Pedro Rivera-Martinez, General Manager

Our General Manager, Pedro Rivera Martinez, is part coach and part navigator with an ongoing goal of keeping 20-something crew and 400-something clients delighted with Carpe Diem Cleaning every day! His personal delight with his job is when he is able to facilitate an exact solution to a felt need of a client or crew member. Pedro's leadership and seasoned acuity bring out the finest in our crew!

Moving from Puerto Rico in 2007, Pedro first arrived in Durham with a car, a four month-old baby, and just a little bit of English. Despite the challenges of those first years, Pedro quickly became settled in his home here and is grateful for the opportunity at the time to have been a stay-at-home dad for two years to his daughter, Paz. He loves every moment he spends with his daughter.

With graduate-level education in Biology, Pedro's studies and work in Puerto Rico centered on native amphibians and reptiles. He is proud of his part in protecting species there and currently in his spare time (when not managing Carpe Diem or playing with Paz!), he likes reading up on all things science-related.

Joanna Cutrara, Assistant Manager

A Chapel Hill native and recent UNC-CH graduate, Assistant Manager Joanna Cutrara is the "client relations extraordinaire" of our Main Branch.

Joanna studied Economics and Anthropology at UNC and now enjoys her first hand economic participation at the "micro" level in a local business. Her Anthropology background is reflected in her no-assumptions approach toward clients, old and new. Our clients share that they feel heard and understood when they interact with Joanna!

Joanna spends her workdays talking with clients on the phone, responding to emails, and scheduling, scheduling, scheduling! She loves "happy endings"- when she is able to work out best-case scenarios for the clients.

When she's not at work, Joanna likes to "cook, dance and sing to old time music"- you can find her clogging, flat-footing, or contra dancing at a farm potluck near you!

Contact the Main Branch

If you schedule a consultation with our Main Branch to get a quote for regular services, you'll likely get the privilege of meeting with Ruthy.

Born in Seattle and having lived overseas and in many domestic metropolitan areas, Ruthy Jones eventually chose to settle in Durham in 1972. Now self-described as a “true tarheel”, she wouldn’t live anywhere else. Communication and interaction with people have always been a part of Ruthy’s life. For many years, she and her husband operated their own automobile fender and repair shop hallmarked by excellent customer service and high value on relationships with clients.  Additionally, her experiences raising her two sons and volunteering extensively in the community have been strong assets as she represents Carpe Diem to new clients. Ruthy joined the Carpe Diem team because of the commitment of the company to empower their staff and give back to the community.

Ruthy lives with her husband, Clint, in Durham and finds great happiness in visiting their two adult sons and their families- including watching her two grandsons' lively antics that remind her of their father all those years ago!

Odalis Bautista, Assistant Manager- Chances are when a Southpoint client calls the office, they will get to speak with Odalis, who is very passionate about a cleaning job well done.  Odalis' career has grown with Carpe Diem and her perspective and help with the teams is invaluable in helping us produce a smooth and excellent client experience.  Odalis is happiest when she knows her clients are delighted!

Odalis has a young daughter with whom she cherishes every spare minute!

Tiera Parker, General Manager- A Communications graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Tiera Parker has lived in the Triangle area since 2004 and is a proud Durham resident.

Tiera's educational pursuits included spending a semester in Bolivia studying culture and development. Her business experiences along with natural organizational abilities have honed her administrative skills. Her people skills and administrative expertise are a great asset to Carpe Diem and our clients!

In her free time, Tiera is a proud aunt, volunteers her time with kids in the community, and enjoys discovering the local music and food treasures in the area.

Meet Tiera and Odalis on My Carolina Today! Contact the Southpoint Branch

Wendy's Background
Wendy Clark founded Carpe Diem Cleaning in 1994 as a young entrepreneur eager to make a difference in her community. Her life background, including spending formative years abroad, spurred her desire to create a service known for its excellence while providing resources for others in need of opportunities. Today, the rapidly growing business has two branches and serves over 400 clients a month, making it the largest locally-based residential cleaning service in the area.

Wendy and Carpe Diem Cleaning have been recognized for excellence in entrepreneurship and small business growth, receiving the Durham Chamber's Micro Business Award in 2001 then the Medium Business Award in 2010.  Wendy was also named to the Triangle Business Journal's "40 under 40" list in 2002.  Carpe Diem received the Angie's List Super Service Award for two consecutive years in 2008 and 2009 and was a finalist in the Independent Weekly's " Best Of Housecleaning" for 2010 and 2011!

Wendy's intense desire to give back to the community motivates her work to improve her hometown of Durham and its impact on surrounding cities. She focuses on programs to help underprivileged children, is a regular speaker for events geared to develop entrepreneurs, and focuses on real estate development to serve the community.  Wendy believes strongly in being an integral team player within the community and always strives to model principle-based integrity.

Jessica's Background
Starting her career with Carpe Diem Cleaning as a crew helper during summer breaks in high school (unofficially starting at age 10, helping Wendy with supplies!), Jessica has had extensive experience with each aspect of the growing company throughout the years. Graduating with a Bachelors degree in 2006, Jessica focused her academic studies in Government and Business Administration- which have come in handy in her work with Carpe Diem's infrastructure! Her experiences, including having grown up with the business, give her unique insight as she develops the operating procedures for Carpe Diem Cleaning's continued success. Jessica delights in her work with Carpe Diem Cleaning of both creating a tangible service and value for the clients as well providing opportunity for advancement to the company's team members.

In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, vegetarian cooking, and Law and Order reruns.