Our Staff at BrightStar Care® Easton

As the owner and CEO of Flat Creek Investments, LLC, doing business as (DBA) BrightStar Care, Thomas comes to this organization as a board-certified health care executive and a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives, with 33 years of experience in health care administration. He earned a BBA in Finance from Texas A&M University and an MBA in finance from the University of St. Thomas.

Thomas started his career at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  He has held numerous leadership positions in cancer program management in nationally recognized health care systems, such as the Geisinger Health System  in Pennsylvania, Memorial Hermann Health System and the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Most recently, he worked for Inova Health System, in Fairfax, Virginia, where he served as the vice president of Cancer Services and opened the new Schar Cancer Institute in May 2019. In that position, Thomas was responsible for the development of comprehensive, patient-centered clinical care for cancer patients, research programs, and clinical trials.

Thomas joined the BrightStar team in June 2020 and is excited to continue the exceptional work of the previous owner, who, with the team, provided care to more than 4000 families during his nearly 12 years of service to the organization.  Thomas' goal is to expand upon our already-exceptional team of administrative staff, caregivers, nurses and therapists, and the services offered by BrightStar. 

Valerie Craver has been with BrightStar Care of Anne Arundel County for several years, holding various positions. Prior to assuming her current role, Valerie served as Branch Manager for more than four years. 

In her role as Regional Director of Private Duty Operations, Valerie oversees daily operations and recruitment efforts for BrightStar Care of Anne Arundel County, Easton and the Lower Shore of Maryland. 
 

Laura Jones moved to Talbot County from Bucks County, Pennsylvania in 1988. She became interested in home care after having the opportunity to care for a family member suffering from a terminal illness. In 2002, Laura found her calling and embarked on a career of providing care to individuals in her community.

To further enhance her skills, Laura attended the McQueen Gibbs School of Nursing, where she graduated in 2009 with an Associates Degree in Nursing, and shortly thereafter became a licensed registered nurse. She has experience in skilled nursing and rehabilitation, long term care, assisted living, case management and community hospice nursing. While working full time and raising a family, Laura worked towards earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Stevenson University, which she completed in 2013.

She joined BrightStar of Easton in December, 2013,  an opportunity that enabled her to return to her true calling – to provide members of her local community with highly skilled and compassionate home care. Laura serves as director of Skilled Services for BrightStar Care® of Anne Arundel County, Easton and
Salisbury.

Betsy is a lifelong resident of Talbot County.  She resides in Easton and has served Talbot County during her 45-year nursing career.  Some areas she has worked include dialysis, hospice, surgical, cardiac, home care, long-term care, and Labor and Delivery. 
Betsy received her RN from McQueen Gibbs Willis School of Nursing in Easton and had worked as a LPN after graduating from Easton High School. 
Betsy is very passionate about assisting clients in the community with Aging in Place in the safety of their home.  She enjoys spending time with her family, especially her two grandchildren, Mila and Miles 
Betsy is very grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a great team serving the community she loves. 

"I take great pride in serving the community I love which I proudly call my home."

With over 14 years of healthcare experience, Vanessa Wigfall brings a passion for compassionate care, strong leadership, and a vibrant personality to her role as Branch Manager at BrightStar Care. Her diverse background includes patient care, memory care leadership, healthcare administration, and staff development. As a Certified Medication Technician with additional training in nursing assistance and medical administration, Vanessa combines hands-on healthcare knowledge with a commitment to excellence. She is also a dedicated advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness and supporting families throughout their care journeys. Known for her warm smile, positive energy, and genuine love for helping others, Vanessa strives to create an environment where caregivers feel empowered and clients and families feel valued. Her philosophy is simple: “Lead with heart, serve with purpose, and always find a reason to smile!"

A native of North Dakota, Shannon Bottom moved to Maryland nearly five years ago. 

Prior to joining the BrightStar team in October 2019, she spent 17 years volunteering for various 501c-3 organizations, serving on their Executive Boards of Directors as treasurer, and volunteering in many capacities in public schools systems. 

In her role as regional director of Finance, Shannon oversees accounts payable/receivable for BrightStar's three locations in Anne Arundel County, Easton and Salisbury.