Our Staff at BrightStar Care® Park Ridge

With three grandparents who battled and ultimately succumbed to Alzheimer's disease, Don, like so many members of our BrightStar team, knows what it is like to care for a family member in need. Our team cared for Don’s beloved grandmother, Angelina, who has since passed, and continues to care for his mom. As an owner of the company since 2008 and in his current role as President, Don is responsible for the overall operations of BrightStar Care. His dedication to innovation ensures that we are in constant pursuit of improving the care we provide. His free time is dedicated to his wife, Natalie, his son Enzo, and his family’s Aussiedoodle, Stella.

Gail has over 30 years of home health experience. In her role at BrightStar, Gail oversees the nursing and caregiver teams and coordinates their orientation and training.  Gail conducts chart audits, performance improvement activities and quality assurance projects to ensure that BrightStar is always rendering the best care possible. She promotes professionalism among her nurses and encourages them to acquire new clinical skills.  Gail also teaches her nurses how to manage a caseload of clients using organizational skills.  Gail has an active weekend life with her husband, grandchildren, and dog Chopper!

As our Director of Operations, Crystal leads, manages, and holds all agency staff accountable to deliver consistent, safe, compassionate, and high-quality care to every client. She is the one who makes sure all of our clients, both individuals and organizations, receive the appropriate staff to fit their particular needs. In her tenure at BrightStar, Crystal has served in almost every capacity. She began as a Staff Nurse, providing care for our clients, then as a RN Care Manager providing client care oversight, followed by serving as our Director of Nursing and now as our Director of Operations. She truly understands what it takes to provide quality care for our clients and the service that their families expect. Outside of the office, you will almost certainly find her head in a book, or her feet in the sand, or both!

Karol is the heart of our office - always focused on making sure we start our days with gratitude and stay focused on making a difference in the lives of our clients and employees. Her background in healthcare leadership allows Karol to fill just about any role, but connecting with people as Recruiting Manager is where she truly shines. By the time our recruits first meet Karol face to face, they already feel like family. She is a natural teacher and excels at guiding and preparing our staff to provide compassionate, client-centered care in the homes of our clients. She is dedicated to ensuring that our Caregivers and CNAs are shining examples of our organization’s core values. Karol never misses an opportunity to Make it Great and Serve with Passion. Her positive energy, compassion, and love for others are palpable. When she’s not connecting with our staff, she is enjoying time with her husband and extensive family of five marvelous children and a wild, lovable dog named Luna.

As a Scheduling Manager at BrightStar Care, Sonia plays a vital role in matching clients with compassionate caregivers. She collaborates closely with our Nurse Case Managers and other team members to ensure each caregiver is thoughtfully matched based on skills, personality, and availability. Her passion for delivering service excellence and reliability makes her a trusted advocate for clients, families, and staff. With both precision and heart, she helps deliver the personalized, high-quality care that embodies BrightStar’s core values. In her free time, Sonia enjoys spending time with her husband, family, grandchildren, as well as cherishing moments with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Roscoe.

Cheryl received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Oklahoma- "Boomer Sooner!" , but it is her personal experience of caring for her own mother that has prepared her for her career at BrightStar and working with clients and families. "I personally understand the challenges and daily stress of caring for a loved one-the role reversal and making decisions and providing care for my mother with Alzheimer's Disease. It is my greatest joy to bring comfort and peace of mind to the families I work with- knowing we have been able to keep their loved one safe, independent, fulfilled, and happy in their home."

Since joining BrightStar Care in 2013, Linda has brought a wealth of experience in healthcare, senior living, and elder resources all rooted in her passion for helping others, from children to seniors. Her professional journey and dedication to care have led her to serve multiple terms on the board of the Chicago Chapter of the Case Management Society of America (CMSA). She is also actively involved in Aging Care Connections and various local health and wellness organizations. Outside of work, Linda is an avid Shetland Sheepdog (Sheltie) enthusiast. She has earned multiple championships and performance titles with her dogs and enjoys helping others achieve success in the field as well.

Julie's primary focus is to provide appropriate staffing at all the facilities that we serve.  She develops lasting relationships with our facility staffing partners and our talented CNAs as well. Julie's upbeat personality and "can do" attitude enables her to satisfy the needs of various facilities, no matter how complex their requests may be. Julie is the ultimate team player and is quick to assist others in any way she can.  Outside of BrightStar, Julie’s attention is focused on being a doting aunt and pampering her cat, Munchie.

Alyssa earned her degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from National Louis University. With experience ranging from managing a chiropractic office to volunteering with children at a local park district, she now serves as our Human Resource Coordinator. She handles field staff onboarding, employee recognition, and serves as the editor of our employee newsletter, among other responsibilities. Known for her warm, approachable nature, Alyssa fosters a welcoming culture for our field staff. Outside of work, she enjoys gardening, creating recipes with homegrown vegetables, reading and spending time outdoors.

Janice’s voice is sure to be your first introduction to BrightStar Care. She quickly attends to the needs of all of our telephone inquiries. Janice supports Operations and HR with special projects and regulatory compliance. Her attention to detail is unmatched and has earned her the nickname of our Auditor-in-Chief! Once her audits prove our excellence in compliance, she spends her time with her three loving daughters, 6 amazing grandchildren, and a feisty Bichon named Bebe. 

Ursula brings a wealth of experience to her role as Nurse Care Manager. She has worked with developmentally delayed adults, as an Emergency Room nurse, as a Medical/Surgical nurse, and a Hospice Case Manager before joining our BrightStar team. In her capacity as RN Care Manager, Ursula is responsible for managing the care of existing clients, completing assessments and plans of care for new clients, education, and oversight of unlicensed staff, and completing a variety of clinical nursing activities.
 

Having recently been involved with the care of her own father, Jo-Ann knows what it is like to provide care for a parent in need. Jo-Ann is an experienced nurse with a great background for a Nurse Care Manager. She has worked in schools, long-term care, case management, and home health. As a Certified Rehabilitation Nurse, she is uniquely qualified to guide our clients on their road to recovery and promote health and safety. Jo-Ann is a valuable resource for our staff, clients and families alike.