Michele Berti, HR Exec at Jefferson’s Ferry, Named to LIBN’s Top 50 Women in Business

South Setauket, N.Y. (Oct. 28, 2022) – Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community is pleased to announce that Michele Berti, Vice President of Human Resources, was named one of Long Island’s “Top 50 Women in Business” by Long Island Business News (LIBN). The winners for the 2022 competition were honored at a celebratory awards event on October 27 at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, N.Y.

Since joining the leadership team of Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community in 2015, Berti has served the facility’s employees and residents with “a unique balance of professionalism and friendliness” according to a nomination letter by Jefferson Ferry’s President and CEO Robert Caulfield. “We were able to see the full depth of her strength during the tremendous effort she put. Into helping with the staff shortages that we experienced as a result of COVID-19. She ensured our Jefferson’s Ferry family was well-staffed with well-qualified people.”

Berti is actively involved with Girls Inc. of Long Island, where she has been a board member since 2019. A strong advocate for empowering girls and providing them with opportunities to succeed, she has served as chair of the nonprofit’s nominating and governance committees as well as on the HR (Human Resources) committee.

Additional community activities include serving on the board of trustees and on numerous committees with the Harbor Country Day School in St. James, N.Y., and getting involved with Dress for Success Brookhaven to help women achieve economic independence through a network of support, professional attire and developmental tools.  

She holds memberships in the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the Leading Age NY’s HR Council and the Hauppauge Industrial Association, where she currently serves on the HR committee. Volunteer projects have included the Welcome Friends Soup Kitchen, Breast Cancer Awareness, the Alzheimer’s Association, United Cerebral Palsy and the ASPCA.

“A driving force in the community and at Jefferson’s Ferry, Michele helps us maintain compliance with HR regulations in the senior living industry and she serves as an outstanding resource for our employees,” added Caulfield. “Under her leadership, the HR office is a welcoming area with information about health benefits, employee assistance programs and other HR matters. Also, she established a scholarship program at Jefferson’s Ferry that benefits local highschoolers, children of employees, or employees who want to enroll in a higher education nursing program. Michele is truly deserving of this prestigious recognition from LIBN.”    

“It’s very humbling to join such a talented group of women in business for this year’s LIBN awards,” said Berti. “I have been blessed with many opportunities throughout my career and I want to pay it forward at Jefferson’s Ferry and throughout our wonderful Long Island community.”

Launched in 2000, the Top 50 Women in Business Awards recognizes Long Island’s top women professionals for their business acumen, mentoring and community involvement. The program’s honorees represent the region’s most influential women in business, government, healthcare, legal, financial and nonprofit fields and more.

About Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community

Jefferson's Ferry is a not-for-profit Life Plan community for active adults aged 62 and above, with Independent Living cottages and apartments, assisted living apartments, and a quality health care center all on one site. A multi-million-dollar expansion and renovation project, "The Journey Toward Renewal," is currently under construction.  It’s part of a larger strategic initiative launched in 2018 to create a life-enriching environment for all new and current residents at every stage of their life. Journey Toward Renewal has already opened 53 new independent living apartments, and will expand the Healthy Living Center, Fitness Center, and its state-of-the-art Rehabilitation Therapy Center. Expanded dining options have already opened for business. A new Memory Care building will provide a high quality of life and care for people diagnosed and living with Alzheimer's and other dementia-related diseases. Common areas in Assisted Living and the Health Care Center will be renovated.

Jefferson's Ferry offers exceptional living and amenities, including an indoor pool, computer center, library, recreational areas, gardens, and gazebos. A mix of cultural excursions, civic activities, and a community of residents who help shape Jefferson's Ferry's future ensures a spirited and engaged lifestyle.  

The Vincent Bove Health Center at Jefferson's Ferry enjoys a 5-star rating from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and was named a "Best Of" nursing home by U.S. News & World Report. Jefferson's Ferry earned the industrywide Community Choice Award for resident satisfaction and engagement and Pinnacle Quality Insight's Customer Experience Award for 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Fitch Ratings has assigned Jefferson's Ferry a BBB bond rating. Jefferson's Ferry has consistently been voted Best Retirement Community and Best Assisted Living on Long Island by The Long Island Press and has been recognized for Excellence by the Hauppauge Industrial Association's Business Achievement Awards program. Learn more at jeffersonsferry.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elissa Gargone, egargone@jeffersonsferry.org