Fall River Health Insurance Solutions, Inc is now EPIC

Michelle Thomas

Michelle has lived in Bend since 1997 and is grateful to call Central Oregon home. You will find her and Boomer taking full advantage of all that the Northwest has to offer; seeking out new trails, kayaking and trying not to fall off their new paddle board!

As an animal lover Michelle has been volunteering with Street Dog Hero’s and has fostered several dogs transitioning into their new “forever homes”. While she struggles to say goodbye to the sweet pups (like Boomer) it warms her heart playing a small role in connecting a loving companion to his new family.

If she has any time off, she is quick to grab her passport and see what the world has to offer. Though the pandemic, while travel was unavailable, she attempted to knit (but never made it past the washcloth stage) and to improve her cooking skills with (sadly) the same level of success.

Michelle founded Fall River Health Insurance in 2009 and has been working in the Medicare market since 1991. As a Medicare specialist she recognized that transitioning onto Medicare is overly complex and wanted to create an agency that helps simplify the process.

Though the years Michelle has proudly helped several thousand clients with Medicare solutions.

Makayla Bullock

After falling in love with the area, Makayla and her family moved to Bend at the beginning of 2022. Makayla enjoys taking advantage of all that Bend has to offer. You can find her biking, hiking, or paddle boarding in her spare time with her husband and their two small children. Makayla also firmly believes that you can never have too many hobbies. She enjoys photography, sewing, and reading, to name a few!

While in college, Makayla volunteered at a Marine Corps Air Station base, where she helped military families navigate military life. She graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2019 and was immediately drawn to helping people navigate Medicare. She finds assisting the people in her community to be incredibly rewarding.

Makayla worked as a Medicare broker in Idaho for a few years before moving to Bend. She and her family have made a home and plan to be here for many years. “I take pride in being a trusted resource and friendly face for my clients.

“I look forward to getting to know this community better!”

Kiersten DeFluri

Kiersten never expected to end up in the Medicare world. She attended West Chester University with plans to become a middle school math teacher, but a few regular customers from her waitressing job had other ideas and encouraged her to join the retirement planning industry after graduation.

After independently obtaining her Life & Health insurance license in 2019, Kiersten began working with Medicare clients and quickly discovered how much she enjoyed helping people through what can often be a confusing and stressful process. While her students may be older than originally planned, she still considers herself a teacher at heart.

Since then, she has developed a real passion for helping people feel confident in their Medicare decisions. Her favorite part of the job is watching the stress leave a client’s shoulders when everything finally clicks. She believes her role isn’t to tell people what to do, but to give them the knowledge and confidence to make the best decisions for themselves.

Originally born on Long Island, New York, Kiersten spent most of her childhood in West Grove, Pennsylvania, after her family relocated. She now lives in Elkton, Maryland, with her husband (Joey), their son (Jax), and their two cats (Artemis and Poseidon).

Outside of work, you can usually find Kiersten at the beach, out on the boat, or spending time with family. She’s happiest when she’s surrounded by the people she loves most.