Meet Brie: Guiding families through complex healthcare journeys

At Wellthy, our Care Coordinators are often the steady, guiding hand for families navigating both sudden crises and long-term care planning. With backgrounds that span social work, case management, and mental health, they bring expertise and empathy to moments that can otherwise feel overwhelming and isolating.

This month, we’re proud to spotlight Brie, a Care Coordinator whose personal and professional journey has been shaped by experiences with cancer, dementia, and the complexities of the healthcare system. From supporting loved ones to working across community mental health, hospital, and outpatient settings, Brie brings both deep expertise and personal connection to the families she serves.

In the conversation below, she shares how her early experiences inspired her to pursue social work, the kinds of cases she feels most confident navigating, and why proactive planning and caregiver self-care make such a powerful difference.

How long have you been at Wellthy, and what is your role here? Can you also share a bit about your background and what you specialize in?

Yeah, definitely. I’ve been at Wellthy going on three years now in the Care Coordinator role, and that’s the role I’ve had the whole time I’ve been with Wellthy. 

My background is in social work, and my areas of expertise are mainly in community mental health and hospital case management. I primarily worked on the geriatrics unit in the ER and then on a step-down unit.

We had to rotate shifts, so I eventually covered all the units in the hospital, but geriatrics was always my main assignment.

Before joining Wellthy, my most recent role was in outpatient care at a primary care office that was specifically designed for Medicare patients. So again, geriatrics and healthcare settings have really been the focus of my experience.

What drew you to Wellthy?

Our mission, is what originally drew me in, but I also found that the company genuinely cares, not only about the people we serve and the work we do, but also about the work-life balance of employees.

I think that’s pretty evident in the benefits offered, like our mental health days. I’m definitely looking forward to the one we have coming up. We’ve got two kids under two at home, so I definitely need it.

But I think the biggest thing—something I didn’t really know before joining Wellthy, but I see every day now—is the diversity of our teams. I’ve never worked for a company with so many people from different backgrounds and specialties who are all so readily available to brainstorm with. Whether it’s VA questions, insurance questions, or housing questions, being able to reach out on Slack with a situation and get thoughtful, helpful answers right away is amazing.

That kind of environment is hard to find at other places. Often you’d have to go outside of the company for that kind of support. But here, it never feels competitive. Everyone’s really just working toward the same goal.

What is your personal caregiving story?

Right now, as I mentioned, I’m a mom of two little boys. I have a 6-month-old and a 2-year-old, so our hands are definitely full. But going back a little further, when I was younger, we had a family friend whose son was diagnosed with cancer. He ended up passing away at the age of six. At the time, my best friend created a nonprofit for pediatric cancer patients. We were only in high school, but that experience really opened my eyes to the healthcare world and I saw firsthand how many people truly need help, and how confusing and complex the system can be.

Later on, I had family members diagnosed with dementia, cancer, and other serious conditions, which only reinforced how overwhelming it can be to navigate the healthcare system and deal with all the time-consuming complexities. That ultimately drove me to pursue my master’s degree in social work, specializing in the medical and healthcare field. From there, as I mentioned before. It’s been incredible to not only enjoy what I do and feel passionate about it, but also to have such personal ties to the work.

Do you have a favorite project or type of task you enjoy working on?

Hospital discharges and setting families up with resources post-discharge once they're home. I’ve seen both sides, inpatient and outpatient, so I understand how overwhelming it can be.

I like being able to guide family members on what questions to ask, reaching out directly to the hospital case manager, and collaborating that way. Hospital stays and discharges often happen quickly, and families can feel thrown into it at the last second. I like being able to step in and support them each step of the way, following them from hospitalization to say, rehab, and then back home, and throughout the recovery process. It’s about helping them brainstorm solutions, providing resources, and ultimately being there as a steady source of support throughout recovery.

How do we help families who lack resources in their area?

A lot of times, I’ll reach out to local resources, like the Area Agency on Aging department to see what resources they have available. In rural areas, resources can be pretty limited, but those agencies tend to see the same situations over and over. I like collaborating with them to learn what’s worked in those cases.

Hospital case managers can also be a great resource, along with the AAA. And ultimately, I’ll reach out to our own team, too and ask what they think, what they’ve done in the past, and what’s been most helpful.

How does someone know when it is time to work with a care coordinator?

I’ve really seen both ends. Sometimes families come to us right in the middle of a situation where they need immediate help. But more recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of people reaching out proactively when they have a loved one who’s starting to age and they want to be prepared.

They’re looking to research and vet resources early so they have them in their back pocket if and when they need them. I think that’s great, because more and more places are starting to have waitlists and resources are becoming more limited. So, getting started earlier is definitely something I recommend if it’s possible, though I know it’s not always realistic for everyone.

Do you have any final tips or advice for family caregivers?

I’d definitely say—similar to what we were just talking about—that if you’re able to plan early, it’s so important to do so. Have those conversations ahead of time about what your loved one wants and what their wishes are. From there, start looking into resources so you’re prepared and knowledgeable about what’s available.

And like you mentioned, self-care is just as important. Make sure you’re taking care of yourself too, whether that’s joining a support group, getting out and doing things you enjoy, or talking with loved ones. There are resources out there, and sometimes just reaching out for help in the first place is a really big step.

‍

‍