Our Staff at BrightStar Care® Conejo Valley

Our experienced and compassionate staff is dedicated to caring for your loved one as if they were family. Get to know our team.

  • Karen Abé

    Owner & President of BrightStar Care of Conejo Valley & Simi Valley

    "There comes a time in everyone’s life when they need a helping hand to overcome the challenges life throws at them, and the philosophy and systems BrightStar Care has in place allows my amazing team to provide the highest quality of care to our community.   As specialists in the rapidly growing healthcare industry, we empower our nurses and caregivers to live our values and provide compassionate care and service, anytime, anyplace!  We believe in personalized healthcare with RN oversight on all cases and we rarely find any case too challenging. BrightStar Care services the Westside and South Bay and surrounding areas in Los Angeles and Ventura County.  We provide unparalleled standards in adult and elder home care/childcare, as well as supplemental healthcare staff  for  hospitals, alcohol & drug rehabs, mental health and assisted or independent living facilities. BrightStar Care also provides higher acuity medical care at home with skilled RN nursing services, Occupational and Physical Therapy."

    Karen Abe
  • Barbara West

    Sales & Community Liasion Manager

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I have worked in the Medical environment for over 20 years. I began my first working experience working in my dad's medical office, managing the front office, helping patients, and doing blood, lab work, and EKG's. I also had the opportunity to work as an EKG Technician at the Hospital during college. I loved the Hospital environment, and working with Professionals, so after graduating from Michigan State University, I enjoyed my career as a Sales Manager promoting hospital products to Maternity Departments nationally.


    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I have also been a Healthy Lifestyle Fitness Instructor teaching both Aqua Fitness, Yoga, and Senior Sneaker classes in our Community for the past 15 years. I have developed many wonderful friendships with seniors in our community and know the importance of healthy living. I have also worked as a private home care giver, and I know firsthand how vitally important it is to have the "Right Fit" in placing a Care Giver. I love that BrightStar offers Guaranteed Compatibility in matchmaking. I remember the stress of finding the right Agency for my parents when they needed care. I am privileged to offer that same caring help to families, and facilities who are seeking Professional Medical and Non-Medical Compassionate Care.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am a "Helper" and an "Educator". I am passionate about making a difference in peoples lives. I am resourceful, and creative, I like the challenge of finding solutions. I am excited to be a part of the likeminded Team at BrightStar Care providing a higher level of care to the families and facilities we serve in our community.

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... making meaningful connections, and touching hearts to make lives better. Going above and beyond every day to exceed expectations!

  • Kelley Kyzer

    Recruiting and HR Specialist
    Kelley became passionate about senior care over 20 years ago when she experienced her Grandmothers need for care while on hospice and stepped in to take care of her. Kelley has now been in senior care over 13 years and a memory care director for 8 of those years. Her love for working with people with dementia lead her to recruiting a team for the Walk to End Alzheimers and they became a top fundraiser in Conejo Valley 2 years in a row. She donates her time to the Alzheimer's Association and the community leading panels on dementia care and hospice. In her spare time, Kelley enjoys riding motorcycles and rooting for the Dodgers with her son. 

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    Kelley became passionate about senior care over 20 years ago when she experienced her Grandmothers need for care while on hospice and stepped in to take care of her. Kelley has now been in senior care over 13 years and a memory care director for 8 of those years. Her love for working with people with dementia lead her to recruiting a team for the Walk to End Alzheimers and they became a top fundraiser in Conejo Valley 2 years in a row. She donates her time to the Alzheimer's Association and the community leading panels on dementia care and hospice. In her spare time, Kelley enjoys riding motorcycles and rooting for the Dodgers with her son. 

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    Kelley started in homecare as a caregiver, moved into the office doing scheduling part-time, and eventually became the HR and recruiting specialist. She has worked one on one with clients ranging from transportation to hospice care for over 13 years.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    Her love for working with people with dementia lead her to recruiting a team for the Walk to End Alzheimers and they became a top fundraiser in Conejo Valley 2 years in a row. She donates her time to the Alzheimer's Association and the community leading panels on dementia care and hospice. 

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... She wants clients and their families to have the best experience with their homecare needs. There is nothing more important than for our loved ones to be safe and cared for in the most compassionate way. She wants only the best caregivers to work for Brightstar so she works with caregivers counseling them, leading them, and training them on all aspects of their jobs. She looks to hire the best caregivers with the biggest hearts. 
  • Caitlin Walsh, RN

    Director of Nursing (DON)

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    Previously getting my degree in psychology in 2014 and focusing on the clinical side of care, I graduated in May 2020 from California Baptist University in Riverside County. I moved back to Ventura County and now work as an OR nurse and home health care RN. I also serve my community volunteering regularly for the Ventura County Mission and for the Rape Crisis Center of VC counseling young women, two organizations very near and dear to my heart.

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    As a new grad, I am fresh with knowledge and am proficient in the most up to date skills. I am an avid reader and am always staying up to date in new medical advancements. My experience in psychology has helped me tremendously in home care to treat the body as well as the mind, which I have found to be equally important.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I was born a people person and knew my heart was too big not to share it with others. I am passionate about people of all ages, race, and background. Nursing has encompassed everything that brings me joy, from being there for someone on Hospice taking their last breath to rejoicing when a patient finds out their going to be a grandparent. Building trusting and lasting relationships with people during a time in their life that may be unpleasant is what makes me most proud to be a nurse.

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... actively listening to patients, being there for them physically and emotionally. I try to keep my attitude light and positive, being a warm presence while providing professional care. 

    Caitlin Walsh
  • Jocelyn Gil, RN

    Assistant Director of Nursing, Home Care
    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    Healthcare has always been a passion for me! I have a degree from CSU Channel Islands in Health Science with a certificate in Spanish medical interpreting. During that time I worked with Brightstar Care for a year. I then went back to school and attended West Coast University where I graduated this year. I have over 4 years of direct patient care experience as a caregiver. My experience as a caregiver as well as an occupational therapy aide has helped me to evolve into the RN I am today.

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    Being a new grad can come with a few challenges. But I am proud that with my direct patient care experience I am able to provide high quality care.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    Being a nurse is not only about healing a person physically but it also entails healing emotionally and spiritually. When a person is sick they need support and compassion. I am very empathetic and can help the patient feel like they are family.

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... making sure the client is content with the care I provide by helping them to reach their goals and communicate effectively.
    Jocelyn Gil
  • Jennifer Urban

    Field Support and Training Specialist
    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I am a Field & Training Specialist. I have been working in the healthcare sector for 15+ years and serve to streamline processes and ensure top-quality service delivery to every client. I work directly with healthcare staff to help them adhere to best practices, adopt more efficient techniques, and deliver quality services on repeat

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I graduated from the College of Nursing & Technology and also have a MBA with a concentration in Marketing & International Business. I spent my early years working in management, marketing, and public relations in California. In these roles, I spearheaded a marketing team and used theoretical descriptions & creative thinking to drive engagement, build trust, and sell products. Next up, I moved to New York and worked as a Liaison responsible for streamlining communication between stock brokers & programmers. Ultimately, I entered the healthcare industry and worked as a Medical Liaison and Office Manager. Today, I blend my business experience, management skills, and technical expertise to help improve service quality and delivery in the medical industry.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am passionate about process improvement, delivering service, & helping people who have been in a similar position level up. I love to share the experience and knowledge gained along the way to guide & empower others to better their lives and accelerate growth. I enjoy being able to create an impact and help healthcare staff learn to manage their workload and serve better.

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... providing evidence-based healthcare services and training the caregivers to address patients’ unique needs, preferences, and values. I strive to nurture a safe and healthy work environment and boost employees' and clients’ retention rates. Further, I help the team break challenges into actionable steps and achieve more.
  • Julie Hanner, RN

    BrightStar Care Lead Infusion Nurse, Skilled Services
    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    When I was 18, I started as a CNA at Motion Picture Hospital in Woodland Hills. I come from a long line of nurses including my grandmother, mother, aunt, sister and daughter.  As a result, I always knew I would become a nurse. I graduated from Pierce College with an AA degree in 1980 followed by working in the hospital and was immediately trained in ICU with ALS certification. I was also on their code team and remained working in the hospital for 14 years.  On the side I did platelet pheresis. The Hospital closed in 1994 which lead me to home health where I did wound care, IV antibiotics, post-op cases etc. I started to work with biologic meds in 1997 and had extensive training in all specialty infusion inducing; IVIG, Alpha 1 Antitrypsin, all enzyme replacement therapies and factors. I have continued to perform specialty infusions until present. I enjoy working patients and families of all ages, this year marks 40 years and I still enjoy what I am doing!

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I bring many years of experience in many areas. I have excellent IV experience with all central lines, epidurals and subcutaneous infusions. I have extensive training in biologic medications and years of experience teaching in facilities and in the home with patients and their families.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am most passionate about serving the clients assigned to me and making sure they receive the best care possible. My passion is building relationships and assisting patients and families with all aspects of the disease process management.

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... communicating effectively with clients and their families to clearly understand what the clients need in order help them achieve their health goals.
    Julie Hanner
  • Terry Kyle

    Client Care Manager
    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I graduated from college in 1994 with a degree in Culinary Arts.  I worked as an executive chef in Louisville, Kentucky until moving to Kissimmee, Florida in 1997 after working at a Walt Disney World Resort for a couple of years, I began my career in Healthcare at HCR ManorCare in Naples, as an Activity Assistant for a skilled nursing facility. Using my degree and experience, I was able to move up into a director role as a Certified Dietary Manager.  From there I was also a Certified Activity Director as well as a Certified Social Service Director.  
     
    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    Moving to Simi Valley, California in 2010 I worked another 3 years in skilled nursing until moving into a marketing position with a Home Health, Home Care and Hospice agency. Here I was responsible for scheduling, marketing, and sometimes caregiving until just over 2 years ago when I was a home health/hospice administrator.  
     
    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I came to Brightstar in October and am very happy to be part of such an amazing group of hard working and compassionate professionals.  My caregiving experience also includes taking care of my mother who lived with my wife and I for many years. I love taking care of people that need help and am very happy where I have landed in my present career.
    Terry Kyle
  • Sandra Borja

    Billing and Payroll Manager

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I have been in the healthcare industry for a little over 6 years. I started my career in the healthcare industry in 2015 after a successful career in the banking industry of over 20 years.

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I worked for a chemical dependency facility where I learned the ins and outs of medical billing followed by learning the insurance appeals and collections  process.

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am passionate about providing excellent service and being part of team that works together to provide excellent service and letting our clients and staff know how important they are to us. 

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... always making myself available when our clients have questions about their invoices or when someone in our staff calls inquiring about payroll concerns.

    Sandra Borja
  • Honey Lou Majorenos

    Recruiter
    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I was in the contact center industry for more than 8 years. I worked on several campaigns including health care. I am into customer service, data entry of laboratory records, appointment setting, scheduling, and administrative tasks. My main goal is to treat our customers like family and provide the best service possible which I aim to do at BrightStar Care!

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I have developed skills and gained experience over the years which I can impact the growth and processes in BrightStar. Being able to work in different industries has taught me to always understand and provide our clients satisfactory services based on what the client needs are. 
     
    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am very passionate about helping people and being able to work with an awesome team! This has made my job easier. I am tasked with doing the administrative role of recruiting and helping make sure that we hire the right people and give our clients the best care staff possible.  

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... making sure our care staff is compliant and is worthy of our clients trust! Not just our services but, also with the kind team. I am very happy to be part of the BrightStar Care family and can't wait to see OUR GROWTH!
    Honey Lou Majorenos
  • Adel Mercado

    Administrative Assistant

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    This is my first healthcare account and I am very grateful to be a part of BrightStar  Care. I’m responsible for scheduling and some administrative tasks. 


    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I’ve been in the customer service industry for over 8 years. I have plenty of experience listening carefully to the needs of my customers before efficiently working to solve their problems. I’m confident that I can provide a high level of customized support to ensure customers are happy with the service offered. 


    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    My biggest passion is to help people. And with BrightStar Care, I feel like I’m spending my time working on helping people with something that’s important, and that motivates me to do great work. 

    Adel Mercado
  • Alexandra (“Lexy”) Vicich

    Social Media & Strategic Planning Manager

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I have been working on the administrative side of Healthcare for the past 4 years. I worked at the BrightStar Care of Conejo Valley office a couple of years back where I gained great knowledge regarding the industry and this wonderful company. I then moved to Santa Barbara for college and worked for that office for two years, assisting with HR, skilled case management, and billing. As I conclude my college studies remotely at UC Berkeley, I am back at the Conejo Valley office to help assist our amazing clients and continue building the company through creative marketing efforts. 

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    As the marketing & strategic planning manager, I need to be creative, yet analytical everyday. When combining my diligent work ethic with my interpersonal skills, I manage to be focused and analytical with my tasks, yet innovative and energetic when collaborating on various projects. I have gained these skills throughout my difficult school courses and social events my entire life. As a marketing associate for the Haas Student Government at UC Berkeley this past year, I have had great practice with social media marketing and engagement, which has never been more important for building a business in today's world. With over three years of experience with the BrightStar franchise, I understand the importance of prioritizing our clients' needs and promoting a healthy work environment for our staff.


    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am most passionate about building relationships with our clients! It is very rewarding to be a part of a clients' journey from the moment they begin care with us, and seeing their family's appreciation for our great efforts to provide excellent care. I find great joy in following up on the promises we make to our clients!
     

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by...promoting an enjoyable and stress-free environment! I do this through strategic planning between our care team and field staff. I aim to excite new clients about the quality of our services and assist them throughout the process of beginning care with us. In addition, I help ensure that our employees are compliant people that our clients can trust to care for them through various screening and interviewing efforts. 

    In order to provide the highest quality private duty home care and skilled nursing in Conejo Valley and Simi Valley, we must hire the best employees! We are proud of our outstanding team of care professionals. Our employees undergo a rigorous screening process including telephonic and in-person interviews, written competency testing, live skills testing, background check, and drug testing. Each employee is dedicated to providing the best possible in-home care for our clients.

    Alexandra (lexy) Vicich
  • Alma Fuentes

    How long have you been working in healthcare?
    I was born in Guatemala. I came to the U.S. when I was 13yrs old. I know how lucky I am to have this opportunity to build my life because I had a lot of opportunities after coming to the U.S. . I had to learn the English language and had many Challenges over the years, which made me strong.  I have been working in the healthcare business for 10 years. I started as a medical assistant working at a doctor's office.  I enjoyed this because it helped me by expand my knowledge working with different people and cultures. I started in this business when I was 21 years old.  I took on more responsibilities through that first year and this professional growth eventually led to becoming a schedule coordinator at the age of 22. In that position, I worked with two communities as well as with a SRG leading a team of 85 caregivers. I been a caregiver, lead caregiver, scheduler, and care manager. All these different roles have taught me about caring for the quality of life and establishing great relationships with other people.  I have such a passion for life and serving other people to ensure that they receive a high quality of care.   I been with my lovely husband for almost 15 years and we have two beautiful daughters, which is why I love to spend time with my family and traveling in my time off.

    What experience do you bring to BrightStar Care?
    I bring to Brightstar my experience, knowledge and loyalty. But most of all I bring my heart and all my hard work because I know being part of Brightstar is an honor. 

    What aspect of your job are you most passionate about?
    I am most passionate about having the opportunity to build relationships with a lot of people and most of all be part of their lives. I love to learn about each one of them and be part of their care. At the end of the day, I go home knowing that I did my best with regards to handling the care of the clients. It makes me feel proud every time we get great feedback from clients and their families. 

    I am making MORE POSSIBLE for our BrightStar Care clients by... assisting them to make their lives better as well as doing my best to serve them. I feel very proud and passionate to have assisted them in their plan of care. I give the best of myself so that clients receive the highest standard of care. I feel passionate about the quality of service that they receive, so that they can thrive. 

Our Caregivers and Nurses

Our team of care professionals thoroughly screened and trained to provide the highest quality care to your family or your patients. Learn more about our compassionate and trustworthy nurses and caregivers.


Contact Us

Please contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation or call BrightStar Care Conejo Valley at 805.233.3800.

Contact Us