Meet the Team

The Helper Bees leadership team comprises nurses and caregivers, healthcare chiefs and startup founders, engineers and strategists, and other highly skilled professionals working together to build the world's best in-home care platform. Meet the people at the forefront of transforming the aging-in-place experience.

Char Hu, PhD

Cofounder and CEO

Char Hu has a PhD in Molecular Biophysics, where he used supercomputers to study the biological mechanisms behind diseases like Alzheimer’s. But it was his family experience caregiving for his grandmother, PoPo, that inspired him to dedicate his career to helping older adults and their families. Over the past 15 years, Char has founded and operated Alzheimer’s and dementia care communities, home care companies, and technology-enabled care services. He was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor of Texas to the Texas Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders and is passionate about mentoring founders and advancing innovation in aging and long-term care. When he’s not working, he and his wife spend their time wrangling three young kids. What time is left is reserved for kayak fishing and trashy sci-fi books.

Andy Friedell

COO

Andy drives growth and provides strategic direction across the The Helper Bees products and services. He founded healthAlign, which The Helper Bees acquired in 2021, to help payers manage diverse in-home services. He brings over 25 years of experience with creating provider networks and managed care programs for Medicaid and Medicare payers. Ask Andy to send you a picture of his bulldog, Chunky.

Ana Varela

CFO

Ana brings over 15 years of finance leadership experience to The Helper Bees, along with a passion for building financial infrastructure that supports organizational growth and transformation. As CFO, she drives the company's financial strategy, shaping how the organization scales with fiscal discipline, strengthens operational performance, and builds the financial foundation to advance a mission-driven business with purpose. Outside of work, Ana enjoys trail-running and hiking with her family.

Danny Lynch

CTO

Danny brings deep technical expertise and relentless curiosity to The Helper Bees, leading all of the company’s software engineering development. Before cofounding the company, he spent his career at Intel and NVIDIA helping design the next generation of computer chips. While he loves solving complex technical challenges, he’s just as likely to dive into the smallest operational detail if it helps improve the experience for our customers. His teammates know that no problem is too small to earn his attention. They also know that, given the choice, he might prefer the company of a dog over humans.

Chad Bayer

VP of Technology

Chad brings more than 20 years of experience in leading engineering and technology teams, with a focus on building scalable systems, stronger processes, and dependable delivery. He's passionate about applying technology in practical ways that improve operations and advance The Helper Bees mission to help older adults age safely and confidently at home. A longtime Austinite, Chad spends his time outside of work running with friends, firing up the BBQ, and chasing his three kids around town.

Crystal Ramon

VP of People

Crystal brings nearly a decade of HR leadership experience to The Helper Bees, along with a passion for building high-performing cultures and developing exceptional leaders from within. As VP of People, she shapes how the company attracts top talent, cultivates an inclusive culture, and builds the infrastructure to support a mission-driven workforce at scale.

Daniel Murphy

VP of Product Management

Daniel oversees the strategic direction and growth of this business vertical at The Helper Bees and has over 30 years of experience in healthcare. He cofounded healthAlign, where he served as Chief Product Officer until the company's acquisition by The Helper Bees in 2021. Daniel is a veteran of the U.S. Army, achieving the rank of Sergeant Major, and his final role involved overseeing physician and medical student recruitment nationally.

James Cisneros

VP of Business Intelligence

James brings 20 years of experience in turning data into practical solutions to The Helper Bees, where he leads both the data engineering and analytics teams. As VP of Business Intelligence, he partners with the Operations, Accounts, and Sales teams to help them make smarter decisions and serve members better. Outside of work, James stays sharp at the gym and in a mini-book club, and spends the rest of his time chasing around his five-year-old (who is 4 feet tall and wants everyone to know it).

Jason Blackhurst

VP of Engineering

Jason Blackhurst leads the company’s software engineering teams in building secure, scalable, and data-driven platforms that enable older adults to age in place successfully. In this role, he drives engineering strategy, oversees product development initiatives, and fosters a culture of collaboration and rapid iteration to deliver high-quality solutions aligned with business objectives. If you really want to get to know Jason, challenge him to a board game or invite him out for soup dumplings.

Justin Kile

VP of Program Operations

Justin leads teams responsible for network development, provider service fulfillment, contact center operations, credentialing, and compliance. With more than two decades of experience in healthcare operations, he specializes in building and scaling customer‑centered operations and service delivery functions. Outside of work, you’ll find him on a run, on the golf course, or on the sidelines cheering on his sons.

Katherine Arauco

VP of Care Delivery Operations

Katherine has spent nearly a decade at The Helper Bees, leading across operations and strategy to help scale the company’s mission of keeping older adults at home. With a background as a nursing home administrator, she brings deep expertise in long-term care and a genuine passion for the aging-in-place space. Fair warning: She will likely challenge you to a game of Spikeball at the office.

Chani Feldman

GM of Government Solutions

Chani partners with Medicare Advantage and Medicaid health plans to bring meaningful in-home support to their members. A nurse at heart, she's spent the last two decades in the home care provider space — at the bedside, in operations, and shaping policy — which gives her a real feel for what plans need and, more importantly, what members feel when care shows up at their door. She brings that perspective to every plan partnership, helping teams design and scale supplemental benefits and in-home support programs that genuinely move the needle for the people they serve. Outside of work, Chani is a proud grandmother of 12 and spends her free time traveling and hiking with her husband.

Lauren Beaubien

GM of LTCI

Lauren brings broad experience with developing strategy, go-to-market, and marketing initiatives. At The Helper Bees, she leads partnerships, growth, program launches, and overall program success across the long-term care insurance business, helping expand access to aging-in-place support for members and their families. Lauren loves reading and exploring state parks, and if you're lucky, she'll bake you her signature bread.

Eric Corum

Cofounder

Eric has a bachelor’s in Computer Science, is a lean six-sigma black belt, and was head of product for a large startup that created an FDA-approved device. He is also the cofounder of a Medicare-accredited hospice agency and the founder of a Medicare-accredited home health agency. To address the needs of low-income seniors, Eric serves on the boards of nonprofits that deliver subsidized home care to those in need.

It Takes a Full Hive To Thrive

Our leaders are only a handful of the hardworking pros that make The Helper Bees what it is. We have over 300 talented team members advancing our mission across the country, and everyone has an important role to play.

If you'd like to join us in helping people age well at home, we'd love to have you on board.