Meet Our Team

Ensuring quality care for those in need has been part of Brian Davis’ job for nearly 20 years.

As former Chief Marketing Officer for Edward-Elmhurst Health, Brian helped to build a brand that people throughout the Chicago suburbs trust with their health and the health of their loved ones. As the owner of Home Helpers, he ensures that same quality of care for those who wish to age at home, as well as others in need of in-home care.

Brian is committed to delivering the quality of care for which Home Helpers is known while expanding that service to serve more people and their families.

A licensed clinical social worker, Brian’s wife, Dominica, also has spent a lifetime helping those in need. With extensive experience in hospitals, schools and in private counseling, she will provide valuable support to the Home Helpers caregiving team.

Founded in 2005 by Mary and Mike Doepke of Western Springs, Home Helpers grew into one of the most successful and highly respected home care agencies in Illinois. Brian took over ownership in January 2018, inheriting an experienced office staff and more than 200 compassionate caregivers to carry on the Doepkes’ mission of helping people age safely in place.

“Home Helpers is known for its quality of care and its personal connection to its clients,” Brian said. “Dominica and I share the passion for care on which this company was founded.”

Brian and Dominica raised three sons in La Grange, where they are active members of the community.

Brian is a co-founder, Vice President and board member of The Legacy Guild, an organization that provides college scholarships to students throughout Lyons Township School District 204 who have suffered the loss of a parent.

Dominica is a social worker in the Hinsdale school district and has supported students of Lyons Township High School through her leadership of the LT Football Pride Club.

“This endeavor is a dream come true for us,” Brian said. “We welcomed this chance to own a business with an important mission that matches our backgrounds as well as our desire to serve the community.”

Alicia joined the Home Helpers team in 2018. Her direct reports include our 140+ Caregivers and care management office staff. With her CNA license (Certified Nursing Assistant) and CDP (Certified Dementia Practitioner) certificate, along with her client service focus, Alicia is well equipped to handle any care management challenge that arises at Home Helpers. She previously worked for 15 years in assisted living facilities training staff and supporting seniors. Alicia has a passion for working with older adults. She is motivated “to assist seniors who wish to stay in their homes for as long as possible, ensuring their happiness and a good quality of life.” Alicia is very family oriented. Outside of work, she spends her time with husband Matt, their dogs Sadie and Otis and her extended family. Every Sunday night she has dinner with her parents and her siblings. In the summer, her family enjoys spending time together on their boat. She also enjoys cooking and baking. And she is a collector of giraffes, her favorite animal; she has giraffes from all the places she has traveled to.

Sheri joined Home Helpers in January 2017 following a long career in nursing home and healthcare marketing. In her role as Community Outreach Manager, Sheri builds relationships with important referral sources such as hospice, home care, rehab and senior living communities. She is also involved with our local agency on aging, Aging Care Connections, as a member of their Community Resource Network and their Aging Well Month Committee. Sheri’s main focus is to be a resource for our referral partners and to provide potential clients with information about our care services to help them make this important decision. Sheri has always had a passion for health care and the aging population, and she is proud to help spread the word about the good work that Home Helpers provides. Sheri lives in Lisle with her husband and 3 children. When not driving her children to their various activities, Sheri likes running, reading and cooking.

Tracey joined our Home Helpers team in 2021 and has extensive experience in home care. She was a caregiver for six years and worked her way into a key office administrative and scheduling role for many years in a large, high-quality home care agency. Her specialty is connecting with clients and caregivers with a keen eye for detail. Tracey says, “Being a caregiver prior to my scheduling experience has given me the right tools to be able to form good strong relationships with the caregivers and gain their trust. What interests me about scheduling is that it is like a puzzle that has not been put together yet but once that last piece is put in you can see the greatest of accomplishments once it is completed.” Outside of work, Tracey has three grown children and three rescue dogs (she loves to rescue) that keep her busy. She also loves to cook and spend time with her family.

Maura joined Home Helpers as our Recruiter in September 2019. Prior to Home Helpers, Maura was one of four people to start up and expand a staffing company based out of Chicago. That company was so successful that it was recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in America by Inc. Magazine. We are lucky to have her and the wealth of recruitment experience she brings to help us screen and select the best caregivers to serve our clients. She also ensures that our caregivers receive quality training annually that meets and far exceeds State requirements. Maura says, “I value honesty, kindness and compassion and I look for these qualities in the caregivers I recruit and hire.” Her motto is “What goes around, comes around.” As such, she strives to be kind and considerate to others so her family and friends may receive kindness in return. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and likes to read and travel, especially to warm places.

Marianne has been a member of the Home Helpers team since 2011, providing valuable behind-the-scenes support to Home Helpers. Marianne’s conscientiousness and attention to detail make her a perfect fit for this role. Marianne is a huge dog lover and a supporter of rescue shelters; she and her husband Bob have 4 rescue dogs at home. She is also mom to 2 grown children.

Care Coordinator Sally Gerdes works with Care Manager Alicia Smith and team to provide the best home care quality as possible. Sally is a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). She helps orient and train our Caregivers, ensures that shifts are properly documented, performs Quality Check-in (monitoring) visits with clients, and follows up on care-related issues. Sally started with Home Helpers in 2017 as a Caregiver where she received many accolades for her skills and compassion. She was promoted to Lead Caregiver in 2021 where she excelled by supporting the Office Staff and also filling in for open client shifts due to last-minute call-offs by Caregivers or last-minute client requests. Sally has been in home care for many years as a Caregiver and also a manager at an assisted living facility. Sally says, “The greatest joy that comes from my job is seeing someone smile, and knowing that I am doing what I can to allow them to stay in their own home.” Sally loves dogs and spending time with her family, especially her sister who lives nearby.

Teresa Phillips is a Certified Nurse Assistant and is one of the top Caregivers in this region. As Lead Caregiver, she helps get new clients started and handles on-call duties to support Caregivers who can’t make a shift. She also supports field training of Caregivers and Quality Check-in visits for clients. With nearly 20 years of Caregiver experience, she has seen it all and can do it all. Teresa was a social worker in her early career and moved into direct caregiving because she truly enjoys helping people in need. “I feel like I am a trusted listener – understanding, friendly and patient. I think of my clients as my own family member and give them the same level of care as I would my own family.”