Meet Our Team

Southern California has been our home for a long time. Candice moved to Southern California in 1975 days prior to the fall of Saigon in South Vietnam. As this was an unplanned trip, her parents and nine siblings had only a few hours to prepare and take what they could carry in their hands. Jim moved to Southern California 20 years ago for a one-year assignment from Upstate New York, and he never returned to those cold winters. Our children spread their roots in the wonderful San Clemente community, attending Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, San Clemente High School, and various activities throughout South Orange County.

We have a strong desire to build a business that will allow us to do something for the greater good of others. Home Instead, the world's most respected and leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, was the ideal choice. The Home Instead tagline reiterates their caring approach: "To us, it's personal.^®" The opportunity allows us to use what we have learned in our professional careers and our personal experiences caring for loved ones.

Tracy brings over three decades of amazingly diverse experience to Home Instead, caring for people of all ages. Her journey began as a CAREGiver working as a volunteer at a hospital in high school. Tracy then became a teacher’s assistant in a day program for adults with special needs. Her hard work and stellar professionalism led to a staff management position with ARC.

Tracy has also worked as a Case Manager in a brain injury program, a Social Services Director, Case Manager in various Nursing Homes, and finally a Care Specialist in a Day Program for Seniors who had dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Tracy joined Home Instead two years ago after deciding to change paths from director positions and focus more on her home life. Home Instead gave her the opportunity to continue to care for seniors as a CAREGiver while spending more time with her family. Tracy’s mission will be to work with our Home Instead clients, their families, and our CAREGivers to ensure a team approach in providing the most kind, compassionate, and highest quality care possible.

Tracy earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Vanguard University.

Tracy has been married for over 17 years and she has shared in the full-time care of their son who has Autism. In her spare time, Tracy enjoys traveling, outdoor activities, and family time.

Kennedy is our experienced and compassionate Quality Care Specialist, with a strong background in patient care. Her focus is on delivering the highest quality care to our clients and ensuring our CAREGivers have the expertise and confidence to deliver that quality care. Kennedy has over 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry, studying extensively in Healthcare Administration. She has a deep understanding of the complex needs of our loved ones and the importance of coordinating care to ensure optimal outcomes. She is skilled at assessing client needs, developing comprehensive care plans, and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to provide the highest quality of care.

Kennedy possesses strong communication skills, empathy, and the ability to build rapport with clients, families, and healthcare professionals. She has acquired over 14,000 hours of bedside care working as an Emergency Medical Technician in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, clinics, and home care. Kennedy has a solid grasp of healthcare regulations, insurance requirements, and community resources. She will be a strong advocate for our clients and looks forward to empowering them to navigate the healthcare system with confidence.

In addition to her clinical expertise, Kennedy is committed to her ongoing professional development. She prides herself on remaining on the cutting edge of the latest advancements in healthcare management and client advocacy. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Health Science. She is also a dedicated educator and shares her expertise with EMT’s in training, setting them up for success in their future careers.. Kennedy has a robust passion and commitment to preparing others for critical emergency situations which is why she teaches CPR and basic life support techniques.

When she’s not engaged in her professional endeavors, Kennedy cherishes time with her beloved canine companion. Additionally, she finds joy and fulfillment in the discipline and strength-building aspects of powerlifting. This well-rounded approach to life allows Kennedy to recharge and bring her best self to all aspects of her life.

Christine joined Home Instead in February of 2023 as a CAREGiver. Her passion is all about helping others. Christine wakes up each morning striving to embody the spirit of caregiving. She is a servant leader whose heart is committed to making a difference in the lives of everyone she meets. She loves working with and interacting with people. Christine serves as the main point of contact for our dedicated caregivers. She will focus on CAREGiver retention and training.

Christine brings prior experience as an Operations Manager of an Educational Publishing Organization, Production experience, and Business Building experience. We look forward to Christine leveraging her training, mentoring, and managerial experience at Home Instead.

Christine earned her bachelor’s degree in communication at the University of California at Santa Barbara. She focused on interpersonal and organizational communication. Building and maintaining authentic relationships is vital to any organization. Christine looks forward to supporting our clients and caregivers as we continue to provide quality care to our seniors. Christine strives to live by the words of Maya Angelou, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.

Christine lives in San Clemente with her husband, Dan, and their two children Carina (12) and Christopher (8). In her spare time, Christine enjoys going on adventures with her family, attending her children’s sporting events, walking the beautiful ocean trails, playing tennis, dabbling in photography, and meeting up with friends.

Sue is a one of-a-kind professional. Having over 20 years of experience as Operations Manager and Supervisor, she joined Home Instead, September of 2015, as a Client Care Coordinator. Her education and work experience provide the technical skills necessary to help our office integrate and adapt to new technologies, as well as the knowledge to help identify and address potential care issues before they arise. Sue is passionate about ensuring the health and safety of our seniors.

When not in the office, Sue loves playing and spoiling her little Yorkie, Riley, going to the beach, gardening and spending time outside.

Liz has joined us as the service/scheduling coordinator and she brings a wealth of experience to our Home Instead team! Liz has a broad and relevant background in the health services field, with over 14 years of experience that began as a caregiver. Liz has worked as a medical assistant, medication technician, CNA, and scheduler, working with hundreds of clients and medical professionals, both children and older adults in facilities and homes. Liz has her CNA license and is CPR and BLS certified. Liz is also studying to become a Registered Nurse. In her free time, Liz enjoys working out, spending time with her family, and traveling!

Joan joined Home Instead in January of 2023 as the HR and Engagement Coordinator. She jumped right in and began taking caregiving shifts with Home Instead clients. Joan loves the opportunity to serve as a caregiver and she is passionate about making a difference in the lives of the people she serves. Joan is responsible for the recruiting and retention of our amazing team of Home Instead CAREGivers.

She brings three decades of experience in marketing, sales, and professional coaching in organizations including Apple, Microsoft, Fidelity Investments and Ahold. For Joan, Theodore Roosevelt’s sentiments ring true: “People don’t care how much you know (or what you want) until they know how much you care.”

Originally from Massachusetts, Joan moved to California in 2012 to support her then 19-year-old professional skateboarding Daughter, Nora, only to be followed by her Parkour loving son Davis. They both live in Encinitas where they all surf together. In her spare time Joan also enjoys hiking, playing golf, and walking Orange County’s beautiful beaches.

Karen began working at Home Instead as a CAREGiver nearly four years ago. Karen is a Gerontologist with significant experience working in the field of aging and older adults. Karen is responsible for our weekend operations (Client assessments, Quality Assurance, CAREGiver interviews, scheduling, and taking shifts), HR support, and our CAREGiver training program.

Karen earned her bachelor’s degree in public health with a Certification in Gerontology from California State University of Los Angeles and her master's degree in Gerontology from the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. During this time, she completed multiple courses and field practice work that specialized in dementia, longevity, older adult advocacy, and public health.

In Karen’s free time she enjoys taking courses and spending time with her family and two dogs.