The Sonata Senior Living team is comprised of experienced senior housing executives that have proven track records with the industry’s top-performing senior housing providers.  Members of the team have been instrumental in the development, operation or marketing of more than 20 successful senior housing communities including continuum-of-care, independent living assisted living, and memory care communities, in both for-profit and not-for-profit settings.

Stuart Beebe 

CEO | sbeebe@sonatahc.com

Stuart J. Beebe is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and is responsible for the overall execution of the company’s strategic initiatives. Mr. Beebe brings nearly 30 years of real estate experience to the company. Previously, as President and CEO of CNL Retirement Properties, a public unlisted REIT, Mr. Beebe led the strategic initiative resulting in the sale of the REIT in 2006 to Health Care Property Investors for $5.3 billion, then the largest healthcare REIT transaction in history. Mr. Beebe joined the CNL REIT in 2002 and was directly involved in over $3.5 billion of acquisitions, consisting of 180 senior housing facilities and 77 medical office buildings and specialty hospitals. Mr. Beebe has also held senior management positions at CNL Corporate Properties and Lincoln Property Company, two of the country’s largest privately-owned real estate companies. Mr. Beebe graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting.

Shelley Esden

Senior VP Operations | sesden@sonatahc.com

Shelley Esden serves as Senior Vice President of Operations and leads the company’s senior living management activities. Additionally, Ms. Esden participates in evaluating opportunities, including reviewing all market research and providing critical design input. Ms. Esden has over 16 years of experience in all aspects of senior housing operations and development activities and has held senior management and regional director roles with nationally recognized owners, developers and operators, including Summerville Senior Living, Legacy Senior Living and Marriott Senior Living. Ms. Esden began her career in senior housing working on elderly initiatives with the State of Florida. Ms. Esden graduated with honors from Florida State University with a Masters in Healthcare Administration and graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science.

Stephen Caruso

VP Business Development | scaruso@sonatahc.com

Stephen Caruso serves as Vice President of Business Development and evaluates new development and acquisition opportunities. Mr. Caruso also takes a leading role in executing the company’s due diligence efforts. Mr. Caruso brings over 10 years of experience in commercial real estate management, leasing and brokerage activities in the central Florida market. For the past three years, Mr. Caruso has focused on identifying acquisition opportunities and development sites in the southeast and mid-Atlantic for senior housing and medical office buildings. Mr. Caruso graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance.

Stuart Mottern

Chief Investment Officer | smottern@sonatahc.com

Stuart Mottern serves as the company’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and oversees all new investment initiatives. Mr. Mottern has extensive experience structuring health care real estate acquisition and development projects, including debt, equity and REIT financing. Previously at CNL Retirement Properties, Mr. Mottern was involved in the acquisition and asset management of over $1 billion in assets. Mr. Mottern has a Big 4 accounting and consulting background, as well as several years of corporate finance experience in M&A, strategic planning and financial analysis. Mr. Mottern has a Bachelor's degree and MBA in finance from Florida State University and has attended courses at the Johns Hopkins University Senior Living Program.