Our Team
Our staff, both in the office and in the field, provide extensive support for our clients, their families and each other. It is this collaborative, caring environment that ensures all of the details are taken care of for our clients.
Our staff undergoes rigorous screening including checking all references and undergoing a Federal background check. All field staff are licensed, bonded and insured and receive training as a Home Care Aide or Certified Nursing Assistant as well as ongoing continuing education to ensure they have the skills they need. Most important they have the full support of our office staff to ensure the client is protected at all times
We encourage you to take a moment to learn about us!
Meet Our Office Staff
Merri Klein - President - email
Merri is very passionate about Companion Care. The decision to start her own business in 2004 was based on a desire to provide a service that makes a difference in peoples lives. As a graduate of Purdue University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Merri started her career working with Westinghouse Electric Corporation designing and testing Naval Nuclear Reactors. Over the next 20 years, she held various positions as an engineer and later as a business consultant. While she appreciates all the experienced gained from working with big organizations, she describes starting her own business as “coming home”. Merri loves being an employer and is amazed every day by the wonderful work her employees do. A day doesn't go by without someone telling Merri how much they appreciate CCI’s support in caring for a family member. She is very proud of Companion Care and the difference our team makes in people’s lives.
Mark Lofstead - Administrator - email
Mark worked for many years as an investigator and manager in Civil Rights for the federal government. In 2004, he helped Merri begin Companion Care and now helps manage the business aspects of Companion Care. Mark and Merri married in 1997 and moved to the Seattle area in 1998. When he is not crunching numbers in the Companion Care office, Mark enjoys hiking in the Cascades with Merri, gardening and rearranging old songs while playing the piano.
Rainbow Quam - Care Manager - email
Rainbow joined CCI in May of 2022. Previously, she worked at an assisted living facility as a Resident Care Coordinator and a Memory Care Director. Rainbow has years of on-the-job experience having worked with clients, families, medical professionals, and state auditors. With Companion Care, she truly enjoys meeting clients and visiting them in their homes and then working to match up the best caregiver who will connect the most with each client.
Rainbow was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys fishing year-round in the Puget Sound along with hunting for Chantrelle mushrooms in the Cascade mountains every weekend in the fall, rain, or shine. She gardens every Spring growing many vegetables in which she forces co-workers to take home with them.
Lea Areitio - Payroll/Billing Specialist - email
Yvette Moreno - Human Resource / Office Manager - email
Yvette comes from a Mexican family that devotes its efforts to helping others. Yvette decided to go into home care because it embodies her family’s motto; “Caring for others is just what you do.” Knowing she wanted to cultivate her passion for helping and serving others, she attended Lake Washington Technical College and earned her Home Care Aid license. Yvette also obtained her Med Tech and Nurse Delegation Certification allowing her to work alongside hospice teams, providing hands-on comfort and support to individuals facing life-limiting illnesses.
Yvette joined Companion Care Inc.’s team in 2017 where she started working as a part-time caregiver and HR assistant. Quickly learning that helping others through a supervisory role was a passion of hers, she knew that Human Resources was the field for her. Yvette brings 10 years of experience as a caregiver which helps her focus attention on managing our staff. She also uses her strong organizational skills in managing the office.
Alongside raising her most pride possessions, her children, Yvette loves spending her time building a strong office team that enjoys working together like a family.
On Yvette's free time she enjoys hiking, camping, going to her child's sports games, and spending time with her friends and family.
Daya Valdez - Recruiter - email
Daya comes from a Mexican background. At a young age, Daya has always found herself helping others. She enjoys putting a smile on others and making them feel better. Daya knew she wanted to help others, so to pursue her dream she went to Westfield Nursing Insitute to obtain her CNA license.
Daya join Companion Care in May of 2021, as a caregiver. Later then joined our office staff in May of 2022 as our Recruiter.
In her free time, Daya enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She enjoys going to the gym and loves animals. One day she hopes to own a monkey.
Angel Mercado - Creekside Care Manager - email
Christi Peek- Scheduler - email
Christi, who was born and raised in Washington State, went to Washington State University, Go Cougs!!
She lives in Gold Bar with her husband and her five dogs. She loves going on walks and playing with her dogs. She is into cars and has been working on her vehicles including a suburban. Christi is fun and very pleasant to speak to. She jokes that her hair is often as loud as her voice.
Christi has a background in customer service for about 10+ years working in many different positions from Dental Assistant to a 911 dispatcher. Currently, she has joined our team as our scheduler and she is looking forward to working with everyone.