Our Staff at BrightStar Care® Oak Brook

Inspiration for opening a BrightStar franchise arose from a personal experience for husband and wife Jim Guzdziol, MBA and Phyllis O’Brien, RN, owners of the Naperville office.
“We witnessed firsthand Phyllis’ mother’s need for care and the difficulties a family faces when a family member is suffering. The demands of caring for a loved one cause a great deal of stress on the primary decision maker and caregiver. Itis very fulfilling to provide such a needed service. Phyllis and I view this as a tremendous opportunity to leverage our career strengths and bring a higher level of service to this community.”

After experiencing Phyl’s mother’s journey toward the end of her life, we were inspired to combine our career strengths and the BrightStar business model to bring a higher level of home care and staffing services to the surrounding communities, help families and create jobs.   Jim brings over 25 years of executive-level business experience, holding C-level positions for the past ten years.  Phyllis has over 25 years experience as a registered nurse.

I have over 30 years of experience in office administration and accounting.  I value my relationships with coworkers and am passionate about building strong relationships with the medical staff, patients, and their families. Maintaining quality service is something I continue to strive to provide.  There is a great need for good home care services and after nine years I am still excited to be a member of the BrightStar team in providing these services. In my free time, I love spending time with my husband of 25 years, our two daughters, and two grandsons.

My background includes lengthy tenures in business education and professional services management.  As a result of my Board service for St. Paul’s House, a Health Care Center near Wrigley Field, I launched my "encore" career into serving this nation's greatest generation.  The last eight years I have focused primarily on marketing continuing care in a community setting. My most recent position as Move Management Coordinator for a new independent / assisted living and memory care community has afforded me firsthand insight into the many challenges and difficulties seniors and their families face when transitioning from their homes to senior communities -- the thought of downsizing, preparing to sell your home, the actual sale and physical move --- can be daunting to say the least! I am a strong proponent of the BrightStar model because our focus is to support seniors by providing excellent care and services in the comfort of their own homes.  As Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz said, "There's no place like home."

I have been in the healthcare field for over 20 years. I began as a CNA then received my BSN from University of Illinois at Chicago. My nursing journey has included being a travel nurse, nurse supervisor, staff educator, cardiac, ICU, and home health nurse. While in school, I always aspired to work in public health or home health. I enjoy caring for people in the comfort of their own home/community. I hope that I play a part in clients staying comfortable and well in their own home.

I have been a part of the BrightStar Care family for 8 years. Starting as a caregiver and earning my way to a Registered Nurse has taught me the importance of communication between the clients and the Healthcare team. As a Nurse Coordinator I plan to help bridge that gap to ensure the best possible care for our clients. Outside of work I am spending time with my 4-year-old son and teaching him all life has to offer. I am continuing as a full-time nursing student with an end goal of Nurse Practitioner. I look forward to getting to know our clients and developing more positive relationships.

I have been in the healthcare field for over 10 years. I started my healthcare journey as a CNA, during that time I worked in an assisted living that specialized in the geriatric population and dementia care. During my time as a CNA I furthered my education and received my Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Saint Francis Medical Center. After graduation I transitioned to bedside nursing as a Pediatric nurse at the Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria.  In my free time I enjoy spending time with my 4-year-old son Jonah, my wonderful husband Jordan and our two spunky dogs Carly and Max. I look forward to working at Brightstar as a Care Coordinator and helping our wonderful clients and their families in their home setting.

I have been in the health field for ten years, four of those years have been in Healthcare Management. I am a mommy to two beautiful children.  In my leisure time, I like to take photos either behind or in front of the camera. I have an interest in fashion and design, but my heart is in helping others. My personal goal is to make a difference in someone else’s life.  I am happy to be part of the BrightStar team, their high standards will assist me in achieving my goals.

I have 5 years of recruiting experience. Prior to recruiting I was a CNA for one year. I enjoy working with others and I continuously strive to help find the best and brightest talent to join our team! I am very grateful to be part of such a great team at Brightstar and look forward to advancing my career in the healthcare industry. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my family and going on adventures with my friends.

I have been in the healthcare field for over 5 years. I started my journey as a CNA in a memory care unit. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be able to grow and learn new things. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and my 1-year-old daughter. I am honored to be a part of the Brightstar team and look forward to advancing my career. 

I have over 25 years in business and health field, including medical billing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and collections.  I have worked in multiple settings from private duty to a hospital environment. I am a mother to two beautiful daughters.  In my leisure time, I like to work on cars, watch old horror movies, and spend time with my daughters.  I am very happy to be a member of the Brightstar team and look forward to expanding my knowledge and career. 

I have many years of customer service experience and love working in a field where I can help people.  I’m very friendly and like to laugh.  I have three boys and a girl who, with my husband, make life adventurous and worth living. After eight years, I’m still excited for what’s to come working at BrightStar.  I believe some of the key ingredients for success at our company are dedication and teamwork and I am honored to be part of the team.