Meet Our Team

Shane is the Executive Director here at The Blake at Panama City Beach. He is originally from Greenville, Tennessee, and holds a BS in Psychology from East Tennessee State University. Shane is also a Certified Dementia Practitioner.

Shane has been working as an Executive Director in Assisted Living for 17 years. His favorite part about working with seniors is hearing their stories. He has found that seniors are a true connection to our history and that they possess infinite wisdom.

His favorite part about working at The Blake has been getting to know the residents and their families, as well as the team members. He says that learning and hearing their backgrounds has been super insightful. He also adds that he enjoys how The Blake is like a melting pot where people from all walks of life have converged to form a wonderful family.

When he is not working, Shane enjoys being outdoors whether that is camping in the mountains or spending time on the water. He also enjoys spending time with his two dogs, Barkley and Nugget.

Sandon Speedling serves as the Director of Sales at The Blake, bringing more than 30 years of diverse healthcare experience to the community. Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, Sandon has called Florida home since 2003.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a Minor in Business from the University of Southern Mississippi, as well as a Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration from Mississippi College. He is also a holds a Certification in Public Management from Florida State University. 

Sandon’s favorite part of working with seniors is building meaningful relationships—listening to their stories, learning from their experiences, and strengthening connections that make a positive impact. At The Blake, he values the strong team environment and the shared commitment to delivering exceptional care and service to residents and their loved ones.

Outside of work, Sandon enjoys playing golf and traveling abroad whenever possible. He is excited to be part of The Blake team and looks forward to contributing to the community’s continued success.

Christina is from Panama City, Florida. She originally served in the United States Army from 2005 to 2007. When she got out, she worked as a manager and loan officer for a Credit Union for 10 years. Christina then decided to attend nursing school at Gulf Coast State College and graduated in 2021 with her LPN. While in school, Christina started working at The Blake at Panama City Beach as a Personal Assistant, then a nurse, and now the Director of Wellness. Her favorite thing about working with seniors is that they give her insight into knowledge and wisdom from their life experiences. In her spare time, Christina loves to spend time with her family.

Sophie is originally from California and moved to Florida in March 2020. She graduated from California State University, Northridge, with a B.S. in Family Consumer Sciences in December 2020 and is currently getting her MBA from LSU-Shreveport.

Sophie started with The Blake in 2021 as the Assistant Director of Sales, then was promoted to Director of Recruitment and Retention, and is now our Director of Business Operations. Her favorite thing about Senior Living is all the people she gets to meet. During her free time, Sophie enjoys going to the beach and spending time with her boyfriend, Riley, and 2 cats, Professor Dave and Sweetbean.

Tracie Johnson is the Assistant Director of Sales at The Blake at Panama City Beach. She is originally from Tallahassee, Florida. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Rehabilitation Services/Counseling from Florida State University as well as her Master’s Degree in Biblical Counseling from the Center of Biblical Studies in Tallahassee, Florida. She also earned a Certificate in Aging Studies from the Claude Pepper Institute at Florida State University. Her previous experience in senior living started in 1998 in when she volunteered at memory care for Claire Bridge and Woodmont in order to learn more about senior living. During that time, she was also earning gerontology credits in her undergraduate, with training in Medical Terminology and Psychosocial aspects of Diversity, Senior Services Management, Dynamics of Aging, Assessment and Research Evaluation, Aspects of Disability and Illness and Psychopathology. She also did her field work at Elder Care Servies as a case manager with her mentor, Judith Inman. She worked in her undergraduate at the Senior Center and completed her internship at the Adovocacy Center for Person’s with Disabilities.

Her favorite part about working with Seniors is they always are teaching us something about life, such as how to have more compassion as we age and how to leave a legacy to remember. Her favorite part of working at a QSLM community is the people: her peers and mentors, and eventually life-long friends! When asked if there is anything else she'd like to add, Tracie says, "I love being with my children!" and "God is Good!"

Theda O’Brien, originally from Hoosick Falls, New York, holds an Associate’s Degree in Nursing and brings a wealth of experience across healthcare settings, including medical-surgical units, long-term care, assisted living, memory care, substance abuse, detox, and psychiatric nursing for all age groups. She finds joy in working with seniors, cherishing the love, humor, and stories they share. At The Blake, Theda values building meaningful connections with residents and their families. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending quality moments with her family.