Bios

LeadershipMeet Our Team
We strive to bring comfort, joy and hope to the lives of our community members who make Rowntree Gardens so special. We do so by providing compassionate, personalized and expert care from staff who think of our community members as members of our families. Meet the staff members at Rowntree Gardens, many of whom have been with us for 20, 30 and even 40 years. Loyal, dedicated and experienced, our staff is here to make sure your needs are being met with a friendly smile and knowledgeable service. Please don’t hesitate to let us know what we can do to make your day brighter, and your home at Rowntree Gardens more comfortable.

Community CEO

Christina Cerrato
Christina Cerrato is the CEO of Rowntree Gardens, where she leads a team of seven senior managers and over 300 employees. With over ten years of experience in operational executive leadership within the senior housing sector, Christina is committed to enriching the lives of those they serve and fostering a culture where older adults and staff can thrive. Christina embraces innovation in senior care and strives for excellence in all endeavors. She has held executive board positions for LeadingAge California, served as a coach and facilitator for the Emerge leadership development program, and is a founding board member of the Women in Senior Living networking group in California. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Master of Arts degree in Politics, Economics, and Business from Claremont Graduate University. Christina resides in Whittier, California, with her husband Henry and their two sons, Calie and Logan. She enjoys attending church, spending time with family, engaging in outdoor activities, and being a dedicated mother.
Community Operations Director Kerri Clark

Community Operations Director

Kerri Clark
Kerri joined Rowntree Gardens in 2016 as the Community Activities Director. Today, she plays a vital role in ensuring that our community members continue to thrive in every season of life as the Community Operations Director. In that position, Kerri coordinates programs that enrich our community members’ lives while promoting their health and safety. Kerri also oversees our community’s policies and procedures that ensure our community members’ needs come first; directs staff meetings to support open communications across all departments, and ensures the delivery of quality healthcare. With her RCFE Administrator and Passionate Approach to Care Dementia certifications, Kerri brings qualified experience to her leadership approach. But she also has a genuine passion for helping others grow professionally and truly loves bringing people together to make a positive impact. Kerri smiles when she hears Rowntree Gardens guests, staff and community members say, “There’s just something special about this place.” because she experiences that same feeling every day.
Community Care Administrator Claudia Lusca

Community Care Administrator

Claudia Lusca
Claudia joined Rowntree Gardens as a charge nurse in 1999 and quickly advanced to the position of Health and Wellness Center Clinic Director. Her experience supervising a staff of dedicated nurses and caregivers, along with her genuine compassion and limitless patience, make Claudia exceptionally qualified to be Rowntree Gardens’ Community Care Administrator. In this role, Claudia is responsible for staffing, scheduling, and maintaining the community’s high standards of health and safety compliance. She also oversees care for our community members in independent living, assisting living and memory care, as well as our Faithful Friends in-home caregivers and transportation department. As an LVN and RCFE Administrator, Claudia understands that the key to providing exceptional care is remaining interruptible regardless of how busy her day is because, at the end of the day, it’s the people, not the tasks that matter the most.
Community Food Services Director Claudia Acosta

Community Food Services Director

Claudia Acosta
Claudia joined Rowntree Gardens in 1997. In that time, she rose from food server to Community Food Services Director responsible for our dietary department. In that role, Claudia plans and manages Rowntree Garden’s dietary budget, oversees catering events, and hires and manages all food service personnel. Under her direction, our food service staff has received high marks from our community members for the quality of our food and the service of our people. Claudia has an associate degree in Food Service Management, is a Certified Dietary Manager, and is ServeSafe certified.
Community Human Resources Director Melinda Marston

Community Human Resources Director

Melinda Marston
As Rowntree Gardens’ Community Human Resources Director, Melinda is committed to fostering a culture where employees are encouraged to be a daily blessing to all they encounter. Prior to joining the Rowntree family, Melinda served 20 years as the human resources director for a hospice care organization. There she learned the value of compassion and kindness in caring for people. She now focuses on building a caring and compassionate workplace where staff can grow as people and professionals. A mother of four, Melinda enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as her second family at Rowntree Gardens.
Community Health and Wellness Clinic Director Veronica Vasquez

Community Life Director

Veronica Vasquez
As Rowntree Gardens’ Community Life Director, Veronica Vasquez, a licensed vocational nurse, brings many years of experience caring for people. Veronica has been a part of the Rowntree Gardens family since 2010 and was previously the Health and Wellness Director. In her role as Community Life Director, Veronica calls on her training to ensure that our Community Members and staff continue to thrive physically, spiritually, emotionally, and socially. She collaborates closely with departments across Rowntree Gardens to meet the needs of Community Members. This includes providing enriching programs as well as responsive service from a staff that shares a genuine passion for bringing joy to people’s lives. The Community Life team also follows our Community Members through the transition process, from the hospital to different levels of care. Veronica and her team love the Community Members at Rowntree Gardens, whom they consider family. They are proud to say that they daily serve such an amazing community. In her spare time, Veronica enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
Business Office Administrator Penny Laney

Business Office Administrator

Penny Laney
Penny Laney has been a dedicated member of the Rowntree Gardens family since 2015. In her role as Business Office Administrator, Penny is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day accounting functions of our community. She works closely with our business office partners to ensure compliance with both company policies and state regulatory standards. Penny is a great team player with a huge heart for people, especially our community members. She loves Rowntree Gardens and goes out of her way to help others, even taking the initiative to paint our laundry areas to make them more appealing. Her deep understanding of our residents’ needs and the intricacies of medical billing makes her an exceptional asset to our community. She pours her heart into Rowntree Gardens, always striving to ensure that our community members receive the best service and care they deserve. During her free time, Penny enjoys spending quality time with her sons and doting on her precious granddaughters.

"The staff provides service beyond what is expected. Such kindness makes us all feel at home and well cared for."  — Joanne M.

One of the area’s few licensed, faith-based Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRC), Rowntree Gardens provides a full range of integrated onsite services to meet the changing needs of active seniors.
Schedule your personal tour.
Schedule a Tour