Arizona ALFA’s Board of Directors

Steve Flynt – Chairperson

Steve Flynt studied Language Arts and Sociology at Oklahoma State University and received a degree in Health Management from The Denver Institute of Technology. Steve has been a licensed nursing home administrator in Arizona since 1997 and also holds an active license in Colorado. Steve has worked in the past with Arizona ALFA, AHCA and The American College of Health Care Administrators. Steve is currently the Vice President of Operations for Brookdale Senior Living. Before joining Brookdale Senior Living Steve held the position of Senior Area Manager of Operations for Sunrise Senior Living.  Mr. Flynt is currently serving as the Arizona ALFA Board of Directors Chairperson.


Ira Shulman – Vice Chair

Ira Shulman received his Master’s degree in Health Care Administration from Long Island University and has been a licensed Manager in the State of Arizona since 2004. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America in 2007. Ira has also been actively involved in Covenant Healthcare, AJAS, and AAHSA. Ira is currently CEO/Executive Director for the Kivel Campus of Care.



Linda Villa – Treasurer

Linda Villa is the General Manager of Las Fuentes Resort Village in Prescott, Arizona. She has 20 years of health care management experience. Linda received her Associate of Arts Degree in nursing from North Dakota State University. She is a licensed Registered Nurse, licensed Assisted Living Manager and a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Linda has been employed with Life Care Centers of America for 20 years receiving the company’s President’s Award in 1997 and Chairman’s Award in 2006. She was presented achievement as a Certified Administrator through the American College of Health Care Administrators in 1998. Linda is past Vice President Maricopa County Facilities at Large for Arizona Health Care Association, past affiliation with Arizona Geriatrics Society, Peoria Soroptimists and Prescott Rotary. Prior moving to Arizona from Washington State, Linda was employed as a Nursing Home Administrator, Director of Nurses and Staff Development Coordinator. She was past Regulatory Committee Co-Chairperson for Washington State Health Care Association and in 1980 achieved certification approval through Washington State Department of Health for development of one of the state’s first nursing assistant certification programs.


Kayda Johnson - Secretary

Kayda Johnson is the Chief Operating Officer of Senior Resource Group headquartered in Solana Beach, California. She is responsible for all facets of operations. The company is a developer, owner, and operator of high quality senior housing campuses throughout the United States. Before entering the retirement housing field in 1982, she held various positions of increasing responsibility in the acute care sector. Kayda is very active in the senior housing industry. She served on the Board of Directors of ALFA for over a dozen years and is actively engaged in the Executive Chief Operating Officers group. She has served on various committees of the NIC (National Investment Center for seniors housing and care industries); and is very active in ASHA (American Seniors Housing Association). Kayda serves on the Board of Directors of Arizona ALFA, CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), and the Continuing Care/Residential Communities Committee of Aging Services of California. She is also a Director of LivHOME.  Ms. Johnson holds an MBA from National University where she graduated with distinction, a BS in Health Care Administration from Chapman University, graduating summa cum laude, and an RN/AAS from Northampton College. She is also a
licensed Nursing Home Administrator and certified Residential Care Administrator. 



Stephanie Templeton -  Immediate Past Chairperson

Stephanie Templeton attended school at Bakersfield College and Cal State Bakersfield, majoring in accounting and business administration. She has been an assisted living center manager since 1994 and received her certification in 1998. She was first elected to Arizona ALFA Board of Directors in 2002 and currently is the Chairperson. Stephanie is the Executive Director of The Stratford Assisted Living in Phoenix.





Lola Judy – Past Chairperson/Board Member

Lola Judy was a founding member of Arizona ALFA and has served on the board since the inception in 1998. She has held various officer positions and just completed her second term as Chairperson of the Board. Ms Judy is the owner of Sun Cities Caregivers based in Sun City Arizona.








Andrew Briefer - Board Member

Andrew Briefer is the Managing Director of Via Elegante, a cluster of several ten-bedroom assisted living homes on ten acres of land in the Tucson foothills. He has been affiliated with the ownership of Via Elegante since its inception in 2004. Andy has operational and executive responsibilities for Indevco Assisted Living Communities, LLC, the managing partner of Via Elegante. He is also President of a development company, Indevco Partners, Inc. (since 2003), CEO of a commercial contracting company, Indevco Construction, Inc (since 2005), and President of his own commercial real estate appraisal firm, Andrew J. Briefer Real Estate Advisory Services, Inc. Andy also served as the President of Kleinman- Briefer & Associates/KB Appraisers, one of the largest commercial real estate appraisal firms in the State of Arizona from 1988 to 1996. He is a licensed real estate broker in the State of Arizona. Andy is an active participant in Tucson’s philanthropic community. Via Elegante is the expression of Andy’s passion for Tucson and the senior residents of the community.


Lisa Krohn, LPN – Board Member










Art Martin – Board Member

Art Martin received his undergraduate degree in Science and Nursing from Wayne State University, a national leader in nursing education. He then went on to pursue his graduate degree in Public Health from the University of Arizona’s Zuckerman School of Public Health. In order to round out his educational background, Art decided to take on an MBA and received his degree from the University of Arizona’s Eller School of Management. Art has been licensed in the State of Arizona since 2002. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of American in 2008. Art is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Handmaker Jewish Services for the Aging.

Jane Keys –  Past Chairperson

Jane Keys received a B.S. in Political Science (Pre-Law) with a minor in Gerontology from Weber State University, Ogden, Utah and Masters of Arts in Organizational Management from University of Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona. Jane has been a licensed Assisted Living Manager in the state of Arizona since October, 1994. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America in 2005. She has served as Vice Chairperson since 2007. Jane has been actively involved as Chairperson of the Education and Events committee of AZALFA for the past 5 years. Currently Jane is the Program Coordinator at Banner’s Alzheimer’s and Special Adults residences.



Craig Cheney - Past Chair

Craig is a founding member, past chair, and member of the executive committee of Arizona ALFA. He is currently the President and CEO of Centennial Village Corporation, a non-profit provider of housing to limited income seniors, and is the designated broker for Sierra Pointe Management, LLC in Scottsdale. Craig has been active in the development and operation of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living centers and retirement communities in Texas and Arizona for over thirty years. He is licensed as a nursing home administrator, assisted living manager and real estate broker and is a HUD management agent.



Eric Johnston – Past Chair

Mr. Johnston brought 20 years of senior healthcare/retirement industry experience to RCS when co- founding the company and assuming the position of President/CEO in 1990. Business accomplishments include President of Retirement Living Affiliates (RLA) from 1986 to 1990, President and co-founder of The Regent Healthcare Corporation from 1984 to 1986, and President and majority stockholder of a privately held retirement living and long-term care operation from 1981 to 1984. He is a licensed nursing home administrator and former Chairperson and Founder of the Arizona Assisted Living Federation of America. In addition, Mr. Johnston has served on the boards of numerous trade and industry groups and spearheaded the introduction of hospitality, customer relations, strategic planning, and more recently Total Quality Management (TQM) into the healthcare and retirement industry throughout the Southwest.


Arizona ALFA Board Members CLICK HERE to access the BOARD ONLY site page.