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.”

Ellen has dedicated her career to serving older adults, bringing decades of leadership experience in senior living communities and home care throughout Chicagoland. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and Certified Dementia Trainer, passionate about helping others understand and support those living with memory loss. One of her favorite tools is the Virtual Dementia Tour®, a hands-on experience she uses to help Caregivers and family members gain empathy and insight into the daily challenges faced by those with dementia. Since 2017, Ellen has been actively involved with the Alzheimer’s Association, serving on both the Steering and Education Committees for Illinois Women Conquer ALZ (IWCA). Through this work, she continues to advocate for education, awareness, and compassion in dementia care. When she’s not leading her team or facilitating dementia education, Ellen can often be found in her garden or exploring local trails on her bike. A lifelong lover of photography, she delights in capturing the beauty of everyday life — from bees and blooms to joyful faces and quiet landscapes. Ellen brings to Home Helpers a blend of professional expertise, heartfelt empathy, and creative energy — all centered on her mission to enhance the quality of life for seniors and those who care for them.

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.

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.

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.

Marco brings more than a decade of professional recruiting and HR experience to Home Helpers of Hinsdale, including extensive work in home care and healthcare staffing. He has led high-volume Caregiver recruiting and onboarding, strengthened compliance processes, and significantly reduced turnover in prior roles. Relationship-driven and bilingual in Spanish, Marco is passionate about helping people find meaningful work that positively impacts their community. In his free time, Marco enjoys leatherworking, blacksmithing and hiking with his wife Marissa and their German Shepherd Lionel.

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.”

Maria Cuasay is a Lead Caregiver with extraordinary compassion, skill, and lived experience. After a 20-year career in technology—including her dream role at Disney—Maria returned home to care full-time for both parents through Alzheimer’s, an experience that revealed her true calling. She went on to earn senior-care training, CPR certification, and quickly became one of Home Helpers’ most trusted Caregivers. As Lead Caregiver, she supports new-client start-ups, helps train Caregivers, and is our attentive “eyes and ears” in the field. Maria is known for her thoughtful, person-centered care—engaging clients in meaningful activities, advocating for their needs, and helping their families feel supported. Her dedication, creativity, and deep empathy shine through every client she serves.