Our Staff at BrightStar Care® Arlington / Alexandria

Founders of BrightStar Care of Fairfax, Reston, McLean, Arlington, and Alexandria, Virginia.

Alan graduated from the University of Washington Medical School in 1979 and completed his Family Medicine residency in 1983 at the University of California Davis program in Modesto, California. A year later, he completed a Song-Brown Fellowship, and then finished coursework in Family Therapy in 1989. Alan has practiced medicine in California, Kenya, Mexico and, since 1992, in Vienna, Virginia. He is an Associate Clinical Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Department of Family Practice, and recently became a graduate of Leadership Fairfax. Alan is also the founder of DocTalker Family Medicine and Doctor Inc.
 

Erin joined the Brightstar Care team in 2022 as our skilled recruiter.  She is able to utilize her skills as a social worker to ensure that we hire compassionate and talented nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and social workers to care for our clients.
 

I began my career as a social worker at a 240-bed skilled nursing facility in Salem, VA, before transitioning to the business development side of healthcare. I've worked in various settings, including skilled home health, hospice, retirement communities, and, over the past several years, in home care. I truly love the opportunity to help older adults age in place. Growing up, my dad always said, "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life." My mom was actively involved in the community, volunteering her time to help those less fortunate. She often took me along, and I found joy in giving back to the community which made me pursue a career in social work. In my free time, I enjoy spending quality moments with my husband and daughter. I love reading books by Colleen Hoover and Frieda McFadden. I also take my dog, Otis, on long walks. My family makes it a tradition to visit the Outer Banks every 4^th of July, which is something my family looks forward to all year long.

Karen joined BrightStar Care in 2017 and is responsible for ensuring you receive the scheduled care you request from a caregiver who has the right skills and is a match for your family. She is often your first point of contact for scheduling- she will send you your weekly schedules and work with you to make any adjustments that are needed. Karen supervises all the BrightStar caregivers directly.
 

I decided the tremendous growth in the home care field was a real opportunity to learn and do well by doing good. I have been with BrightStar Care for three years.  As the Skilled Manager, I get a flexible schedule and a first-hand view of how a home care business meets the needs of the community. In this role I work with insurance companies and help ensure that the over 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each year get the opportunity to age in place safely, and stay in their home for as long as they would like. 
 

I have been with BrightStar Care since it opened in 2012.  As the HR manager, I handle all new caregiver orientations.  I have the privilege of speaking with people daily to evaluate their needs and expectations.  I love my job because I get to interact with clients and their families to ensure the highest standard of care.
 

I have been with BrightStar Care since spring of 2020. Working for a home care agency I see firsthand how important the caregiver/client relationship can be. They become companions, friends and members of the family.  I love what I do because I get the pleasure of sharing these stories with our Fairfax community. linkedin.com/in/donna-braun-8a995718
 

I believe we all have gifts and talents in specific areas and it’s important to recognize those strengths.  I can tell that the part I play, while not directly working with clients, makes a difference.  The more I understand about our clients and caregivers, the better I am at my job!  I enjoy being able to handle billing issues for our clients and, hopefully, giving them one less thing to worry about.  I understand the frustration of dealing with insurance carriers, long term care policies, and financial issues in general.  If I can help make certain that our billing is done accurately and invoices are being sent to insurance companies correctly, that’s more time they can spend focusing on themselves or their loved ones.  I have been with BrightStar Care since 2019 and I truly love what I do.