Meet The Staff

Henry J. Amaya, CCM, CAM

General Manager/COO
[email protected]
(239) 214-6646
A native Colombian, Henry immigrated to the United States in 1999 to pursue a master’s degree in computers. There, he would discover his passion for the hospitality industry. While managing an upscale restaurant in Greenwich, Connecticut, he was presented with the opportunity to cross over into the private Country Club sector at the famed Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Henry was an integral part of the 20-million-dollar renovation of the Main Clubhouse, Pool Clubhouse, and Tennis Courts of Sleepy Hollow. His tenure at the Rivera Country Club also presented a great canvas to craft his skills and knowledge; it was a platinum club that opened year-round and had over 1300 members. Working in a club that operates at total member capacity year-round takes on different challenges and fine-tuned the strategic planning necessary to join departments, set goals, and cross-train successfully. Thus this enabled him to host the University of Miami dinner, the Orange Bowl Gala Dinner, and many other significant events. At River Crest Country Club as Clubhouse Manager, Henry managed 11 different departments, created multiple budgets, and hosted a private luncheon with Laura Bush, fundraisers for Ted Cruz, Debutante Galas, and White Glove Synchronized Dinner Balls to a Lockheed Martin Company reception for 1200 people. When Henry and his wife decided to find a home, the goal was to build a life and plan for retirement, This led them to Naples, Florida, and Legends Golf and Country Club, where he acquired skills in the inner workings of a bundled community. He was part of the 4.5 million dollar renovation of the Sunset Grill, Pool Area, Pickleball Courts, and Parking Areas. Henry formed great relationships with superiors, peers, members, and staff along the way. Henry continues to acquire more knowledge and expertise in the field by attending educational conferences, workshops, seminars, and classes; he has achieved CCM and CAM designations. His focus is on improving every aspect of a community for the betterment of the entire membership, creating a team environment within each department, and working toward a common goal as one unit. Henry leads by example and encourages others to strive to reach their full potential. Henry is equally dedicated to his family. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Monica, and their children, three dogs, traveling, food and wine, and the love of movies.

Jorge Abreu

Director of Operations
[email protected]
(239) 482-0071

Growing up a Florida native, Jorge spent the first half of his life in Hialeah, Florida. His parents immigrated to the United States in the early ’60s. His family and upbringing fostered his strong work ethic and strong morals, which Jorge firmly believes has helped him in his approach to many aspects of life. In his early career, he held various positions in concrete, interior and exterior flooring, electrical basic and low voltage, plumbing, HVAC automotive and residential, painting and finishing, drywall, and auto mechanic. This led him to hold management positions such as Store Manager, Field Supervisor, Sales Director, General Manager, Operations Manager, and Maintenance Director. In his free time, Jorge enjoys riding motorcycles, practicing marksmanship, planning hiking trips, and grilling out with his wife and three children. 

Tony Dockett

Maintenance Manager
[email protected]
(239) 214-6647
 

Bruce Zergott

Grounds Manager
[email protected]
(239) 214-7898

Bruce has been employed at Seven Lakes for over 17 years. In 1986, he moved to Fort Myers and started working in the landscape lawn service field, and then became a chef for the local culinary school in the 90's. Bruce worked both jobs for many years and became the Assistant Chef at the Culinary School. Past clients include Country Stars Alabama, Terri Clark, Trace Adkins, Jimmy Buffet, Paul Lynn, and Walter Cronkite, just to name a few. He has been married to his wife for almost 30 years and has an 18-year-old daughter who will be attending the University of Florida. During his free time, Bruce enjoys fishing, golfing and traveling.

Siobhan Sotir

Lifestyle Director
[email protected]
(239) 317-0633

Siobhan brings over two decades of experience in Lifestyle programming to Seven Lakes. Siobhan has worked on both the East and West Coasts of Florida and has managed a wide variety of departments and amenities including lifestyle, fitness, salon services, pastoral care, transportation, security, concierge, and golf. She has a tremendous amount of experience with lifestyle programming and has spent a great deal of her career working in senior living for companies such as Marriott Senior Living, Vi Living and most recently, at a boutique community on the way to Marco Island. When she is not working, she can be found spending time with her husband exploring all that the Gulf Coast has to offer. 
 

Kristin Kowal

Restaurant Manager
[email protected]
(239) 433-0047

A Florida-grown local, Kristin was born and raised in the Cape Coral and Fort Myers area! She graduated from the Art Institute of Tampa and has been working in Culinary Management ever since. A seasoned veteran, Kristin has been involved with the Food and Beverage industry since she was 15 years old! Kristin joined our Seven Lakes team in February 2023. Along the way she has made many improvements and continues to work hard to manage the Tee Room. She and her husband have a 9-month-old daughter, an Australian Shepard, and an all-black Siamese cat together. Kristin highly values family and spends time with them when she isn't at work. In her rare spare moments, she may be found reading a nice book. 
 

Ryan Blakesley

Executive Chef
[email protected]
(239) 433-0047

Ryan is our Executive Chef here at Seven Lakes. He comes from Atlantic City, New Jersey. He moved to Florida in 2014 with his wife, and now has three children. He and his crew are always hard at work in the kitchen, preparing food for the Tee Room and our Lifestyle Events. He is relatively new to Seven Lakes, and joined our team in February of 2023. Besides serving up delicious cuisine at Seven Lakes, he also served in the United States Army for three years. He only wanted to serve for one term, so he left the army to pursue other interests before deciding to become a chef. He got his start in the culinary world by washing dishes at a bar, and gradually began to cook on the line. From there, he fell in love with the job and hasn't looked back since! Ryan has been professionally cooking for 14 years. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys spending quality time with his family. He likes to go on nature walks and enjoys fishing in his free time. 
 

Trish Sorce

Executive Assistant
[email protected]
(239) 317-0681

Trish was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and moved to Florida with her husband, Pat, and 3 children, Brittani, Carmine, and Brianne in 2001. She currently resides in Cape Coral. Trish worked as an Executive Secretary at Thomas & Betts Corporation, the very first designer and manufacturer of zip ties, better known as cable ties. She worked there for 10 years before resigning to become a stay-at-home mom. Trish and her husband then operated a successful family-owned construction business for the next 14 years before deciding to move to Florida. In 2003, Trish began working at Seven Lakes as a part-time Administrative Assistant and then became full-time in 2005. In 2017, she became the Executive Assistant to former General Manager, Tim Day. She recently celebrated her 20th anniversary with Seven Lakes on February 25th! Trish is amazed at the changes she has seen in her many years here, which include the reconstruction of The Tee Room and remodeling of the Atrium. In her free time, Trish enjoys painting ceramics, cooking, and spending time with her husband, children, and 2 beautiful granddaughters, Olivia and Gia. 
 

Brianne Lawrence, CAM

Assistant Property Manager
[email protected]
(239) 317-0693

Brianne was born in Edison, New Jersey, and grew up right here in Southwest Florida. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2019 with her bachelor's in political science and a minor in Terrorism Studies & national security. Initially, she wanted to work for the government as an intelligence analyst. However, at the age of 26, Brianne was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer, which set her career back. She maintained her position at Seven Lakes instead and chose to grow here. After winning her fight against cancer, she received her CAM license in June of 2022. Brianne enjoys learning and hopes to potentially manage a community on her own someday. In her free time, she enjoys baking and spending time with her two nieces, who are very special to her. 
 

Philip Masi

Communications Manager
[email protected]
(239) 214-7025

Phil is a Florida local, born in Fort Myers. With over 25 IT certifications, he graduated from Dunbar High School's Academy for Technological Excellence. After high school, Phil joined the workforce and garnered over 8 years of experience in the Food & Beverage industry. From running food to serving tables, bartending, dishwashing, cooking, and front-of-house management, he has practically seen it all. Although he has worked other jobs in between, hospitality is what he returned to, working at Legends Golf & Country Club for over 3 years. He joined the Seven Lakes Team in 2022, working in the Tee Room, and loves interacting with the residents. Although he is no longer serving drinks in the bar, Phil is now using his technological knowledge to serve residents from the Administration side. He has a sister and two nieces, who mean a lot to him. In his free time, he may be cooking, drawing, playing guitar, or reading.

Troy Speckman

Head Golf Professional 
[email protected]
(239) 481-6560 

Troy grew up in Fort Myers and graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Criminology and Political Science. After attending FSU, Troy accepted an Assistant Golf Professional position at Boca West Country Club. After nearly 10 years in Boca Raton, Troy and his family moved back to Fort Myers. In 2002, Troy opened The Club at Renaissance as the First Assistant, and then opened the Plantation Golf and Country Club as the Head Professional. After nearly 4 years at Plantation, Troy moved on to Herons Glen as the Head Professional. Troy was also the Interim General Manager at San Carlos Golf Course and was most recently the 1st Assistant Professional at The Dunes on Sanibel. Troy is excited for the opportunities that Seven Lakes presents him and has brought with him a vast array of golf operations knowledge.

Christopher Spence

Director of Golf Course Maintenance
[email protected]
(239) 481-6560 

Born in Bishop Auckland, he is originally from England, where he attended Houghall Community College in Durham. After earning his degree in Horticulture, Chris took to work in the field at Crook Golf Club in England. When he was offered an internship in Turf Management through Ohio State University, he was placed at Talis Park Golf Club, where he met his wife, Melisa, who he has a daughter of 10 years with. Chris has worked his way up from an intern to a Superintendent at various clubs in Southwest Florida, from Naples to Sanibel. Before coming to Seven Lakes, he was most recently at Maple Leaf Golf & Country Club, where he achieved the “Top 25 Short Golf Course in America” status during his tenure. A golfer since age 11, Chris also enjoys billiards, darts, skiing, and spending time with his family. He considers it his greatest accomplishment to come to America and establish a life and family here.

Barry Butensky

Finance Director
[email protected]
(239) 317-0651

Barry Butensky, hailing from upstate New York, is a seasoned finance professional with a rich background spanning over 25 years. Armed with an MBA from New York University, he has navigated the intricacies of finance across diverse landscapes, from small family-owned enterprises to medium and large corporations. Not just a numbers guy, Barry holds a Certificate of Music from the prestigious Julliard School in New York City, showcasing his multifaceted talents. For over two decades, Barry dedicated his expertise to Panasonic, honing his skills and contributing significantly to the company's success. Recently, he made the bold move from the Northeast to Cape Coral alongside his beloved wife Ilisa and their cherished Mini Golden Doodle, Kugel. Beyond the boardroom, Barry's passions run deep. A virtuoso musician, he's proficient in piano, violin, trumpet, and French horn, with a penchant for singing melodies that resonate. On the greens, he finds solace in golf, and on the courts, he's a fierce competitor in pickleball. A die-hard sports enthusiast, Barry's allegiance lies with the New York Yankees, Mets, and Knicks. Yet, amidst his varied pursuits, Barry treasures moments spent with his wife and Kugel, relishing in the warmth of companionship. Barry hopes to use his financial expertise to benefit Seven Lakes and looks forward to working with the residents here.