Leadership
Kyle Garifo MA, LCPC, Chief Executive Family Board Member
Kyle has been involved in assisted living since 2014. He has a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from The Illinois School of Professional Psychology and has been a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor since 2003 focusing on individual and couples therapy. He has a passion for helping people and enjoys spending time with The Heathers residents learning more about their life experiences. After witnessing his grandmother live in various assisted living facilities, Kyle felt there had to be a better, more personalized approach for caring for our loved ones. Kyle is thrilled to have his parents working alongside of him in providing a new and different way of doing senior living.
Kyle is married to his wife Kristin for over 20 years and has three children Ava, Zack, and Easton. In his downtime, he enjoys sports including golf and is active in coaching in the local community for football and baseball for the youth programs as well as at the high school level. He also enjoys cruises and spending time with family and friends on the beaches in warmer climates.
Sandy and Larry Garifo, Family Board Members
Sandy spent her entire career teaching in HS District 214, with the last eleven years helping to develop and operate an alternative program for “at risk” teens in the district. Much of her time was focused on creating and implementing a community service program in which the teenage students spent part of every school day helping out at assisted living residences, nursing homes, hospitals and elementary schools. She regularly witnessed how beneficial this interaction was, not only for the residents, but also for the teens themselves, who grew in compassion as well as confidence. She will be establishing a program with the local high school students in bringing youthful energy to our residents. Sandy was compelled to enter the Senior Living field after watching her mother quickly lose her cognitive abilities and zest when she entered a large facility in Minnesota. She was safe and comfortable, but certainly not thriving. With others in her family, she developed a passion for doing Senior living (both assisted and memory care) differently. The Heathers honors that passion.
Larry has been in the IT and Human Resource industries for the past forty years, managing large IT projects until his retirement. Upon retiring, Larry joined his son Kyle in pursuing real estate ventures. During one of those opportunities, he became interested in the senior living industry through his wife Sandy’s unsatisfactory experience with her mother at a large senior living facility in Minnesota. Other family members had seen the same situation with their spouses’ relatives and this situation became a frequent topic of conversations within the family.
Not ready to truly retire, and with the family’s encouragement and promise of support, Larry decided to delve into the research and determine what the experts were saying about the future of the industry. He discovered what the family had all become passionate about—smaller is better for a myriad of reasons, all related to concern for the residents’ physical, mental and emotional health. He spearheaded the project that is now The Heathers Senior Homes and continues to enthusiastically participate in its development and growth.
Jennifer Bohyer, CDP, Executive Director
Jennifer is married to Dan and they are excited to have just welcomed their son, Matthew in May. Jennifer has three step-children, Cassidy, Hayley and Zach. Time with her family is her greatest joy and reward. She also enjoys her three dogs and cat, an outdoor walk and a good movie. Her faith and family are the cornerstone of her passion and love for senior healthcare. Jennifer’s philosophy of senior living is to create a home that brings purpose, dignity, and beauty for all life to the very end; and to walk alongside families with love, compassion, and direction through life’s challenging decisions.
Davina Bialczak, BSN, RN Director of Health and Wellness
Davina joined the Heathers as a floor nurse at the Lake in the Hills location. Within five months, her dedication and commitment to our organization became evident. With seven years of nursing experience, she brings valuable expertise to her role. Following graduation from Rasmussen College of Nursing in 2016, she has worked in several different areas of nursing including hospital, outpatient, senior living, memory care, and hospice. She continued her education and received her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 2022. She feels very passionate about making everyone feel welcomed and appreciated.
Davina is married to Max, and they have three children together – Aiden, Adeline, and Takota. Family is her number one priority, and she is always doing anything she can with her children, parents, and sisters. She has a home full of love, and animals, including three dogs, three cats (one of which is a sphynx), a ferret, and an axolotl.
David Vander Vennet, Culinary Manager
David grew up in Rockford, IL. He has been working in food service for over 30 years, with the last 10 working in Senior Living. He really enjoys working with seniors. He has 4 beautiful children, 3 girls and 1 boy and also has 2 grandsons. He loves being a dad now a granpa too! He is so happy to be the Culinary Manager at The Heathers where he looks to serve the residents with his culinary expertise.
Kate Laughlin, Community Relations Manager
Kate Laughlin comes to The Heathers Senior Homes with in-depth sales and marketing experience – everything from technology, promotional products, fundraising to nonprofit. Kate has discovered a real appreciation for the senior living community due to recently having her dad reside at an Assisted Living Home and passing away just a few years ago. After marketing and promoting in so many different areas, Kate has found her heart and her home in Senior Living Care. This is a passion for Kate, meeting the families and making a difference in their seniors’ lives.
Growing up in the North Suburbs and then attending college at Purdue University (Go Big 10), Kate found herself living in the city and very attracted to the improv comedy scene in Chicago. After a few years of training at the Players Workshop, she finally got to the mainstage at Second City! This was the best of times!
Kate is a single mom to two incredible daughters, Madeline and Mackenzie, who are grown and flown, and live nearby and who she gets to see often. Kate volunteers her time at Anderson Animal Shelter and makes sure the kittens at Petco in Algonquin find a good home through adoption. In her spare time, Kate enjoys walking, swimming, painting, sketching and making all those around her laugh.
Rhonda Kalitowski, NP-In Home Medical Group
In Home Medical Group (IHMG) is a medical services provider that offers high-quality, compassionate and responsive primary care and psychiatric services in a variety of environments including post-acute facilities, assisted living communities and patient homes. IHMG also offers medical oversight and consulting services to insurance companies and medical facilities to manage and improve population health and ensure regulatory compliance.
Dr. Muhammad Asad Ali, MD, FACC, FSCAI
The Heathers Senior Homes is proud to announce our care partnership with Dr. Muhammad Asad Ali. Dr. Ali is an independent practitioner who will provide home medical visits and services to our residents every 1st Monday of every month! This partnership will allow our residents to be seen by a cardiologist without having to leave the comfort of their own home. This will ensure better continuity of care and communication between our care team of nurses and doctors. Dr. Ali’s “Heart Team” has the capability to perform mobile diagnostic imaging in the privacy of our resident rooms. Dr. Ali can also provide a telehealth visit or same-day in-person office visit for urgent care needs.