Q: Please tell us a bit about yourself and your family.
I live in Holland and I actually live in the house I grew up in. My parents had it built in 1988 and I lived there with them and my brother. Now I live there with my husband, Keith, and our two children, Michaela and Logan.
Unfortunately, both of my parents have passed away. My dad died when my brother and I were 15, and my mom passed years later. That’s how we came to have the house. My brother now lives in Chicago.
It’s special and complicated living in the home I grew up in. The home is layered with so many memories. My husband and I have renovated and made it our own, but there are certain pieces I’ve intentionally kept. My dad collected elephants, so you’ll find them throughout the house. My mom loved dogs, so I have a room filled with bright, joyful dog artwork that reminds me of her. Recently, we brought home my husband’s grandmother’s green horsehair couch. It is a piece he loved since he was young. It now sits in that same room with my parents’ pieces. And in a moment that felt almost meant to be. It has been sweet to make the house our own while honoring those who made such an impact on us.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career.
I started working in healthcare when I was 18, beginning in dietary services at Attleboro. That’s actually where I met my husband, Keith. I became friends with a group of girls who had gone to high school with him, and that’s how we were introduced. We met when I was 18, started dating when I was 23, and we’ve now been together nearly half my life.
I worked at Attleboro for about ten years while earning my undergraduate degree. During that time, I really grew up in senior living. What started as a job became a calling. I developed a deep passion for caring for older adults and supporting their families.
After graduating and becoming a licensed personal care administrator in 2013, I moved on to what I call my “big kid job” at Chandler Hall in Newtown. My husband’s and my life were very intertwined there. When our son was born, both of our children attended daycare and preschool on that campus while I worked. It was a very full season of life.
In 2015, I took my first managerial role as a Memory Care Director at Sunrise of Lower Makefield. Around that same time, my mom’s health was declining. She eventually received inpatient hospice care at Chandler Hall. I would drop my son off at daycare, visit my mom, then go to work. Sometimes they would bring my son to see her. We celebrated his first birthday in hospice, and she passed away just weeks later. That season shaped me profoundly both personally and professionally.
Healthcare has always been more than a job to me; it’s part of who I am. Long before I was the professional, I was the daughter. I became a caregiver for my mom at 15 after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. At the time, I didn’t fully understand how much responsibility I was carrying, but looking back, I see how deeply it influenced me.
Both of my parents passed away from the same cancer, fifteen years apart. Walking through those experiences gave me a level of empathy that can’t be taught. Now, when families come to us I understand the fear, confusion, and emotional weight they’re carrying. Senior living can also be complicated. It’s often a for-profit industry, and families don’t always know who to trust. I feel a deep responsibility to educate and guide them, not just move them through a process. Compassion, honesty, and connection matter.
Cognitive decline, especially, is difficult for families to understand. Their loved one may look the same and even manage certain daily tasks, but safety awareness, judgment, and social appropriateness can change dramatically. The need isn’t always physical, it’s neurological. Helping families understand that, while honoring their loved one as a whole person with history, personality, humor, and wisdom, is incredibly meaningful to me.
Today, I’m back at what once was Attleboro, now Oxford, serving as an Executive Director. It feels very full circle. My husband once worked there in high school and now even my daughter works in dietary, just like I did when I started. There’s something special about serving in the same community where my roots run deep. The connections are layered, personal, and meaningful. And being able to care for people so close to home makes this work even more fulfilling.
Q: What is your favorite part of your job?
There are really two things I love most about what I do.
The first is being able to build meaningful relationships with the residents and truly partner with them. In my current role, I work primarily in Independent Living within a larger campus setting. When I started, I told the residents that my goal was to partner with them — to give them a voice and advocate for what matters to them.That means building enough rapport that they know I’m on their side. It also means being honest with them when something is unrealistic and being able to say that with respect and humor. It’s about working toward common goals.
The second part of my job that I love is working with the staff. Throughout my career, I’ve worked closely with frontline team members, many of whom are young, just starting out, or figuring out what they want to do. Some are single moms. Many are in nursing school. Some are simply trying to find their path.
My own journey wasn’t traditional. I dropped out of high school for a year. I eventually earned my GED. I was in college for ten years before graduating cum laude with a dual major. That was a huge accomplishment for me.
When people see someone in a leadership role, they often assume they were always on that track. I wasn’t. Because of that, I feel deeply connected to mentoring and encouraging others. Being able to support someone as they grow and to empower them. Cheering them on as they take the next step is incredibly meaningful to me.
For me, it comes down to the same things, helping people feel seen, valued, and capable. I am lucky to get to do that every day.
Q: What are some of your favorite restaurants in the area?
I love La Stalla. That’s probably my favorite. I am also a big Chipotle fan. I enjoy happy hour at Harvest Seasonal GrillI and over the summer, Ardana did a late night happy hour that I really enjoyed as well.
Q: What are some of your favorite movies and TV shows?
I just finished watching The Lincoln Lawyer and High Potential. I tend to gravitate toward shows like that. Mysteries, legal dramas, anything that keeps me thinking. I also love Bridgerton. I’ve watched all the seasons that are already out, but I’m purposely waiting to start the newest one until all of the episodes have come out.
As for movies, I’m a rom-com and mystery person, but I don’t know if I have a favorite.
Q: What’s your favorite type of music?
I’m definitely a country fan. I like a lot of the newer country artists, but I also love some of the classics. I grew up listening to Dolly Parton, and I’ve always liked Keith Urban. This summer I’m going to Barefoot Country Music Fest to see Morgan Wallen, and I’m also seeing Chris Stapleton again. I saw him last summer and loved it so much that I’m going back this year. Outside of country, I like Dave Matthews Band and Maroon 5. Honestly, I listen to a little bit of everything.
Q: What is your favorite holiday and why?
This is going to sound funny, but I really love Christmas even though I’m Jewish. I didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas, but I celebrate it now. Because I work in healthcare, I actually work every Christmas. We’re a 24/7 operation. But my favorite part isn’t even Christmas Day, it’s Christmas Eve.
Keith’s family has Italian roots, and they celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes. When I first started dating him, my mom was still alive and my brother would come with us to his grandmother’s house. That was my first experience with that tradition, and I loved it.
For the past several years, we’ve hosted Christmas Eve ourselves. Our generation cooks everything from scratch. It’s not really about Christmas itself for me. It’s about family traditions and keeping them alive. Keith’s great-aunts will say things like, “Grandma would be so happy you’re continuing this.” That means a lot to me. It’s about togetherness, honoring the past, and making sure those traditions carry on. Plus, the food is really good.
Q: What’s your favorite place you’ve ever traveled to? And where do you want to go next?
If I’m being honest, I don’t know that I have one specific favorite place I’ve traveled. I love going on vacation, but I wouldn’t say there’s one destination that stands out above the rest.
I did travel to Bulgaria when I was in high school, and that was a really meaningful experience. It was a volunteer trip, so it wasn’t tourism, it was service-oriented. We visited Parliament, experienced the local culture, and even went to what they called a “discotheque.” It was such a unique and eye-opening experience at that stage of my life.
I’d love to visit Italy, Greece, Germany, and Ireland. I want to explore, experience the history, and eat my way through those countries.
Q: Who inspires you the most?
Growing up, it was my dad. He was an attorney and had his own firm. He served on the Council Rock School Board, was the solicitor for Northampton and Bensalem Townships, and sat on the water and sewer authority. He was very well known and deeply involved in the community.
As a kid, I wanted to be just like him. I remember dressing up as a lawyer for Halloween. I was so proud of what he did and the impact he had. My dad worked six days a week. He shaved six days a week. He taught me so much about having a strong work ethic. That level of discipline and commitment left an impression on me. And now, I see that same drive starting to show up in my daughter.
Q: What are a couple of your favorite smells?
I definitely gravitate toward warm, cozy scents like vanilla, caramel, and pistachio.
I wear Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 71. It has notes of caramelized vanilla and toasted macadamia. I think scent is also about what mixes well with your own body chemistry.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
Don’t be afraid to be who you are. Advocate for what you believe in. And ask questions when you’re unsure. You don’t know what you don’t know and there’s no shame in learning.
Q: What words or phrases come to mind when you hear the word “home”?
Family, love and peace.
Q: Where can people find you and your business?