Jefferson’s Ferry Board Chair Gloria Snyder and Registered Nurse Amanda Hesse Honored by LeadingAge New York

South Setauket, NY—September 2025– The Jefferson’s Ferry community recently welcomed local elected officials and representatives of LeadingAge New York to recognize and celebrate two of its bright lights. Honored at the ceremony were Gloria B. Snyder, chair of Jefferson’s Ferry’s board of trustees, who received Trustee of the Year honors from LeadingAge New York and Amanda Hesse, RN, who was named an Employee of Distinction. Ms. Hesse is unit manager of the 60-bed skilled nursing neighborhood of the Vincent Bove Health Center at Jefferson’s Ferry.

Presented by LeadingAge New York, these prestigious awards recognize exceptional leadership, service, and commitment in the field of aging services across the state. In attendance at the event were LeadingAge NY President and CEO Sebrina Barrett, who presented the awards, Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich, New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay and Thalia Olaya, Suffolk County Regional Representative for Governor Kathy Hochul.

Gloria Snyder joined the board of trustees in 2015 and was named chair in 2023. As board chair, Ms. Snyder plays a critical role in shaping the board’s future. Her regular seat on the various board committees gives her the broad knowledge and perspective that helps her understand the strengths of the board, and what skills need to be supplemented to continue to steer Jefferson’s Ferry in the right direction.

Her overarching approach was also particularly advantageous during the planning and construction phase of “Journey Toward Renewal,” Jefferson’s Ferry’s 5-year, multi-million-dollar expansion and renovation project. Journey Toward Renewal, which is nearing completion, is an integral part of a larger strategic initiative to maintain a life-enriching environment that serves all new and current residents at every stage of their lives.

Ms. Snyder attributes Jefferson’s Ferry’s overall success to its commitment to financial transparency. “People who come here want to be absolutely confident of their financial security,” she says. “Fiscal responsibility and meeting our residents’ needs is always our top priority and paramount to Jefferson’s Ferry’s promise of peace of mind. Every current and prospective resident understands exactly where we stand financially and what their contract means for them and for their families.”

“One of Gloria’s greatest strengths as a board member is her genuine engagement with our residents and staff,” adds Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield, who nominated Ms. Snyder for Trustee of the Year. “Gloria has spent her entire life residing and working on Long Island, and has earned wide respect as an entrepreneur, a businesswoman, and an engaged neighbor. Her personal and professional connections with many Jefferson’s Ferry residents reinforce the recognition of Jefferson’s Ferry as part of the larger community—not just an organization within it.”

Ms. Snyder’s visionary guidance and unwavering dedication to its mission have made a lasting impact on Jefferson’s Ferry.

Currently the Vice President of Mark J. Snyder Financial Services, Inc., a full-service financial consulting firm, Ms. Snyder has a long history of volunteerism in the community. She is a past president of the Stony Brook Alumni Association and is the current chairperson of the Advancement Council of the Stony Brook Cancer Center. She is a member of the Advisory Board of Stony Brook University’s Staller Center and is a past president of Hillel Foundation.

“I have been very fortunate,” she says, and that compels me to give back. The greatest rewards we receive come from our donation of time to what we believe in.”

Amanda Hesse has worked at the Vincent Bove Health Center at Jefferson’s Ferry for 13 years, first as a licensed practical nurse. Over that time, Ms. Hesse attained her RN while steadily assuming roles of greater responsibilities. Her ongoing studies in different modalities of patient care has helped her team meet the changing needs of an evolving resident population that now includes greater numbers of Medicare and rehabilitation residents and more residents from outside the Jefferson’s Ferry resident population.

Regardless of the length of stay, Ms. Hesse and her team act as both resident advocates and caregivers, quickly forming a trusted relationship. For Health Center residents who have been on the unit for several years, the bond between the staff and patient is like family.

A calm, compassionate leader and outstanding communicator, Ms. Hesse has fostered a solid team that works well together on routine care and the critical and sudden events that can occur in the day-to-day course of caring for a vulnerable population.

Her ability to remain calm and collected in extreme circumstances was brought to the fore during the COVID 19 pandemic, with residents and staff alike needing an unprecedented level of physical and emotional support as well as ensuring adherence to new and stringent safety precautions and regulations.

Michele Berti, Vice President of Human Resources at Jefferson’s Ferry, offered additional praise for Ms. Hesse. “Amanda's contributions extend beyond her role as a nurse. She provides support and mentors students performing their required clinical rotation at Jefferson’s Ferry.  Her dedication has directly benefitted not only the students but also the residents they serve, creating a cycle of positive impact for the entire community.”  

Vice President of Health Services Anthony Comerford echoed the accolades bestowed upon Amanda Hesse. “Her commitment to excellence has been recognized on multiple occasions by Jefferson’s Ferry residents as well as her colleagues. Amanda has twice received the Employee of the Month award and is unfailingly consistent in her dedication to high-quality care and her outstanding contributions to the community.”

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Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community Celebrates Two Award Winners

The Jefferson’s Ferry Life Plan Community recently celebrated two members of its community who received awards from LeadingAge NY. Gloria B. Snyder, chair of Jefferson’s Ferry’s board of trustees, received a Trustee of the Year Award and Amanda Hesse, RN, was named an Employee of Distinction. Pictured here (l-r) at the ceremony are Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich; Thalia Olaya, Suffolk County Regional Representative for Governor Kathy Hochul; LeadingAge NY President and CEO Sebrina Barrett; Amanda Hesse, RN; Gloria B. Snyder; Jefferson’s Ferry President and CEO Bob Caulfield; and New York State Assemblywoman Rebecca Kassay.

About Jefferson’s Ferry   www.jeffersonsferry.org

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,” has updated the life-enriching environment for residents at every stage of their life. Residents enjoy six distinct dining venues, an expansive Healthy Living Center and Fitness Center, and created a state-of-the-art Rehabilitation Therapy Center. Also new to Jefferson’s Ferry is “The Grove,” a Memory Support Neighborhood which provides a high quality of life and care for 20 residents diagnosed and living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases.

Jefferson’s Ferry offers exceptional living and amenities, including indoor pool, computer center, library, creative arts center, game room, walking paths, resident gardens, monarch waystations, recreational areas, and gazebos.  A mix of cultural excursions, civic activities, and a community of residents who help shape Jefferson’s Ferry’s future ensure 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 has repeatedly earned the industrywide Community Choice Award for resident satisfaction and engagement and has been recognized with the Activated Insights Award (formerly known as Pinnacle Quality Insight’s Customer Experience Award) for seven years running. FitchRatings has assigned Jefferson’s Ferry a stable outlook BBB+ bond rating.  Jefferson’s Ferry has consistently been voted Best Retirement Community, Best Nursing Home 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.  

For more information visit www.jeffersonsferry.org