Center for Caregiver Advancement Celebrates 2026 Caregivers of the Year
The 2026 California Caregiver of the Year Awards recipients: Deidra Gossett, Maria Elizabeth Salas de Lemus, and Quaniko Franklin.
Edith Gong, Corinne Eldridge — CCA CEO, Wendy Burch, Sabrina Ullah — CCA Chief Programs Officer, and Sergio Donis — SEIU 2015, pose for a photo at the CCA Caregiver Awards Ceremony.
Wendy Burch, KTLA reporter, kicks off CCA's California Caregiver of the Year Awards as the event emcee.
Three awardees honored with $2,000 cash prize and commemorative trophy
The event brought together caregivers, industry leaders, union partners, and elected officials to honor individuals whose dedication, compassion, and skill make a profound impact on the lives of older adults and people with disabilities and chronic illnesses across the state.
The In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) Caregiver of the Year award was presented to Elizabeth Salas de Lemus. This award honors a paid IHSS provider who cares for an IHSS consumer. The judges were impressed with Elizabeth’s dedication to helping others feel safe and respected, especially during times when they may feel vulnerable or confused. She completed training to gain skills in providing specialized care for her consumer who has diabetes and dementia.
The Family Caregiver of the Year was presented to Deidra Gossett. This award recognizes an unpaid caregiver who provides in-home care to a family member. Deidra’s commitment to learning specialized skills through training courses and active involvement supporting the caregiving community stood out to earn her this award.
The Nursing Home Caregiver of the Year award was presented to Quaniko Franklin. This award honors a skilled nursing home worker who provides valuable support and demonstrates excellence in serving the residents. Mr. Franklin has been working at the same Berkeley, California facility for 25 years, where he has supported residents through his roles in the environmental, activities, transport, admissions, and discharge departments.
“We were honored to celebrate caregivers whose dedication transforms lives every day,” said Corinne Eldridge, CEO, Center for Caregiver Advancement. “These awards shine a light on the extraordinary impact caregivers have in communities across California.”
Each award recipient received a $2,000 cash prize and a commemorative trophy recognizing their exceptional contributions.
Through this award program, CCA recognizes those who exemplify excellence in person centered, high quality care that elevates the caregiving workforce.
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About the Center for Caregiver Advancement
The Center for Caregiver Advancement (CCA) is building the workforce of highly trained caregivers that many Californians cannot live without. Founded in 2000 by SEIU Local 2015, CCA is California's most experienced provider of free, accessible training for long-term care workers. Since our founding, we have trained more than 40,000 skilled nursing facility workers and in-home caregivers through an evidence-informed curriculum delivered in eight languages. Our research partnerships with leading institutions demonstrate the tangible impact of caregiver training on improved healthcare quality and costs. For more information, visit https://advancecaregivers.org.
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