Meet Our Team

Kari stepped into her role as owner at the beginning of September 2019. She is thrilled to be working with the caring office staff and Care Pros here at Home Instead in Olympia and surrounding areas. She and her husband both grew up in Olympia, met in high school and moved back to raise their four children near their families in a community they have loved. They own two Cutters Point Coffee shops in Lacey, WA and have run those both for close to two decades.

She has a passion for serving people, whether that is through the ministry of Young Life where she volunteered for years with high school and middle school students or through the church where her husband pastored or at home with her four kids running around to soccer, basketball, football or baseball games and practices or to the ballet studio and theater or just trying to get dinner on the table for the whole family to sit down and eat together!! She is about people, which is what drew her and Rhyan to Home Instead.

This business is about serving people, sometimes in their greatest need, and we get the privilege to step into those places with families and we consider it an honor. To us, it's personal.

Kari enjoys traveling to explore new places and cultures and spectating at her kids' activities watching them love what they do!

Rhyan is thankful for the opportunity that Home Instead gets to step in and help families sometimes in their greatest time of need. He and Kari started their time as owners at the beginning of September 2019 and he is encouraged to get to be part of the caring, compassionate staff here in the Olympia office.

He is a retired pastor and a current real estate agent working with the local Olympic Sotheby's International Realty real estate office and has been an integral part of our team by building relationships with employees and community members learning how we can help and offer encouragement and solutions to aging adults and their families.

Helping others has been what has defined most of who Rhyan is as he has served in ministry roles over the years through Young Life and churches serving youth and their families and then the entirety of the church body and all that encompasses the joys and struggles of real life of real people. Life is not always easy and he hopes Home Instead can help in whatever ways would be beneficial to our clients and their families.

Rhyan enjoys reffing basketball, traveling with his family and getting in a round of golf every once in a while in his free time!

Connie Royster is our General Manager, and a native of Olympia. Connie has been advocating for seniors for over 30 years, which is when she began owning and managing her own Adult Family Home. Connie's entire life has been spent working and caring for those who are most vulnerable - children, those with special needs, the disabled, and seniors. Connie has served on the Board of Directors for a local Senior Center, and a local Supported Living Group Home Association. She has also spent many years in full time church ministry.

Connie has two adult daughters and two very special grandchildren! Outside of work she enjoys playing with her grandchildren, singing, reading, enjoying the outdoors, and watching movies.

Susi began her caring journey right out of high school. She worked in Skilled Nursing, Rehab and Memory Care. Susi broadened her scope of knowledge working in Sales and Hospitality positions, and in Scheduling for a Hospice Care Provider. Susi feels that all roads and experiences led to her finding a perfect place with Home Instead nearly eight years ago.

Starting out as a Care Pro, Susi moved into the roles of Office Coordinator and then Scheduler after a few months in the field. Her background in Sales came in very handy when Susi was promoted to Client Care Manager. Susi does assessments, marketing and keeps Home Instead in the forefront of local folk's minds by volunteering for numerous committees and serving on the board of the local Senior Action Network.

In her free time, Susi and her husband enjoy travel, both international and around the Pacific Northwest. Most trips involve being on a beach with her nose in a book, though Portland is a frequent destination to visit her daughter and son-in-law. Susi also adores animals and recently welcomed a new addition to the family. Louie is a little black cockapoo with a great big lovey personality, and he captures the hearts of all who meet him.

Julie moved to Olympia in 2019 from her native home of Texas. She worked as a hairdresser for 24 years, and then got her degree in psychology and began work in a hospital in various capacities. She worked her way into management, but soon realized she was more of a people person. When she made the move to Olympia, someone asked her if she had ever thought of caregiving. The answer was an emphatic yes! After all, the senior population is her favorite to work with.

She did some research and found Home Instead. She loved all the reviews and upon meeting all the staff, she knew she had found her new work home. After working as a Care Pro she offered her expertise in the office when needed and has been an added blessing with her office experience. She has found the purpose she had been longing for by meeting with and working with clients and their family members.

Julie has two lovely daughters she could not be more proud of. She is also so fortunate to have four grandchildren that she looks forward to seeing during her Texas visits. She loves singing, taking in her new surroundings, and getting snuggles from her senior hospice, foster pup!

She looks forward to meeting you over the phone or in your home!

Kate found a place in the Caregiving Community, picked it up quickly and is quite a natural at caring for others!  She has always loved helping others in any way that she can. She started working for Home Instead as a Care Pro with a number of our clients before jumping into our Office Coordinator and Recruitment role in the office and then stepping into the Scheduling Coordinator/Client Care Assistant role.  Kate is originally from California but a few years ago made Washington her new home. She has a BA in Psychology and plenty of experience working with all kinds of different people.   Kate loves to hang out with her husband and two fur-babies. She also enjoys reading, drawing and painting.

Trina knew at a young age that she loved helping people. Even in junior high she volunteered at a school for those who were handicapped. She has taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School and was a camp counselor. After earning her AA degree in California with certification as a dietary supervisor and culinary emphasis, she soon learned that her love for people was stronger than her love of cooking. She lived in and worked at a group home for adults with developmental disabilities for 12 years. She moved to Washington where she continued to work in group homes and coached Special Olympics.

She became a CNA and then worked in a nursing home and soon discovered she was more suited for in-home care and is delighted to be part of the Home Instead team. She loves the fact that she gets to support our Care Pros by making sure they have all the tools, training and support necessary to care well for our clients and their families.

When not working, she enjoys volunteering with a ministry that helps people get food and other needs met.

Mark was born and raised on a farm in California.  He followed in his mother’s footsteps as a hairstylist.  Mark’s fondest memories as a child and hairstylist were interacting with the senior population.  Mark lived most of his life in California until moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

It was there where he was able to pursue his passion for working with the senior population as a hairstylist and a Care Professional at Home Instead.  After visiting Washington State, Mark realized that he had found his forever home. 

When he moved to Washington, Mark was happy to find a local Home Instead where he could continue his work as a Care Professional.  After just a few months, Mark was promoted to Office Coordinator. When you call Home Instead, that smiling voice on the other end is Mark, who is happy to assist you in any way possible.

On Mark’s downtime, he enjoys meditation, nature, reading and exploring new places.

Maya has been working in the home care industry since 2010 and has worked in a broad spectrum of care settings for seniors. While visiting family after high school in Arkansas, she was exposed to Hospice Care for a friend of the family and it inspired her to begin working in the caregiving field that year. She first worked in Assisted Living Communities and then found herself caring for seniors at a Home Instead franchise in Minnesota! Maya realized during her journey as a caregiver that she really enjoyed working with Memory Care and Hospice clients. After returning home to Olympia, she eventually came back to Home Instead as the franchise in Minnesota made a such a positive impact on her. In her free time, she likes cooking and baking with her son, and her hobbies include gaming, reading, road trips, meditation, and Brazilian Ju Jitsu/MMA!

Born in South Korea and finding roots in the vibrant landscapes of California, Richard embodies a unique blend of cultures. Growing up in the Golden State, Richard was shaped by the diversity and energy of his surroundings, instilling in him a deep appreciation for community and compassion.

In 2022, Richard embarked on a meaningful journey with Home Instead, driven by a profound passion to make a difference in the lives of seniors. With a heart brimming with empathy and a desire to serve, Richard found purpose in providing care and companionship to seniors in need. Through his work at Home Instead, Richard strives to create meaningful connections and foster a sense of belonging for seniors, ensuring they feel valued, respected, and cherished.

Outside of work, Richard enjoys playing the guitar, reading and spending quality time with family.