Meet Our Team

Angeline Hernandez

Executive Director

Angeline comes to Discovery with over 15 years of experience in senior living. She has worked in various capacities ranging from direct support to administration. Angeline is originally from Puerto Rico and lived in Massachusetts for 15 years before relocating to Florida. Angeline holds a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. In her spare time, Angeline enjoys going to the beach, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her husband Uriel and her cat Lulu.

Dominique Sprenkle

Senior Lifestyle Counselor

Dominique comes to Discovery Village At Tampa Palms after working at our sister community for four years. After moving to Florida from her small hometown in Pennsylvania, she quickly found her passion for serving seniors and being a resource to those navigating senior living options for themselves or their loved one. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her cat, Jaxon.

Samantha Laufer

Senior Lifestyle Coordinator

As a Senior Lifestyle Coordinator Samantha plays a pivotal role in the sales and marketing’s efforts. Samantha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of South Florida. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, spending time with her family and her dogs Missy and Frankie. She is passionate about helping older adults find their forever home takes great pride in assisting them through the process.

Vivechka “ViVi” Otero

Director of SHINE® Memory Care

ViVi has been working in the senior living industry for over 10 years. Originally from Puerto Rico, She moved to the Tampa Bay area 12 years ago. Vivi’s passion to work with seniors came easy because her goal in life is to always help people and put a smile on their faces. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her two children, cooking, and having a handful with three dogs. ViVi aspires to own her own caregiving company to continue her passion for working with seniors.

Virginia Murray, LPN

Director of Health and Wellness

As the Director of Health and Wellness, Virginia will be responsible for providing overall leadership and management of the health and well-being of residents within our community. Virginia is a native of Tampa and was a Health Care Coordinator at Aston Garden At Tampa Bay, A Discovery Senior Living Community, for 13 years before coming to Discovery Village. Virginia has a Bachelor’s of Science in Healthcare Administration and robust experience in clinical training and development of systems for improved overall efficiency. Outside of work, Virginia enjoys her children and grandchildren, gardening, raising chickens, going camping in her RV, and taking classes to further her knowledge within the healthcare industry.

Rebeca Zuniga

Director of Celebrations

Rebeca has been serving older adults for the past 5 years. She takes pride in facilitating enriching opportunities for our residents on a daily basis. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Healthcare Administration from Winthrop University. In her spare time, Rebeca enjoys sowing, traveling and spending time with her family.

Chef John Cordero

Director of Culinary Services

Bringing 25 years of experience in the culinary field, Chef John is the Director of Culinary Services at Discovery Village At Tampa Palms. He holds a Culinary Degree from Caribbean Culinary Institute in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Throughout the past 12 years, he has worked in various settings as a Sous Chef and Executive Chef. Chef John takes pride in being visionary and very customer-focused, and enjoys creating different menus and catering to both traditional as well as innovative taste. John discovered his passion to serve older adults by being a caregiver to his own grandmother; he now describes cooking for older adults as a calling. Outside of work, Chef John enjoys spending time with his wife and two children.

Rafael Herrera

Director of Maintenance

Prior to joining Discovery Senior Living, Rafael worked as a Regional Supervisor for Volunteers of America where he oversaw the maintenance operations of 13 properties. Rafael holds an electrical engineer degree from Central University Jose Antonio Echevarria in Cuba and is also a certified plumber and HVAC. Rafael is married and has six children and three grandchildren. In his spare time, Rafael enjoys playing golf, fishing, watching the sunset, and listening to classical music.