Our Team

Jeri Gort

MSW & Owner

Jeri is a former Social Worker who has over 35 years of experience working with families. She is proud to carry on the vision of her father, who started Caring Companions, one of the first non-medical companion care companies. Her mission is to show love and grace to all served by Joyful Companions Home Care!

Lindsay Walker

MSW, LGSW, Owner & Social Worker

Lindsay is a graduate of Bethel University and has a Masters of Social Work from the University of St. Thomas/St. Catherine’s with a focus on supporting family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease.

Lindsay developed a strong interest in social welfare at a young age, was an Area Emphasis in Aging Scholar, hospice care intern, and a Certified Senior Advisor. She diligently seeks to continue the vision of compassionate care through sharing Christ’s joy with others.

Lindsay is a member of the Minnesota Association of Home Care Social Workers (MAHCSW) and has served with Joyful Companions since 2008.

Sara Michel

MSW, LGSW, Social Worker & Home Care Coordinator

Sara has over 30 years of experience in Social Work. She worked at a long-term acute hospital for many years with geriatric mental health, brain injuries, and complex medical needs.

Sara has been a Geriatric Care Manager, a social worker for an independent living facility, and worked for the Alzheimer’s Medicare Demonstration Project, facilitating safe care in the home for persons with memory loss. She is dedicated to supporting seniors to live life to its fullest, assisting their desire to age in place and supporting families.

Sara is a member of MASWA and MAHCSW and has been a presenter and panel member at the Senior Cooperative Housing Conference. She has served with Joyful Companions since 2019.

Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Educator

Marci Franz

LSW, Social Worker & Home Care Coordinator

Marci has over 20 years of experience as a Social Worker. She graduated from St. Cloud University and has previous experience managing an assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing facility. Marci enjoys working with seniors and has a compassionate heart for families. Marci is co-chair of the Minnesota Association of Home Care Social Workers (MAHCSW). She has served with Joyful Companions since 2018.

Kim Holmstadt

Office Administrator & Hiring Manager

Kim has a bachelor's degree in social work from Bethel and began her career as an adoption social worker at New Life Family Services. God blessed her with a beautiful set of identical twin daughters, born much earlier than expected. Kim had the privilege of staying home with her daughters, one of which had significant disabilities. She taught her so much in her 22 years of life. Kim is honored to bring those skills here as she hires others to be caregivers. God has provided just the right place for her to use the talents He has given her.

Joyful Companions is known for their outstanding caregivers, and due to Kim’s diligence, effectiveness, and kind personality, she works to build genuine relationships between staff, clients, and their families. Walking the stroke recovery journey with her father, she understands the importance of hiring kind-hearted caregivers. Kim lives in Ramsey with her husband and daughter. She also has 3 stepdaughters and enjoys taking ballroom dance classes!

Joleen Langert

Care Coordinator

Joleen has over 25 years of Customer Service, Scheduling, and Operations experience, including 10 years in a Minneapolis area hospital. Her desire to serve others is driven by a deep appreciation for the medical/healthcare industry, paired with a heart for helping people on a tough journey. Joleen has walked the road of Parkinson’s, dementia, and cancer with several family members and understands many of the difficult issues that accompany these diagnoses. She studied at the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota.

Joleen brings great skill in working with others and is eager to provide the right caregiver match within our client schedules.

Emily Gonzalez

Scheduling Coordinator

Emily is thoughtful, compassionate, and lighthearted. She was born and raised in Wisconsin, moving to Minnesota to attend the University of Minnesota and still enjoys living in Minneapolis.

Emily has always been passionate about healthcare and improving the well-being of others. After volunteering at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Emily discovered her passion for providing companionship and emotional support to seniors, ensuring they feel valued and cared for.

With seven years of customer service, Emily has strengthened her ability to establish genuine connections cultivating compassion and empathy for others with diverse backgrounds and in various stages of life. She is excited to serve the mission of Joyful Companions and support our caregivers in making a positive difference in the lives of older adults.

Amy Hesselgrave

Weekend On-Call Support

Amy has a degree in Business Administration. Her background includes 20 years of managing multi-family housing.

In 2011, Amy transitioned to senior housing as the campus director at a senior independent and assisted living facility. She has experience assisting her parents in their own home and joined Joyful Companions in 2014.

Shelby Anderson

Scheduling Coordinator

Shelby is a compassionate and kind person. She grew up in Edina, Minnesota and is someone who has always enjoyed working for this population when given the opportunity. She always wanted a career that focused on helping others. She graduated from Edina High School, followed by an undergraduate degree in social work from St. Catherine University, and a master’s degree in healthcare and human service administration from St. Mary’s University.

The ability to make a difference has always been a driving force in her life. She has worked in a variety of social work internships that have involved older adults. Being able to enrich herself in their lives and to be able to help in any way possible is always a great experience that brings her joy.

Shelby enjoys reading, traveling, watching the Minnesota Wild and hockey in general, baking, and taking her paddle board out to the lakes.

Jeaneen Kolles

Bookkeeper

Jeaneen comes to us as a graduate of Augsburg with a Bachelor of Business Administration. She was searching for a part-time position in a company that has a purposeful mission! Jeaneen wanted to work in a smaller organization that has a family-like culture, compared to the corporate sector. She is thankful to have found a role that allows her to work in such a nurturing environment, sharing her accounting and finance career experience.

As part of the Joyful Companions team, Jeaneen handles all billing and payroll questions. She also assists our clients with their Long-Term Care insurance reimbursements. Jeaneen is kind, friendly, and hard-working, enjoying hiking, gardening, cooking, and pickleball in her free time!