Dave Tasto, President/Owner
Assisting Hands – Boston Northwest was launched after Dave saw the value of high quality, individualized care through a family experience – having been inspired by those caring for his grandmother. His experience in program and product management with a personal interest to directly impact people’s lives fuels his passion to offer others the same level of care his grandmother received. He holds an engineering degree from Boston University, an MBA from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst and is also a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). Dave is active in the local community serving on the Executive Committee of Board of Directors for the Bedford, MA Chamber of Commerce, supporting local schools and veteran’s programs, and being involved in his church. His commitment to helping families keep loved ones healthy at home is evident in his published book: Thriving at Home – A Handbook for Preventing Hospital Stays. He grew up in Minnesota before moving to Boston where he met his wife of 20 years, Urszula. Dave and Urszula have two children – a son and a daughter. He loves hiking, sailing, and skiing – all with family and friends.
Elayna Hebert, MPA, CDP, Director of Operations and Client Services
Elayna Hebert graduated with a Master of Public Administration in 2006 and has a background working for non-profit organizations that provide services and care for people in need. She also has previous home care experience as a scheduler and supervisor and is a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). Through her work with struggling families, the elderly, and the disabled, her passion is to help make a difference in the lives of others. Elayna joined the Assisting Hands team in September 2019, and proudly serves as the co-chair for the Liberty Alzheimer’s Partnership (a partnership of the Alzheimer’s Association) She and her husband, Kris, are the proud parents of three boys. Much of her spare time is spent cheering on her kids at activities and sports and enjoying quality time with her family. She describes life as being wonderfully busy!
Sherin Aygun, Human Resources & Staffing Manager
Sherin has recently joined Assisting Hands in December of 2019. She graduated from UMass Lowell in 2017 with a major in Psychology. Prior to Assisting Hands, Sherin has worked in the human services field as a counselor and case manager for individuals dealing with homelessness and substance use disorder. Sherin joined the team because of her passion for creating exceptional relationships with clients and team members.
Sherin’s high standards show through in striving for the best caregiver matches to our client’s specific needs and in her warm, prompt communications with families/partners. She manages all staffing efforts for our clients and leads Human Resources. In her free time, Sherin enjoys time with her family, traveling, and cooking dishes from around the world.
Michele Solimine, Client and Community Liaison
Michele Solimine comes with a broadcasting and communications degree from Northeast Broadcasting College in Boston. In the early years of her career, she was a local radio personality in the Boston market and an AVP at State Street Bank in Boston until her passion for helping and guiding families in the healthcare industry led her to the Assisted Living world. She was the Life Enrichment Director, Outreach Liaison, and Director of Community Relations for two Assisted Living and Memory Care Communities in the Boston North West area. A home care position fell into her lap during COVID and that brought together all of her health care skills to another level. Michele is a mother of two and spends a lot of her free time with her family enjoying watching her son play hockey, traveling, dinners with her daughter, and being adventurous with her fiance. Her favorite quote “Don’t let people pull you into their storm pull them into your peace”
Kimberly Gardner, LSW, Manager of Client Care
Kim’s passion for helping others has only grown over nearly two decades in social work – initially working with children in crisis situations while in Florida, and later in Massachusetts through child protection and advocacy work. In 2014, she expanded her scope to include elder protection and advocacy and continues to hone her skills and experience in clinical, behavioral, and legal knowledge, nursing home and rehab care, home care management, and community support resources. Kim is a Licensed Social Worker, with a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology from the University of Massachusetts – Lowell. She is a compassionate and strong advocate for the highest quality of care for all of our clients and leads our Care Advocacy team.
Through Kim’s compassionate nature, she and her husband, Ken, have also rescued and fostered multiple cats, helping them find their forever homes. Kim and Ken are the proud parents of 3 cats. Kim also enjoys spending time on the beach, going to concerts and marching band/drum corps shows, watching movies, playing board games, and reading romance novels.
Tiquia Matthews, Talent Acquisition Coordinator
Since joining Assisting Hands Home Care as a caregiver in April 2021, Tiquia has become known as a reliable, skilled, caring, and compassionate caregiver to her clients and colleagues. Tiquia entered the healthcare field in 2004 after caring for her disabled cousin for several years and realizing her passion for caregiving. When asked about her experience as a caregiver she explains, “I look forward to helping as many people as I can in this lifetime. In her role as Team Development Coordinator, Tiquia is committed to growing our caregiving team with dedicated and skilled caregivers to help our clients remain happy and healthy at home.
Cindy Hand, CNA, Lead Caregiver
Cindy Hand is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has spent the last 13 years impacting the lives of others through her work in-home care as a dedicated caregiver. She is CPR/First Aid/AED certified and has extensive experience working with those living with dementia. Cindy and her husband, Eric, are the proud parents of three children. In her spare time, Cindy enjoys traveling with bands and assisting with their music, lights, sound, and equipment. Cindy also has a deep passion and commitment to animals and volunteers her time to foster rescue dogs.
