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MedTech & Diagnostics

Brookdale Senior Living Executive Compensation (FY25)

BKD · Brentwood, TN · Executive and director compensation, fiscal 2022 to 2025
Chief executive, fiscal 2025
◇
Nikolas Stengle
Median of the other named officers
$2,172,805
7 officers, excluding the chief executive
Latest say-on-pay support
=
June 22, 2026
Chief executive pay ratio
◇
To the median employee
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Data as of November 4, 2026Latest filing (8-K): June 24, 2026
15 filings cited on this page
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385 figures on this page: 374 cited to the filing that reported them, 11 calculated from figures it prints. See the citations

More on Brookdale Senior Living

Five data products on this company. Each one is requested through the developer setup page.
What changed from fiscal 2024 to fiscal 2025
The figures that moved, and by how much. Analysis of these figures is part of the Velarion platform.
Chief executive of record: Lucinda Baier → Nikolas Stengle
Say-on-pay support: 92.1% → 97.1% (5.0 points higher)
CEO pay ratio: 332:1 → 349:1 (5.1% higher)

Frequently asked questions

Answers drawn from the data on this page.
Who is Brookdale Senior Living's chief executive and what were they paid?
Nikolas Stengle, Chief Executive Officer, received $5,307,655 in total compensation for fiscal 2025.
What was Brookdale Senior Living's say-on-pay result?
For fiscal 2025, shareholders backed the say-on-pay proposal with 97.1% of votes cast for or against in favor at the meeting held June 22, 2026.
Which companies are in Brookdale Senior Living's peer group?
The disclosed peer group names Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc., Amedisys, Inc., Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc., Bloomin Brands, Inc. and Brinker International, Inc., among others.
What is Brookdale Senior Living's chief executive pay ratio?
For fiscal 2025, the company reported a chief executive pay ratio of 349:1, against median employee compensation of $34,491.

Executive compensation

Every element reported for each named executive officer, by fiscal year.
Fiscal 2022
OfficerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension and deferred earningsAll other compensationTotal
Lucinda Baier
President and Chief Executive Officer
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Steven Swain
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Departed during or after this year
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Kevin Bowman
Former Executive Vice President Community Operations
Departed during or after this year
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Chad White
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
H. Todd Kaestner
Executive Vice President Corporate Development and President CCRCs
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Dawn Kussow
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
◇◇◇—◇—◇◇
Fiscal 2023
OfficerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension and deferred earningsAll other compensationTotal
Lucinda Baier
President and Chief Executive Officer
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Dawn Kussow
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Chad White
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Steven Swain
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Departed during or after this year
◇———◇—◇◇
H. Todd Kaestner
Executive Vice President – Corporate Development and President – CCRCs
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Kevin Bowman
Former Executive Vice President – Community Operations
Departed during or after this year
◇———◇—◇◇
George Hicks
Executive Vice President – Finance and Treasurer
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Fiscal 2024
OfficerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension and deferred earningsAll other compensationTotal
Lucinda Baier
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Departed during or after this year
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Dawn Kussow
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; member of the Office of the CEO
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Chad White
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary; member of the Office of the CEO
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
H. Todd Kaestner
Executive Vice President – Corporate Development and President – CCRCs
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
George Hicks
Executive Vice President – Finance and Treasurer
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Fiscal 2025
OfficerSalaryBonusStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension and deferred earningsAll other compensationTotal
Lucinda Baier
Former President and Chief Executive Officer
Departed during or after this year
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Nikolas Stengle
Chief Executive Officer
◇◇◇—◇—◇◇
Dawn Kussow
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
◇◇◇—◇—◇◇
Chad White
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
◇◇◇—◇—◇◇
H. Todd Kaestner
Former Executive Vice President – Corporate Development and President – CCRCs
Departed during or after this year
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Denise Warren
Former Interim Chief Executive Officer
Departed during or after this year
Served on an interim basis
◇—◇———◇◇
Jaclyn Pritchett
Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
Benjamin Ricci
Former Division Vice President – East Division
Departed during or after this year
◇—◇—◇—◇◇
A dash means the company reported no figure in that column. $0 is shown only where the filing prints a zero. A negative change in pension value is shown but, as the company reports it, not included in the total.

Equity awards granted

Individual awards as disclosed: type, date, unit counts at each level, and grant date value.
Fiscal 2025
OfficerAwardGrant dateThreshold unitsTarget unitsUnits grantedMaximum unitsExercise priceGrant date fair value
Benjamin RicciPSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
Benjamin RicciRSU◇——◇——◇
Chad WhitePSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
Chad WhiteRSU◇——◇——◇
Dawn KussowRSU◇——◇——◇
Dawn KussowPSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
Denise W. WarrenRSU◇——◇——◇
Jaclyn PritchettRSU◇——◇——◇
Jaclyn PritchettPSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
KaestnerPSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
KaestnerRSU◇——◇——◇
Lucinda BaierPSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
Lucinda BaierRSU◇——◇——◇
Nikolas StengleRSU◇——◇——◇
Nikolas StenglePSU◇◇◇—◇—◇
Todd KaestnerRSU◇——◇——◇
Fiscal 2022, 2023, 2024 are included in the PDF.
A dash means the company reported no figure in that column. $0 is shown only where the filing prints a zero. Threshold, target and maximum apply only to performance awards and are never shown for time-based or option awards.

Outstanding awards

Awards still held at fiscal year end.
As disclosed at fiscal 2025 year end
OfficerAwardUnvested unitsMarket value of unvested unitsExercise priceExpires
Dawn KussowRSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
Chad WhitePSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
Nikolas StenglePSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
Lucinda BaierRSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
Jaclyn PritchettRSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
Benjamin RicciRSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
H. KaestnerRSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
RSU◇◇——
PSU◇◇——
A dash means the company reported no figure in that column. $0 is shown only where the filing prints a zero.

Director compensation

What each non-employee director was paid.
Fiscal 2025
DirectorFees earned in cashStock awardsOption awardsNon-equity incentivePension and deferred earningsAll other compensationTotal
Lee S. Wielansky
◇◇————◇
Frank M. Bumstead
◇◇————◇
Victoria L. Freed
◇◇————◇
Jordan R. Asher
◇◇————◇
Claudia N. Drayton
◇◇————◇
Elizabeth B. Mace
◇◇————◇
Mark Fioravanti
◇◇————◇
Joshua Hausman
◇◇————◇
Nikolas W. Stengle, Lucinda M. Baier and C. Christian Winkle served on the board in fiscal 2025 and received no compensation for board service. Executive directors are typically paid through their executive roles, shown above.
Earlier years are included in the PDF.
A dash means the company reported no figure in that column. $0 is shown only where the filing prints a zero.

Director fee schedule

The standing retainers and premiums the board pays, as published.
Board cash retainer◇
Board equity retainer◇
Total board retainer◇
Board chair premium◇
Audit committee chair◇
Compensation committee chair◇
Nominating and governance chair◇
Board meeting fee◇
Committee meeting fee◇
Equity is delivered as Immediately Vested Stock / RSUs.

Disclosed peer group

The companies this board named as its compensation comparison group. The list is disclosure; the comparison is analysis.
Fiscal 2025
  • Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. ACHC
  • Amedisys, Inc. AMED
  • Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc. AVAH
  • Bloomin Brands, Inc. BLMN
  • Brinker International, Inc. EAT
  • Chemed Corporation CHE
  • Community Health Systems, Inc. CYH
  • Encompass Health Corporation EHC
  • Hyatt Hotels Corporation H
  • National Healthcare Corporation NHC
  • Pediatrix Medical Group, Inc. MD
  • Quest Diagnostics Incorporated DGX
  • Select Medical Holdings Corporation SEM
  • Surgery Partners, Inc. SGRY
  • The Ensign Group, Inc. ENSG
  • Universal Health Services, Inc. UHS
  • Welltower Inc. WELL
  • Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc. WH

Say-on-pay history

Shareholder support for the compensation program, by year.
YearMeetingSupportVotes forVotes againstAbstentions
2025June 22, 2026=◇◇◇
2024July 11, 2025=◇◇◇
2023June 18, 2024=◇◇◇
2022June 20, 2023=◇◇◇
2021June 21, 2022=◇◇◇
2020June 17, 2021=◇◇◇
2019June 30, 2020=◇◇◇
2018October 29, 2019=◇◇◇
2017October 4, 2018=◇◇◇
2016September 25, 2017=◇◇◇
2015June 13, 2016=◇◇◇

Chief executive pay ratio

As calculated and reported by the company.
Ratio
◇
Median employee compensation
◇
Chief executive total compensation
◇

Ask our research desk — $99, 24h, every figure cited to its filing.

Sample answer — “What is the CEO’s total compensation?”
- Nikolas Stengle (Chief Executive Officer), FY2025 total compensation $5,307,655 (base salary $229,310) [exec_comp, SEC accession 0001193125-26-197412, filed 2026-04-30]

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What this page does not include

Everything above is a fact Brookdale Senior Living disclosed, and it is free. Everything below is our analysis of those facts, and it is not.
Peer benchmarking
Where Brookdale Senior Living sits against its disclosed peers — percentile position by role and by pay element, and the ranking behind it. The disclosed peer group is free; comparisons across it are part of the Velarion platform.
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A read of the pay program as designed and as paid: incentive structure, goal rigor, the alignment between the committee's stated philosophy and what the numbers show.
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Board and governance analysis
Committee composition, independence, director pay positioning, and the governance provisions read together rather than listed.
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Realizable pay
What the awards above are actually worth today against what they were valued at on grant, and what the gap says about the pay-for-performance link.
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Citations

Every figure on this page is cited to the document that reported it. Select any figure to see its citation.
385 figures on this page: 374 cited to the filing that reported them, 11 calculated from figures it prints.
374 cited to the filing
11 calculated from the filing

Documents cited

  1. 0001332349-26-000052
  2. 0001193125-26-197412
    Director Compensation · Director Compensation for 2025 · Grants of Plan-Based Awards · Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End · and 2 more sections
  3. 0001332349-25-000120
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  4. 0001193125-25-119876
    Summary Compensation Table for 2024
  5. 0001332349-24-000084
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  6. 0001193125-24-122392
    Summary Compensation Table for 2023
  7. 0001332349-23-000082
  8. 0001193125-23-130485
    Summary Compensation Table for 2022
  9. 0001332349-22-000065
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  10. 0001332349-21-000067
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  11. 0001332349-20-000096
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  12. 0001332349-19-000109
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  13. 0001332349-18-000139
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  14. 0001332349-17-000059
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
  15. 0001332349-16-000089
    Item 5.07 Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders
Cite this data
This page is free to cite. Attribution we ask for:
Velarion, “Brookdale Senior Living executive compensation, FY2022–FY2025.” https://intel.velarion.ai/comp/BKD (accessed 2026).
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The paid brief for Brookdale Senior Living

Positioning against its disclosed peers, the governance read, incentive design, and the CD&A alignment analysis; the full peer table; a committee-ready PDF.
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15 filings cited on this page
Method: intel.velarion.ai/methodology
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MedTech & Diagnostics rankings

Chief executive pay — MedTech & DiagnosticsCEO pay ratio — MedTech & DiagnosticsSay-on-pay support — MedTech & Diagnostics

Peers Brookdale Senior Living discloses

The companies named in BKD's own disclosed peer group.

Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.Aveanna Healthcare Holdings Inc.Bloomin Brands, Inc.Brinker International, Inc.Chemed CorporationCommunity Health Systems, Inc.Encompass Health CorporationHyatt Hotels CorporationNational Healthcare CorporationPediatrix Medical Group, Inc.Quest Diagnostics IncorporatedSelect Medical Holdings CorporationSurgery Partners, Inc.The Ensign Group, Inc.Universal Health Services, Inc.Welltower Inc.Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Inc.

Terms on this page

Say-on-Pay VoteCEO Pay RatioMedian Employee CompensationAll companies

Free to read and cite. Redistribution or bulk use of the dataset requires a data license. Talk to us about the data license.

Cite this data
APA
Velarion Company Intelligence. (2026). Velarion database: executive and board compensation data (Version 2026Q3) [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22283854
BibTeX
@misc{velarionData2026,
  author = {{Velarion Company Intelligence}},
  title = {Velarion database: executive and board compensation data},
  year = {2026},
  version = {2026Q3},
  doi = {10.5281/zenodo.22283854},
  publisher = {Zenodo},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.22283854}
}
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