Meet Our Team

Kelly experienced caregiving firsthand for his father, a WWII decorated Army veteran, who passed away in the family farmhouse in 1999. That experience opened his eyes and heart to the challenges families face when caring for their senior.

Kelly has worked in the health care industry for 20 years. He began his career as a business consultant, helping large health care providers design and implement business strategies and improve operations. That experience helps him quickly assess problems and implement solutions. He is very proud of his trusted relationships with Home Instead's Care Professionals and is inspired by their compassion.

Kelly brings his compassion for seniors, dedication to his Care Professionals, and business insight to work every day.

After working as a Staffing Consultant for years in temporary staffing agencies, finding professional, experienced workers for business clients, Angie knows what it takes to keep our office running smoothly. She honed her skills in customer service, listening and uncovering needs. She joined Home Instead in 2019.

Her easy-going manner, quick laugh and ability to stay cool make her a terrific fit for our professional and high energy team. Nancy is a long-time resident of Elk Grove Village. She is fluent in Spanish and loves to cook and dance. She enjoys family time and is a proud mother of four children, four grandchildren and her dog.

Angie has been with Home Instead since 2007. As the Client Services Manager, it was Angie's job to select Care Professionals for clients and manage their schedules. Now, as General Manager, Angie oversees all aspects of the Home Instead Operation. Prior to working with Home Instead, Angie had seven years experience operating and managing retail stores. There, she was responsible for managing employee schedules, hiring, training, and orientating new employees.

Angie is originally from Romania, but has called this area home since she was sixteen. She is married to a Cook County Sheriff's Deputy and has four children. Angie's hobbies include bowling, bike riding, and spending time with her family.

Angie has a contagious laugh that can brighten anyone's day.​

Cassie has been with Home Instead since 2016. Cassie’s caregiving story began in 2011 when her grandma passed away. At that time, Cassie was raising her family and helping with her family's industrial equipment servicing business. However, she missed her grandma so much that Cassie later sought employment with Home Instead to find another senior to love.  One client reminded Cassie of her grandma and helped to fill the void; they loved each other like family. Cassie still reunites with that family today although the client passed years ago.  Cassie is proud to provide peace of mind to families when they needed it most.  

In her free time, Cassie likes to spend time with her family and 2 dogs. She also visits her family in South Dakota whenever possible. Cassie believes that seniors deserve compassion and dignity and finds her work at Home Instead rewarding and meaningful.  She has made great friends at Home Instead and says its nice to be a part of a team that truly wants the best for seniors. 

Jelena is a dynamic professional with a remarkable journey in new business development and marketing spanning over 5 years. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a deep dedication to personalized care, Jelena is your go-to advocate for ensuring the well-being of clients and their families.

Jelena graduated with distinction, holding a Bachelor's degree in Biology of Neuroscience, demonstrating her innate curiosity and passion for understanding the intricacies of the human mind. This intellectual foundation was further enriched by her pursuit of a Master's degree in Natural Medicine, solidifying her commitment to holistic well-being. What sets Jelena apart is her boundless determination. There are no barriers too high, no challenges too daunting for her to overcome. She possesses an uncanny ability to find solutions, ensuring that your family and loved ones receive the care they deserve.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jelena finds true fulfillment in transforming lives for the better. She firmly believes in setting a strong foundation for her family and children to lead healthy, self-fulfilling lives filled with love. Her passion extends beyond her work, as she enjoys traveling, cherishes quality time with her family, and places a high priority on spiritual wellness. Family is the heartbeat of Jelena's life, and she takes immense pride in being part of a company that shares her values.            

Alina Merrill has been with Home Instead since 2008. Previously, she worked as a Activity and Volunteer Coordinator for Sunrise Church Creek. Alina received her degree in Psychology from the West University of Romania. Her experience working with volunteers at Sunrise Church Creek and her personality made her a great fit as a Staffing Manager here at Home Instead. Alina became excellent at determining which Care Professional would be the perfect fit for our clients. She is sensitive to client needs and has developed strong bonds with our Care Pros.

Alina was promoted to Manager of Human Resources in 2017. In this role, Alina manages our recruiting, hiring, retention and payroll processes.

Alina and her husband Mike have a son, Darien and daughter, Ariana. In her spare time, she enjoys creating custom-made jewelry, shopping, and keeping fit and healthy with yoga.

Kathy has been with Home Instead since 2010. She is one of our Client Care Managers here at the office! Kathy enjoys spending time with her husband and 4 children. She visits her children in the city and loves when they come home whenever possible. Long walks with her two dogs is something Kathy does a lot, as well as travelling. When she is not helping clients here at the office, she is volunteering at food pantries or church functions. Reading and fitness are great passions of hers! 

Kerrie joined the Home Instead team with more than 20 years of experience in the Medical Field and 7 years working as a Care Coordinator for a Hospice Agency.  Kerrie has seen the positive impact of providing care for people in their homes.  When not working, Kerrie enjoys spending time with her family, her dog and 2 cats.  A few years ago, Kerrie began playing the drums and says that is a work in progress.  

Marian, known as Robbie, has been with Home Instead for 4 years. After retiring from a corporate career, she wanted to explore a meaningful opportunity. She was attracted to caregiving, as she had always been the family's caregiver.  Robbie began her 'next thing' as a part-time caregiver at Home Instead.  She quickly distinguished herself as friendly, outgoing, responsive and capable. She was promoted to an office role shortly thereafter. For over two years, she handled all aspects of the office administration in an efficient and organized manner. In May 2016, she was promoted to a client-facing role of "New Client Engagement Coordinator".  She now educates all inquires (if you call about services you will likely speak with her!) about our services and helps organize service for new clients.

Robbie's professional background includes 32 years in office management and IT support at Zurich America.  Robbie lives in Carol Stream and has 3 children, 9 grandchildren, 3 cats and 2 dogs. She enjoys spending time with her family, helping her elderly neighbors, going to movies and concerts with her granddaughters, shopping, reading and working with her teammates at Home Instead!​

Nicole joined Home Instead in September 2023 as a Care Professional and quickly transitioned into the franchise offices as our Human Resources Recruiter in November.  Nicole worked as a caregiver for 4 years and wanting to enhance her skill level to care for her clients and family members as they get older, Nicole received her CNA certification.  Nicole's hands on experience means that she knows what it takes to provide the highest level of care possible for our clients, which is an invaluable skill in her role as a recruiter. 

When not working, Nicole and her husband enjoy spending time with their 7 children and family.

Jackie started with Home Instead as a Care Professional in 2020 and joined the administrative team as a Staffing Manager in September 2021. Now as our Training Coordinator, Jackie shares her expertise by ensuring our Care Professionals have the skills they need to serve our clients needs.  She enjoys changing lives for seniors and Care Pros. Prior to joining Home Instead she was the general manager of several restaurants. Jackie hasn’t looked back since she began her new path at Home Instead. She often reflects on how different life would have been if her family had a caregiver when her grandfather needed help in the last months of his life. She was a teenager when he passed. She is thrilled to help families in such meaningful ways. 

Jackie is a crafter and a self-proclaimed nerd. She enjoys many things but especially Doctor Who. As a care giver Jackie loved bonding with seniors over shared mutual interests and learning everything she could from them. Now, as a manager, Jackie finds the best possible matches for everyone. She loves her family to the moon and back and will take any opportunity to share pictures of her beautiful daughter.

Amanda (Mandy) has been interested in healthcare ever since she was little. She received her CNA license and earned a degree in Biology from Benedictine University. While working with patients during clinicals, Mandy grew a passion for seniors and wanted to make a difference in their lives.

Mandy started with Home Instead in 2021 as a Care Professional and was promoted to Staffing Manager in 2022. She prides herself on always treating clients like they are family!

Prior to working at Home Instead, Mandy had 3 years experience managing retail stores. In her free time, she enjoys doing anything outdoors and spending time with family.

Antoinette has been a Care Professional for over ten years, she knows what it takes to offer the care and support of the client and offer peace of mind for the families trusting a care pro to take care of their loved ones. who need a little more attention in their lives.

Antoinette started with Home Instead over a year ago as a Care Professional.  In time she was asked to become a On-Call Supervisor to assist the office and Care Pros during afterhours to make sure clients had the coverage needed at any time of the day or night.  Now, in her current role as a Staffing Manager, she can take her experience as Care Professional and On-Call supervisor to make sure each client has the best fit for their needs.

Prior to working in Health Care, Antoinette worked in the restaurant industry in many different roles from a server to management.  Hard work and long hours will not stop Antoinette from making sure everyone is taken care of to the best to her ability!   Antoinette always approaches her work with a smile and kind words.  She makes sure her customer have a great experience.  Taking care of people is something she has done her whole life.

In her free time, she loves spending time with family and friends, especially her three beautiful daughters and granddaughter and her boyfriend who she simply adores, along with her two dogs. Antoinette sets aside time each week for her family and friends. Other hobbies include going to hear live music and making the best meat loaf you will ever taste, she loves to cook and try new recipes out for the important people in her life, always modifying to make the best possible meal for them.

Mersiha (mer-see-ha) started with Home Instead in 2018 as a Care Professional. She joined the team with a wealth of personal experience caring for seniors. Mersiha helped her mother as she aged. For Mersiha, the act of giving care to a vulnerable senior is an emotionally satisfying experience and provided a profound sense of purpose. The look of gratitude in a senior’s eyes provides an electric shock for Mersiha. This gives her the energy to provide the support needed for a senior to live a joyful, healthy life. Mersiha joined the Administrative Team in September 2021 as an On-Call Manager, where she handled emergencies that come up after hours. In August 2022, she became a Lead. 

Mersiha is a busy soccer mom for her 3 children. She loves and supports her children more than anything in the world! She enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. Her passion is cooking and taking long walks with her children.

As one of the most successful caregivers EVER at Home Instead, Emilia earned a promotion to Lead Care Professional in February 2019. Emilia was a Care Pro to hundreds of clients during 10 years of providing care. She never met a situation or puzzle she couldn't solve. Given the intimacy of caregiving tasks, every success means building trusted relationships - across hundreds of seniors and their families!

Emilia's warm smile and graceful demeanor helps her guide clients to better outcomes.

In her spare time, Emilia enjoys enjoys swimming and exercising. She also volunteers to help people with alcohol and drug dependencies. She also sings second soprano in a choir!

Carol-Anne Tureck has worked for Home Instead for 10 years as a Care Professional. She was at the Grays Lake Home Instead office  for 3 years and 7 years here in Itasca. Carol-Anne joined the office administrative team in Itasca in 2022 as Lead Care Professional. In this role she, is an extension of the Staffing Team providing service, training and managing people first-hand in the homes of our clients. This role differentiates Home Instead; Lead Care Professionals with deep expertise delivering care and promoted into management. 

Prior to Home Instead, Carol-Anne took care of her father, who had a stroke. She enjoys taking care of seniors and always brings a smile to their faces. 

Carol-Anne is from Cape Town, South Africa. She loves to travel with her husband around the United States. Carol-Anne loves being outdoors, connecting with people, reading, running and singing.

Dale started with Home Instead in 2019 as a bookkeeper. Before working for Home Instead, he worked in landscaping while pursuing his degree in Accounting.  He enjoys working with numbers and helping people solve problems.  Problem-solving helped Dale thrive at Home Instead helping clients and their families with bills, Veterans benefits and long-term care insurance.

In his spare time, Dale takes care of his Blue-and-Yellow macaw named Jack. He is also an avid storm chaser with a passion for meteorology. Dale is always striving to learn more about severe storms in order to help people impacted during these extreme and dangerous events.

Pepper was our wonderful, sweet mascot and a volunteer therapy dog at Northwest Community Hospital. As a certified therapy dog, she wagged her tail and helped people forget their condition and surroundings. Pepper passed away peacefully in November 2018 after a healthy, happy life.

Pepper often visited the office and brought smiles to your hard-working office team! Tricks were never her strong suit, but she always shook paws and gave high-fives to everyone.​