Your Neighbors, Your Care Team

For nearly 25 years, Araceli Gutierrez has dedicated her career to helping seniors live safely, comfortably, and with dignity in the place they call home. She believes that exceptional care begins with genuine human connection — and she has made it her life’s work to ensure that the clients and caregivers her teams serve feel seen, valued, and supported.

As Senior Regional Director of Operations, Araceli leads with heart, transparency, and authenticity. She is a strong advocate for caregivers, recognizing them as the eyes, ears, and hearts of the organization — the ones who bring comfort, companionship, and compassion to every home they enter. Her leadership is rooted in creating positive, people-first environments where teams feel empowered to grow and deliver their very best.

Throughout her career, Araceli has overseen all facets of home care operations. She has designed and launched initiatives that strengthen care delivery and build operational excellence — always with the goal of improving outcomes for clients and supporting the professionals who make aging in place possible.

For Araceli, home care isn’t just a profession — it’s a calling. Her unwavering commitment to the delivery of exceptional care continues to inspire those she leads and serves throughout Southern California, Texas and Arizona.

Away from work, Araceli enjoys relaxing on the beach with a great read and cherishing meaningful time with her family.

Karen Rijken is the General Manager for TheKey in Orange County, California, bringing more than 15 years of experience in senior living and home care. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from San Francisco State University with an emphasis in Gerontology and Long-Term Care Administration. Karen is RCFE certified, an Activities Directorâ certified professional, and well-versed in Title XXII and OBRA regulations. Karen's career spans social work, activities leadership, sales counseling, client care management, and operational oversight. This breadth of experience gives her a comprehensive understanding of the clinical, emotional, and regulatory dimensions of aging services. She is known for aligning strong operational standards with compassionate, relationship-centered care, ensuring families feel informed and supported at every stage. A dedicated advocate for seniors, Karen actively supports Alzheimer's initiatives and community partnerships. She is committed to helping older adults live with dignity, connection, and purpose in the comfort of home.

Autumn Evans is an Area Sales Manager at TheKey, where she partners with families, referral sources, and community organizations to connect older adults with high-quality care at home. She focuses on building trusted relationships and helping families understand care options that support safe, comfortable aging at home.

Autumn takes a relationship-driven approach, collaborating with local partners and internal care teams to align families with the right support. Through her work, she helps advance TheKey’s mission of helping older adults maintain independence, dignity, and quality of life in the comfort of home.

Tera McDuffie is a Client Success Manager at TheKey in Irvine, California, where she works with families to arrange in-home care for older adults who wish to remain in familiar surroundings. Tera takes time to understand each client’s routines, preferences, and evolving support needs in order to help guide thoughtful care planning.

She collaborates with caregivers and care teams to keep services well coordinated and responsive as needs change. Known for attentive communication and a steady, supportive approach, Tera focuses on helping families feel informed and confident as they navigate care decisions.

Tina Sharbonda is a Caregiver Manager at TheKey, where she supports caregivers and helps coordinate care for older adults aging safely at home. She works closely with caregivers and internal teams to ensure care schedules, client needs, and communication remain organized and responsive. Tina is known for her supportive and dependable approach, helping caregivers stay prepared and connected to the resources they need to provide consistent, compassionate care. Her focus on clear communication and attention to detail helps ensure clients receive reliable support that aligns with TheKey’s standards.

Through her work, Tina helps create a care experience that supports dignity, comfort, and independence while giving families confidence in the care their loved ones receive at home

Marilyn Stemper is a Senior Home Care Liaison at TheKey, where she develops referral partnerships and connects families with TheKey’s premium in-home care services. She works with healthcare professionals, social workers, and community partners to increase awareness of TheKey’s personalized care solutions.

Known for her relationship-driven approach, Marilyn guides families through arranging care while providing referral partners with a trusted resource for their clients. She collaborates closely with internal teams to ensure a smooth transition from first inquiry to exceptional ongoing service.

Through her work, Marilyn helps grow TheKey’s community presence while supporting its mission of helping older adults live safely and independently at home.

Jennifer Torres is a Client Success Manager at TheKey in Irvine, California, where Jennifer supports families in arranging in-home care for older adults who wish to remain in familiar surroundings. By meeting with clients and their loved ones, Jennifer learns about individual lifestyles, care preferences, and the type of assistance needed to maintain daily routines.

Jennifer collaborates with caregivers and care teams to help ensure services remain aligned with each client’s changing needs. Known for a responsive and relationship-focused approach, Jennifer is dedicated to creating a positive experience for the families she serves.

Through thoughtful coordination and steady communication, Jennifer helps ensure clients receive attentive support that promotes comfort, dignity, and independence at home.

Voltaire Ivan Valencia is a Caregiver Manager at TheKey, supporting caregivers and helping coordinate care for older adults aging safely at home. Voltaire works closely with caregivers and internal teams to ensure care schedules, client needs, and communication remain well organized.

Voltaire brings a dependable and thoughtful approach, helping caregivers stay prepared and connected to the resources needed to provide consistent, compassionate care. Clear communication and attention to detail help ensure clients receive reliable support aligned with TheKey’s standards.

Through this work, Voltaire helps create a care experience that supports dignity, comfort, and independence while giving families confidence in the care their loved ones receive at home.

Florita Zita is a Client Success Manager at TheKey in Irvine, California, where Florita supports families seeking personalized in-home care for aging loved ones. By connecting with clients and their families, Florita develops an understanding of daily routines, personal preferences, and the level of support needed to maintain comfort at home.

Florita works closely with caregivers and care teams to help ensure services remain well coordinated and responsive as needs change. Known for a thoughtful, service-oriented approach, Florita focuses on building trust while helping families feel supported throughout the care experience.

Through clear communication and dependable follow-up, Florita helps create care experiences that promote dignity, independence, and peace of mind for both clients and their families.