Meet the SeniorBridge Melbourne Team

Dorothy Burns, RN, MSN, MBA
Regional Executive Director

Dorothy's diverse background and more than 35 years experience in healthcare and hospital management significantly influence her clinical and operational leadership of SeniorBridge's branches in the coastal communities of central Florida. Prior to joining the SeniorBridge family she served as Vice President of Clinical Operations at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne where she led strategic planning and monitored safety and quality control for surgical, trauma and patient care services. Before her promotion to Vice President, Dorothy was the Director of Patient Care Services and was instrumental in the development of the hospital's Heart Center. She went on to lead an award winning team designing stroke care and organ donation programs. Specializing in critical care, Dorothy's nursing career includes serving as a Nurse Manager in the Intensive Care Unit at Bryn Mawr Hospital in Pennsylvania and more than 12 years as a rehabilitative, home care and long term care nurse. She is an adjunct nursing faculty member at Brevard Community College in Palm Bay and at University of Central Florida in Orlando. Dorothy holds a Master of Science in Nursing with a Clinical Nurse Specialty from Widener University in Pennsylvania and a Master of Business Administration from University of Central Florida. She is licensed by the State of Florida as a Registered Nurse.

Feryn Lang, RN, MSN
Regional Director of Client Services

Feryn joins SeniorBridge with more than 30 years of healthcare experience. She most recently served as the Director of Nursing for Wuesthoff Health Systems' Progressive Care Center where her leadership and management of the nursing department included clinical oversight for the 114-bed facility and implementation of programs to ensure resident safety and quality services. Her extensive administration background spans more than 16 years and includes directing skilled nursing and assisted living facilities such as Atlantic Shores in Melbourne, Florida as well as Germantown Home and Arden Courts both of Pennsylvania. She has also worked as a Geriatric Care Manager for Senior Solutions where she consulted with families, monitored frail adults and handled safe transitions. Throughout her career, Feryn has been a dedicated advocate for and passionately facilitated best practice standards for the care of the older adult. She received her nursing diploma from St. Peter's Medical Center in New Jersey and advanced nursing education at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania. Through this course of study she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, summa cum laude, and Master of Science in Nursing as a Geriatric Clinical Specialist. Feryn holds a current Florida RN license.

Laura Marshall
Regional Director of Professional Relations

Before joining SeniorBridge, Laura was Director of Sales and Marketing of AllianceCare Home Health, in Broward, Palm Beach County, Dallas, Houston and Chicago where she developed markets for a Medicare and Private Duty Home Health Agency and trained marketers to service and build them. She recruited, trained, and mentored community liaisons for these markets, developed sales reporting and goal-setting systems and business plans for these operations, and generated community referrals from many sources including the Cleveland Clinic Hospital. Laura was also previously Director of Community Outreach for Caring People, Broward and Palm Beach County, helping to build their marketing and sales department and developing seminars, a speakers network for professionals and caregivers, and a "Snow Bird" program to help seniors travel in winter. As Sales Manager for Hancock Financial Services in Broward and West Palm Beach, she previously trained financial representatives and planners, and was a Marketing Representative/Training Specialist for MetLife in Plantation. Laura has a life, health, and variable annuities license; a series 63 and series 7 securities license; and is certified in Long-Term Care and as a Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (insurance) by the Gold Coast School of Insurance, Plantation, and certified in Senior Marketing, Management and Sales Training with Carnegie.

Laurie Surprise

Director of Professional Relations

Laurie brings more than 25 years of sales, marketing and management experience to her role as Director of Professional Relations. Her commitment to excellence encompasses all areas of her work including strong client advocacy, with particular expertise in territory management and community relations throughout the Florida area. Prior to joining SeniorBridge, Laurie served as Regional Director of Admissions for Southern HealthCare Management, LLC., where she provided sales and marketing support for 8 skilled nursing facilities, developed strategic business plans and exceeded revenue for each facility. Other career highlights include building physician-guided specialty programs as Regional Sales Consultant for Sea Crest Healthcare Management, LLC and being held responsible for commercial sales/leasing and property management as Licensed Real Estate Salesman and Executive Assistant for Evans-Butler Reality, Inc.

Chris White
Director of Professional Relations

Chris has more than 5 years of healthcare marketing and sales experience, with particular expertise in new business development and territory management. Prior to joining SeniorBridge, Chris served as Admissions Liaison at Indian River Center in West Melbourne, Florida developing market and territory awareness in Brevard County, increasing referral sources, and creating brand recognition. Previously, Chris also served as Area Director of Marketing and Recruiting at Clear Choice Health Care implementing marketing and sales strategies and at Life Care Center of Palm Bay as Assistant Executive Director, where he passed state and federal examinations to become a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Chris earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of North Florida and plays an active part of his community serving on the Board of Directors for Brevard Heart Association, volunteering for Meals on Wheels in Melbourne, Florida and he is also a member of the Melbourne Regional Chamber of East Central Florida.

Diane Silkowski, LPN
Care Manager

Diane was a Geriatric Care Manager for Senior Care Management Services, prior to joining SeniorBridge in 2009. She has been a nurse for 15 years, and has worked with people who have cerebral palsy, multiple medical conditions, and special needs. She worked closely with ARNPs and MDs, supervised caregivers, and taught infection control protocol to staff at Cerebral Palsy of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Diane has also been an acute care nurse for patients in crisis at a psychiatric inpatient hospital, St. Barnabas Behavioral Health, in Toms River, New Jersey. In 2004, she relocated to Florida, where she focused on the geriatric population as Charge Nurse on the Dementia Unit at Autumn House, in Vierra, a private assisted living facility. Diane graduated with honors in nursing from Ocean County Vocational Technical School, Toms River, NJ. There, she achieved a clinical achievement award from the Nursing School Program. She is currently working on obtaining her Care Management Certification.

Rose Anne Taylor, RN, CCM, QRP
Care Manager

Rose brings a wide range of past nursing experience to Senior Bridge. She most recently spent 18 years working for Intracorp, a division of CIGNA, as a nurse case manager coordinating medical treatment for injured workers. She is a Qualified Rehabilitation Provider for the State of Florida (QRP) and is also a Certified Case Manager (CCM). After graduating from the Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing in Baltimore, Maryland, she worked for the City of Baltimore in Public Health and at the City Hospital. Additional experience in orthopedic, medical and surgical nursing care was gained over the years working part time while raising a family. She worked full time as an Occupational Health Nurse for the GM Desert Proving Grounds in Mesa, Arizona and later as Head Nurse at Kahn’s Meats in Cincinnati, Ohio. As a volunteer for Health First Hospice in Melbourne, Florida, she provides respite for caregivers.

Brenda Taylor
Care Manager Assistant

Brenda has over 20 years experience in the healthcare field. During the last few years, Brenda has worked in the geriatric and home care management field for Senior Care Management Services as a Case Manager Assistant. Before joining Senior Care Management, she spent 8 years working for a neurosurgeon in Melbourne, Florida as a medical assistant. She attended Tucson College in Arizona and has a Medical Assistant diploma. Brenda volunteers as President of the American Legion Auxiliary in Palm Bay, Florida.