Meet Our Team

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Justin Ashton started caring for and serving seniors at an early age. His 22-year senior living industry career began in sales, at the community where his mother resided and later passed from cancer. Justin has served seniors in Texas, Washington, California, and Florida. He is excited to be back in Seattle, where he will serve as the Executive Director for Holden Southcenter, a new modern Assisted Living and Memory Care Community. The passion and love he feels for residents exudes through his understanding for seniors and their loved ones. Justin states “It is my great honor to take care of and serve you. Thank you for allowing my staff and myself to be a guest in your home.”

Karen is a native of Normandy Park/Burien area, where she was raised by her Attorney father and Nurse Professor Mother.

After gradationing from WSU in Hospitality Management, she worked for Hyatt hotels for 5 years before embarking on a 26 year career in the Financial Services Industry.

Her love, respect and dedication to seniors started as a small child. She spent each summer on her grandparents Apple Orchard in Wenatchee. She and her grandmother, Virginia were very close and went on many excursions together (including being in a Hot air balloon during the New Mexico Balloon festival).

Karen felt blessed to be able to care for her family as she cared for her in-laws, and her father who suffered with dementia after her mother suddenly passed. She considers it her ministry to be a part of a senior living community.

She brings 12 years of experience in serving seniors to Holden at Southcenter.

Lisa has lived in Western WA for 30 years and previously worked for a Wealth Management Firm in Seattle. She has worked in the senior housing industry for 15 years in both King and Pierce County. She has always had a true love of seniors (when she was in her 20’s one of her best friends was 95 years young). Lisa is passionate about helping seniors enjoy the best quality of their lives in assisted living. She’s excited about all the great amenities and outstanding staff that she will be working with at Holden at Southcenter. Lisa and her husband love to travel in their spare time to Hawaii and road trips to all the National Parks in the U.S.

Chris Frantela was born in the Philippines, but eventually made his home in the Pacific Northwest. At a young age, Chris had a penchant for cooking. He would watch his grandmother and father cook traditional Filipino food, which taught him early on that blending distinct culinary styles is the key to creativity in the kitchen.

He was formally trained in classic French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Portland.  His extensive experience in four-star hotels such as The Four Seasons and The Salish Lodge, and private clubs such as The Harbor Club, Bellevue has provided a plethora of knowledge in several different cuisines. He gained valuable insight in sustainability practices as well as the use of regional foods through his work as Executive Chef at Microsoft. He is not only a certified nutrition and wellness consultant but also an international award-winning culinarian.

Chef Chris’ culinary philosophies and passion reflect the growing trends towards a healthier and balanced lifestyle. Working with neighboring farmers to seek out the finest in regional and local organic produce and meat is the foundation to his cuisine. His preference is to allow the natural flavors of the food express themselves and meld the seasonality of his ingredients to the climate and depth of true northwest cuisine. 

Rodrigo Palacio is originally from Colombia. Since he was a child, he always enjoyed taking apart and reassembling his toys to understand how they worked. His curiosity to learn new things helped him to become a handy man who fixed the appliances that did not work at home.

Rodrigo’s positive outlook and dedication to customer service helped him to get his first job as Maintenance Technician in a small real estate company, where he was responsible for performing routine building maintenance tasks.

Rodrigo likes to spend his free time traveling and dining out. His favorite food is Colombian food, but he will settle for some choice Mexican food. When he is not spending his free time traveling and dining out, he enjoys quiet nights at home with his pair of pet African Spurred Tortoises named Tom and Jerry.

Mackenna recently graduated from Washington State University where she studied Accounting and Hospitality Business Management.

She was introduced to senior housing through family friends and a course she took at WSU’s Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living. She quickly fell in love with the industry’s commitment to care and community and knew this was the career for her.

Mackenna is thrilled to be a part of the Holden at Southcenter team and assist in creating a meaningful environment for its residents

Mary Hilsabeck is the Memory Care Director for Holden Southcenter and credits her parents for emulating the servant-leadership that started her 16-year career in dementia care, specifically Alzheimer’s Disease. Her journey began in private care as a caregiver before transitioning into the community setting. A graduate of the University of San Diego, Mary has experience in Skilled Nursing, Independent and Assisted Living, Memory Care, Activity Leadership, and Conservatorship. Mary possesses a California Administrator license for Residential Care Facility for the Elderly. Working closely with her California memory care staff earned Mary and her care team 100% on Quality Enhancement. At Holden Southcenter, Mary and the care team look forward to serving you and yours by providing person-centered care and meeting your loved one “In the Moment” they are experiencing.

Jeannine Nicholson was born and raised in Southern California. She worked as a CNA for 7 years until her youngest son started kindergarten; then she applied and was accepted into nursing school, which she graduated from in 2001. She has worked in long term care, skilled nursing and medical rehabilitation centers. Jeannine moved to Washington and in 2011 started her career in assisted living and memory care, where she found her passion. Jeannine was promoted to Director of health and wellness in 2016. She has worked with seniors since she was 20 and feels very blessed and excited to continue providing quality care to your family members at Holden Southcenter.