We believe in providing exemplary service to our residents, associates and partners delivered with integrity, dignity and compassion, all in a warm, secure and friendly environment. It is our goal to enhance lives every day, in every way. Get to know more about members of our leadership team.
The Cardinal Team
Jaime Pacheco
Executive Director
Jaime Pacheco is a senior living leader who specializes in executing strategies that harmonize people, process, and product to take communities to the next level. His 15+ year career extends across independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities. He is passionate about using leadership skills to positively impact associates, residents, and families of The Cardinal.
Betsy Sykes
Senior Sales Director
With more than twenty years of senior living experience in Raleigh, Betsy leads the Sales team at The Cardinal at North Hills. She has been with Kisco since 2000, serving as both Sales Director and Area Business Development Director. Betsy is a three-time winner of the Kisco President’s Club Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sales. She enjoys working with prospective residents and their families, helping to educate them about senior living options and discover all that The Cardinal has to offer.
Erika McMillin
Sales Director
Erika joins The Cardinal with more than six years of experience in senior living with Kisco. Prior to Kisco, Erika worked in the hospitality industry for over fourteen years in hotels and wedding & event planning. She enjoys meeting with families and future residents to help them navigate through the senior living process. She is passionate about educating and providing options for them to enhance their quality of life. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband Mark, two young children Charlotte & Jackson, and their dog Cashew.
Allison Rouse
Sales Director
Allison joins The Cardinal with 20 years of sales experience, 10 of those years focused on seniors transitioning to a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). Recently, Allison was the Director of Sales and Marketing at a local CCRC. She enjoys sharing her vast knowledge about the advantages of living at The Cardinal with potential residents and their families and believes working with a team of experts and professionals adds value to the overall experience of residents living at The Cardinal.
Kimberley Ladue
Sales Director
Kimberley has devoted her career to serving seniors and their families ever since her mother lived at a Kisco community and as Kimberley says, “...it allowed me to be a daughter again for that last year of my mother’s life.” With a B.A. from the University of Maine, over twenty years sales experience, and a deep reach in the community, Kimberley is thrilled to be working for the company that gave her own mother (and family) such a priceless experience.
Phillip Cheeseman
Hospitality Services Director
Phillip brings 20 years of hospitality and fine dining experience to The Cardinal, having worked at Fearrington Village, a Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond community for 10 years. It was there he honed his craft for fine dining and gracious hospitality. Phillip is very passionate about enhancing the lives of our residents and making The Cardinal the pinnacle of fine senior living. In his words, “Senior living is where I should have been all along, nothing beats the fulfillment you receive from serving of our residents.”
Theresa Weigand
Director of Nursing Services
With over 22 years in skilled health care experience, Theresa leads the healthcare team in providing excellent care in The Pines Healthcare Center. Theresa is wound care certified and has over 15 years of management experience in the skilled setting. From admission to discharge, it is the goal of Theresa and her team to assist in every possible way.
Brad Itzkowitz
Culinary Services Director
Brad is a 1985 graduate of Johnson and Wales University’s Culinary Arts program in Providence, RI and holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree from New York Institute of Technology in Manhattan. He did his culinary internship at Walt Disney World in Orlando FL.
He brings 29 years of culinary expertise to The Cardinal working at various restaurants and owning a kosher catering company in Long Beach, NY. He was even a part of the inauguration culinary team for President George H. Bush in 1989.
Chris Fryar
Facilities Director
Chris has over 12 years of experience working in the senior living industry, 8 of which have been with Kisco. His career has included several leadership roles within the environmental services department ranging from Housekeeping Supervisor, Maintenance Team leader, and now Director. Chris has a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management from North Carolina Central University and is OSHA certified. Chris’ favorite part about working at the Cardinal is interacting with the residents and learning about the lives they have lived.
Abby Peters
Human Resources Director
With the Cardinal since 2021, Abby is a SHRM - Certified Professional in HR, and directs all aspects of Human Resources at the Cardinal at North Hills, from onboarding to associate engagement, and much more. Originally from Montana, Abby attended college in Virginia at Roanoke College, where she majored in Communications with a concentration in Human Resources Management. Abby enjoys working with associates on a wide range of inquiries and creating a positive and open Human Resources department.
Armondo Balotti
Wellness Director
Armondo is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach with a B.S. in Exercise Physiology from East Carolina University. His background covers cardiac rehab, personal training, and coaching. He and his team are responsible for implementing the Six Dimensions of Wellness into their variety of programming at The Cardinal. Armondo is passionate about helping others and brings a positive attitude to the community each and every day. Outside of work, Armondo is a National Level Coach in Olympic Weightlifting, his goal is to coach at an international competition for Team U.S.A.
Brian Hyzy
Environmental Health and Safety Director
Brian is originally from Buffalo, New York and recently moved to Raleigh with his wife. He attended State University of New York College at Buffalo and holds a bachelor’s degree in Business with a Minor in Criminal Justice. Brian brings more than 26 years of experience working in the healthcare field as a facilities director specializing in overall safety, public safety and building security. Brian is OSHA certified and was co-chair of the WNY Mutual Aid Committee which developed, educated, and implemented evacuation and fire plans for participating facilities. Brian’s biggest motivation is making a positive impact for his staff and the residents he serves in his communities.
