Melissa Vanderbilt-Bestor, C.D.P
Melissa Vanderbilt-Bestor is a dedicated senior living professional with a deep passion for supporting families navigating assisted living and memory care decisions. As the Sales and Marketing Director at Parkside Assisted Living and Memory Care, she works closely with families to find the right environment for their loved ones, particularly those experiencing cognitive impairment. Since beginning her career in senior living in 2009, Melissa has built a strong reputation in Charlotte County for her unwavering commitment to service, ensuring that no family feels alone or unsupported during what can be an overwhelming and emotional journey.
Driven by both professional expertise and personal purpose, Melissa serves as an Alzheimer’s Ambassador and Educator for Southwest Florida, a Certified Dementia Practitioner, and a newly accredited Neuroscience Coach. She is known for going above and beyond—whether that means educating families about the realities of cognitive decline or helping them find the right care solution, even if it is outside of her own community. Her approach centers on compassion, education, and advocacy, empowering families to better understand their loved one’s experience while guiding them toward informed, confident decisions.
Melissa’s philosophy is rooted in making a meaningful difference every single day. Her work extends beyond her role through active involvement in numerous organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association, Business and Professional Women of Charlotte County, and the Charlotte Elder Affair Network, among others. With a heart for service and a commitment to continuous learning, Melissa strives to impact lives one family at a time—believing wholeheartedly that helping others through some of life’s most challenging moments is exactly what she was meant to do.
• Real Estate License
• Certified Dementia Practitioner
• Accredited Neuroscience Coach
• Elite Medical University (certified dementia practitioner and neuroscience accreditation)
• Wake Forest University (dual enrollment during high school, early education child psychology and legal terminology)
• Top Salesperson at Brookdale
• Business and Professional Women of Charlotte County
• Veterans Accreditation
• Charlotte Elder Affair Network (board member)
• FALA (Florida Association)
• Alzheimer's Association
• Gulf Coast Preservation Society (board member)
• Veterans Appreciation
• Homeless Coalition
• Gulf Coast Preservation Society (board member
• Educates people on what's happening in the Gulf of Mexico)
• Alzheimer's Association
• Veterans Appreciation
• Charlotte Elder Affair Network (board member)
• Homeless Coalition
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to overcoming the impossible when everybody was saying I couldn't. After my car accident in 2005 left me with a severe brain injury, doctors told me I would never hold a job again and would have to be on disability. But I refused to accept that. I fell to my knees and prayed, asking the Lord that this couldn't be what He had in store for me. I did a lot of hard work, standing in front of a mirror and practicing two words until I could get them without stuttering, then three words, then four words. I wrote motivational things on my bathroom mirror every day, like 'you're an overcomer, you've got this, you can be what you want to be, you can do what you want to do.' I also had tremendous help from my family. My mother and grandmother taught me that no is not an option, you don't give up, you don't settle for second best. My husband, who wasn't even my husband at the time of the accident, gave up everything to help me, including his traveling and career, because I couldn't be left alone. My kids had to sacrifice a lot too, dealing with ridicule from neighborhood kids. When I showed what I could really do when I put my mind, body, and soul into something, I became the top salesperson for Brookdale and went on to be a sales coach. Now, when the same doctors in Sarasota see what I've done and what I've overcome, they say they can't believe I'm the same patient they had in 2005, 6, 7, 8.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've received came from my mother and grandmother, who taught me that no is not an option. You don't give up. You don't settle for second best. My grandmother got into the healthcare industry at a time where it wasn't very popular for women to be in the medical industry, and she and my mother showed me through their example that you can overcome any obstacle if you refuse to accept limitations.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
If a young woman came to me looking for advice about entering this field, that would be a dream come true. I would love to sit down and really encourage her to follow her dream, to not let anything stop her. I would volunteer to be that mentor to help her every step of the way to getting where she wants to be, and achieving what she wants to achieve. But what I would tell her most of all is that it takes patience and reassurance. You're not going to get there overnight, but take it one day, one step at a time.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are perseverance, making a difference, and never giving up. After my severe brain injury from a car accident in 2005, doctors told me I would never hold a job again and would need disability benefits. But I refused to accept that. I worked incredibly hard, standing in front of mirrors practicing my speech to overcome my impediment, writing motivational messages to myself every day. I showed what I could really do when I put my mind, body, and soul into something, becoming the top salesperson for Brookdale and later a sales coach. I'm passionate about what I do and want to help families. I want to make a difference in one life every single day, no matter what that difference is. I think that's what I was meant to do. I believe in being that resource for families, going above and beyond, not just saying I can't help you, but literally going out of my way to help them find what they're looking for. You never stop learning, and you don't settle for second best.