Frank M. Petras
Jeff Arnold
Brian Bunnell
Aimee Desjardin
Frank M. Petras has been in the Assisted Living and Senior Housing business for more than 20 years. His passion for seniors began when he saw his then 90-year-old grandfather climb the ladder of his two-story house to finish painting it. That moment solidified his desire to help people stay active as a way to fully enjoy life.
Frank received his B. A. in Psychology from Bates College in Lewiston Maine. While working as the Director of two public housing authorities on the north shore, he attended night school and received his M.B.A from the University of Massachusetts/Boston. He has served as Executive Director in both large and small senior living organizations in the last couple of decades, worked as a member of the Mass ALA education committee, and won local awards at his communities for promoting a green workplace.
Frank has a special affinity for the Cambridge area as he worked as a bar back in Harvard square with a then grad student Charlie Baker at the Oxford Ale House. He is looking forward to sharing all of his experience and interests with the families and residents of Cadbury Commons.
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Jeff Arnold began his career as a dishwasher for Northeastern University in the early 80’s. Since then, Jeff worked his way through the ranks at Northeastern from waiter to chef to Faculty Dining Room and Event Planning Manager, hosting events at Northeastern for notables including President Bill Clinton, Senator Ted Kennedy and President of the then Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev, to name a few.
Jeff took a break from Northeastern to help care for his father who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. After learning about the disease through his own experience, Jeff found himself drawn to working with older adults.
Jeff has been Director of Dining Services at Cadbury Commons since 2010 and brings his culinary and planning skills to provide Cadbury a well-run dining room and delicious meals.
Brian Bunnell has served as our Director of Community Programs since 2013, having been promoted from his prior role as an Activities Specialist. Brian is a musician, holding degrees in Music Education and Trumpet Performance from the Peabody Conservatory of Music, in Baltimore.
Brian takes great pride in the quality of engaging programs at Cadbury Commons. The Programs Department aims to approach all groups and interactions from an adult-centered perspective. He, with resident guidance, loves to present programs and activities that are genuinely stimulating, fun, and educational.
In his spare time, Brian performs with the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra, and leads its operations as President of the Board of Directors.
Aimee Desjardin got her first chance to work with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia memory loss when she was only 13 years old, volunteering on Sunday afternoons at the Stamford Hospital Tandet Center nursing home in CT. Even at a very young age, the joy that came from making meaningful connections with seniors living with these neurodegenerative disorders had a lasting impact on her future.
During her college years, it became clear that psychology and the study of human behavior would be the path towards a career that would fulfill her needs of helping others through difficulties. Aimee began her career in Activities Programming in an Assisted Living neighborhood working with people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. Since then, her passion & philosophy for creative memory care innovations has evolved and matured. Aimee utilizes many techniques and schools of thought in her care practices and believes in a person-centered approach. How she handles each challenge depends on the face of dementia and the individual behind the illness, and involves a carefully thought out and thoroughly discussed plan of action.
