Our Executive Team
At Chartwell, we are proud to have a truly dedicated team of employees who have embraced our priorities of care, service, and respect. We are fortunate to have assembled the best leadership team in the industry, who together bring over 75 years of collective experience in managing and operating senior living communities.
Vlad Volodarski
Chief Executive Officer
Appointed Chartwell’s Chief Executive Officer effective March 16, 2020, Vlad has held progressive roles within Chartwell since 2003, when he joined the company as Vice President Finance. In 2005, he was appointed Chief Financial Officer and in 2011 he also assumed the duties of Chief Investment Officer. Prior to joining Chartwell, Vlad was a Senior Manager with KPMG LLP, serving clients in Real Estate, Construction, and the Seniors Housing sectors. Originally trained as a mechanical engineer in Ukraine, Vlad is a Certified Public Accountant (CA), holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors, and is a graduate of Harvard Business School’s Advanced Management Program.
Karen Sullivan
President and Chief Operating Officer
With over 35 years of experience in seniors housing, Karen was appointed President and Chief Operating Officer of Chartwell on March 16, 2020. Karen is responsible for operations and sales for Chartwell’s 160 retirement homes across Canada. Karen originally joined Chartwell in 2008 as the Executive Vice President, People, with oversight for the human resources and labour relations teams. In 2012, she was appointed Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Chartwell, Karen held progressive positions over a 21-year career at the Ontario Long Term Care Association (OLTCA), including six years as their Executive Director. Karen is also a former VP Government Relations on the Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) Board of Directors and is a founding member of the Canadian Alliance for Long Term Care (CALTC).
Jonathan Boulakia
Chief Investment Officer and Chief Legal Officer
Jonathan is responsible for Chartwell's real estate portfolio, including acquisitions, development, and real estate financing. He is also responsible for all legal and governance matters, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and corporate finance transactions. Jonathan is also Chartwell's Corporate Secretary and has oversight of Chartwell’s Privacy Office, insurance program, and Internal Audit and Compliance department. In 2020, Jonathan established Chartwell’s first Diversity & Inclusion Leadership Council to build on the organization’s commitment to fostering a diverse, respectful, and inclusive workplace. Prior to joining Chartwell in 2008, Jonathan practiced corporate law at Torys LLP, focusing on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. Jonathan attended McGill University for undergraduate studies in Science, has an LL.B from the University of Ottawa Common Law Program, has completed the Canadian Securities Course, and holds an ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Jonathan is on the Board of the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority and is on the Board and chairs the Governance and Nominating Committee of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He is fluent in English and French.
Jeffrey Brown
Chief Financial Officer
Jeffrey was appointed as Chartwell’s Chief Financial Officer in 2023. Jeffrey’s business acumen and financial expertise stem from a distinguished career in private equity as well as the aviation industry. For the past decade, he has played an instrumental role in Porter Airlines’ progression and success, serving first as their Chief Strategy and Procurement Officer, and later transitioning to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the company. Jeffrey began his career in investment banking, specializing in the energy, technology and media and communications sectors. He later became a Principal at EdgeStone Capital Partners, a $2.5 billion private equity firm. During his nearly ten years at EdgeStone, he was involved in all facets of private equity, including sourcing and completing new investments, and working extensively with portfolio companies. Jeffrey holds an Honours Business Administration degree from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario. He is also a graduate of the Directors Education Program at the Institute of Corporate Directors.
