Our Leadership Staff

Robert Hemenway

Executive Director

Robert Hemenway joined Birch Bay Retirement Village as the Executive Director in October, 2023. He was born and raised in New Jersey. He holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Monmouth University and a Master of Social Work from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

He began his career as a social worker in a special education school. He then transitioned to the hospital setting; first was a state psychiatric hospital and then with an acute care hospital in New Jersey. In 2005, he became a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in New Jersey, where he served as an assistant administrator at two different facilities.

In 2012, he moved to Maine and took the position of Administrator for Courtland Rehabilitation and Living Center in Ellsworth. In 2015, he became administrator for Westgate Center for Rehabilitation and Alzheimer’s Care in Bangor. During his time at Westgate Center, he was also the Bangor/Brewer Area Administrator that included overseeing the administrators of Eastside Center for Health & Rehabilitation and Brewer Center for Health & Rehabilitation. From 2017 to 2020, he was the administrator of Narraguagus Bay Health Care Facility in Milbridge.

Prior to joining Birch Bay Retirement Village, he was working as a social worker at Northern Light Home Care & Hospice. It was during this time that he would visit hospice patients at Birch Bay Retirement Village. Rob could see that Birch Bay Retirement Village is a great place. The residents are well cared for by a caring and dedicated staff.

Rob brings to Birch Bay Retirement Village a strong desire to support the mission of the community by forging a relationship with residents, families, trustees and staff.

James Hoke, MBA, CDP

Director of Community Operations

James Hoke joined BBRV in 2015 and spent a decade leading Life Enrichment, Adult Day, Volunteer, and resident engagement programs, including developing services for memory care and the Straus Therapeutic Adult Day Program. In 2025, he assumed his current role as Director of Community Operations, where he oversees Dining, Facilities, Housekeeping, and Birch Bay’s Community Lifeline Program.

A Certified Dementia Practitioner, James delivers ongoing dementia education through the Alzheimer’s Association’s Habilitation Therapy Approach to Person-Centered Dementia Care Program and Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care®.

Originally from West Virginia, James is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran with a background in photojournalism. He holds an MBA in Organizational Leadership and a BA in English. His diverse professional experience includes managing a livestock quarantine facility and serving as an online auctioneer and marketing/IT specialist for a national equine auction company. James is also a published novelist and an avid pianist.

Stacey Conary, RN, BSN

Director of Clinical Operations

Stacey Conary, RN, BSN came to Birch Bay Retirement Village as the Director of Clinical Operations in September of 2025. With over two decades of Nursing Leadership experience and a passion for quality and Excellence.

Stacey began her healthcare experience as a bed maker, then a CNA, while working her way through Nursing School and earning her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Husson University. Stacey has committed most of her nursing career to geriatrics. This involved being a State Surveyor for inspections of Nursing Homes for over 20 years as the Director of Nursing for the Maine Veterans Home. Stacey has a strong leadership experience with the resident at the center of the mission.

Susanne Hopkins

Marketing Director

Susanne joined Birch Bay Retirement Village in 2012, bringing with her 15 years of experience in hospitality and small-business management. A native of Mount Desert Island, she earned her degree from the University of Maine at Augusta and has become an integral part of the BBRV leadership team.

As Director of Marketing and Admissions, Susanne oversees all marketing and outreach initiatives, including community tours, cottage sales, Inn rental agreements, social media management, event planning, and advertising. She works closely with the Health Services team to support prospective residents and their families throughout the admissions process, ensuring a smooth and welcoming transition. Susanne also manages front desk operations, helping maintain a warm, well-coordinated environment for residents, visitors, and staff.

Dedicated to helping individuals and families find a home within the Birch Bay community, Susanne values the meaningful relationships formed through her work. She lives in Bar Harbor with her husband and three children. In her free time, she enjoys staying active, taking on home improvement projects, and supporting her children in their music and sports activities.

Melissa Violette, MT-BC, NMT

Director of Therapeutic

Programming & Activities
Melissa is a Board Certified Music Therapist at Birch Bay Retirement Village. She is a native New Englander, and her parents hail from Maine. Born in Massachusetts, and raised in Connecticut, she spent her summers in Maine as a child. She received her Music Therapy degree from Anna Maria College in Paxton Massachusetts in 1992 and came to Birch Bay Village with 25 years of music therapy experience in mental health.

Melissa believes strongly in the healing power of music. Melissa states “Music is found in the same places in our brains as our language and memories. It universally connects our hearts and minds and bonds us to each other. The right song can transport us to another place and time, our loved ones, and ourselves. It is in fact, the soundtrack of our lives. When time steals words from us, it steals our lyrics last, but we can still use music to speak even when our words fail us.”

Melissa oversees the Music Therapy Internship program, activities and life enrichment programs and the Don and Beth Straus Adult Day Program. Melissa is also the facilitator of BBRV’s Caregiver Support Groups.

Christian Toelle

Dining Director

Christian brings more than 25 years of culinary and food service experience to his role as Dining Director at Birch Bay Village. Born and raised in Wallingford, Connecticut, Christian discovered his interest in cooking while attending Lyman Hall High School. Following graduation, he served in the United States Air Force before pursuing a career in the culinary arts.

Christian graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, in 1999 with an associate degree in Culinary Arts. Following graduation, he moved to Germany, where he worked in food service before returning to Connecticut in 2000.

Throughout his career, Christian has held a variety of culinary leadership positions in senior living, education, and hospitality. His experience includes serving as an Executive Chef, Chef/Manager, and Traveling Chef with organizations including Masonicare, Compass Group, Lessing’s Hospitality Group, and Epicurean. Most recently, he worked with Compass Group at Graymoor, home of the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Christian brings extensive culinary knowledge and leadership experience to Birch Bay Village and looks forward to getting to know our residents and becoming part of the Birch Bay community.

Outside of work, Christian enjoys spending time outdoors. He is the proud father of twin daughters..