It takes a village. The phrase most definitely applies to caring for loved ones, but it’s also true for building a successful company. We’re happy to announce that our village is growing — we’ve added four new team members to support our continued expansion in senior living. 

Some are veterans in the industry, while others are just getting started. The common thread: Each of them is eager to support our customers in using technology to improve the lives of residents and families. 

Get to know Caavo’s newest trailblazers:

Jacob Blount, Director of Account Management

“Caavo is going to take the aging adult space by storm,” says Jacob, our new Director of Account Management. 

We sure like the look of that crystal ball, Jacob. 

Based in North Carolina, Jacob started his career hyper-focused on professional audiovisual technology, then shifted to support technology adoption in the senior living space. His roles have spanned operations, customer success, and product marketing, making him the perfect candidate to support Caavo’s senior living customers. 

“I am thrilled to help grow Caavo to a household name in senior living.” 

After seeing Caavo in action, Jacob quickly recognized the technology is unlike anything else on the market and brings new and unique capabilities to senior living communities. 

“Caavo’s technology makes the TV a one-stop shop for engagement, communication, and safety — all while making the TV experience even easier for seniors. Just think, a resident can say “ESPN” or “community calendar” into their voice remote, and we route their screen to exactly what they want!” 

Despite his short tenure at Caavo, Jacob already sees the blue-ocean potential. 

“I’m excited to support our customers to help them maximize the value of their Caavo system and identify creative ways to meet each of them where they are. Caavo has the potential to be the iPhone of senior living — and I am confident that’s something this team will achieve.”

Nia Harrill, Marketing Manager

Hailing from Southern California, Nia is a multi-faceted marketer who has worked for startups, ad agencies, and even nonprofits, elevating brands’ digital personas. The first chapter of her Caavo story began in 2019 when she joined the company as a marketing assistant. Today, her story continues as our Marketing Manager supporting senior living. 

“Caavo has always been an amazing product to me, even from our days selling directly to consumers. My own family has used Caavo in the past, so I personally know the potential of our TV system. Now that we’re looking to make life easier for seniors, I really believe we can make a difference and shift the senior living industry as a whole.” 

Nia’s excited by the opportunity to tell Caavo’s story. She especially can’t wait to tell the world how Caavo makes it easier for senior living residents to stay connected to their loved ones. 

“I’ve heard stories of families struggling to contact their senior relatives because they can’t get the tech to work or they have to rely on a busy staff person to bring in a laptop and help make the video call. With Caavo, there’s no new device to learn — seniors can use their TV remote to engage with their families, be it video calls or receiving family photos. It’s a game changer.” 

Michelle Teague, Training Manager

Residing in “Mr. Roger’s neighborhood” Pennsylvania, Michelle spent the past seven years as a corporate trainer in the senior living and health care industries. Her expertise also extends to instructional design, which she uses to create training programs that successfully bridge the learning gap for participants. 

That experience is what led her to join Caavo. 

“I jumped at the opportunity to use my senior living and training background to create memorable learning experiences for staff, families, and residents in senior living communities,” Michelle said. 

She knows teaching new technology to seniors isn’t always easy, but the challenge is worth the reward to her. 

“It’s inspiring to see how the technology Caavo continues to develop helps connect seniors to their family members and care providers.”

In her new role at Caavo, Michelle sees an opportunity to shift people’s perceptions of seniors. 

“Seniors continue to grow and learn on a daily basis. Most of them realize how important it is to keep the brain active. Learning to use Caavo allows them to expand their minds while they stay in contact with their family members. There are a lot of family members out there who are surprised at how quickly seniors are picking up on how to use Caavo. It is fun and heartwarming to watch the lightbulbs go on for the seniors as they receive video calls and messages from their family members on their TV.”

John Bollino, Installation Manager

Installing the Caavo system in resident apartments is a critical part of introducing our technology to a new community. John, our new Installation Manager, is seasoned in ensuring the process is smooth for staff and residents alike. 

Based in Maryland, John has worked in the communications industry for over a decade. Previously he was an operations manager for companies like WinStar, DIRECTV, and Orbytv. 

What made him switch to our mission-focused startup? 

“I was introduced to Caavo through my network and learned about the new rollout for the senior living industry. After several interviews and discussions regarding the plans for senior living, I felt like Caavo would be a great fit.” 

And how right he was! 

John recently managed his first installation -- successfully bringing Caavo SRI’s New Haven at Little River community in South Carolina. 

Echoing the sentiments of the other team members, John loves how Caavo is improving the lives of seniors and families. 

“I look forward to seeing Caavo change the way families and the senior living communities communicate and ensure the care of their loved ones,” he said. 

Installing Caavo systems in seniors’ apartments allows John to get a firsthand look at how Caavo’s technology truly delights seniors. It confirms for him that this isn’t just a technology company but one that truly does make people happier.