Executive Interview Series: Tracy Ongena on Building Trust and Innovation in Home Healthcare

For this edition of our Executive Interview Series, WITHIN’s Founder and CEO, Joe Yakuel, sat down with Tracy Ongena, Founder and Chairman of Alvita Care, a leading provider of home healthcare and geriatric care management. Tracy has become a recognized authority in the eldercare space, where trust, personalization, and compliance matter as much as efficiency and scale.

At WITHIN, we believe that building enduring connections between brands and people requires a balance of data, performance, and human insight. Tracy’s work with Alvita Care mirrors that ethos, blending rigorous systems with deep compassion to create a model of healthcare that feels both highly professional and profoundly personal.

Joe Yakuel: Tracy, thank you for joining me. Let’s start with your story. What motivated you to create Alvita Care?

Tracy Ongena: Thanks, Joe. I started Alvita Care after seeing how disjointed eldercare could feel for families. Too often, they were left to navigate complicated medical needs, social isolation, and daily support with little guidance. I wanted to create a company that removed that friction, offering professional care management alongside hands-on support, so families felt truly backed by a partner. From day one, my mission has been to bring both dignity and clarity to a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming.

Joe Yakuel: In performance-driven industries, whether marketing or healthcare, scaling while staying authentic is a challenge. How do you balance growth with maintaining trust?

Tracy: Great question. In healthcare, trust is everything. We scale by investing heavily in people and culture. Every client is paired with a dedicated care manager who oversees the full care journey, so even as we grow, each family feels deeply cared for. It’s similar to how brands can scale without losing their voice: by having strong systems, clear values, and consistent standards. At Alvita, professionalism and compassion aren’t competing priorities; they fuel each other.

Joe Yakuel: Technology is reshaping every industry. What role does innovation play in home healthcare?

Tracy: Technology is an incredible enabler when applied thoughtfully. We’re exploring ways AI can surface subtle health trends before they become emergencies or streamline documentation, allowing caregivers to spend more time face-to-face with clients. However, I always emphasize that technology should never replace human relationships. In eldercare, technology’s highest value is making caregivers more present and families more supported.

Joe Yakuel: You work in a highly regulated and emotionally charged industry. How do you lead through that complexity?

Tracy: By anchoring everything in values. Compliance and safety are non-negotiable, but compassion and empathy drive how we implement those systems. I see my role as maintaining a balance between the two: ensuring our processes are rigorous enough for regulators, yet flexible and humane enough for families. Leadership in this space requires both discipline and heart.

Joe Yakuel: Looking forward, what’s your vision for the future of home healthcare?

Tracy: I’d love to see aging reimagined, not just as a time of decline, but as a stage of life rich with purpose and connection. At Alvita, we’re expanding into services that care for the whole person: physical, emotional, and social health. Long-term, I believe the companies that thrive will be those that combine clinical excellence, technological innovation, and human-centered design. That’s how we’ll truly elevate the experience of aging.