Meet Our Team
David Schneck
Executive Director – Dave comes to us with a long and successful history in hospitality based senior living. He has served as Executive Director for several large (150-250 unit) CCRC and Retirement Living communities in the Midwest, Northeast and Southwest known for their upscale amenities and services. Prior to entering senior housing, Dave had worked in the hotel industry as a General Manager and Food and Beverage Director, opening as the GM what became one of Chicago’s most successful 4-Star boutique hotels.
He holds a BS degree in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin and graduated from the Cornell University School of Hotel Management Program.
Dave and his wife Linda join us from the great city of Chicago.
Molly Ratfield
Associate Executive Director - Ratfield has more than 15 years as a health care professional in the Reno-Sparks area. Prior to joining the Cascade Living Group team, Ratfield served as Administrator of an Assisted Living community for 7 years. In this position, she maintained high customer and employee satisfaction rates. During her career, she was selected as a certified mentor for administrators in training through the Geriatric Education Council and the State of Nevada Bureau of Long Term Care Administrators. She was chosen due to her strong reputation for quality and commitment to the senior living industry.
Ratfield has a bachelors of science degree in health and human services and a certificate in gerontology from Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pa.
She has lived in the Spanish Springs Community for the past 15 years and enjoys her time spent with her spouse and three children.
"We chose to move here several years ago to the Reno-Sparks area because the people are so friendly and the quality of life is second to none!"
Chris Mirando
Director of Sales and Marketing – Chris has been in Sales and Marketing of Senior Living for the past five years and in Sales for over 12 years. Chris worked exclusively with medium to larger sized upscale Communities specializing in Independent, Assisted Living and Memory Care. He has a wealth of background in the Healthcare industry including having been an Executive Director of an upscale community in Las Vegas, NV. Chris brings with him a unique passion for improving the quality of life for Seniors and being a strong shoulder to lean on for family members coping with tough decisions.
Chris has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Communication from the State University of New York College at Buffalo with a Minor in Business Management. He also is a licensed Health and Life Insurance Agent in the State of Nevada.
Chris enjoys traveling and golfing in his free time and is originally from Buffalo, NY
Susan Martin
Hospitality Coordinator – Susan comes to Cascades of the Sierra with more than 20 years in the mortgage industry. She was responsible for processing and funding loans for both commercial and private money. Susan has a passion for the Senior Living Industry and is excited by the opportunity to assist in making the transition effortless. Susan’s main goal is to use her exceptional customer service skills to assist with both Residents and Family Members as they relocate into their new lifestyles.
Susan enjoys spending quality time with her husband and family. She also enjoys camping, fishing and water skiing.
Mary Brady Sanders
Mary Brady Sanders is a 4th-generation native of Northern Nevada and a 20-year marketing and hospitality veteran. Her background brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in 4 and 5 star amenities as well as a true appreciation for the important standards necessary for high levels of guest service. Mary has recently returned to the Reno area following 15-years serving at some of the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast’s most outstanding resort destinations including The Homestead in Hot Springs, Virginia and at Callaway Gardens, a 13,000-acre resort and garden preserve in Pine Mountain, Georgia.
Sanders attended the University of Nevada, Reno and is a graduate of the Northern Nevada Real Estate School.
Mary resides in Reno, enjoys living on the family ranch, riding horses, skiing, hunting and fishing as well as traveling to visit her 3 children and her 4 grandchildren.
Marie Cole
Business Office Manager – Marie has joined Cascades of the Sierra from a financial management position in the real estate industry. Previous to that, she held various management positions over a 12 year period at a large hotel/casino in Sparks. Her broad based management experiences and people skills will assist families and clients with the important decisions they must make.
Marie has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. She will begin studies for an additional bachelor's degree in accounting in Summer 2009.
She is a life long resident of the Reno-Sparks area and now lives in Spanish Springs with her husband and son.
Jan Koriath
Life Enrichment Director – Jan has been working with older adults for twelve years and enjoys the work for many reasons including being privileged with learning about their interesting life experiences and the stories they have to share.
Jan has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation & Leisure from California State University Long Beach which has allowed her to work and live in many interesting places such as Germany, Alaska, and Washington D.C. Prior to working with seniors; she spent several years working for the military in their Recreation and Aquatics programs.
Travel is a passion of hers; a few summers ago she drove the 1486 miles of the Alaska Highway. The destination was the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park where she worked at a remote lodge and learned about Kennecott, the historical copper mill town.
She has just moved to Reno from the Seattle area where she worked as Director of a senior center. Having lived in Reno several years ago for a short time and she is glad to be returning.
“Making my home here again is exciting for me and I feel exceptionally fortunate to have the opportunity once again to work with older adults in the Cascade Community.”
Karen Marsh, RN
Wellness Director – Karen is a Reno Native and joins the Cascade team with more than 21 years as a heath care professional in the Reno/Sparks area. Her experiences as a Nursing Assistant, Nurse, and Nurse Manager in skilled nursing brings the team her lifelong passion and commitment to seniors and improving and maintaining quality of life. She is committed to the wellness focused lifestyle that seniors crave.
She is a Registered Nurse with her Associates Degree in Applied Science-Nursing from Truckee Meadows Community College
Karen, her husband and two children are lifetime residents of Northern Nevada.
Jacques Cornelis
Executive Chef – Jacques Cornelis, the Executive Chef of the Cascades of the Sierra, was born and raised in Belgium. At the age of fourteen he entered on a four year apprenticeship program at the Michelin starred restaurant “De Watermolen” in his home town of Temse, Belgium. Upon graduation and completing his one year mandatory military service, Jacques worked for the next ten years in the finest restaurants in Antwerp, Brussels and Paris.
At the age of twenty eight he came to the United States. After working for one season at the Cordon Bleu restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Jacques spent the next 21 years working for J.C. Resorts, a small family owned hotel group that includes The Rancho Bernardo Inn, Surf & Sand Hotel and Temecula Creek Inn. Jacques was overseeing all food and beverage operations for this company. In 2000, Jacques was recruited by the Resort at Squaw Creek on Lake Tahoe as the Executive Chef where he oversaw five restaurants and an extensive culinary operation for the next eight years. Jacques is a past member of the national Board of Directors of the American Institute of Wine and Food and President of its San Diego chapter.
In 2007 he won the Blazing Pans event, an Iron Chef inspired event, at the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival.
Jacques is fluent in Dutch, French and English and has been a resident of Reno for the last five years.
Auriane Ugalde
Sous Chef – Born and raised in Northern Nevada, Auriane is a graduate of University of Nevada, Reno. With family origins in the Basque region of northern Spain, Auriane grew up cooking with her grandmother, developing a passion for the art and learning family traditions. She has even visited the homeland on several occasions.
In 1987, she had the unique opportunity to apprentice in the kitchens of two of Spain’s leading chefs at the time. Upon returning to the States and moving to Chicago, Auriane worked for "Lettuce Entertain You" in their Spanish restaurant, "BaBaReeBa", and became well-versed in restaurant operation. At this time she began a second career, a private catering business. In 1999, Auriane began working for Port Edward Restaurant and continued to do so for over seven years and was honored by "Who’s Who of American Chefs" in 2005.
Now, back in Nevada, she is thoroughly enjoying her work at Cascades of the Sierra and the free time her schedule affords her to indulge in her passion for cooking and spending quality time with her family!
Jill Brouillard
Food Service Director – With 32 years as a chef, catering manager and restaurant owner, Jill will be responsible for planning and creating the exceptional dining options that will be available to residents of the Cascades of the Sierra. Utilizing her expert instruction from Johnson and Wales University’s College of Culinary Arts and her extensive experience in preparing menus for a plethora of dietary requirements, including the unique needs of seniors, will oversee the dietary needs of all Cascades of the Sierra residents, including menu creation, food service delivery and special dietary accommodations. Jill will also oversee Cascades of the Sierra’s EverDine dining program.
Throughout her career Jill has been recognized for her dedication and her trademark ambition; her Santa Barabara, California-based Fresco Café was named best restaurant and best catering by the Santa Barbara News Press and continues to receive accolades. Jill was a founding member of The Women’s Culinary Guild and alumni of Women’s Economic Ventures.
In 2004, Jill received the first annual Betty Hatch Award for the Female Entrepreneur of the Year. Committed to the success of everyone around her, Jill also works with non-profit organizations, including the Transition House, Life Chronicles, Alzheimer’s, Mental health and Diabetes associations.
Natalie Hilbert
Fitness Director – Natalie Hilbert has an in-depth knowledge of the Fitness Industry. Since 1997 Natalie has been involved with client management, program design, one-on-one fitness training, and leading group exercise classes. She writes exercise prescriptions for senior clients, youth, and clients with special needs and health conditions. Natalie coaches classes like Young at Heart Aerobics, Aqua Aerobics, Indoor Cycling, Kick Boxing, Youth Fitness, Quad Step, and Step Aerobics. She is Nationally Certified in both Personal Training and Group Exercise through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.
Natalie is passionate about helping people improve their quality of life. Through coaching and exercise prescriptions, Natalie encourages clients to make a lifestyle change to become healthier and more fit.
Cheryl Thomas
Environmental Services Coordinator – Cheryl has over 30 years experience working in retirement and senior communities. She’s originally from Nashville Tenn., and has lived on the west coast for over 38 years. For 10 years she managed a country club restaurant in a retirement community in the Sacramento Calif., area. From there she moved on to start her own cleaning service in the same community cleaning houses and businesses.
She moved to the Reno/Sparks area in 1995 where she worked for 13 years in a long term care community as their Environmental Director. She has a passion for working in senior living communities and finds it very rewarding.
Cheryl lives in the Spanish Springs area with her husband. She has 2 daughters and three granddaughters. She loves to go fishing, camping, traveling, doing crafts, and spoiling her granddaughters.
Sergio Quezada
Plant Operations – Sergio is a native of Guanajuato, Mexico and moved to the Reno area 22 years ago when he earned his US citizenship. He is married and has 5 children and has been in the construction industry for most of the last 22 years.
Sergio was a team member of the general contractors that built Cascades of the Sierra and was the “go-to” person when changes were needed in the building process.
Sergio joined Cascades of the Sierra as the head of the Plant Operations Department because of his intimate knowledge of the building in addition to his desire to be part of an industry that thrives on customer service as he likes to meet new people and help them with their needs.