Meet Our Senior Living Professionals at Capstone Royal Palm

Debbie Lewis
Executive Director
Debbie joins The Capstone at Royal Palm with a lifetime passion for working with seniors and over 25 years of experience in long term care management. She has worked in both community leadership and regional support roles in assisted and independent living communities throughout the state, and is thrilled to make this transition to The Capstone at Royal Palm and Discovery Senior Living right in her own backyard here in Royal Palm Beach where she has lived and worked for the past decade. In addition to her professional credentials, Debbie has experienced senior living up close and personally as the only child of aging parents, accompanying her grandparents and both parents on their journey through assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and hospice. She loves to use her personal and professional experience and knowledge to be a resource to seniors and their families.
When she is not at work, Debbie loves spending time with her friends and family. Travel has become her passion and there’s always an exciting trip in the works, with a goal of putting as many pins on the map as possible! (Next up: An arctic wilderness adventure in Finland!) During peak COVID (when nobody was traveling anywhere), Debbie taught herself how to sew, starting out of necessity with making masks for her staff and residents, and now crafting and sewing (along with some amateur photography) remain her favorite downtime activities.
Debbie is excited about this new chapter with Discovery Senior Living and looking forward to learning and growing with the team.

Denae Woodward
Senior Lifestyle Counselor
Denae joined The Capstone at Royal Palm in July 2023, bringing five years of senior living experience in the West Palm Beach area to her role. She is passionate about helping seniors age successfully and providing a fun, friendly, and supportive community as their new home.
Denae graduated from Florida Atlantic University. She is a third-generation Florida native who has a rescue dog and loves to read. Come tour with her today.

Pavel Veloso
Director of Culinary Services
Chef Pavel has served seniors for over 20 years in the senior living industry. He studied culinary arts in Cuba. Chef Pavel especially enjoys providing cooking demonstrations for The Capstone residents. He is married with two children. You’ll find him on the boat fishing whenever he isn’t at The Capstone.

Kelli Dague
Director of Celebrations
Kelli Dague has more than 15 years of experience as a certified nursing assistant. Since joining the Capstone at Royal Palm team, she has had the opportunity to help the residents in a different capacity working together to meet their social needs. She loves learning about the residents and learning from them. Kelli recently moved to Florida from Pennsylvania with her family.

Tia McKay
Director of Health and Wellness
Tia's calling to the medical field was evident from the start. With a mother who dedicated over 40 years to nursing and a grandmother battling dementia, Tia stepped into the role of a Licensed Nurse over a decade ago. Specializing in geriatric behavioral health, she has provided invaluable insights and consultations to Assisted Living in the local community. As a Veteran, Tia embodies unwavering dedication, compassion, and determination at The Capstone at Royal Palm. Outside of work, she cherishes moments with her son and beloved pets.

David Brooks
Director of Facility Operations
David Brooks comes to The Capstone at Royal Palm with six years of maintenance experience in the senior living industry and 10 years of overall maintenance experience. David ensures fast, yet safe, service for residents to have the best experience possible, and is a caring employee with a strong work ethic and devotion to the happiness of the residents.
In his free time, David enjoys playing basketball and fishing, learning about history, and going to museums.

Brenda Johnson
SHINE® Memory Care Director
Brenda Johnson, LPN, brings 30 years of medical experience to The Capstone as our SHINE® Memory Care Director. Brenda previously worked as The Capstone’s Senior Medication Nurse and before that enjoyed a long career as a nurse in schools, hospitals, and senior care facilities. She has extensive experience working with memory care patients and has expert knowledge in wound care and geriatrics.
The Village of Wellington presented Brenda with a Lifesaving Award for jumping in and saving her neighbor’s life before paramedics arrived. She was presented a Key to the City and a Lifesaving Medal. When she’s not caring for residents or saving lives, Brenda is a huge physical fitness buff and starts her morning run at 5 a.m. daily.