Management & Staff
Suzanne F. McNeely, MSW, RG
President, Founder
Suzanne F. McNeely has worked as a medical social worker and administrator in rehabilitation, hospitals and home care for over 25 years. She also has had the very personal and rewarding experience of being a primary caregiver for her developmentally disabled grandson. Suzanne founded Senior Planning Services in 1989 with the vision of helping the elderly and disabled live out their lives safely and with quality of life, comfort and dignity. In her many years of work in health care, Suzanne had seen how support and advocacy enabled persons at risk of institutionalization to remain in their own homes, even under the most challenging of circumstances. Suzanne is a recognized leader in her profession and in the Santa Barbara community. She has served on the Board of Directors for many organizations advancing the welfare of the elderly and disabled, such as Jane Adams Hull House, the Alzheimer’s Association, and Conservatorship, Advocacy and Protective Services of Santa Barbara. She has acted as a professional fiduciary under Powers of Attorney, Conservatorships and Trusts since 1989.
Sue Kuizenga, RN, BSN, CMC
Director
Sue, a 30-year resident of Santa Barbara, joined Senior Planning Services in 2000 bringing a wide variety of experiences and knowledge. Upon graduation from Ohio State University School of Nursing, she was “shipped off” to California to serve in the Navy Nurse Corps for three years, and had the unique opportunity of working with the Vietnamese refugees at Camp Pendleton at the end of the Viet Nam war. Most of her hospital nursing assignments were in Surgical Intensive Care and Coronary Care Units. When not working Sue enjoys hiking, kayaking, aerobics, feeding the birds at Wildlife Care Network and agility training with her dog, Willy at MacKenzie Park. As director she thoroughly enjoys the challenges and rewards of working together with caregivers and professional staff to enhance the quality of life for our elderly clients.
Fran Rogoff, MSW, LCSW
Care Manager
Fran received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Central Missouri State University and her Masters degree in Social Welfare from University of California, Los Angeles. She has worked with the Department of Social Welfare as a case manager in St. Louis, Missouri. She has experience in the hospital setting working in rehabilitation, medical/surgical and emergency room as a social worker. Most of her social work career has been focused on the geriatric population. She was instrumental in establishing one of the first geriatric psychiatric units in greater Los Angeles and has served as a consultant and Director of Clinical Social Work at Valley Hospital Medical Center in Van Nuys, CA, Pacific Shores Hospital in Oxnard, CA, Vista Del Mar Hospital in Ventura, CA and more recently at Senior Mental Health in St. Francis Medical Center in Santa Barbara, CA. She joined the team of Senior Planning Services in June of 2003.
Deborah Brown, MA, CCC-SLP, CMC
Care Manager
Deborah holds a Master’s Degree and California State License in Speech/Language Pathology and has over 25 years of experience working with adults with communication disorders and cognitive impairments in hospitals, homes and rehabilitation centers. After moving to Santa Barbara from Chicago in 1990, she worked for several home health agencies, rehabilitation outpatient centers and skilled nursing facilities. Deborah’s interest in communication led her to receive training in mediation and conflict resolution. She began working for Senior Planning Services as a geriatric care manager in 1998. Deborah is active with several Santa Barbara Community non-profit organizations including the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Center and she serves on the Board of Directors of the Central Coast Alzheimer’s Association. In addition, she facilitates a local support group for spouses of people with Alzheimer’s Disease. Deborah holds the nationally recognized certification in Care Management from the National Academy of Certified Care Managers. Deborah and her husband Steve are owned by three small but feisty parrots.
Jackie Quinn, PhD
Care Manager
Jackie received her Bachelor of Arts Degree, double Major in Business Administration and Psychology from Antioch University prior to receiving her Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Psychology from Saybrook Graduate School. Since moving from Toledo, Ohio to Santa Barbara in 1982, Jackie has been in the estate planning and estate administration field. In 1994, she established a financial management firm offering a broad range of services including accounts payable, daily money management, financial statements, trust accounting, trust administration, insurance-related forms and client advocacy. Jackie’s vast experience includes acting as both a private trustee and executor. She is a member of the Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention Council of Santa Barbara County and her volunteer work includes the Cancer Center and the Arthritis Foundation. Jackie’s almost 30 years of dedicated work with Santa Barbara County seniors has lead up to her recent employment at Senior Planning Services.
Joe Wheatley, MBA, CMC
Care Manager
Joe joined the team of Senior Planning Services in February 2005 after serving as a certified Long Term Care Ombudsman for five years. He has served an Instructor with the Santa Barbara City College Omega Program for several years focusing on the elderly in assisted living and skilled nursing homes. In addition, he has served as a consultant for several local non-profit agencies, offering expertise gained from his 30 years of work experience and extensive education and training in contract administration, business, management and technical arenas. Joe earned his MBA in Business Administration from Golden Gate University. He currently serves on the board of the CAPS of Santa Barbara, a not for profit agency specializing working with the developmentally disabled, is a member of the Cottage Health Systems Bioethics Committee, serves on his church council and has recently completed a six year term as a board member of the Central Coast Alzheimer’s Association. He is a former board member of the Faith Initiative and Peace Resource Center in Santa Barbara. Joe holds the nationally recognized certification for Geriatric Care Managers from the National Academy of Geriatric Care Managers. When not at work, he enjoys gardening, kayaking, international travel and playing with his grandson.
Kathy Yeomans, RN
Care Manager
Kathy Yeomans is a long time Santa Barbara resident. She is a registered nurse with a broad range of skills, both clinical and administrative. She started her career in the acute hospital environment, building experience in medical/surgical, emergency room and critical care. Kathy then spent many years working with the elder population and those with disabilities while employed at the Arthritis Institute and at the former Rehabilitation Institute at Santa Barbara. In addition to her nursing skills, Kathy has developed expertise in quality management, risk management, safety, disaster planning, systems analysis and process improvement. She is certified in infection control and human resource management.
Kathy is the author of “The Able Gardener” a book about overcoming physical limitations to gardening.
When she is not at her desk or with her clients you may run into her on the hiking trails, walking on the beach, or in the garden. She spends rainy days writing, quilting, reading or visiting with friends and family. Kathy’s a pushover for animals and has cared for many pets and rescue animals that include; dogs, cats, fish (both salt and fresh water) lovebirds, a toad, a snake, a tarantula, an opossum and a wild finch. Not to mention the family of skunks that lives rent-free under her deck.
Lenda Smith, RN
ElderCare Coordinator
Lenda brings over 20 years of experience in many areas of home care, from direct care in the home to being Administrator of HealthStaf Home Care in Minnesota. Lenda relocated to California with her husband and 3 daughters in 1997, and can now say she has survived the teenage years! She has the uncanny ability to stay calm in the most challenging situations and demonstrates creativity in coordination of caregivers and client care. Lenda has been part of the Senior Planning Services team since October of 2000.
Jolie Soukup
ElderCare Administrator
Originally from Northern California, Jolie lived in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Orange Counties before moving to Arkansas, then returning to Santa Barbara in 2005. Before joining the Senior Planning Services team in 2006, Jolie gained her homecare experience first as a CNA, then as a staffing coordinator and supervisor. She has over 9 years experience in the homecare arena working for the Visiting Nurse Association, Hospice and Gentiva, as well as several years experience in administrative staffing, management and human resources at Venturi Staffing Partners. Jolie and her family are settled in Northern Santa Barbara County where they enjoy spending time together along with their Chihuahua, Roxy. She enjoys shopping, walking, the beach, visiting family and friends, and long roadtrips with her children.
Connie McGaw
Office Manager
Connie joined the staff of Senior Planning Services in 1999. As Office Manager and Bookkeeper, Connie’s calm demeanor and attention to detail keep the SPS front office running smoothly. While her background includes extensive experience as a bookkeeper in many different areas including tax preparation and law, Connie also brings to SPS the knowledge and experience she acquired while working as a Certified Nursing Assistant for a home health company. A Georgia native, Connie and her husband relocated to Southern California where she enjoys gardening at her North County home and singing karaoke on Friday nights.
Lorien Crawford
Administrative Assistant
Lorien Crawford was born and raised in England and brings a great sense of humor and a wealth of life experience to her role as Administrative Assistant. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of Wolverhampton, School of Art and Design in the West Midlands, UK. Lorien moved to California in 2005 and has worked in a great variety of arts settings and customer service positions in the UK and in the USA, prior to joining Senior Planning Services in 2007. Lorien comes from a large family and likens her experience of working for Senior Planning Services to being ‘home’ away from home.
Beyond the office, Lorien has many interests. She sings, writes, plays piano, makes art, dances salsa and enjoys all pelagic sports.
Ellen Fitzgerald
Executive Assistant
Ellen joined the staff of Senior Planning Services in February, 2006, after retiring as a Department/Program Analyst from the Santa Barbara County Social Services Department and previously working in Social Services in Ohio.
When not at Senior Planning Services with her friends and co-workers, Ellen enjoys her home in Goleta, which she shares with her three dogs. She is an avid Los Angeles Laker’s Basketball fan, loves to shop and going for long walks.
Valene Sattler
Administrative Assistant
Born and raised in Wales, U.K., Valene lived in Chicago, Singapore and Northern California before “retiring” to Santa Barbara with her husband. She joined the SPS team in 2001 bringing extensive secretarial and life experience to her role as administrative assistant. Valene worked as an executive secretary, a legal secretary, and in the trust department of a major bank before assisting her husband in his international sales career. In her spare time, Valene walks, bikes and works out at a local gym. One of her favorite activities at work is a lunchtime walk with Willy, our therapy dog who she admits has been great therapy for her as well as our clients!
Willy
Cuddle Coordinator, Therapy dog-in-training
Willy has been part of the SPS family since his arrival to Santa Barbara in November, 2007 when he was just 10-weeks old. Originally “hired” to bring additional warmth to our office environment, he has quickly won the hearts of staff and clients alike. Our care managers frequently escort Willy to the homes of many of our clients, warming their hearts and laps, giving “kisses” on command! At the suggestion of the son of one of our clients, we have created a new position for our junior employee: Cuddle Coordinator. He can often be seen on the streets of Santa Barbara greeting his many admirers. For fun, Willy likes the beach, kayaking, his weekly agility classes and of course, TREATS.