Our People
Our people are our greatest asset. From the full spectrum of adult homecare and elder care to childcare and more, the quality services we provide day in and day out would not be possible without the hard work and passion of our dedicated staff. Each member of our team embodies the core values of our business – compassion, integrity, family, excellence, trustworthiness, accountability, and diversity – and strives to make more possible for those in our care.
Meet Melanie Hopkinson, RN - Director of Nursing
I studied nursing at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario Canada. In 1992, we moved from Canada to the United States. During the 32 years that I have been a Registered nurse, I have worked in a variety of settings: acute care and ICU in a hospital setting, Home Care in the community and Occupational Nursing in manufacturing plants. I have also briefly worked for a staffing agency and a rehabilitation hospital. I have the following certifications: BCLS, ACLS, Hearing Conservation, Spirometry and First Responder.
I am married and have a daughter who is 24, a son who is 23, and a 2-year-old granddaughter. I enjoy walking our 4-year old dog ‘Haley’ that is a mixed breed, swimming, reading and gardening.
BrightStar of Chattanooga appealed to my homecare background and I share the same values that BrightStar of Chattanooga strives to maintain; providing compassionate care and peace of mind for our clients.
Rick Collett, FACHE, MHS
Rick Collett, President and Owner of BrightStar Care of Chattanooga is also an expert in hospital operations. He brings 20+ years of experience in improving healthcare operations. As a Lean Six Sigma Expert with Caldwell Butler & Associates, http://www.caldwellbutler.com/index.php/our-experts/rick-collett/ his skills include the application of advanced analytical methods to healthcare processes to ensure leaner operations and improved patient flow. During his career, Rick has been responsible for daily hospital operations and has led financial turnarounds resulting in millions of dollars in tangible cost recovery.
Prior to joining Caldwell Butler & Associates and BrightStar Care of Chattanooga, Rick worked with notable healthcare organizations such as Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Hutcheson Medical Center and Hamilton Medical Center. This rich background provides Rick with experience as a senior leader with insights in hospital operations, ancillary departments, home health/hospice, and rehabilitation services. He now uses these experiences in his role as Managing Principal at Caldwell Butler & Associates to bring clients more efficient operations. His vast experience in healthcare operations provide the skills necessary to lead BrightStar Care of Chattanooga to become the area’s premier provider of Lifecare, Kidcare, and Medical Staffing through the voluntary application of Joint Commission Accreditation and the implementation of programs such as BrightStar Clinical Pathways and the Hospital Accelerated Nurse Discharge Service. Through these programs, BrightStar Care of Chattanooga partners with area hospitals to reduce hospital readmissions and, most importantly, will improve the quality of lives for all those we have the fortune to serve.
Amy Collett, Owner and Public Relations Director
Dedication and commitment on both a professional and personal level have been strong building blocks in Amy’sbackground.
Upon graduating with honors from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication she set her sights on travel and immediately joined Delta Airlines as a Flight Attendant based in New York City travelling both abroad and domestic to places as faraway as Helsinki, Finland. Through her years of travel she gained a better understanding of various cultures and broadened her understanding of international communication.
After marrying Rick, Amy joined State Farm Insurance and continued her travels throughout the United States as an Adjuster on the National Catastrophe Team. Organizational and communication skills were strong assets as she managed highly stressful situations.
Following her husband’s career from Hutcheson Medical Center to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Amy, Rick and their two children moved to Albany, Georgia in 2001 where she worked as a Marketing Consulting at Langstaff Marketing.
Her years of experience at Langstaff Marketing provided the necessary framework essential for leading BrightStar Care of Chattanooga to become the area’s premier provider of Lifecare, Kidcare, and Medical Staffing. Educating the public about the services BrightStar Care of Chattanooga offers is one of her many responsibilities. “On a daily basis, I meet so many medical professionals who do not understand or know the options for care for the patients they serve. My job is to educate them so they can pass along information describing options seniors have whether they choose to remain in their own homes or move to a facility. Families and their loved ones are not alone. Our team of CNA’s and MA’s fill in the gaps and, if no family is present, we fill that void. My job is so rewarding and I learn something new every day. Each and every individual has their own unique story. I am blessed to be able to serve them.”
Her time away from work is spent volunteering and serving on several different boards for various charities including the Junior League of Chattanooga, Laurelwood Garden Club, Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church, and the American Cancer Society.
Continuing with her strong dedication to life goals, Amy completed the Chicago Marathon and a half-Iron man event. She has also placed in several other triathlons and continues her passionfor physical fitness. She firmly believes in taking risks and enjoys the sense of satisfaction gained from trying something new and proving herself up to the task. “The best learning happens just beyond our comfort zone.”
For more information about BrightStar Care of Chattanooga, please call 423.296.6640 or visit us at 117 Nowlin Lane Suite 300, Chattanooga TN 37421.
