Founder’s Story: Fulfilling A Dream
ANITA VARELAS
has spent more than twenty years in the senior living industry, guiding over 1,000 Bay Area older adults and their families into communities where they can thrive. She grew up surrounded by her grandparents and great-grandparents, watching her parents honor seniors in their neighborhood by repairing homes, cleaning yards, and listening to their life stories. That upbringing shaped her belief that every older adult deserves respect, dignity, and thoughtful support.
Her career started at age fifteen as a dining room waitress in an assisted living community. In between serving meals, she volunteered with the sales team, absorbing everything she could. That drive pushed her into operations, admissions, and sales positions across multiple levels of care, eventually leading her to Sales Director and then Regional Sales Director roles overseeing communities in California, Oklahoma, and Texas. Along the way, she earned her Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) Administrator license, along with certifications in gerontology and dementia care.
Across two decades, Anita built a wide-ranging portfolio across senior living, skilled nursing, home health, and hospice. Her resume includes leadership roles at Seniority Inc., A Place for Mom, Carlton Senior Living, Greenridge Senior Care, Hillside Senior Care, Salem Lutheran Home, Bay View Nursing & Rehabilitation, Washington Care & Rehabilitation, Silverado, and Mission Healthcare. In each position, she strengthened occupancy, rebuilt sales systems, coached teams, managed multi-site portfolios, and developed go-to-market strategies that consistently beat industry benchmarks.
After 20+ years witnessing gaps in the referral and placement process, Anita created Neighborly Senior Placement. Neighborly is a woman-owned, hyper-local, concierge-level placement firm serving mainly the San Francisco Bay Area as well as all of California. Anita built the company around one simple truth: families deserve more than a generic referral list. They deserve a partner who knows the local landscape intimately and isn’t afraid to advocate for them.
As Founder and CEO, Anita has built Neighborly Senior Placement from the ground up—recruiting, hiring, training, and managing a team of 15+ employees who uphold the company’s concierge-level standards. She develops each consultant personally, ensuring they reflect her approach to ethics, transparency, and white-glove service. Under her leadership, Neighborly has become known for producing some of the most well-trained and trusted senior living consultants in the Bay Area.
Anita’s impact extends well beyond her organization. She serves as Board President of the National Placement & Referral Alliance (NPRA) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter, where she advocates for ethical placement practices and clearer industry standards. She is also the Event Chair of the San Mateo Senior Round Table, strengthening collaboration across hospitals, providers, and senior care partners. Her voice is increasingly recognized in legislative advocacy, professional training, and regional senior living leadership circles.
Meet The Neighborly Senior Placement Team
We’re a statewide team of senior care experts with real roots in the communities we serve.
Rona Graubart
Operations & Marketing Manager
Rona’s own family experiences in senior living sparked her passion for guiding seniors and their loved ones through life’s biggest transitions. She brings a dynamic background in marketing, community outreach, resident services, and mental health, giving her a unique perspective on what families truly need. With a strong foundation in psychology and diversity management, Rona is dedicated to providing compassionate, thoughtful support — while making a meaningful impact on the clients, partners, and communities we serve.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Ashley Clark
Senior Living Consultant
Ashley joins our team with over 12 years of specialized experience working with senior communities. Her career in senior living originated from personal experience while assisting her dad with his dementia diagnosis. The path was full of roadblocks and the experience taught her how to assist other families through this process with empathy and respect.
Serving San Francisco
Johnell Davidson
Senior Living Consultant
Johnell developed a profound respect and appreciation for older adults from an early age. She began her career in senior care in 2017 as a caregiver, providing in-home support. Her dedication led to a promotion to Home Care Manager. In addition to her professional work, she has been an active volunteer with Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly since 2016, currently serving as the Board President.
Serving SF, Sonoma, Napa, & Marin
Tanvi Gangakhedkar
Senior Living Consultant
Tanvi has provided emergency care to seniors as an EMT, transporting them to and from hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities from the Bay Area to Sacramento. Her firsthand experience with various care environments and assessing medical services while providing attention to residents gives her valuable insight into navigating the nuances of senior living.
Serving Alameda, San Francisco, & San Mateo Counties
Kayevon Serna
Senior Living Consultant
Kaye has over a decade of experience in senior living, contributing her expertise in Independent Living, Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Memory Care, and Adult Day Centers. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Healthcare Administration with a focus on leadership and innovation, she is dedicated to helping clients navigate the complexities of finding the best living options.
Serving Contra Costa, Napa, & Tri-Valley Counties
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Kim Shea
Senior Living Consultant
Kim has been working with older adults since 2003 when she was a caregiver for a best friend. She later became an activities coordinator for a skilled nursing home, and a retirement planning coach while also managing a mental health practice for older adults for 10 years. Kim is very active in her local senior services circles and in local community organizations even facilitating discussion groups with seniors in various communities to spark possible friendships.