Carmen recently celebrated her seven-year anniversary with Firefly. We’ve always talked about Firefly as a family agency, but only a few people may know that Carmen is Amy’s aunt. We’ve been fortunate to have her as part of the Firefly team these past seven years. She works hard every day to help us build a team of amazing caregivers. She also brings her smile, infectious laugh, and fun approach to everyone she works with.
Thank you, Carmen, for all you do for Firefly, our staff, and our clients. Congratulations!
What was your first day at Firefly like? In the beginning, I was working solo and wearing many hats. The first day Amy sat with me and trained me for the first week.
What did you do before coming to work at Firefly? Prior to Firefly, I worked in healthcare for an area doctor. I was there about three years when this position came open. I remember when I met with Amy and Larson to discuss the position. They had me do a test drive to see the software and do some simple scheduling drills. And that was it. We clicked, and I was offered the job.
How is the job different now, from when you first started? We only had a handful of clients in those days—maybe ten or twelve. We kept track of client schedules on a whiteboard in the office. We could never do that now. As the company grew, I began doing all the interviews, hiring, scheduling, some intakes, along with the normal administrative duties in the office. Now we have around 145 clients and we have a team in the office sharing all the administrative duties.
What is it about Firefly that keeps you working for them? The people I work for, the people I work with, and what we do for our clients. It’s rewarding to see what we can do to make other people’s lives better. It feels good to hear about the relationships our caregivers develop with their clients.
Is there a moment that really stands out to you from your time at Firefly? There’s been many. I remember one client we had just brought on and they needed care to begin right away and we weren’t able to staff them that first night. So, after I got off work, I went to take care of them. It was a great experience, and the family appreciated it so much because of the urgent situation.
Your role with the company has changed over time. What is your primary focus now? I’m thankful to continue to still be a part of Firefly even after I have moved. My focus now is mainly on recruiting…finding the right people to care for our clients.
Tell us a little about your family? I was born in St. Joseph County and raised on a farm. I’m a farm girl, and I love the country. I’ve lived my entire life in Indiana until recently when I moved to Nevada. I married my husband Al in 2019, and between us we have five children. I have two daughters, and he has two sons and a daughter. We also have three grandchildren. Ava is 5, Tripp is 1, and Jayda is 4 months. They all live in Indiana—which is all the more motivation to return to Indiana. Indiana is our home and eventually we want to get back.
What are your favorite things to do? I love everything about the outdoors. My husband and I enjoy hiking. There are many places to hike close to where we live. We recently hiked at The Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail. It’s on the side of a mountain at Lake Mead. We also go to Mt. Charleston and Red Rock Canyon. We really enjoy this.
If you could plan a vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would go to Hawaii. Neither my husband nor I have been there. Who inspires you? My parents. My Dad passed away 12 years ago, but I’ve always admired them both for the example they set and the values they instilled in me.
