Meet the Morning Light Team

Madison has been with Morning Light since 2017. She has a passion for using her communication, organization, and event knowledge to make a difference in the lives of others in the community. Since Madison joined Morning Light, the organization has nearly quadrupled its fundraising efforts, started a State Certified CNA school, and won education and storytelling awards. Madison has also brought holidays, celebrations, and quality of life activities to the organization and the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home. “For me, it’s about the celebration of life up until the end,” she says.

Madison has been responsible for coordinating the highest grossing fundraising events in Morning Light history, and the organization continues to break fundraising records year over year with her involvement. She is primarily responsible for staff leadership, organizational oversite, community partnerships, business development initiatives, media and press collaborations, promotional materials, and communications.

Madison works hard to cultivate community awareness and collaboration. Because of her work, the organization has been featured in the Indianapolis Star, received a wide variety of coverage on local radio and television stations, and has received both local and national awards. She now teaches her nonprofit communication and leadership methods nationally to help other organizations advance their missions as well.

After five years of volunteering for Morning Light events, Brittany made the decision to join the mission full time! She brings 15 years of customer service experience, most recently managing a bank branch in Zionsville. Her attention to detail, creative ideas and passion for making individuals feel welcomed is what led her branch to succeed in a new market. Beyond serving her clients, Brittany consistently reported hundreds of volunteer hours a year, serving her church, Second Presbyterian and mentoring through Allies, Inc.

As an ordained deacon, Brittany chaired the Congregational Committee in 2020, whose purpose was to care for the home-bound and hospitalized members of her church, along with bereavement care and organizing the annual Memorial Service. She currently serves with the Congregational Care Network, a ministry in partnership with IU Health that matches patients who self-identify as isolated or lonely with companions to walk along side and connect them to services in their community once discharged from the hospital.

Brittany is excited to use her management and financial experience, coupled with her trauma-informed and spiritual training to help Morning Light reach a greater audience and build a volunteer program that will not only serve the Home, but the caregiving community as a whole.

Karen has been working with Morning Light for more than 5 years. She came to the Morning Light Home through her Certified Nursing Assistant training program at Crispus Attucks High School. She started as a caregiver in 2020. Karen graduated from Crispus Attucks in 2021 and dedicated her time to being a caregiver. Karen has been serving as Director of Programming since 2023.

Karen is passionate about the Morning Light mission and is proud of the level of care that is provided at the Home. In her position as Director of Programming, Karen oversees and manages caregiving staff and coordinates CNA training cohorts. She is excited to help Morning Light’s caregiving staff develop and grow.

Drew Penick joined the Morning Light team in November of 2023. He has background in maintenance and construction including laying concrete, plumbing work, and general home preservation. At the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home, Drew is responsible for maintaining the outer and inner beauty of the home while also attending to our other property, Pennwood Place.

Drew is happy to be a part of the Morning Light team as it has given him experience working in a unique environment and he enjoys being able to help keep our home in tip-top condition in order to serve our community. In his free time, Drew enjoys watching the Colts and Pacers and playing basketball.

Originally from England, Nick Wood spent over five years managing fundraising efforts for a hospice home similar in size to Morning Light Home. He brings a strong background in marketing and development, and in recent years has become a widely published voice in the nonprofit sector. With more than thirty articles published internationally—including features in the BBC and various online and print outlets—Nick continues to explore the stories and challenges of mission-driven work. His most recent piece appeared in Prosetircs Literary Magazine in January 2025.

Long before officially joining Morning Light, Nick was a dedicated supporter behind the scenes. He organized garden fundraisers and “Making Memories” events, offered photography and videography services for three years of special occasions, and designed both the merchandise line and seasonal watercolor logos—always volunteering his time and talent. In late 2023, he spent a month building the Abbie Hunt Bryce Home’s 20-Year Memorial as a personal tribute to the residents and staff.

“It has been an honor to serve the residents of the Morning Light Home in some small capacity. Every friend I’ve seen come—and, sadly, go—remains in my thoughts. It’s such a special place. From the caregivers to the donors and residents, it’s a true community doing good in a world that too often feels ruled by negativity.”

Kylee joined the Morning Light team in the fall of 2024. As the Hospitality Coordinator, she is the welcoming face of the Morning Light Home for new staff, volunteers, and guests alike. She guides all new team members through their onboarding, shares our mission of compassionate end-of-life care, and manages the various behind-the-scenes details that ensure a smooth operation.

Kylee dedicated the early years of her professional life to serving dog owners and their canine companions in various roles. After a period of healing and personal growth following her own loss, she is now excited to apply her skills, passions, and dedication to our mission.

Zachary Alexander, CFRE, is an empathetic relationship-builder, storytelling fundraiser, and creative marketing mastermind who sets measurable goals and destroys them. With nearly 10 years of experience in fundraising and communications within the nonprofit sector, Zachary has supported missions addressing homelessness, HIV/AIDS, substance use recovery, healthcare access, and child welfare.

He specializes in donor relations, fundraising, grant writing, and marketing. Over the past five years, Zachary has raised more than $7 million within the Indianapolis community.

Zachary has personally experienced the power of hospice care, as his grandmother—lovingly called “Nanny” by her grandchildren—spent her final days at a family member’s home after battling breast cancer for nearly 20 years. He had the privilege of spending time with Nanny during her final days and was present in the room when she passed.

In addition to his personal connection to the mission, Zachary’s “why” for Morning Light is simple: every person has a story to tell and deserves to be celebrated and remembered with dignity and respect at the end of their life.

Kate started as a volunteer at Morning Light before advancing to the role of Social Services Manager. She was first introduced to the organization 15 years ago as an MSW student, learning alongside a hospice social worker.

After earning her LSW, Kate accepted a position as a hospice social worker and has since held both inpatient and outpatient roles, eventually going on to earn her LCSW. She also has experience working in an emergency department and a maternity center. Kate recently took a break from her professional career to focus on caring for a family member with a life-limiting illness. This experience renewed her passion for end-of-life care and the importance of quality of life. She has since completed an end-of-life doula course and is a certified end-of-life practitioner.

Kate began volunteering at Morning Light to provide doula services for residents and families while seeking a full-time role that would utilize her social work knowledge and doula skills. When she learned about the Social Services Manager position at Morning Light, the rest was history. Kate’s personal and professional experience caring for people at the end of life has led her to become an advocate for compassionate care and death equity. Serving folks who are under-resourced and lack access to care is a cause she is passionate about. Kate believes all people at the end of their lives should feel held, valued, and cared for—not worried about who will care for them or whether they can afford quality care. She holds that humans are perfectly imperfect and that life circumstances or choices should not determine access to end-of-life care.