FirstLight Home Care Expands Franchise Support Center Team

New team additions, moves and promotions focus on continued franchisee support

CINCINNATI, OHIO – June 23, 2022 – FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, announces several moves and new additions to its franchise support team.

Changes to the Operations Team

Mark Vanase has been named Chief Operating Officer. Previously, he was Executive Vice President of Business Development and Field Operations. Vanase manages the company’s daily operations and continues to provide leadership and support to the business development team to help FirstLight franchisees grow their businesses.

Tanya Duncan joins the team as Business Development Director for the West Region. She supports and coaches franchisees to help drive sales, enforce brand standards and maximize success. Most recently, Duncan was the administrator and operations officer for a home care agency in Austin, TX. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer.

Mandi Zook-Stewart, who was part of the FirstLight team from 2018 to 2019, has returned to the company and succeeds Kevin as the Central Region Business Development Director. She brings 14 years of experience in health care.

Jane Yousey, OTR/L, DCCT, CDP, CCFP, joins the training and development team as our Culture of Caring Coach. Her role is to enhance the competence and confidence of FirstLight franchise owners in caring for clients. Yousey is a registered, licensed occupational therapist and a Certified Dementia Practitioner with a proven track record of developing and leading memory care programs.

Continued Growth and New Additions

As Executive Director of Compliance and Clinical Services, Kathleen Spooner, R.N. assists in providing guidance and required documentation for regulatory, skilled and accreditation requirements. She also supports the ongoing advancement of FirstLight’s Healthcare Solutions program. Spooner has more than 30 years of experience in medical home care, private duty nursing and health care technology.

FirstLight has hired Lucy Modzelewski as Senior Brand Manager. Modzelewski assists in developing a cohesive and engaging voice through carefully chosen strategies and tactics that express the FirstLight Culture of Care and also helps franchisees with their local marketing strategies. She has a background in franchise marketing and experience managing a variety of large and small brands.

Eric Medecke has joined the Technology team as Executive Director of Information Technology/Franchise Systems. He leads the tactical and operational aspects of the company’s technology platforms, infrastructure, franchise owner support and services. Medecke has more than 30 years of technical experience in the Enterprise and Industrial Networking/Internet industry.

As Senior Accountant & Human Resources Coordinator, Steve Mann manages payroll and accounts payable responsibilities and provides Quickbooks support to franchise owners. Mann has more than 12 years of accounting and audit experience. Before joining FirstLight, he was the finance coordinator for a healthcare system in hospital accounting.

“It’s not just about expanding our team,” said FirstLight President and CEO, Glee McAnanly. “It’s about enhancing our team to ensure we have the right people in the right roles. Everything we do centers around our franchisee-first commitment and creating a team that can utilize their strengths and expertise to provide exceptional support to our franchise network.”

About FirstLight Home Care

FirstLight Home Care, a leading provider of home care services, is a lifeline for seniors, veterans, adults living with dementia, and anyone 18 and older who needs care in the place they call home. FirstLight exists to help people have their best day, every day. The company’s mission is to provide compassionate home care so that all families who are served have peace of mind knowing their loved ones are receiving the support they need to enjoy the quality of life they deserve. FirstLight’s network of professional caregivers is passionate about creating meaningful relationships and making a difference in the lives of others. The franchise system includes nearly 200 independently owned and operated home care locations throughout the United States. To learn more, or to find a local office, visit FirstLightHomeCare.com.