I come from a very large family that prides itself on taking care of each other. My parents raised me with an emphasis on how important Character is. To this day, I believe if you are going to do something, you do it to the best of your ability. Put others first and meet them where they are at. Follow through on what you say you will do. Treat everyone with the same respect you would want to be shown yourself, even in difficult situations. I believe that being raised in this way, and seeing it modeled by my parents and extended family, is a huge contributor to where I am today and the success I have achieved in healthcare over the past 12 years.
My background is in Marketing. When I had to choose an area to start my career in, I knew that I would sleep best at night if I spent my days helping people. I didn’t want to push anything on someone that they don’t want or need. I want to provide people with something that will make a difference in their lives. That is where I find fulfillment. So, I reached out to like-minded friends and family and was encouraged to get into healthcare. It was the best advice I could have been given.
I started out as Director of Marketing and Admissions for a skilled nursing community here in Virginia. Every day I would get to meet with people in need of both long- and short-term care. I was amazed at the strength of the relationships I started to build with the residents and how much I enjoyed hearing their stories. They had accumulated a lot of wisdom over the years, and I began to realize how important it was for them to have someone to share it with.
After some time, I was missing my large family and was able to find a job in medical sales back in New England. When my grandfather suddenly passed in 2018, it left my grandmother alone in her home. They have huge gardens and a house heated by a woodstove that made it hard for my grandmother to keep up, as hard of a worker as she is. I felt the urge to move in with her to be able to help in any way that I could. During that time, it made me realize how much I missed the connections I had working closely with seniors who didn’t have access to the strong family support that I have been lucky enough to have.
I got married in 2020 to the most amazing woman and we both felt like we needed to move back to Virginia. This gave me an opportunity to get back to the connections that I so missed. I was able to move into a role as a Director of Marketing and Community Relations of an amazing senior living community. Again, I found myself in a position to help those in need. Most people don’t think about what life will look like for senior citizens until it is an emergency and help is needed immediately. I love being able to bring peace to those situations, and I find fulfilment in being a guide in those times.
In 2022, I was able to become a part of the team of Care Advantage—and what an opportunity it has been. I don’t just get to help seniors in one community, but I get to help people wherever they call home. I get to meet people exactly where they are and can help navigate whatever circumstances they are facing. Care Advantage is the best company I have ever worked for because they understand how important every person on our team is in meeting the needs of everyone we care for. They set all of us up for success and make sure our needs are met so that the entire team can go out and be the best version of themselves for our patients. This is a company of Character. We make a difference in people’s lives. We put others first. We follow through on what we say, and we treat everyone with respect in all situations. It has been extremely fulfilling to be a part of a team like this.
