Meet Our Team
Helen Fisher
Executive Director – As Executive Director of Ashley Gardens of Mt. Vernon for over three years now, Helen has worked hard to create a highly skilled and self-reliant staff whose actions reverberate throughout the community and influence others they come in contact with. Helen prides herself in her great ability to train and teach her staff members to provide the highest level of care and to treat their residents with the utmost dignity and respect. Helen’s dedication to providing the quality care for the residents of Ashley Gardens of Mt. Vernon is evident the second you walk in the door – and Helen wouldn’t have it any other way!
Rebecca Lund
Life Enrichment Director –Rebecca (Becky) moved to Washington in 2005 with her husband. Becky's experience includes 10 years with Army Morale as a part of the Welfare and Recreation department, handling programming for facilities and events. She brings five years of experience working with family and victims advocacy as well as experience with memory care facilities, including planning and coordinating fundraisers, to her role at Ashley Gardens. Becky loves working with the residents and finds enriching the lifestyles of others to be both rewarding and challenging.
Shawn Whitlock
Wellness Director –Shawn has been a nurse for 15 years, all of which have been in the long-term care industry. She worked at a skilled nursing facility in Coupeville before going on to assisted living in 1997, as a Wellness Director. She has remained in that position ever since. Shawn and her husband have lived in Oak Harbor, WA since 1993 and raised three children. She is very happy to be at Ashley Gardens and looks forward to a bright future with this community.
Angel Cortazar
Maintenance Director –Angel has been working for Ashley Gardens for the past 7 years. He enjoys his position as a Plant Operations Director and keeping the building crisp and clean.
Angel also enjoys interacting with Residents and Staff. His goal is to provide a pleasant atmosphere to make our Residents stay enjoyable and feel like home.
Angel has a wonderful wife Veronica and is a proud father of three children; Jonathan, Karina and Angela. Their achievements in school and life are very rewarding. He has lived in the Mt. Vernon area for many years and takes great pride in calling it home.
Kathy Kajfas
Business Office Manager –Kathy Kajfas grew up in Iowa and moved to Washington in 1970. Kathy had been an office manager in the Heat Treating Industry for 13 years. before coming to Ashley Gardens in June of 2007. Kathy has been married to her wonderful husband, John, a self-employed contractor, for 9 years. Kathy has 3 sons, 2 daughter-in-laws, 2 daughters, 4 step-children, 3 of them who are married and 7 grandchildren. She loves spendingb time with her grandchildren whenever possible and working in the yard. She also loves to make jewelry using Kazuri beads that are hand made out of clay and hand painted from women in Kenya, Africa. As office manager at Ashley Gardens, she is responsible for many aspects of our community, including accounts payable and receivable, ordering and payroll.
Donna Lyon
Dining Services Director –Donna was born in Alturas, CA on Sept. 26. As a young child of 8 years old, she and her family moved to Mount Vernon, WA where she attended the Mount Vernon Public School. Donna has 3 grown children and has remained in Skagit Valley all these years.
Donna has 2 dogs which have brought a lot of joy and entertainment to her life. Donna has been our Food Service Director for the past 26 months. In her spare time Donna enjoys spending time with her family and friends.