related, especially drag racing.

Coming soon

David Acuff, our Regional VP of Operations, was previously the Executive Director of The Blake at Pensacola, a 118 bed Assisted Living and Memory Care Community.  David is a 30-year Navy Veteran with more than two decades of experience in healthcare leadership.  Acuff earned both a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration, has an Assisted Living Administrator’s License, is nationally Certified as a Dementia Practitioner (CDP) and Certified Montessori Dementia Care Professional (CMDCP).

David is an active member of the Florida Assisted Living Association (FALA) and currently serving a second consecutive term as FALA Northwest Regional Director.   He has been an Executive Director of Assisted Living communities for more than 7 years since his retirement from the United States Navy.

David is married to Stefanie Hall Acuff, they have four adult children, twin 17-year-old sons and eight grandchildren.  They reside in Bagdad, Florida and are active in their church, 1st Baptist Church, Milton.

Having been promoted to Regional Vice President of Sales, Monica oversees the growth and sales of several communities. Monica has been in the hospitality industry for over 25 years. After starting as a hotel desk clerk and working her way up to General Manager for both Marriott and Hilton Hotels, she found her passion in senior living, where she helps people see how to make the rest of their life the best of their life. Though Colorado-born, she considers herself a West Texas native. Monica lived in Dallas for over 12 years and relocated to Daphne with her boyfriend Brian. Together they have three children: one of whom is a senior in high school and still lives with them, and two grown children living in Alabama and Texas who couldn’t be more different from each other.

In her free time, Monica enjoys watching sports. Her favorite teams are the Denver Broncos and the Dallas Mavericks. She also enjoys summers at the beach and relaxing by the fireside on her deck on cool evenings.

Scott recently joined the team here at QSLM as the newest RVPS. Scott started his Senior Living career in Sales for Holiday Retirement in 2016 in East Longmeadow, MA, after a successful career in the wine and spirits industry as well as the hospitality field. He also attended Bryant University, majoring in Restaurant Management and Marketing. After learning to sell independent living at the community level, Scott worked his way into a national sales support role and relocated to Florida. He then moved into a Regional Director of Sales position, overseeing an occupancy team of sixteen sales professionals. Most recently, Scott has been a Regional VP of Operations and Sales for Holiday by Atria, and Midwest VP of Operations with Calamar Connect55 Active Adult Living Communities. Scott resides in the Nashville area. He enjoys live music, travel, and selling, and is also a die-hard fan of the Red Sox, the Bruins, the Celtics, and UConn basketball!

Paula is originally from Southern, Illinois but has called Pensacola home for over 30 years. She joined The Blake family in October 2018 where she has served as the Director of Sales, Interim Executive Director, and is now Regional Vice President of Sales. Paula’s background includes 25 years in the real estate business through sales and property management. She co-owned, branded, and opened two local real estate companies. She also holds a Florida Real Estate Broker’s License and an Assisted Living Administrator’s License. Paula has a passion for helping families have a wonderful experience while living at The Blake through excellent care, fun activities, and ensuring the core values and standards of The Blake are continuously upheld. She enjoys mentoring others and hearing the stories of the many families that call The Blake their home. When not working, Paula enjoys spending time reading, relaxing at the beach, traveling, exploring wineries, doing home improvement projects, and spending time with her family and friends.

Melissa Bartoles started her senior living career at Eclipse senior living with 8 years of senior living experience. Prior to senior living industry, Melissa had over 10 years sales experience in various industries. Melissa graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science degree and went on to further her education at Geneva College in Pa, with a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership. 

Starting as a sales director at the community level, Melissa worked her way into the sales specialist position and then regional director of sales and marketing. 

Melissa lives in a suburb of Pittsburgh PA, with her husband Chuck and three children, Morgan and husband Joe, Mia and Mason. 

Melissa enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and relaxing at home. Melissa is a huge football fan, rooting on her beloved Steelers.

Coming Soon

Heath brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his role as the Regional Vice President of Facility Management at QSLM. Heath is a Certified Thermographer, accredited by the Infraspection Institute, which complements his strong background in project management, construction, and HVAC systems.

Before joining QSLM, Heath honed his skills in various facets of facility management, developing a keen eye for detail and a passion for maintaining high standards in his work. 

One of Heath's favorite aspects of his job is interacting with seniors. He finds immense joy in listening to their stories, experiences, and cherished memories. For Heath, there's nothing more rewarding than receiving a heartfelt "job well done" from a resident, which motivates him to continue striving for excellence.

At The Blake, Heath values the strong sense of teamwork. The camaraderie and mutual support among colleagues make his job not only easier but also more enjoyable, knowing he can always rely on the person next to him.

Outside of work, Heath is an avid golfer who enjoys the tranquility and challenge of the sport. He also has a passion for cooking, carpentry, and fishing along the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast. 

Jake comes to The Blake with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Alice Lloyd College and a Certified Workers Compensation Adjuster certificate. He also has previous experience at Tri-State Claims Service (Ballad’s Workers Compensation Claims Adjuster).

Jakes’s favorite part of working with seniors is to watch residents thrive in our community, to having daily interaction and providing comfort to them. He loves working at The Blake because of the amount of love and compassion he receives daily from our leadership team and residents. He truly looks forward to coming to work each day and living by The Blake Key Values: Excellence, Compassion, Leadership, Integrity, Respect, Safety, and Joy. Jake watched The Blake being built from the ground up, starting as an empy lot and becoming the most beautiful building in Kingsport. “The Blake is such a blessing to me because I feel that I have answered my calling. There is nothing I would rather do!” he says.

When he’s not working, Jake enjoys spending time with his wife, Brooke, and dog, Daisy. He also loves to play golf and fish. Most importantly, he loves watching Tennessee Football!

Despite being raised in a military family and living in the Philippines, Japan, and the Pacific Northwest, Sheila has been blessed to live on Emerald Coast most of her life and is proud to call it her home. She graduated from the University of West Florida in 2013 with her Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design. With a design career spanning over ten years, Sheila has had the opportunity work in almost every facet of the design world, from coding and illustration to production and installation. Her favorite part of working with seniors is having her perspective changed by their wisdom and knowledge, and hearing their jokes. She enjoys supporting her fellow co-workers at The Blake, whose ideals she admires. When she isn’t at work, she is very involved at her local church, where she is the treasurer, a teacher, a singer, and the senior drummer, among other things. Her hobbies include drawing, reading psychology and philosophy books, writing, cooking, pressing flowers, gardening (badly), and studying Korean and Spanish.

Kel Crownover, originally from Atlanta, GA, has called the Panhandle of Florida home for the past eight years. A 2024 graduate of the University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design, Kel is thrilled to embark on her professional journey with QSLM, her first role after college. In her free time, she enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, spending quality time with her dog Kona, and hanging out at the beach.

Steve is the Financial Analyst at QSL Management. He is originally from Pace, FL. He has been with BMG/QSL previously for approximately 6 years as the Business Operations Director at The Blake in Hattiesburg, MS, and The Blake at Pensacola, FL. He retired in August of 2023 and came back on board in January of 2024. Prior to The Blake, he was with Holiday Retirement for approximately 12 years, serving as both a property manager and an HR specialist/auditor. Before that, he owned a business for a number of years, and also served in the US Navy until his retirement in 1992.

Steve's favorite part of working at QSL and working with seniors is serving others. His time away from QSL is spent mostly taking care of senior parents. He loves reading almost anything, especially history.

Amy Beck is an Accounts Payable Clerk at QSLM. She is originally from Howell, Michigan but spent most of her life in Fairfax County, Virginia before moving to the Pensacola area. She previously worked with bill entry and accounts payable at a vacation property management company, and she has also worked in accounting at a wholesale wholesale building supply company in Virginia. Her favorite part of working at QSLM is the team – "Everyone is so friendly and it reminds me of family," she says. When she isn't working, she enjoys walking around downtown Pensacola and seeing and learning about the history. She has a chihuahua named Jojo.

Nikki is our invaluable Marketing Admin and a lifelong resident of Pensacola. With experience as an activities assistant at The Blake at Pensacola, she brings a wealth of knowledge and dedication to her role. Nikki is set to graduate soon from Pensacola State College with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, specializing in Human Resources. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, and gardening and recently celebrated her engagement!