John joined The Village at Orchard Ridge in 2021 and brings over 15 years of leadership experience to the position of executive director. John’s involvement in senior living communities began in dining as a high school student and later as a certified nursing assistant while in college. Since then, he has served in a wide variety of leadership roles in the senior living industry.
Prior to joining Orchard Ridge, he served as the director of health services for Falcons Landing Military Retirement Community in Sterling, Virginia. While there, he was responsible for all health care operations, and was honored to be recognized by “U.S. News and World Report” as a high-performing nursing home and assisted living in 2019 and 2020. In his service to other senior living organizations, he has held leadership roles within Timbercrest Senior Living Community, Asbury Methodist Village and Erickson Living, with responsibility for over $200 million of development and program growth.
Throughout John’s career, he has worked alongside outstanding leaders, mentors and colleagues. He believes that leadership is the cornerstone of any organization, and maintaining open communication lines with team members and residents is key to organizational strength and growth. As executive director, John looks forward to sharing wonderful experiences, creating lasting memories, and supporting each other in enhancing the mission of Orchard Ridge and National Lutheran Communities & Services.
John received his bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University in operations management and hospitality management. He received a master’s in health care administration from Valparaiso University. In his spare time, John enjoys coaching youth sports and has also been active as an assistant scout master in a local Boy Scout troop. John and his wife Megan have two daughters, Lorelei and Greer.
Melissa Sellers joined The Village at Orchard Ridge in October of 2019 as the healthcare administrator.
Prior to joining The Village at Orchard Ridge, Melissa served nine years in the West Virginia Army National Guard with the 157 Military Police Company and then accepted a promotion to sergeant serving with the 154 Military Police Company. Melissa brings seven years of experience working in a fast-paced healthcare environment where she served in various capacities.
Melissa is a person-centered healthcare professional with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in healthcare administration from Shepherd University. She is currently in pursuit of her Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in healthcare management from Liberty University. She holds her Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) in the states of Virginia and West Virginia. Working in health care, she understands the importance of continuous growth and knowledge.
Melissa is driven by a passion for serving others through work and in the community. She eagerly seeks opportunities to use her life experiences to transform them into actionable ways to impact the lives of those around her.