Jolene Farish, a San Diego native, began her career as a social worker at a 122-bed assisted living community for the memory-impaired. She later moved on to positions such as the director of resident and family services and executive director for an assisted living home. Farish comes from a family with a rich professional background in social services, which helped her shape her view of the world and has empowered her to become a leader in the service industry, specifically to the elderly population. As a result of her work in the senior living industry, she has received the Rising Star, Community of the Year and Administrator of the Year awards.

Kelsi Walts has been with Las Villas del Norte Senior Living for three years and has worked in the senior care industry for 13 years. She started her career as a caregiver and worked her way up from that role to community relations assistant, to sales director, and finally, to our director of Sales and Marketing here at Las Villas del Norte.

Kelsi grew up in San Diego and throughout her life found herself interacting with and helping seniors. “To this day, I do not believe there is anything else in this world that I could enjoy more than helping seniors every day,” Kelsi said.

Kelsi and her husband have been married for 10 years. Together they have two children and spend most of their time outside of work with their families. They enjoy riding ATVs in the desert and boating at the river and lakes.

Lorena I. Vivar, a San Diego native, began her journey in the medical field at a young age. In high school, she worked alongside the athletic trainer to assist athletes with injuries. Once she graduated from high school, Lorena interned at Palomar Medical Center, where she gained hands-on experience with patients and explored different departments. While in college, she started her profession in senior living by working in a memory care community, both as a medical technician and helping out with administrative work. After graduating from California State University San Marcos with a B.A. degree in human development, she continued to work with the memory-impaired and make an impact in their lives.

LaVonne Hines started her medical career during her teen years as a caregiver. Discovering a passion for the medical field, she pursued a career as a licensed vocational nurse and began to grow her expertise in the field through various courses and clinical experience. In 2008, LaVonne became a charge nurse at Las Villas del Norte. Through her skillset and a profound passion for the care of her residents, LaVonne ascended to the role of Resident Care director, where she passionately oversees the care of our senior living community. 

In her downtime, LaVonne enjoys spending time with her husband, children and grandchildren. She loves to travel, but also enjoys a relaxing day at home. With kindness at the core of her heart, she is at her best when she is helping and adding to the smiles of the people around her. 

Abby Palma, Business Office director at Las Villas del Norte, has more than 10 years’ experience in senior living. She is motivated by brightening our residents’ days, spending time listening to their stories, sharing in a puzzle or even singing a few songs of karaoke.

“What we do is much more than just a job. It becomes a passion to care for those who can’t fully care for themselves. I choose to continue in this field to show the next family the same compassion and love to their family members that was shown to my grandmother. I am proud to be a part of this senior living community.”

Roy Cornett’s entire career has been committed to bettering the lives of Escondido’s youth. He spent eight years working with the City of Escondido’s after-school programs, seven years with the local Boys and Girls Club, and 12 years volunteering with the Escondido Police Athletic League. He is extremely excited to start his next chapter, dedicated to bringing fun, excitement and experiences into this community.

Roy is a proud husband and father to a beautiful 2-year-old daughter who is always keeping him on his toes.

Chef Joseph Fernandez is from Bogotá, Colombia, and grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. His culinary career began when he was just 14, working as a dishwasher. He worked his way up, becoming one of the youngest executive chefs in the industry. He attended vocational culinary school, where he learned culinary arts, the art of pastry and fine-dining services standards. His training continued during his time as a U.S. Marine when he served on active duty as a cook, eventually becoming a chief cook at one of the largest chow halls in the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California.

Chef Joseph’s goal of implementing the highest level of hospitality and culinary standards in his career is predicated on his dedication, hard work, and love of bringing food and people together, which has always been his recipe for success. He is passionate about bringing exquisite dining service to our residents.

Naomi De La Cruz, Business Office assistant at Las Villas del Norte, offers support in maintaining resident files, accounts receivable and accounts payable. She began her career four years ago as a concierge and quickly discovered her passion for engaging with our residents and learning about their life experiences.

Naomi is a student at California State University–San Marcos working toward her bachelor’s degree in human development. In her spare time, Naomi enjoys walking her German shepherd and spending time with friends and family.

Megan Silverman is the director of Sales and Marketing for Las Villas del Norte. While her experience in the industry began in 2012 when she first started her career in senior living and hospice, her passion for working with seniors began when she was a child. She immediately knew she would have a career working with seniors. Megan, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in gerontology, truly believes in treating every family and resident the way she would want her loved one to be treated.

In her free time, Megan likes to travel, go to the beach, and spend time with her family, friends and Australian Shepherd.