Meet Our Team

Jeremy has worked in higher education and healthcare, including the healthcare community in central and south Texas, for over 20 years. He has built strong relationships with neurologists and the medical community in the surrounding area. In college, Jeremy worked as a care giver and has fond memories of escorting his elderly friend to the country club!  

Sylvia has worked in the special needs field her entire career and serves as an advocate to families with children with special needs. She worked as a care giver to children while she was in college, one being a live-in position.

Additionally, Jeremy and Sylvia have personal experience understanding the challenges, complexities, and joys of being a care giver to a loved one, as their daughter has a rare genetic syndrome. Jeremy and Sylvia feel their professional and personal experiences have prepared them well to serve you and/or your loved one. They are deeply passionate about serving others and believe their clients and families deserve dignity and compassion. Their strongest desire is to provide compassionate care within a strong culture of excellence.

Melisa moved to Texas from Arizona in July 2021. She and her family relocated to New Braunfels to be closer to her husband's brother, and they are enjoying this new life here.

Her health care career started in 2011 when she completed her bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration. She started working as a Senior Living Administrator in 2018 and in 2021 decided to make the change to home care. Melisa is passionate about helping seniors live with dignity, comfort, and joy. Her Great Aunt and Uncle assisted with her upbringing, and they are the reason she chose this career path. They raised her to love and follow Christ and helped shape her into the person she is today. She had the privilege of caring for them for two years and being part of their final years on earth. That experience inspired her to pursue senior living and make a difference in the lives of others. She is excited to join this team and contribute to the quality of care for our clients.

In her spare time, she enjoys family movie nights, reading, music, writing, anything to do with the outdoors, and traveling. She has two children; Hannah,17, and Ethan, 16. She has four pets: 2 Siberian Huskies, a chihuahua and a kitten. They keep her happy and busy!

Carla is a Client Care Manager at Home Instead. Carla meets with prospective clients to assess their current service needs then creates an Individual Service Plan. This plan outlines all tasks required for caregivers to assist with personal care, home helper duties as well as social engagement and safety.  She conducts on-going Quality Assurance visits with clients to review and update the service plan, assess their well-being and assure client and family satisfaction.

Carla was born in Evansville, IN and graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administration. She received her Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs. She began her career with Karrington Health (purchased by Sunrise Senior Living) in Columbus, OH as Sales and Marketing Director in an Assisted Living Community. She continued in the Assisted Living industry in positions of Executive Director and Regional Operations Director in states including Ohio, New Mexico and Colorado. While taking a few years off from the Senior care industry, she volunteered in her kids’ schools, was a substitute teacher and a private caregiver for an elderly couple. Prior to Home Instead, Carla worked at Elan Westpointe as the Community Relations/Marketing Director under Life Care Services management company.

Carla has a son in the Army and a daughter in college. They moved to Austin, TX from Cincinnati, OH in 2011, then to New Braunfels, TX in 2014. In her spare time, she likes to vacation on the beach, visit family and friends in Indian and Ohio, and play pickleball.

Jenny lives in New Braunfels, Texas where she was born and raised. She graduated from Texas State University in May of 2022 with a bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science. She worked in a physical therapy clinic as a technician before joining our team. Jenny has a passion for helping others and hopes to make a positive impact on people's lives here at Home Instead. In her free time, Jenny loves working out, being with family and friends, cooking, and spending time outdoors.

​Maria Harrington is the Home Care Consultant for Home Instead. Maria works with area physicians, home health agencies, hospice nurses and many other health care professionals to ensure community awareness of the services we offer Seniors as well as coordinate services among our clients’ providers.

Maria shares a vibrant life with her husband Dan and three children Lyla, Jonah and Jesse and a sweet malti-poo Ringo Star. They have lived all over Southwest Texas but find themselves currently living in San Antonio. She graduated from Texas State University in Communication Design and has creatively pursued a variety of paths that have led her to Home Instead. 

Maria has a servant's heart and is passionate about helping to grow the connections in the community. She feels grateful to be a part of the Home Instead team in this season of life. Maria spends her free time volunteering at church, creating, organizing, baking or taking care of her family. 

Originally from Kentucky, Destiny moved to New Braunfels with her husband in 2021. They share 2 grown children and are enjoying the season of grandparenting. In her spare time, she enjoys time with family and friends, traveling, being on the water and studying the Bible. Destiny worked as an office manager at an Animal Hospital for 17 years, before moving to Texas in 2018. Once moving to Texas she excepted an admin position at her church where she worked until 2023. Her background is in HR management where she holds a SHRM-CP certification.  

Sarina was born in California and moved to Texas in 1999. She's always been the one to take care of family as they were aging or ill and finding a career in caring for others was a natural progression. Taking care of others and serving those who take care of us is one of the most important things to her. She worked with one family for 16 years caring for their son with special needs. Sarina moved to the New Braunfels area in 2018 with her husband, children, and dogs. Sarina joined Home In 2021 and quickly became a Lead Care Pro with a focus on conducting Orientation classes with new Care Pros. She is a self-proclaimed foodie and loves organizing.

Originally from Louisiana, Krystal is a Home Instead transplant from Phoenix Az where she served as Scottsdale's Client Care Coordinator for 3 years. She is a mother of 1, with one more on the way. She enjoys reading, being outdoors, and gaming. She has a real passion for people and has a servants heart. Raised by her grandparents, Krystal began her journey in senior healthcare at home. She served actively in many memory care units, worked privately with clients, and with many organizations and ultimately finding her home with Home Instead. She is excited to continue her journey here in Texas.

Born in Texas, Jessica was raised in Durango, Colorado. She graduated High school in 2011 and moved back to Texas to go to college. Jessica’s two year old son is the light of her life, and she considers him God’s greatest blessing in her life. She has a strong desire to help others, and she strives each day to make a difference in people’s lives. Prior to joining the Home Instead team, Jessica managed a small hotel in New Braunfels for a few years. In her free time, she enjoys being with family, writing, and enjoying the water. 

Celeste lives in Seguin, TX and has served her community in many ways. She was a police office for 7 years before utilizing her criminal justice background as an Investigator working for Child Protective Services. Celeste spent two years teaching criminal justice to spend more time with her son and daughter and is back working fulltime at for Child Protective Services. In addition to holding these very demanding fulltime positions, Celeste has been the On Call Supervisor for Home Instead since 2019. Her hobbies include her rescue dogs and spending time with family. 

Lisa Ruiz-Burchfield joined the Home Instead family in 2019 as a CAREGiver, and became Lead Care Pro in August of 2021

Lisa is a military brat and has lived in several Texas towns since she was little and has lived in New Braunfels since 2015. Lisa worked years in retail and wanted a second, more fulfilling job. She heard about Home Instead from a neighbor, and after 8 months, decided to work full-time for Home Instead because of how rewarding it was to help others. 

Lisa is a mother of two boys that are her life, along with her two dogs and two cats. Lisa enjoys camping, floating the Guadalupe River, and hanging out with family.

Pastor Heather is available to help with the spiritual and/or emotional needs of our Care Professionals and Key Players through active listening and/or prayer. Pastor Heather is also available to help with bereavement support, encouragement and empathy in bad news and encouragement and celebration in good news.