Mark Cimino
Administrator
Our Team
Our team is dedicated to creating a learning environment where every student learns how to provide compassionate and skilled care and is equipped to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those they choose to serve, fostering a culture of respect, compassion, and excellence in caregiving.
Like many family members, Mark Cimino began his caregiving career early, assisting his mother in providing home care for seniors. He has served in several capacities in senior housing and long-term care, including as an Administrator for both skilled nursing and residential care facilities.
Mark earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Pacific Union College and his Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Hastings College of Law.
Mark’s extensive work in healthcare has prepared him for his leadership roles within the field. He has become an important voice for senior living advocacy and community education. Mark is on the Board of Directors for the California Assisted Living Association (CALA) and the President of the Del Oro Caregiver Resource Center Board.
Meryl Foz
Program Director
Meryl’s varied background in nursing, psychology, education, and business provides the perfect foundation for her current role as a Program Director for The Art of Care Academy.
Passionate about her pursuit of understanding human behavior, Meryl pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and earned a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from De La Salle University in Manila, Philippines. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) at Rutgers School of Nursing. Meryl served in various managerial capacities in different healthcare settings, including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living communities.
Lacy Berry
Registrar
Since 2003, Lacy Berry has dedicated herself to providing resources and support within the healthcare field. She began her career in non-profit resource-based programs serving the needs of families.
Lacy was introduced to the senior living industry in 2017 where she began as a caregiver at a Sacramento community. After working within various roles in the community and learning more about healthcare systems, Lacy became a licensed Administrator. In her 5 years as an Administrator, Lacy aided residents, families, and team members through her in-depth knowledge and passion for personalized care.
Lacy will now continue her path of providing aide by being the first face of guidance for The Art of Care Academy’s students and team.
Shay Ewing
Instructor
Shay Ewing, LVN, DSD, brings over 30 years of diverse experience throughout healthcare to her teaching. Since the beginning, she has found fulfillment in sharing her knowledge and expertise with others to further their personal growth. Shay is proud of her achievement in graduating as the top student in her nursing course while persevering through the struggles of being a young single mother. She went on to work in various healthcare settings, including mother and infant care, dialysis, acute care, outpatient surgery, and hospice.
The last 25 years of Shay’s career have been focused on senior care, senior care management, and staff development and education. In addition to the great work she does as one of The Art of Care Academy’s Instructors, Shay is also a valuable support for our compliance team.
Ricardo Castellanos
Instructor
Ricardo Castellanos brings 34 years of nursing expertise to his role as an Instructor at The Art of Care Academy. He has a passion for learning and, further, a passion for cultivating learning experiences for those joining or continuing their path in caregiving.
He began as a nursing student working towards his Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) license and later an LVN. The knowledge that he was making a difference in people’s lives is what inspired Ricardo to further his career, the first “thank you” he received still in his memory. He has immense gratitude for the teachers and patients he worked with who have become his motivation to further the education and experiences of caregivers.