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About

Welcome to Sunol Creek!

Sunol Creek is a senior living community in Pleasanton, California specializing in memory care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias. Our dedicated team, signature wellness and life enrichment programs, and exceptional on-site health services ensure all residents enjoy full and meaningful lives. 

“My advice: don’t wait. You, your family, and your loved one can improve your quality of life.”

After her father could no longer care for her mother, Jane, Christy’s family found a new, loving home for her mother at Sunol Creek. Learn more from Christy and others. 

Senior man smiles and hugs a loved one.

What Drives Us

Our Mission

At Sunol Creek, our mission is to enrich lives by fostering a loving, compassionate, and safe environment for those with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias, guided by the principles of family. We are dedicated to providing exceptional care that nurtures the physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual well-being of our residents, creating moments of joy and purpose every day.

 

Our Leadership Team

Every member of our experienced leadership team is committed to ensuring the highest levels of personalized service for our residents and their families.

 
Joan Newman, Executive Director

Joan brings over 25 years of healthcare management experience to her role as Executive Director at Sunol Creek, including 18 years in senior living leadership. She is an RCFE-certified administrator and Certified Dementia Practitioner, with expertise across independent living, assisted living, and memory care.

A San Jose State University graduate, Joan’s passion for senior living began when searching for care for her own mother. That personal experience drives her commitment to creating engaging, compassionate environments for residents and supportive workplaces for staff.

In her free time, Joan loves collecting Christmas ornaments from all the places she’s traveled over the years, a tradition that means she never has to wonder what souvenir to bring home!

Divine Hayhurst, Assistant Executive Director

Divine brings years of experience in senior living, having held roles from Med Tech to Wellness Manager before joining Sunol Creek Memory Care. Starting as Resident Care Coordinator, she quickly advanced to Business Office Manager and now serves as Assistant Executive Director.

Her passion for senior care stems from childhood visits to her grandparents’ 55+ community, where she built special bonds with their friends, her “extra grandparents.” Those experiences shaped her love for connecting with residents, families, and staff every day.

Fun Fact: Divine could happily eat sushi every day for the rest of her life!

Jennalaine Gagante, HR Assistant

Jennalaine, our HR Assistant, brings a deep passion for senior care that has shaped her career in the senior living industry. She began as a caregiver, advanced to the front desk, and ultimately took on her current role in HR. Jennalaine chose this career path because she believes in providing compassionate care to those in their later years, with a particular connection to memory care due to her grandmother’s battle with Alzheimer’s.

She finds immense joy in the connections she makes with residents, families, and her team. Jennalaine is dedicated to fostering a warm, positive, and supportive environment at our community. She appreciates the tight-knit atmosphere, where everyone works together to ensure it feels like home.

Outside of work, Jennalaine loves exploring new food spots, visiting different cities, and spending quality time with her family. She also looks forward to the all-staff holiday parties, which she describes as a great opportunity for team building and fun!

Stephanie Perez, Director of Nursing

Stephanie has been part of the Agemark family since 2019, starting her journey as a Wellness Assistant before stepping into leadership roles as Memory Care Manager and Director of Nursing at TreVista Concord. When TreVista transitioned ownership, Stephanie brought her wealth of experience to Sunol Creek in February, where she continues to make a meaningful impact as Director of Nursing.

Her path to senior living was shaped by a desire to make a difference in the lives of the elderly, helping them maintain their dignity, health, and happiness. Stephanie takes pride in building personal connections with residents and fostering a positive, healthy environment where both residents and staff can thrive.

She holds multiple degrees from Los Medanos College, including an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts with focuses in Arts & Humanities, Behavioral & Social Sciences, and Math & Science, along with her Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) certification.

What Stephanie loves most about working at Agemark is the supportive, family-like atmosphere and the company’s commitment to providing tools and resources that help leaders grow and succeed.

Elaine Espinoza, Memory Care Manager

Elaine has been part of the Agemark family since 2019, serving in various roles including Caregiver, Activities Assistant, Receptionist, and Resident Care Coordinator/Wellness Assistant before stepping into her current role as Memory Care Manager.

Her passion for senior care is deeply personal,Elaine’s grandmother had dementia, and she experienced every stage of the journey alongside her. This firsthand experience allows her to compassionately guide and support families facing similar challenges, especially during times of grief and uncertainty.

Elaine is dedicated to creating a warm, home-like environment where residents feel safe, valued, and connected. She treasures the close-knit family atmosphere at Sunol Creek Memory Care, where new residents are welcomed with open arms, and friendships blossom daily.

In Her Free Time: Elaine loves spending time with her family and proudly cheering on her son at his football, lacrosse games, and track meets.

Miriam Weisburd, Life Enrichment Coordinator

Miriam brings a wealth of experience and a heart full of passion to her role as Life Enrichment Coordinator at Sunol Creek Memory Care. Prior to joining our team, she served as the Activity Director at Lakeside Park Specialized Elder Care and as the Memory Care Director at Elegance of Berkeley.

Miriam holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Expressive Arts Therapy, a background that allows her to create meaningful and creative experiences tailored to each resident’s unique needs. She has a deep love for working with elders on their dementia journey, finding joy in making every single day special for both residents and their families.

One of her favorite memories was ensuring that every resident received a gift from Santa Claus, complete with a special photo on Christmas Day, bringing smiles and holiday magic to everyone.

Fun Fact: If Miriam could live anywhere in the world, her dream destination would be Italy!

Jacob Blaeser, Culinary Services Manager

Jacob has proudly served as the Culinary Services Manager at Sunol Creek Memory Care since November 2018. With over 20 years of experience in the restaurant industry, holding roles from dishwasher, bartender, to cook, to manager , Jacob brings a wealth of culinary expertise to our community.

While Sunol Creek is his first role in senior living, Jacob has found deep meaning in using his skills to enrich the lives of residents. For him, preparing meals is more than just cooking — it’s an opportunity to bring comfort, joy, and connection to residents and their families every day.

Henry Rojas, Maintenance Supervisor

Bio Coming soon!

Experienced Management

Sunol Creek is managed by Agemark Senior Living, a family-owned and operated senior living company that’s been serving families by providing loving, caring, and safe senior living communities since 1987. Agemark currently manages communities in Maryland, Iowa, North Dakota, Nebraska, California, and the state of Washington. Agemark communities look to Change Lives … Together.

 
Senior living community dining room interaction between seniors and caretaker.
Comfortable common lounge area in a senior living building with sofas, chairs, and large windows.

Committed Ownership

Sunol Creek has had the same ownership for a decade. Our community is dedicated to creating an environment that is a unique blend of hospitality and healthcare. Sunol Creek was developed with the goal of enhancing the everyday lives of seniors, despite their memory care needs.

 
Elderly man reading a book to a young child while sitting on a comfortable couch.

Families Love Sunol Creek

We take great pride in the reputation our team has earned. Sunol Creek is the highest rated free-standing memory care community in the Bay Area (Facebook/Google/Yelp).

 

Would You Like to Know More?

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have about memory care at Sunol Creek. Our team is always here and ready to help!

Sunol Creek is part of the Agemark family of senior living communities. Family-owned and-operated, we've been treating people like family for over 35 years.