Meet Our Team

Dianne’s journey with Home Instead Senior Care began in 2002 when she joined the team as a CAREGiver. A long standing advocate for the Erie community and its residents, she knew she had found her passion. Dianne felt an instant connection to her clients and the Home Instead Senior Care mission: to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Shortly after she joined the company, she channeled this passion into her new role in the office as the Director of Public Relations, Development, and Operations. As she worked with the then Home Instead, Erie, owners to spread the word about the services the organization offers, and fostered long-lasting bonds with the clients, the families, and the CAREGivers, it became clear to Dianne that this mission was her calling.

“I wanted to buy the business I’d worked for all those years because the clients and their families became a part of my heart,” said Dianne. “I’m committed to helping others have peace of mind when it comes to their relative’s welfare. I often wake up in the middle of the night worried about a CAREGiver, worried about the health condition of a client, and praying for an outcome.”

Home Instead’s clients, CAREGivers, and office staff, are at the very core of Dianne’s love for her work. To Dianne, it’s personal.

To contact Dianne, email: dcunningham@homeinstead.com.

Bob shares Dianne’s passion for Home Instead Senior Care’s mission. A lifelong Erie resident, he left his career in the auto industry to join his wife in supporting the seniors of Erie County and their families after volunteering his time for two years. He is the CEO— a title he does not take lightly— which is as tough and rewarding as it sounds. Bob merges business sense with compassion, understanding that preserving the dignity of our clients and providing quality training to our CAREGivers is the key to success for all. He hopes to broaden the reach of our services to all of Erie County in an effort to improve the quality of life for seniors throughout the area and ease the burdens on their families where possible.

“We love seeing the CAREGivers become part of the family and developing long-term relationships with seniors,” said Bob. “We enjoy quite a reputation in helping families care for relatives suffering from Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Our CAREGivers are trained extensively in this area.” To Bob, it’s personal.

To contact Bob, email: bcunningham@homeinstead.com.

Lisa joined the Home Instead, Erie, team in 2013 and has enjoyed working with the team every day since! She is proud to work for a company whose goal is to improve the overall quality of life by fulfilling seniors' wishes to remain in their home as they age while easing the burden on families. Behind all of the paper and daily tasks, she loves that the core of who we are and what we do helps those in need and relieves stress on families caring for the people they love and cherish the most. She feels blessed to call it her job as it brings her great joy and fulfillment. The Home Instead, Erie, mission statement, "With mindful hearts, we ease burdens, keep promises, and preserve dignity," is essential to everything Lisa does. "We succeed in providing the greatest care Erie County has to offer seniors, while being one of the best employers our local senior care industry has to offer. I enjoy being a part of this team and look forward to continuing to share our mission with more families and employees for years to come," said Lisa. To Lisa, it's personal.

To contact Lisa, email: lcunningham@homeinstead.com.

Amy Jennings joined our team as Administrative Coordinator in September 2014. She enjoys the challenges that come with this fast-paced, high-energy workplace. Interacting with many CAREGivers and clients daily has helped her develop a better understanding of caring for seniors and their needs. Amy feels that helping a senior remain in their home is truly rewarding and accurately reflects Home Instead, Erie's mission statement: "With mindful hearts, we ease burdens, keep promises, and preserve dignity." To Amy, it's personal.

To contact Amy, email: ajennings@homeinstead.com.

Misty joined our team in February 2015 as the Human Resources Manager. Misty was born and raised in New Bern, North Carolina, where she previously worked as Director of Human Resources for a senior living facility. After twelve years of employment, she was promoted to Director of Regional Operations where she oversaw five senior living facilities, supported the staff, and enhanced the lives of seniors. Misty completed her degree in Health Care Administration from The University of Phoenix. She is very excited to be the voice of the CAREGivers and passionate about providing quality care at home for seniors. Misty's passion and dedication to the Human Resources department shines through her ability to enlighten those around her, while sharing our mission statement with employees joining our Home Instead family. To Misty, it's personal.

To contact Misty, email: misty.peccalaio@homeinstead.com.

Kolby joined our team in April 2016 as the Human Resource Assistant and CAREGiver Engagement Coordinator. Kolby was introduced to Home Instead Senior Care when Dianne Cunningham did an “Alzheimer’s Friendly Business” training for her wait staff at Joe Root’s Grill, where she was a manager and worked for about 8 years. With a degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences from Edinboro University, Kolby always wanted a rewarding career where she can help those in need find what they truly are passionate about. She loves running special programs that help our wonderful CAREGivers get involved in the Erie community. Kolby also prides herself on running special training sessions, ensuring our CAREGivers are equipt with the necessary tools while in they're in the field. She enjoys sharing our mission statement with those we serve. To Kolby, it's personal.

To contact Kolby, email: kolby.kulhanek@homeinstead.com.

Jackie joined Home Instead Senior Care as a CAREGiver in October 2017. She received her RN from Luzerne County Community College followed by a BS in Rehabilitation from Penn State University. Working with special needs clients, seniors, and of course, life experiences, has allowed her to grow and share her passion of caring for others - a most vital act for the age we live in today. Caring is two-fold for Jackie. It comes with not only grief, difficulties, and sadness, but also with a sweeter level of love, sharing, and giving of herself. This is a choice. She finds it keeps her developing greater inner resources for seeking a higher expression of understanding in her personal and professional life.

Jackie believes a true CAREGiver knows the most effective way to act upon the universe is through example: attraction rather than promotion. Being willing in mind and spirit is a process she embraces-- a process that can work within the most delicate nature of our soul. From her first interaction with Home Instead Senior Care staff, she felt at home.

Life in its fullest brilliance is a reciprocal endeavor-- a labor of love. She feels her position with Home Instead Senior Care, Erie, gives her a compass. It allows her to follow her desire to help, care for, and nurture to the ends of clients' expectations. Being present, being in the moment, helping clients and their families make the best, and at times, difficult decisions is critical. Providing an objective evaluation on an individual basis is where she feels the spiritual force of her responsibilities. She challenges herself to ease families' burdens, provide information, and keep the Home Instead promise to assure our clients' needs are met. To Jackie, it's personal.

Maggie began working with Home Instead Senior Care in 2013, but caring for others has been a passion of hers from the time she was a little girl. This is what lead her to pursue and graduate from the LPN program at Mercyhurst Northeast. Maggie started out as a CAREGiver, working for a wonderful and loving family for over for six years, who came to see her as if she was one of their own daughters. This was her first and only client throughout that time and her service to the family earned her CAREGiver of the Year at Home Instead, Erie. After realizing she wanted to touch more lives and ensure other seniors receive high-quality care, she joined the office staff as the Quality Assurance Coordinator in April 2019. Maggie interviews potential CAREGivers, assesses the needs of our clients, and monitors these needs as they evolve to ensure our clients’ standard of care evolves with them. Home Instead’s mission is one that pulls at her heartstrings— especially as her own grandmother has been diagnosed with dementia. Now, as the Client Care Coordinator, Maggie strives to make sure all seniors in the Erie area are given the opportunity to be treated like family. To Maggie, it’s personal.

Holli was blessed to be raised by strong, passionate women. Her mother was a giver of services and a humanitarian in the community she grew up in. Holli's grandmother was a hard worker, who gave her sound advice and was devoted to her church. Her God mother was her source of strength, her safehaven, and source of laughter. With that being said, Holli thinks her passion for helping others came from her female influences. Holli always had an affinity for working with seniors. Seniors bring valuable wisdom and advice that she deeply appreciates. This is where her passion for seniors originates from. These women each had a history; a story, that made them who they individually were. This is personal to her because she watched them grow older in their life span, to when they needed help, instead of being the givers. Holli thinks she subconsciously chose a career as a social worker because she was influenced by her female family members. Her career spans from working as a social worker in a nursing home, the area agency on aging, case management and hospice care. Working as a Client Care Specialist at Home Instead Senior Care, allows Holli to use her knowledge to help keep seniors happy and safe in their homes. This mission is what she is passionate about: with mindful hearts, we ease burdens, keep promises, and preserve dignity. To Holli, it's personal.

Sue has been drawn to working with seniors for a long time. From working in the social services office at an assisted living facility during her college summers to cleaning apartments for seniors to make extra money during the school year, she's always loved spending time with the older and wiser generation. As her kids got old enough and Sue was ready to enter the work force, it's no surprise that she gravitated to agencies that provided support to seniors. Sue started as a CAREGiver with Home Instead Senior Care, Erie, in 2010, and began working in the office as a Scheduler less than a year later. Sue is incredibly grateful that her position allows her to get to know not only the seniors and their families, but the CAREGivers as well. To Sue, it’s personal.