Meet Melanie Ryan: bringing the lived experience to life

We’re delighted to welcome Melanie Ryan to One Fell Swoop as Senior Village Manager, strengthening our growing Operations division.

Melanie brings more than 15 years’ experience in retirement living, with senior leadership roles spanning Australian Unity, Pinnacle Living, Aveo and Stockland Retirement Living. Throughout her career, she has managed large retirement communities, led village developments and redevelopments, and built high-performing, resident-focused teams.

Known for her collaborative leadership style and strong operational expertise, Melanie is passionate about creating welcoming and connected communities where residents can enjoy an independent and fulfilling lifestyle.

In her new role with One Fell Swoop, Melanie will oversee village management at Dux Churchill and Bellbird on High, bringing her extensive experience directly into the day-to-day operation and resident experience of these communities.

Pictured L-R: Melissa Johnstone, Sales Manager and Melanie Ryan, Village Manager at Bellbird on High rooftop

Resident-first approach

One Fell Swoop Partner Stuart Nicolson said Melanie’s appointment represents an exciting step in the continued growth of the business.

“Melanie brings exactly the kind of experience and resident-first thinking that we want to build into our Operations offering. She understands what it takes to run successful communities, but just as importantly, she understands that the quality of a village is ultimately measured by the experience residents have living there.”

“We’re incredibly pleased to have Melanie join the team. Her operational knowledge, leadership capability and collaborative approach will be a real asset to our clients and to the communities she will be working with.”

From strategy through to the lived experience

The growth of One Fell Swoop’s Operations division is an important evolution of the business and reflects our ambition to support clients across the entire lifecycle of a seniors’ living development.

It means clients can access a truly integrated suite of expertise under one roof — from identifying the right opportunity and designing the right product, through to bringing it to market and ultimately delivering a fantastic lived experience for residents.

Stuart said this end-to-end capability is a key point of difference for One Fell Swoop.

“We’ve always believed that the best outcomes happen when you look at seniors’ living as a complete journey, rather than a series of disconnected services. Our Research & Advisory, Design & Development, Marketing and Sales teams already work closely together, and the Operations allows us to take that one step further.”

“We work with clients from the very beginning — helping them determine where to build, what to build and how to bring it to market — and then support them in running the community and creating the lived experience that residents ultimately choose.”

Melanie’s appointment adds another layer of practical, on-the-ground expertise to this model, ensuring the focus remains firmly on the people who matter most – the residents who call these communities home.

We’re thrilled to have Melanie join One Fell Swoop and look forward to seeing the impact she will have across Dux Churchill, Bellbird on High and our growing Operations offering.