Jolie Higgins brings over 20 years of experience to her role as Interim Executive Director at Loma Clara. Since joining the ISL team in 2010, Jolie has developed an in-house Diabetic Care Management Program and launched the Transitions Program to assist residents who are not ready for memory care to stay engaged and active through mini-mental exam scores.

Before ISL, Jolie was the Business Office manager of Atria Senior Living Group for seven years, helping with accounting and human resources services. She was promoted to senior executive director in 2006 and handled the day-to-day operations for a senior living community that specialized in independent, assisted living and dementia care.

Jolie was born and raised in San Jose, CA. She has been married for 24 years and has two children and two dogs. While outside of work she enjoys spending time with family and watching her daughter play softball.

Cynthia Ajunwa brings years of experience in sales and marketing within the senior living industry. She has a passion for improving the quality of life for seniors, and educating families and communities about how valuable great senior living is to their loved one’s well-being. Cynthia discovered her love for helping seniors when she spent her childhood and teen years volunteering at various communities that her mother owned. Throughout her life, Cynthia has left her mark on the communities she has served and looks forward to continuing to help seniors lead better lives at Loma Clara.

Kiki Nakagawara, our Director of Sales and Marketing, brings more than 30 years of customer service and sales experience to Loma Clara. Her broad background in accounting, human resources and marketing allows her to discover innovative solutions to challenging problems. Kiki has a passion for working with seniors, and strives every day to identify and solve situations that matter most to families.

Marissa Martinez, our Vibrant Life director, comes to Loma Clara with 15 years of health care experience and a passion for working with seniors. Marissa enjoys working in senior communities because of the strong relationships she develops with the residents, and aims to inspire each resident to live a vibrant and active lifestyle.

Prior to joining the Loma Clara team, our Business Office director, Jean Rinerson, worked in various accounting positions in high technology and then at an ISL sister community in San Jose. With personal experience finding an assisted living community for her mom a few years back, Jean knows the value and importance of a dynamic community that strives for the ultimate health and well-being of its residents. Jean likes to spend her free time with her husband, friends and family.

Ruben Aguilar, our Elevate dining chef, comes to Loma Clara with more than 17 years of culinary experience. Born and raised in Colima, Mexico, Ruben has adopted a culinary style that includes tropical flavors like his famous herb-crusted tilapia and fruit salsa garnish. Ruben has spent the past eight years of his career perfecting his culinary craft in assisted and senior living communities, and his passion for cooking shows with every new recipe he makes. Ruben lives in Morgan Hill, and enjoys playing soccer and other outdoor activities with his 15-year-old son in his free time.