Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are profiling the McKnight’s 2023 Women of Distinction honorees daily from July 5 to Aug. 15. For additional McKnight’s Women of Distinction content, visit this page.

After a successful stint as a high-level corporate executive, Shelly Sun followed her entrepreneurial spirit and launched BrightStar Care as a home care and medical staffing agency. In 2005, she opened her business model to franchising, expanding its operations nationwide. Two decades later, Sun is still the sole owner of BrightStar Care, which has more than 380 corporate-owned and franchised locations operating coast-to-coast, generating more than $650 million in annualized system-wide revenue. 

Sun has positioned the BrightStar Care brand as a trusted provider of home care with a focus on quality evidenced by full Joint Commission accreditation across the network. Under the BrightStar Care Holdings umbrella, Sun also operates BrightStar Care Homes and BrightStar Senior Living. Sun created BrightStar Care’s first-ever Woman Empowerment Group for the brand’s female franchisees and leaders.

 Sun is an outspoken industry advocate for both home care and franchising. She actively advocates in Washington, DC, working with industry associations such as the Home Care Association of America and the Moving Health Home coalition as well as influencing legislation such as the CARES Act and working to ensure that home care is included in the federally recognized definition of healthcare and as an integral part of patient care.

Under Sun’s leadership, BrightStar and Chamberlain University created an online didactic course specifically designed for nursing students interested in the home health field. Sun established a franchising certificate program at her alma mater, the University of Tennessee, that provides entrepreneurs with support and training. 

In 2020, Sun was named by Glassdoor as one of the top 25 highest-rated CEOs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since her company’s inception, she has strategized to ensure that BrightStar Care remains current with industry trends and is aware of market disruptors. Sun remains steadfast in moving her brand vision forward and providing home care to all who require it.

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. PointClickCare is the Diamond sponsor of this year’s program. PharMerica is the Silver sponsor. Additional sponsors include American HealthTech, Healthcare Services Group, Omnicare, Sentrics and ShiftKey.

Visit this web page to see lists of honorees from 2023 and previous years.