Leadership Team

Bernard Markey
Managing Partner Board of Directors

Bernard Markey is a Director of FirstLight Home Care. Bernard has comprehensive financial experience, including more than 20 years in a series of private equity leadership roles. He is co-founder and managing partner of Navigator Partners, and he has led companies in a variety of industries either as chairman or from a board-level responsibility. He previously held positions in marketing with IBM; sales management with Mentor Computer Systems; and he was a financial analyst with U.S. Golf Management, Inc.

Bill Stewart
Managing Partner Board of Directors

Bill Stewart is a Director of FirstLight Home Care. Bill has extensive investing, operating and turnaround experience and is a partner at Navigator Partners. He has successfully led organizations from a series of different roles, including chief financial officer, managing director and board advisor. Bill is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Glee McAnanly
President

Glee McAnanly is President of FirstLight Home Care. Glee leads the company to help drive sustainable growth and further our long-term company vision and Culture of Care. She has more than 30 years of franchise leadership experience, including extensive expertise in owner operations. Prior to FirstLight Home Care, Glee was Chief Development Officer, as well as Chief Franchisee Relations Officer for ServiceMaster’s five franchise brands: AmeriSpec, Furniture Medic, Merry Maids, ServiceMaster Clean and ServiceMaster Restore. Glee held a number of positions while serving at the home office, nearly all in operational leadership roles where she most enjoyed the leadership and development of 32 Business Development Directors and consultants. Glee’s husband, Jim, owned ServiceMaster franchises in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island for 24 years. Glee, Jim and their two boys, Austin (16) and Connor (13), reside in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Kerri Pendley
Vice President of Strategy

Kerri Pendley joined FirstLight Home Care in January 2018 as Director of Healthcare Strategy and National Alliances. She was promoted to Vice President of Strategy in 2020. Kerri has more than 21 years of experience in healthcare operations, business development, mergers & acquisitions and start-ups. Her career started in long-term care facilities as a social service / admissions director and then as a licensed nursing home administrator. From there, her career path led to multi-state executive management experience with medical adult day programs, home care and clinical programs. Kerri has served as a board member for Illinois and Tennessee state Home Care Associations, as well as the National Adult Day Services Association.

Kelley R. Hill, MSN, RN
Executive Director of Compliance and Clinical Services

Kelley R. Hill is Executive Director of Compliance and Clinical Services for FirstLight Home Care. Kelley leads overall compliance and clinical services, including licensure and regulatory guidance, Healthcare Solutions growth and support, post-acute model implementation, and policy and procedure management for home care and skilled nursing, among other responsibilities. She serves as a subject matter expert, collaborating with the FirstLight leadership team to integrate holistic clinical initiatives, and guiding franchisees through all aspects of non-skilled and skilled care delivery. Kelley is Master's-prepared RN with 15 years of experience - from frontline to corporate - in acute, community, long-term, legal, academic, and home health care settings. Her areas of specialty include emergency services, mental and behavioral health, palliative and hospice care, and infection control. She is a member of the American Nurses Association (ANA), Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC), and the International Association of Interviewers (IAI). Kelley also is an adjunct professor at Xavier University, an active volunteer with Letters Against Depression, and a freelance writer in healthcare for Upwork.

CAROL NELSON, RN, BSN, MBA
Healthcare Solutions Manager

Carol Nelson is Manager of FirstLight Healthcare Solutions. In this role, Carol is responsible for developing, promoting and implementing FirstLight Healthcare Solutions for franchise owners who choose to offer this program in their market. Carol has extensive experience with Medicare and private duty home care services, Hospice and Assisted Living. She has been responsible for assuring profitability for a newly acquired Assisted Living Facility, as well as its build out from 26 to 120 apartments. She also initiated a palliative care program for hospice in Florida. Prior to joining FirstLight, Carol was a home health consultant. Carol is a member of the Case Management Society of America and the Home Care Association of America. She is a local speaker for home care and hospice education and an active volunteer in her church.

Amy Swan
National Alliance Manager

Amy Swan is National Alliance Manager for FirstLight Home Care. Amy helps oversee partnerships with FirstLight’s National Alliances Providers and Paid Lead Sources, and she assists franchise owners with building valuable alliance relationships at the local franchise level. Amy's work career was in sales management. This experience allowed her the opportunity to develop leadership, team building and communication skills. Amy decided to leave the retail management arena in 2018. Her passion migrated toward home care/senior care, and she began her career at FirstLight with a genuine desire to make a difference and help others. Amy is supported by her husband and two vivacious teenagers who keep her super busy outside of work.

Mark Vanase
Executive Vice President of Business Development & Field Operations

Mark Vanase is Executive Vice President of Business Development & Field Operations for FirstLight Home Care. Mark works alongside the business development team to provide leadership and support to help FirstLight franchisees grow their businesses, while also ensuring a commitment to policies, processes and best practices. Mark brings a wealth of franchising, operations and leadership expertise, having worked with the ServiceMaster family of brands for 25 years. He also has extensive experience leading large field operations teams. Most recently, Mark was Vice President-North American Operations for ServiceMaster Restore. Mark is also an International Franchise Association Certified Franchise Executive.

Jeff Goebel
Vice President of Continuous Improvement

Jeff Goebel is Vice President of Continuous Improvement for FirstLight Home Care. Jeff analyzes the company’s current processes, practices and tools to identify areas that can be improved, as well as recommends and/or develops alternate processes, practices and tools that are beneficial to the overall success of the franchise system. Jeff brings significant industry knowledge to the corporate team, having owned a successful franchise for another home care company where he oversaw all business operations. His franchise was frequently ranked as the top office in the Midwest and one of the top 10 offices in the nation. Jeff’s other business ventures included real estate, manufacturing and electrical systems.

Terri Zimmer, CFE
Vice President of Field Operations

Terri Zimmer is Vice President of Field Operations for FirstLight Home Care. Her primary responsibilities include supporting and managing our Business Development Director team in the western regions of the U.S., as well as leading field operational support and ensuring maximum success for FirstLight franchise owners in her own region. Terri brings more than 25 years of experience in the staffing and home care industries; 10 years as owner-operator of multi-unit/multi-state home care franchise; and expertise running franchise operations, sales and marketing, recruiting and finance. Terri’s passion for senior care and desire to serve others is evident in the time she devotes to volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association, Cancer Services, Serving Our Seniors and CASA. Terri also is a member of the Home Care Association of America.

Dan Deak
Business Development Director, Launch Specialist

Dan Deak is Business Development Director, Launch Specialist for new FirstLight franchise owners. Dan is responsible for coaching all new franchisees during the launch phase by guiding them through the processes of business formation, licensing and planning. He will help owners build a strong foundation for growth and equip them with the tools they need to build a thriving business that provides exceptional client care. Dan previously worked for one of the largest nonprofit hospice providers in the country. There he built several home care agencies and was responsible for all aspects of operations, such as creating business plans, establishing operational policies, securing financing, obtaining licensure and developing business for the agencies. Dan holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance and an MBA in Healthcare Management. He belongs to the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives™ (ICFE) and is pursuing the Certified Franchise Executive™ (CFE) designation.

Kevin Samov
Business Development Director, Central Region

Kevin Samov is Business Development Director for FirstLight franchisees in the Central region. He is responsible for consulting with franchisees and their teams to help them develop and maintain a thriving home care business. His focus is to ensure franchisees grow their businesses profitably through strong operational and sales processes. Kevin's most recent position was Senior Manager of Franchisee Training for all ServiceMaster brands, where he focused primarily on new owner development, as well as on creating sales processes and strategies for the ServiceMaster Restore brand. Kevin also led an 18- month network-wide project to increase franchisee engagement and utilization of the ServiceMaster Restore Claims Management software system. Kevin is active in his church, where he and his wife, Dianne, spent a number of years leading the pre-marriage mentoring program.

Joni Hemmis
Business Development Director, East Region

Joni Hemmis is Business Development Director for FirstLight franchise owners in the East region. Joni leads field support efforts to maximize the success of the franchise territories in her region. This includes driving franchise growth, ensuring compliance with brand standards and helping franchisees achieve operational excellence. Joni has 20 years of experience working in the home health care field in various roles, including Scheduling, Human Resources, Payroll, Marketing, Billing, Accounting, Quality Assurance, Risk Management and Client Service Management. She also owned an independent full-service home health care company with two locations in Virginia for 14 years. Both locations were accredited by the The Joint Commission and were Medicare and Medicaid Certified to provide skilled and non-skilled care to patients in their homes. Joni has owned and ridden horses most of her life, and she loves spending time on the beach.

Daryl Beckles
Director of Recruiting and Retention

Daryl Beckles is Director of Recruiting and Retention for FirstLight Home Care. She is a key lead on the Operations team, focused on assisting franchise support team members to establish and enhance core talent attraction, retention and engagement procedures, as well as best practices for franchisees. Additionally, she offers expert insight on the analysis, selection, development and implementation of talent technology systems and recruiting analytics, while ensuring the FirstLight Culture of Care is woven into operational and business models. Daryl is a relationship builder and has a passion for people. She has more than 20 years of experience in organizational development and has served as a board member for several organizations.

Danielle Cantin
Vice President of Branding, Marketing & Communications

Danielle Cantin is Vice President of Branding, Marketing & Communications for FirstLight Home Care. Danielle oversees market research, development, various marketing strategies and communications for the company. A strategic and creative leader, Danielle has developed effective solutions for a variety of clients, particularly helping companies with multiple locations work together to create a unified brand experience. Her brand leadership expertise and passion for the senior community have helped companies serving seniors create positive, engaging experiences for their clients. Danielle is a well-respected senior brand expert, speaking at expos and leadership conferences, and she is always pursuing advanced education and training opportunities.

Cresta Lewis
Public Relations and Social Media Manager

Cresta Lewis is Public Relations and Social Media Manager for FirstLight Home Care. Cresta helps to amplify the FirstLight brand and increase awareness and engagement both nationally and regionally through public relations and social media initiatives. Additionally, she oversees content development, as well as reputation and reviews management. Cresta is a seasoned marketing communications and PR professional specializing in communications strategy and execution, public relations, social media, content creation and writing/editing. She has a journalism background and more than 20 years of experience in the communications industry. Cresta previously served as Counselor for a PR agency; PR Director for a full-service advertising agency; and she operated her own communications consulting business. She has an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for sharing brand stories.

Allyson Waters
Director of Marketing

Allyson Waters is Director of Marketing for FirstLight Home Care. In this role, Allyson ensures FirstLight brand standards are consistent across all channels by managing the design, creation and customization of the company’s marketing tools, advertisements, collateral pieces, event materials, video assets and more. She is a creative leader with extensive experience in project management, sales and marketing, as well as the cultural development and training of team members. Prior to joining FirstLight, she served as SVP Marketing Director for Cole Taylor Mortgage, and she managed her own marketing consultancy business whose primary client was a 26-unit senior living community. Allyson is committed to supporting individual FirstLight franchise owners to help them build successful businesses. Allyson’s personal passions include food, wine, travel, reading and pet rescue and rehabilitation.

Bianca Costanzo
Marketing Manager

Bianca Costanzo is Marketing Manager for FirstLight Home Care. Bianca provides overall support to the marketing team by managing creative/design projects. She also ensures brand standards are maintained across the FirstLight system by assisting franchise owners with the creation and customization of local advertisements, marketing collateral pieces, social media/email marketing assets and more. Bianca has worked in several industries, including higher education, medical nonprofits, home construction and now in-home care allowing her skill sets to become diversified and specialized. Bianca enjoys traveling, and she has a passion for giving back. She has been an active volunteer with Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Alzheimer's Association. Additionally, she is a five-time hair donor for Pantene Beautiful Lengths.

Kevin Hiler
Vice President of Technology

Kevin Hiler is Vice President of Technology for FirstLight Home Care. Kevin oversees the migration process of the company’s advanced home care software solution. He also guides and manages the technology platforms across the FirstLight location network serving more than 200 markets across the U.S. and Canada. Kevin has more than 20 years of home care and healthcare technology experience in both industry and consulting. Most recently, he has held IT leadership positions for a leading home health and hospice company and a global med device company. Kevin has also volunteered his time as a board member for the Council on Alcohol and Drugs.

Perry Pruett
Executive Director of Technology Platform Services

Perry Pruett is Executive Director of Technology Platform Services for FirstLight Home Care. Perry is responsible for the leadership, support and strategy of technology applications and expansions for FirstLight franchisees and the franchisor system. He brings more than 30 years of Operations and IT experience within the Home Care, Home Health and Hospice industries, and he previously served as Vice President of IT Systems for several leading providers. He has been involved in major operations of front office and back office systems, as well as the implementation of two electronic health record systems for more than 400 offices.

Kim McGraw
Vice President of Human Resources and Talent Acquisition

Kim McGraw is Vice President of Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She joined FirstLight Home Care with 20+ years of global and regional Human Resource leadership experience with Procter & Gamble. As a collaborative and strategic leader, Kim is responsible for all aspects of Human Resources and Client Care Services, including accelerating the company’s national recruiting platform, enabling Culture of Care across the business model, and driving the development of diverse talent, systems and capabilities, relative to franchisors and franchisees. Kim has a BS in Human Services, an MS in Organizational Leadership, and she fosters a collaborative and inclusive environment. Her personal passion for caregiving and advocacy is unmatched, and she demonstrates her passion for health and wellness as a Group Strength Fitness Instructor at her local community center.

Darleen Poe
Chief Financial Officer

Darleen Poe is Chief Financial Officer for FirstLight Home Care. She is responsible for the overall financial functions of the company, as well as overseeing the assistance provided to our franchise owners in the area of QuickBooks support. Darleen has more than 25 years of experience in a variety of financial roles in the healthcare industry. Most recently, she spent more than 11 years as the VP of Finance for a large healthcare chain in California. Darleen also spent five years at a software development company, working predominantly in implementation and sales. Darleen is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and she is an active volunteer with her local church.

Lisa Reed
Accounts Receivable/Revenue Cycle Manager

Lisa Reed is Accounts Receivable/Revenue Cycle Manager for FirstLight Home Care. She is responsible for training and supporting franchise owners in optimizing their 3rd party cash flow. Lisa has more than 15 years of medical management and billing experience. She has experience with physician, infusion therapy, behavioral health and hospital billing in which she managed billing and collections from the VA, Medicaid, Medicare, Commercial, Long-term Care and Workers’ Compensation payers. Lisa received her Bachelors of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and worked in radio and television until moving on to retail management and now healthcare management.

Jamie Davis
Executive Director of Franchise Development

Jamie Davis is Executive Director of Franchise Development for FirstLight Home Care. Jamie leads the Franchise Development team to ensure that the company is attracting and selecting franchise owners who personify the FirstLight Culture of Care. His goal is to develop and maintain an ongoing strategy that allows FirstLight Home Care to grow in a responsibly aggressive way. Jamie has 14 years of experience in franchise development, serving in executive director roles at Primrose Schools and Donatos Pizza. He is a member of the International Franchise Association and has served as Charter President of a unique Rotary International Club in Columbus, Ohio.

Sarah Holmes
Franchise Development Intake Coordinator

Sarah Holmes is Franchise Development Intake Coordinator for FirstLight Home Care. Sarah manages inquiries and information to assess and potentially qualify franchise candidates. She works closely with the Franchise Development Director to organize intake data and schedule initial appointments with pre-qualified candidates. She also coordinates Meet the Team day logistics and prepares Franchise Agreements for new sales and transfers. Sarah’ previous position with FirstLight was Quality Assurance Coordinator where she performed quality assurance reviews of client care agreements.