Meet Our Team

Melissa R Cappelli (Missy) is the President/CEO of Nurses ‘n Kids and Nurses ‘n Kids of Milford and has been with the company for 34 years.  Nurses ‘n Kids opened its doors in 1987 by Missy’s mother (Janet Carroll).  Missy started from ground up to learn all aspects of the business before she started running the company.  When Missy’s mother decided to resign from the company, Missy bought the company from Janet.  On January 1, 2018, Melissa became the proud owner of Nurses ‘n Kids and Nurses ‘n Kids of Milford.

When Missy is not focusing on work (that never happens), she enjoys spending time with her husband of 28 years.  Missy has 3 children (which are adults) whom she loves to spend time with when they are home.  She has two dogs that she loves to take for walks and hang out with.

Missy loves tennis, golf, working out, spending time with family and friends and going out to dinner. Missy loves to cook and entertain family and friends.  She spends a lot of her time at the Chesapeake Bay in the summertime and loves to travel and hike with her husband.

Tonia Blades is our Billing Manager for Nurses ‘n Kids facilities. During her 26 years in finance, she uses best practices in accounting to manage the accounts receivable and reconciliations. In her role, she employs various strategies to build her connections with various insurance companies. When she’s not reconciling or billing, she is lounging at her home with her two puppies, Ginger and Snap.

Kristen M. Whitehead is the Senior Director of Nursing and Operations Manager for Nurses ‘n Kids, Inc. and Nurses ‘n Kids of Milford. She started with the company in 2016 and held many positions over the years. In her newest role, she is accountable for both nursing and therapy departments across the Nurses ‘n Kids organization, both in New Castle and Milford. She is proud to have had a hand in growing the company which services over 150 children in the state whom are considered medically fragile.

Kristen received a Bachelor of Science with a minor in Psychology from Juniata College and continued her education in Delaware receiving both her Associate Degree and Bachelor Degree of Nursing. She continued her education and graduated from Wilmington University in 2017 with a dual masters degree, obtaining a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Nursing with a Nursing Leadership focus. Kristen achieved professional achievements becoming a Certified Pediatric Nurse and is a current BLS instructor for the American Heart Association.

When Kristen is not working, you can find her spending family time with her husband, son, daughters, and her beloved yorkie. As a family, they love to spend as much time as possible outside, whether they are at the beach, pool, camping, or traveling. In addition to work and family life, Kristen enjoys bowling, cornhole, and has a passion for DIY projects and crafts.  Kristen is a strong advocate for Celiac Disease Awareness.  She is very dedicated to her family and Nurses ‘n Kids providing them with the most opportunities possible.

Melissa Padgett is the Assistant Director of Nursing at Nurses ‘n Kids and has been with the company since 2016. She graduated with a Bachelors in Science of Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010. Throughout her nursing career she has gained experience through in-home pediatrics, specialty vent and wound care, and ICU. Melissa is a Certified Pediatric Nurse and is BLS and First Aid Certified. She is married with 3 children, a daughter and 2 sons. A majority of her free time is spent with her family. They enjoy camping and being outside year-round. She is also involved with the Just Between Friends consignment organization.

Sarah Terry is a Charge Nurse at Nurses ‘n Kids and joined the company in the spring of 2017. She is a Licensed Practical Nurse with over nine years of skilled pediatric nursing experience. Sarah is BLS and First Aid certified. Sarah is a proud wife and mother of five children who consume a majority of her ‘free time.’ As a family, the Terry’s enjoy spending time outside, watching sports, and cooking together. Sarah is continuing her nursing education at Cecil College and University of Maryland.

Julie L Williams is the Human Resources and Payroll Manager at Nurses ‘n Kids, where she began her career in May 2023. She oversees HR and Payroll for both the New Castle and Milford locations. Julie has accumulated over 15 years of experience in operational, management, and leadership roles within global financial and healthcare-related companies. Her previous responsibilities included managing day-to-day payroll processing, employee compensation and benefits, training and development, compliance and workplace safety, talent recruitment, and change management. As an HR Manager, Julie finds great satisfaction in improving employee engagement, motivation, and aligning staff with company goals.

Outside of work, Julie enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, two sons, and their puppy. She cheers her kids on at their football and basketball games and enjoys soaking up the sun at the beach. She also relishes gathering with her friends and family by a fire pit, catching up on life.

Julie is grateful to Nurses ‘n Kids for allowing her to be both dedicated to her family and her career.