Executive Committee

Kathryn Sweeney is responsible for setting and directing Blue Moon Capital Partners’ investment strategies, including taking the lead on acquisitions and portfolio management and setting return optimization strategies. She is also jointly responsible, with Susan Barlow, for setting the long-term strategic direction of Blue Moon. Kathryn is a member of the Management and Investment Committees. She has been an active investment advisor and manager in the senior housing industry since 1997.

Previously, Kathryn was Managing Director of The GPT Group’s US senior housing portfolio. GPT Group is one of Australia’s largest diversified listed property groups. During her tenure with GPT, Kathryn was ensconced within Benchmark Senior Living where she gained deep insight into senior living operations that enhanced her influence on the strategic direction of GPT’s portfolio and contributes to her being viewed as a valuable strategic resource to Blue Moon’s operating partners.

Kathryn’s senior housing career began with AEW Capital Management, when in 1997 she began investing development capital on behalf of opportunistic investors and ultimately became the senior housing portfolio manager at AEW for the CalPERS senior housing separate account. Early in her career, Kathryn worked for The Boston Company Real Estate Counsel, one of the veterans of the institutional real estate investment business.

A longtime member of ASHA’s Executive Board, Kathryn also served on the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industries (NIC) Board of Directors for seven years and as Chairperson for two years. She also served on the Board of Directors of Vi Living, the Pritzker family’s continuing care retirement community business.

Kathryn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics at Boston University and a certificate in Risk Management and Strategic Decisions from Stanford University.

Richard Hutchinson is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Senior Living; family of companies which include: Discovery Management Group, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Marketing Group & Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company.

As an industry leader in seniors housing, Discovery Senior Living currently has in excess of 9,500 units in operation or under development throughout the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern United States. The company has expanded to include an array of living options which include: senior apartments, independent living in both multi-apartment and villa environments, supervised independent living, personal care, assisted living and memory care. The successful and diverse rental portfolio features large luxury, resort-style campuses, state-of-the-art care communities, smaller village-inspired wellness and care communities and secured memory care neighborhoods.

Through Richard’s leadership, the family of companies has achieved significant growth. His vision of developing a business culture of innovation, integrity and creativity, while being analytically driven, has pushed the company to the leading edge of the industry, redefining seniors housing along the way. The companies have been recognized for their exceptionalism and ingenuity and have received accolades and awards from The National Association of Home Builders 50+ Seniors Housing Council, Southeast Builders Conference, National Mature Media and Generations Awards, as well as earning a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Quality of Patient Care.

Prior to joining Discovery, Richard held the position of Chief Financial Officer for more than a decade, from 1996 to 2006, with Aston Care Systems, Inc. As Aston’s Chief Financial Officer, he developed the initial strategic business plan, secured necessary equity, and financed development and construction. During his 25+ year career he has negotiated and closed more than $2 billion in equity and debt transactions, while establishing relationships with many of the industries’ key financiers, investors and operators. Richard has been a member of ASHA’s Executive Board since the late 1990s.

He served in the U.S. Army from 1986 to 1994 including a tour during Desert Storm. Richard graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. Leo College earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, and is a former Certified Public Accountant.

Stephanie Harris, CEO and Principal, established Arrow Senior Living Management and Turnaround Solutions with an initial investment using student loans while a student at St. Louis University School of Law.

Over the past 22 years, Stephanie has become a senior housing industry thought leader. Her sales and management methods have been proven to effectively transform and stabilize low-performing or newly developed communities in a matter of months.

Arrow Senior Living has quadrupled its footprint since its inception and was recognized in 2022 as the 43rd largest senior housing operator by Senior Housing Executive magazine. The company currently manages 29 communities in six states, with an additional four under construction.

Stephanie recently was honored as one of 19 women across the country for the inaugural class of the “Women of Distinction Hall of Honor” by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and as a “Top 40 Under 40” by the St. Louis Business Journal. Most recently, Stephanie was named a St. Louis Titan 100.

Prior to a career in senior housing, Stephanie spent several years with numerous congressional and statewide campaigns and worked on Capitol Hill as a policy advisor.

Danette recently joined the Senior Housing industry after 30 years in hospitality and real estate. While holding positions such as CFO, EVP Operations and SVP Asset Management at various progressive boutique hospitality companies (Sydell Group, Denihan Hospitality, Morgans Hotel Group). She is a proven leader who strengthens business value by using a focused approach on people, processes and systems, strategizing at the highest levels and understanding the complexities of a service-oriented industry. With an emphasis on customer experience and leading-edge branding and design, she has created and maintained operating, financial, and brand standards for best in class businesses in the boutique hotel space. She is now bringing that same approach to Senior Independent Living communities as COO under the Revel brand.

Michelle R. Kelly joined National Health Investors Inc. (“NHI”) in September 2017 and currently serves as Senior Vice President Investments.  In this role, Michelle is responsible for identifying new business opportunities, managing existing client relationships and strengthening NHI’s brand throughout the industry.

Michelle has over 22 years of experience financing and investing in the senior housing and skilled nursing industries.  Prior to joining NHI, she spent over 6 years at Welltower Inc. beginning with a focus in asset management and transitioning to business development.  Michelle also spent about 10 years at GE Capital in its Healthcare Financial Services business focused primarily on debt for seniors housing and skilled nursing.  She held positions of increasing responsibility within underwriting, portfolio management and originations during her tenure at GE.  Michelle began her career with Heller Financial as a member of its Associate Development Program, ultimately joining its healthcare real estate business.

Michelle will be joining the American Seniors Housing Association (“ASHA”) Executive Committee in January 2024 serving as the Seniors Housing PAC Chair.  She will also be joining the California Assisted Living Association’s Board of Directors effective Jan. 1, 2024.  Michelle currently serves as the ASHA Public Policy Committee Chairperson and has been serving on the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (“NIC”) Fall Planning Committee since 2021.  Michelle was an inaugural member of the NIC Future Leaders Council and served as Chairperson of that organization from fall of 2011 to fall of 2012.  Michelle earned her BS in Finance degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Founded in 1991 and based in Washington, DC, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) represents the interests of the most prominent firms participating in seniors housing.  ASHA’s members are engaged in all aspects of the development and operation of seniors housing, including construction, finance and management.  ASHA provides leadership for the seniors housing industry on legislative and regulatory matters, advances research, education and the exchange of strategic business information, and promotes the merits of seniors housing.

David has served as president of ASHA since its inception in 1991 after beginning his career at the National Association for Senior Living Industries (NASLI) in 1989.  In addition to his duties as president of ASHA, David serves as treasurer of the Seniors Housing Political Action Committee, the nation’s   largest PAC focused exclusively on supporting federal candidates who support the development and preservation of quality market rate seniors housing. He was the co-author of the Affordable Seniors Housing Handbook, which was revised and published 10 times between 1995 and 2005.

David holds a bachelor of science degree from the Center for Aging and Human Development at the University of Connecticut and a master of science degree from the Department of Applied Gerontology at the University of North Texas.  He currently serves on the Editorial board of The Seniors Housing & Care Journal, and has been honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by both the University of Connecticut and the University of North Texas for his work on behalf of America’s seniors.