Itay Shalev, J.D

Owner and General Manager

Itay's passion for eldercare developed as a young man. During his summer vacations Itay spent months caring for his elderly uncle; preparing meals, escorting him on walks, and providing companionship that helped him feel connected and valued.

As a psychology student Itay participated in clinical work that helped to connect under-served seniors with community resources which improved their nutrition, health, and overall quality of life. After seeing the growing need for reliable and trustworthy care, he decided to invest his energy into providing long term solutions for seniors and persons with disabilities, assuring they could remain comfortable and independent in their own homes. In 2010 Itay opened Comfort Keepers Chicago and joined a network of over 700 home care offices serving the senior population.

As an owner, Itay understands that each client’s unique situation requires customized and flexible solutions. He is directly involved in every step of the process, from initial client assessments to on-going supervisory visits. Itay is a Juris Doctor and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Romance languages from the University of North Carolina.

Itay is fluent in Italian, Hebrew, and knows his way around the Hindi language (mostly relating to food and cooking). Itay is a proud father of two,  Avi and Jai. In his free time he enjoys spending quality time with his wife and sons, volunteering at his local food bank, cooking delicious Mediterranean foods (along with the occasional stone-fire pizza), and playing tennis.

email: itayshalev@comfortkeepers.com 

Jaspreet Bindra, J.D

Director of Business Development and HR

Prior to joining Comfort Keepers, Jaspreet was an attorney and had a career in nonprofit management at Feeding America. Jaspreet has her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Law degree from North Carolina Central University. 

Jaspreet joined Comfort Keepers in 2016 and in her role she directs new business development and HR (recruiting, training and developing our care team). She's passionate about providing the best care for seniors in her community and looks for meaningful relationships with peers, clients and caregivers alike!  Jaspreet is married to Itay Shalev and has two sons, Avi (age 6) and Jai (age 4). 

email: jaspreetbindra@comfortkeepers.com

Erica Fanciullacci

Client Services Director

Erica has worked with the senior population in an assisted living setting for ten years. The past six years she has worked as a Memory Care Director, and loved it. Working with people living with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia has truly changed her life. 

Outside of work, she enjoys reading, collecting screenplays, writing, and kayaking. She also loves spending time with her dog, Blarney Killarney.

Erica is a huge advocate for helping people thrive no matter the circumstances. She loves working with families and their loved ones to provide the best quality of care. The mission statement of Comfort Keepers is something she truly believes, and she is delighted at the opportunity to continue to spread that mission.

Nicole Tate

Scheduling Manager

Nicole was born and raised in Chicago. She worked in retail management for over 18 years where she held every role imaginable. During four and a half years at Gap Inc/Old Navy, Nciole discovered a passion for Operations and Human Resources. 

Aside from her trio of cats, Nicole has a love of fashion, sewing, painting, plants, and video games.
During her time with Comfort Keeper’s, Nicole is excited to put her well-honed scheduling skills to good use and observe the impact a single person can have on the life of another.

Susan Quaintance

Community Liason

Before joining the Comfort Keepers team, Susan Quaintance served 7 years at the Center for Life and Learning, an educational outreach program for older adults sponsored by Fourth Presbyterian Church. Before that, she taught English and theology for 23 years at St. Scholastica Academy in Rogers Park. 

After seeing the powerful effects of hospice through caring for both her parents at the end of their lives, she was a volunteer for Rainbow Hospice for almost ten years. 

She is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago and loves reading just about anything, walking by any body of water she can find, and laughing.

Susan D.

Caregiver

Susan has worked as a healthcare coordinator for over 10 years. After many dedicated years working as a Practice Manager, Susan was inspired to take on a new role as a direct care provider. Known for her cheery disposition, Susan excels on companion cases. She is an excellent cook, maintains a clean and inviting home environment, and is able to assist with scheduling doctors’ appointments, outings, and trips to the grocery store like a true pro.

Jamie

Caregiver

Chosen from 140 nominees, Jamie was named one of the 6 Kristina Butler Comfort Keepers of the Year in June of 2022. Jamie has worked in the medical field for over seven years and is a certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy Technician. Jamie has a natural gift for caring for others. When reflecting on her volunteer service at an adult foster home, her former supervisor stated, "Ms. Lewis has a huge heart and is always willing to learn. She gives her all to those in her care." Jamie has special skills in providing nutritional meal preparation, companionship, cleaning, and providing personal care.

Luella Lipsey

Caregiver

An at-home caregiver since 1989, Luella values her long-term relationships with both clients and staff. She excels at treating those in her care as family, and making sure that they are always feeling and looking good. Luella says that she has learned the most from her clients with Parkinson’s Disease. She also has significant experience dealing with individuals with various forms of dementia.

Janice Dugo

Caregiver

Janice has been part of the Comfort Keeper’s family since 2018. Her favorite thing about being a caregiver is the many lessons she has been taught by the many clients she has serviced. With their help, she says she has learned to really listen with, both, her ears and her heart. Janice’s experience includes caring for clients with diabetes and dementia.

Margaret Bouie

Caregiver

Margaret has been a professional caregiver for over five years and especially enjoys the variety of people she has met. The experience of all the differences- in temperament, permanently and situational, have enriched her life. Consistently going above and beyond to ensure that her clients’ needs are met is something that Margaret is known for.

Oyun Siciliano

Caregiver

Oyun has worked with Comfort Keepers for 4 of her 8 years as a caregiver. She is a great communicator with a vast array of skills and experience. Most recently, she worked with a client that suffered a stroke, assisting with personal care and other ADL's. She is always positive and is great with engaging with clients.  

Comfort Agyapong

Caregiver

Comfort has worked with Comfort Keepers for 6 years. She has worked as a caregiver for 9 years. She is dependable and consistent. She has vast experience with bedbound clients and transferring. She has a calm and patient demeanor allowing her to build strong relationships with her clients.