Our Team
DAVA ASHLEY
Administrator
Dava Ashley is the Administrator of Covenant Care. Covenant Care operates 25 skilled nursing facilities and 4 assisted living facilities in California & Nevada. Covenant Care also owns and operates Elevate Home Health and Affirma Therapy Company.
Dava is a proven leader in the recognition and implementation of current and future healthcare industry trends. She has more than three decades of progressively responsible and diversified experience leading people, and resources, to navigate through the many changes in the healthcare industry. Dava received her Bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University and also earned an MBA in Healthcare Administration, further she is a licensed nursing home administrator.
In her free time, Dava enjoys tennis, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.
TRICIA ADAME
INSTRUCTOR
I started my nursing life as a CNA. I felt blessed and loved what I did, but I knew I could do more for the residents. I became an LVN. After that, I became an RN and got my BSN and PHN. I knew there was still more I could do for those giving care, so I got my DSD certification and became a CPR instructor and a clinical educator. I knew I’d found my niche when I became a CNA instructor. I taught first at the city college level, then after some time working as a DON, I was fortunate to be offered a position at CliniTrack as a CNA instructor. I love teaching. It is my calling. At present, I am in the process of the MSN program with a Master’s in Education. When I am not teaching, I am hiking, doing art (acrylics), or trying out some new restaurant.
JENNIFER DAVIS
INSTRUCTOR
Jenny has 22 years of experience as a long-term care nurse initially including 15 years as the Director of Staff Development. As the DSD, she has oriented and trained over 1000 employees to ensure their competencies in working with the elderly. Jenny is an LVN graduate of Sacramento City College. She has certifications as a Director of Staff Development, wound and ostomy nurse, and infection preventionist.
Jenny has lived in Santa Cruz since 2001. She is proud to be a third-generation nurse in her family. Jenny is committed to caring for the elderly in our community and has a passion for mentoring and training staff. “I love working with staff to develop their bedside skills. Working side by side with the staff I am committed to optimizing each resident’s independence no matter what stage they are at in their aging process. I am committed to our mission of” Families serving families.”
When Jenny is not at work she enjoys spending time with her husband and three teenage boys hiking and having fun trying new restaurants in the area. Other hobbies include gardening, making jewelry, and trying new recipes.
RUSTY RANADA, LVN
INSTRUCTOR
Rusty migrated to the United States from the Philippines and has lived in San Jose California since 1999, growing up in a family that loves to help people in need. Rusty started a career in nursing in his early 20s. He completed his Medical Assistant Program at Byrman College in 2002 and worked at Kaiser Permanente. Rusty completed his Nursing Assistant Program in 2005 and become a Licensed Practical Nurse in 2007. For over 18 years, Rusty has worked in various skilled nursing facility roles including Certified Nursing Assistant. Licensed Nurse, Director of Staff Development, Case Manager, Admissions and Wound Treatment Nurse.
As an educator, Rusty provides the right skills and training for nursing assistant students and helps them prepare for the state competency exams given by the California Department of Public Health to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. Due to the increasing need for caregivers in the healthcare industry, Rusty is advocating with other healthcare professionals for additional training and education for all those who have a responsibility to care for a loved one to be able to provide quality care.
THERESA LOPEZ VEGA
Director of Education & Instruction
Theresa Lopez Vega began her career in healthcare as a CNA working in skilled nursing facilities. She shares that her “compassion for ‘taking care’ of people started as a young girl growing up in the ‘Windy City’, back before cell phones and computers were invented.” In 1988 she became a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and worked as a charge nurse and eventually a rehab nurse in the suburbs of Chicago. Theresa pursued her dream of becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) and her dream became reality in 1992. Shortly after, she relocated to California and worked as RN supervisor for a facility in the San Fernando Valley. It was there that she was presented with an opportunity that would change the course of her career. Dava Stuart (now Dava Ashley) President of Covenant, offered to send Theresa to school to become a certified Director of Staff Development (DSD).
From 1993-2014, Theresa worked for several skilled nursing facilities across California and eventually was hired in 2014 as DSD for Los Altos Subacute and Rehabilitation Center. She has enjoyed training and educating people across all departments. In 2018 Covenant Care started a Nurse Assistant Training Program at Los Altos Sub Acute and Rehabilitation Center where she became the RN program director.
In 2020, Gilroy Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center started a NATP class. Theresa said, “As a nurse assistant instructor, it’s a great honor to know that we can make a difference in our student’s life by educating them and giving them their knowledge and skills for providing the best care possible for our residents and their families.”
Elizabeth Policarpio
INSTRUCTOR
I was born and raised in the Philippines with 5 other siblings. My parents instilled in us the importance of going to school and studying hard. They worked hard to allow us to achieve what they never had. I graduated from the Marian School of Nursing and have been a nurse for 35 years working with elderly patients.
I worked as a charge nurse sometimes a treatment nurse, and then one day my DON, Belen encouraged me to be a Director of Staff Development, and I have been till today. Now I am part of Clinitrack teaching students who want to be Certified Nursing Assistants. I hope to teach them to be the best they can be. Caring for the patients who need them.
In my spare time, I like to spend it with my grandson and do a little kickboxing as well.
Sonia Navalta Borgonia
INSTRUCTOR
My dream growing up was to become somebody with a twist to have a big impact on somebody’s life and
better other’s lives. It was a blessing migrating to the United States knowing my dreams in life were blossoming. Education is a big deal for my family so I pursued my education in the medical field. My nursing journey – initially took the medical assistant program, yearning for more, luckily I got accepted in the VN program, and overachiever me, took it all the way, earning my bachelor’s in nursing. My calling to serve people in need of care began.
I worked in SNF as a charge nurse, DSD, and Assistant DON. Being a nurse is fulfilling as I was taking care of patients in the ICU. Also was a Program Director of a private company. As an RN I worked as a staff nurse in med-surg., and neuro ICU, and currently an infection preventionist at Mission and will soon be a Clinitrak CNA instructor. I strongly believe that all my ambitions, dreams, experiences & successes in life are all part of God’s plan to touch many people’s lives, especially all my future students so they too will take part in continuing this legacy.