Our Staff at BrightStar Care® Valparaiso

Our experienced and compassionate staff is dedicated to caring for your loved one as if they were family. Get to know our team.

  • Rick Lijana

    Owner/Administrator

    Rick got involved in home health care in 2011 after 30+ years as a chemical industry executive because he wanted to build a legacy business he could pass down to his two daughters, Valerie and Veronica. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Michigan State University, participates in the Rotary Club of Crown Point, is a part of the Regional Federal Credit Union board, and volunteers with the American Heart Association. He has been married to his lovely wife since 1978, is father to two daughters, and dotes on two granddaughters. He is an extensive traveler, having visited all 7 continents (Antarctica in March 2023!), all 50 states, and 8 of 10 Canadian Provinces. He stays active by playing golf, pickleball, racquetball, and riding his motorcycle. He is responsible for the overall daily operations of the BrightStar Care of Valparaiso agency.  

    Rick Lijana

  • Valerie Lijana-Hinch, RN

    Administrator

    Val is a registered nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from IUN. She had 7 years of experience in a hospital setting before becoming involved in home health care in 2011. She is responsible for managing all clinical and field staff, overseeing federal, state, and local regulatory compliance, and maintaining Joint Commission accreditation for the agency. Her goal is to be a good mom and role model for her young daughter, Devin. Val enjoys spending time with her family including husband Mike, Devin, and pup Tucker. She loves traveling, especially state road trips with her daughter, niece, and sister. To date she has checked at least 30 states off her list!

    Valerie Lijana-Hinch, smiling

  • Stacey Wiszowaty, RN

    Director of Nursing

    Stacey is a registered nurse with a Master’s degree in Nursing Education from Valparaiso University and a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Indiana State University. She has 25+ years in nursing ranging from education, critical-care and long-term care. She is married for 20+ years and enjoys spending time with her husband and two daughters. She enjoys family, quilting, hiking, and fun socks. Stacey manages the clinical and fields staff with special focus on our nurses and skilled care needs. She is responsible for upholding the Joint Commission accreditation and all federal, state and local regulations.

  • Colleen Gallagher

    Care Consultant

    Colleen handles recruiting and business development for our office, coming from over 25 years of experience in the non profit sector. She has a bachelor’s degree in education, is a small business owner in the marketing and cleaning industries, and volunteers with Porter Country TRIAD. She is married with 2 children and her hobbies include travel and gardening. If you are interested in CNA certification, ask her about Caring Touch Healthcare Academy!
     

    Colleen Gallagher, smiling

  • Stefi Klepfer

    Office Coordinator and Payroll

    Stefi joined BrightStar Care in September 2021 after moving to northwest Indiana from Wisconsin where she spent 10+ years in the field as a home health aide, primarily caring for those with Alzheimer's and Dementia. At BrightStar she was first responsible for creation and management of the schedules for all clients and staff and verifying shift completion, but has recently stepped away from the scheduling desk to handle other necessary tasks to ensure BrightStar Care continues to run smoothly. She will continue to process payroll for field staff. Stefi has a bachelor's degree in biology from St. Norbert College and loves her two goof-ball dogs. Her hobbies include reading, swimming, and archery golf.

  • Raquel McKee

    Administrative Assistant

    Raquel has been caring professionally for just a year as a Certified Home Health Aide but has worked privately in the past, learning to care for others alongside her mother from a young age. She is responsible for the on boarding of new employees and keeping current staff up to date on items, following up with prospective new clients, and supporting staff as needed, both in the office and in the field. Raquel is married with twin boys and a cute little dog, Scrappy Doo. She loves spending time with family.

  • Veronica Lijana, RN

    Quality and Credentialing Manager

    Veronica has a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue in addition to her bachelor’s degree in nursing from IUN and 10+ years of experience in the hospital and home health care settings. She is responsible for Joint Commission compliance, maintaining staff credentials and continuing staff education in various aspects of health care through hands on training sessions, informational materials, and more. In her free time, Veronica enjoys traveling, visiting nature parks, and spending time with her family including her college aged daughter and young niece.

  • Meghan Gallagher

    Finance Support Specialist

    Meghan has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Loyola and is a licensed Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) with numerous years of experience in various businesses, including investment banking, regulation firms, manufacturing, and real estate. She does private consulting work for fortune 500 companies in addition to her tasks at BrightStar Care, which include financial reporting, billing and invoicing, and management of accounts receivable and accounts payable. Meghan enjoys spending time with friends and family. She has a passion for Excel spreadsheets and hates paper!

  • Carol Sparks, LPN

    Nursing Coordinator
    Carol has worked in pediatric home health for 25+ years, caring for some of the most critically ill children in NWI with a focus on ventilator, respiratory, and cardiovascular patients. She studied at Indiana University, Bloomington with a major in English and then became a nurse at IVY Tech for her nursing licensure. Carol assists our nursing supervisor in managing skilled nursing client care and provides periodic nursing reassessments to all clients to ensure their plans of care are up to date with their needs. In her free time, Carol loves to hike, knit, and is an avid reader!

  • BrightStar Care of Valparaiso

    Our team is happy to help you to the best of our ability!
    We're just a phone call away at 219-299-2319

Our Caregivers and Nurses

Our team of care professionals thoroughly screened and trained to provide the highest quality care to your family or your patients. Learn more about our compassionate and trustworthy nurses and caregivers.


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Please contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation or call BrightStar Care Valparaiso at 219.299.2319.

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