At the heart of our exceptional care is our exceptional team.

Jim Kimzey is founder and CEO of Tender Rose Dementia Care Specialists, the nation’s only health services company exclusively dedicated to one-on-one dementia care. Before starting Tender Rose, Jim had more than 20 years of healthcare experience educating physicians, nurses and other caregivers on how to use new technologies for diagnosis and treatment of disease and to enhance patient safety. Jim holds a Bachelor's degree in economics and an MBA from Stanford University.

Teri grew up in a small town in Iowa. In high school, she earned her CNA license and then worked in skilled nursing on and off for five years with thoughts of potentially pursuing a nursing career. After some exploration in college, Teri found her true passion lies in human psychology and behavior, and she received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in the Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania. As Vice President of Operations at Tender Rose, Teri is responsible for managing and supporting the agency's leadership team and providing ongoing management of HR and operations policies, procedures and projects. In her free time, Teri enjoys running, hiking, singing, watching live music and writing.

After spending 18 years in the non-profit sector, directing an adult day program and co-directing a health and wellness program, Wendy joined Tender Rose in 2014 as the company’s Director of Care Management. In her role, Wendy provides ongoing support for clients and their families and coaches caregivers in ways to improve the quality of life for their clients who have dementia. Wendy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance from UCI, an MA in Gerontology from San Francisco State University and is a Certified PAC Trainer.

Karoline moved to the SF Bay Area from Brazil when she was ten years old and later studied at San Francisco State University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Adolescent Development, as well as a certificate in Human Resources Management. As Vice President of Staffing, Karoline leads our team of Staffing Managers, managing every aspect of the company’s hiring, staffing, and scheduling needs. Karoline describes herself as a very optimistic person who loves to make people laugh, and she spends most of her leisure time with her family, dancing, hiking or bike riding.

Amanda joined Tender Rose as the Director of Marketing & Communications in 2015 after spending more than fifteen years working in advertising, healthcare marketing, and dementia care communications. She is responsible for driving the agency’s marketing efforts to support business development and caregiver recruitment. Amanda earned her Bachelor’s degree in advertising from San Jose State University and spent part of her college career studying abroad at Oriel College in Oxford, England.

After leading the business development efforts for a prominent traditional home care agency for nearly four years, Paula Marks joined the Tender Rose team in 2016. As Tender Rose's Vice President of Care Partnerships, Paula interfaces with the local community, referral sources, and families to educate them about securing the highest quality one-on-one dementia care possible through Tender Rose. Paula comes to her position from a long career devoted to helping others in both the public and private sectors. She holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Criminology from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.

Mike joined Tender Rose as a Memory Care Professional (MCP) in 2012 and has worked in the healthcare field in various roles for over 25 years. Before coming to work for Tender Rose, Mike worked in clinical research as a Research Coordinator and then cared for family members at the end-of-life, inspiring him to change his career path and do something meaningful in the field of caregiving. As the Director of Training and Education, Mike is responsible for providing ongoing training for all of Tender Rose’s current employees and new hires on person-based approach techniques which help raise the quality of life for those living with dementia.

Sadaf joined Tender Rose as the company’s HR Generalist, Payroll and Benefits Manager after spending more than eight years working in the construction industry as an HR Manager. She is responsible for providing human resources and benefits support to the agency’s more than 100 employees. Sadaf earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources from San Jose State University.

Eric joined Tender Rose in 2020 as the agency’s Information Technology Manager, and he brings two decades of technology experience to his role. Prior to Tender Rose, Eric supported the IT functions at companies across myriad sectors, including healthcare, biotech, and professional services. Eric hails from Salt Lake City, Utah, but he has called the Bay Area home for many years.

Courtney is a Bay Area native and moved to San Francisco in 2002. After working in finance for thirteen years as an event planner and bookkeeper, Courtney was thrilled to bring her organizational prowess and big heart to the field of healthcare. She is responsible for managing Tender Rose’s invoicing, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and bookkeeping. In her free time, Courtney likes to read, travel, hike, and hang out with her husband and two nutty cats.

Cindy joined Tender Rose Dementia Care Specialists in 2020 as a Staffing Manager. In her role, she works closely with the agency’s more than 100 Memory Care Professionals, offering ongoing guidance, support, and coaching. Prior to Tender Rose, Cindy worked in the medical field for more than 20 years, first at a large podiatry company and later a large corporate dental facility in a management position.

Cindy is no stranger to the world of caregiving, having cared for her grandfather as he battled cancer, and currently managing care for her grandmother, who is living with dementia. Cindy was born in Philadelphia, moved to Virginia when she turned 20 and recently relocated to Marin County in the SF Bay Area. In her free time, Cindy lives for excitement; some of her favorite activities include skydiving, zip lines, sports, and attending sporting events.

Years ago, Laisani left her job in finance with a major oil company to pursue a career in caregiving; she spent the better part of 14 years working with seniors in their homes and residential care facilities to improve their quality of life. Compelled by the company’s mission and values, Laisani joined Tender Rose in 2012 as a Memory Care Professional. She quickly learned that providing exceptional, person-centered care to clients with dementia dramatically improves their quality of life.

In 2018, Laisani decided to apply her skills and understanding of dementia care and accepted a position as Scheduler with Tender Rose, and in 2020, Laisani transitioned to the role of Staffing Manager. In her current role, she works closely with the agency’s more than 100 Memory Care Professionals, offering ongoing guidance, support, and coaching. When she’s not at work, Laisani enjoys traveling, hiking, snorkeling, reading, and spending time with family. 

At the age of ten, Lucero was called upon to help care for her grandmother who was living with dementia. This formative experience left a profound and lasting impact; Lucero always found joy in knowing she could bring a smile to her grandmother’s face and make her days a little bit brighter. Lucero later pursued caregiving and spent six years working with adults with disabilities, chronic illnesses, and dementia. After earning her CNA and HHA licenses, she worked her way up at a local retirement community, from Caregiver to Medication Manager to Office Manager. Lucero joined Tender Rose in 2019 as a Scheduler, excited to bring both her passion for dementia care and administrative acumen to the lives of caregivers, clients, and their families. When she’s not working, Lucero enjoys hiking, watching sports, going to concerts, singing karaoke with her family, and spending time with her daughter.

As Scheduler, Erika is responsible for every aspect of Tender Rose’s scheduling needs, including creating, managing, and maintaining monthly schedules as well as covering time-off requests and call-outs. She also helps to schedule New Hire Orientation (NHO) sessions to facilitate the onboarding of Memory Care Professionals.

Before leaving the Bay Area for Seattle to pursue her Bachelor’s degree, Erika’s career had centered around healthcare research. After graduating, she began working as a Scheduler for a traditional home care agency. In 2011, Erika returned to the Bay Area, newly married and with a young son; she found that caregiving offered the flexibility she needed as a working mom. After caregiving with several other home care agencies, Erika found Tender Rose; the agency’s vision and approach immediately resonated with her. In Erika’s words, “Working as an MCP with Tender Rose, I had all of the support I needed to provide excellent care to my clients and their families.” In 2018, Erika accepted a position as Scheduler with Tender Rose and now works with families and MCPs to create schedules that balance the needs of clients and their caregiving teams. In her free time, Erika enjoys hiking, vegetable gardening, and spending time with her family. 

Kaitlyn's experience with dementia and home care began with her grandparents. She helped her grandfather with his care needs at home and witnessed her grandmother's journey with dementia. These experiences drove her to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others by being a part of an organization where she could truly help people. Kaitlyn joined Tender Rose in 2019 as a Scheduler; her previous experience as a Shift Supervisor at Starbucks has translated seamlessly into helping her create well-balanced client and caregiver schedules. Kaitlyn grew up in Jackson, California, and earned her Bachelor's degree in kinesiology with a concentration in exercise science from Sonoma State University. In her free time, Kaitlyn enjoys going to concerts, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.

Taylor joined Tender Rose as a Scheduler in 2018, working remotely from her hometown in rural Iowa. Prior to working for Tender Rose, Taylor spent nearly a decade in the hospitality and service industry where she worked in a variety of roles, including server, bartender, manager and event coordinator. When she's not working, Taylor enjoys spending time with her pets and keeps busy practicing yoga, hiking, and taking photographs.

Megan is originally from St. Louis, Missouri, but has spent the past several years living, working, and studying in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Megan joined Tender Rose in February 2020 as the agency’s first Overnight Staffing Assistant, supporting clients and MCPs with urgent scheduling needs outside of normal business hours. She was drawn to Tender Rose’s mission after documenting the lives of several Alzheimer’s patients as part of a university class called “Memory & Cognition.”

While attending courses in psychology and organizational science at Coe College, Megan has worked in the AP and HR departments on campus. When she’s not working, Megan enjoys cross-stitch, crochet, playing video games, and hanging out with her cat.

Natalie worked with seniors in facilities for seven years and has been working in the home care industry for more than a decade. She originally joined Tender Rose as a Memory Care Professional (MCP) in 2013 and has been promoted steadily over the years. As a Director of Care Coordination for Tender Rose, Natalie is responsible for monitoring and managing all aspects of her clients’ care needs, as well as supporting a team of Care Coordinators in the field. Natalie is a Certified Medical Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant. Natalie realized early on that caring for seniors was her calling. She understands how one-on-one care can greatly improve a client’s care and life and has always enjoyed working with clients who have dementia. In her free time, Natalie enjoys swimming, gardening, and spending time outdoors with her children and two dogs.

During her teenage years, Debbie’s grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She helped care for her grandfather until he asked to return to the Philippines. At that time, Debbie decided to pursue nursing school at the American College of Nursing where she received her Licensed Vocational Training and then joined Tender Rose as a Memory Care Professional (MCP) in 2014 to work directly with individuals living with dementia. In her current role, as Director of Care Operations for Tender Rose, Debbie is responsible for managing and optimizing operations within the care management department. In her spare time, Debbie enjoys reading Anthropology or Science Fiction-based literature, snowboarding, playing water polo, and playing the guitar or piano.

As a young teenager, Mila helped care for her aunt who was diagnosed with Guillain- Barré syndrome, and later stepped in to support her grandmother who needed a lot of assistance. Those experiences helped shape Mila’s career goals, and she realized that helping make someone’s life easier through skillful care is what she enjoyed doing. She joined Tender Rose as a Memory Care Professional (MCP) in 2016, and now in her role as Care Coordinator, Mila manages the ongoing care needs of her clients, ranging from helping to start new cases to developing comprehensive care plans for caregivers to follow. When she’s not at work, Mila enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

Diana grew up in Fairfield, and her introduction to caregiving began when she enrolled in a program to obtain her CNA license. She realized that providing care directly to seniors was her passion, and shortly thereafter she started working at an assisted living facility as a Resident Assistant. She returned to school for LVN training, worked for several home health agencies, and then decided to put her full attention on seniors living with dementia and joined Tender Rose as a Memory Care Professional (MCP) in 2016. In her current role as a Care Coordinator, Diana manages the ongoing care needs of her clients, ranging from helping to start new cases to developing comprehensive care plans for caregivers to follow. When she’s not working with clients, Diana enjoys hiking, biking, spending time with family and exploring the Bay Area.

Colleen has a rich and diverse professional background in science and healthcare. She originally studied biochemistry with her sights set on becoming a marine biologist. She later applied the skills she acquired in college to the pathology department at Massachusetts General Hospital where she was instrumental in determining diagnoses for cancer and kidney disease patients. After the birth of her three children, Colleen relocated to the SF Bay Area and several years later found her way to caregiving, appreciating the flexibility the schedule offered her as a mom. Colleen was promoted several times at the traditional home care agency where she worked, spanning roles in scheduling, marketing, and operations. She joined Tender Rose in 2016 as a Memory Care Professional (MCP) and was promoted to the role of Care Coordinator in 2019. When she’s not working with clients, Colleen enjoys embroidery, singing in her choir, learning to play the fiddle, and spending time with her children.

In Claudia's native hometown of Mexico City, Mexico, she spent her days teaching English and Spanish to students from all walks of life. When she moved to Reno in 2011, Claudia started caring for a quadriplegic client and realized she had found her calling in caregiving. She later settled in Northern California with her husband, where she continued to care for senior clients in their homes while completing coursework toward her nursing degree. Claudia found her way to Tender Rose in 2017 and worked as a Memory Care Professional for two years before being promoted to the role of Care Coordinator. In her free time, Claudia enjoys going for long drives, nature walks and spending time with her husband, cat, and dog.