Brookdale Senior Living (NYSE: BKD) recently named Nick Stengle, president and COO of Gentiva, as its new CEO.

Stengle joins the company’s board of directors and replaces Denise Warren, who served as interim CEO since April of 2025 when Cindy Baier stepped down from the role. Warren will resume her role as non-executive board chairman at Brookdale.

Previously, he has held executive roles at Sunrise Senior Living LLC and Kindred at Home, most recently Gentiva, since 2020. Gentiva is one of the nation’s largest providers of hospice, palliative care, home health and advanced illness management.

“I am confident Nick has the strategic acumen, vision and leadership skills to build on our strong momentum at this pivotal point in Brookdale’s history,” Warren said in a statement shared with Hospice News. “His impressive track record of driving durable operational performance while building a culture of teamwork, excellence and accountability uniquely positions him to ensure the company thrives by continuing to provide high quality care and experiences for our residents and our associates, with emphasis on growing our adjusted EBITDA and unlocking the significant amount of intrinsic value in Brookdale.”

Stengle has overseen private equity portfolio operations at TPG Capital and served as a project leader at the strategic management company Boston Consulting Group. Prior to that, he served in the U.S. Air Force for 11 years, holding roles such as assistant director of operations, flight commander and top gun instructor pilot.

Brookdale operates 623 senior living communities across 41 states. The company serves approximately 57,000 seniors. The senior living provider has plans to downsize its scale, reducing its reach by nearly 100 locations by mid-2026.

Speculatively, Stengle’s appointment could signal resurgent interest in home- and community-based services. Brookdale in 2021 divested an 80% stake in its home health and hospice segment to the hospital system HCA Healthcare (NYSE: HCA) for $400 million.

“I’ve long respected Brookdale as a leading senior living operator, and it is an honor to join this talented team,” Stengle said. “Brookdale has a strong foundation in place with compelling long-term growth drivers, and I believe the company is well-positioned to extend its leadership position in the industry as we enter the next chapter and capitalize on attractive industry demographics. I look forward to building on the company’s recent success and to capturing the significant opportunities ahead to drive shareholder value.”