Karen Wasserman, LICSW, Director

BA, Brandeis University; MSW, Simmons College

Karen founded Your Elder Experts – the aging life care management service at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Boston – in 1999 and has grown it into one of the Boston area’s leading practices.

She has worked with older adults and their families for over 30 years in community settings, hospitals, rehab centers and more. Before coming to JF&CS, Karen worked at the West Suburban Area Agency on Aging, as Director of Social Services at Mediplex of Newton, and at the Beth Israel-Deaconess Medical Center.

During her time at Beth Israel, she counseled elders and their families who were confronting major life transitions. Karen’s expertise and insight into the complicated medical, emotional, and logistical concerns around aging, and her steadfast advocacy for her clients is respected throughout the profession.

Karen served for many years on the Steering Committee of the LGBTQIA+ Aging Project. She also leads educational programs and information sessions across the community about elder services, housing, and geriatric care management. She is a nationally Certified Care Manager (C-ASWCM) and is a member of NASW and both the national and New England chapters of NAPGCM.

Karen holds an MSW from Simmons, a BA in Sociology from Brandeis, and a Certificate in Geriatric Care and Education from Harvard Medical School.

Susan Bernat, LICSW, Care Manager, Associate Director

BA, Bucknell University; MSW, Columbia University

Before moving to Boston, Susan was Assistant Director of the Senior Adult Program at the 92nd Street Y in New York City and Assistant Director of Social Work for the New York League for the Hard of Hearing, developing skills in American Sign Language. Susan’s compassion and patience help her manage frail clients with empathy and skill. She is a nationally certified care manager (C-ASWCM) and is a member of NASW and both the national and New England chapters of ALCA.

Alex Davis, LICSW, Care Manager

BA, Brandeis University; MSW, Boston College

Alex received his MSW from Boston College with a concentration in older adults. He worked in a Continuing Care Retirement Community with older adults and their families on issues related to dementia and end of life care. Alex was also part of the development of the person-centered small house model nursing home, which he strongly believes is the wave of the future in the long-term care industry. He has also worked for hospice and skilled nursing facilities. As a classically trained violinist, Alex has provided music therapy to seniors with dementia, depression, and anxiety. He is a nationally certified care manager (CCM ) as well as a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) and is a member of NASW and both the national and New England chapters of ALCA.

Patti Fouhy, LICSW, Care Manager

BA, Boston College; MSW, Salem State University

Patti received her MSW from Salem State University with a concentration in Older Adults and End of Life Care. Working with elders and advocating for their increased well-being and enhanced quality of life has been the focus of her work. Patti has co-facilitated a bereavement support group for young widows and presented a talk on “Communicating Bad News.” Patti previously worked in skilled nursing facilities, Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley, and for several hospice organizations. She is a member of NASW.

Harriet Lazarus, LICSW, Care Manager, Supervisor

BA, Clark University; MSW, Simmons College

Harriet has worked with elders and families as both a nursing home mental health clinician and as a social worker in hospital and rehabilitation settings. She has extensive clinical experience and has worked privately for many years. Harriet’s earlier work in family services & child welfare led her to become a trained mediator, and she has completed additional training in elder/family mediation. Both her patient and calm demeanor and depth of skill and experience in dealing with complicated issues make her an effective care manager. She is a nationally certified care manager (C-ASWCM), and is a member of NASW and both the national and New England chapters of ALCA. Harriet served on the Board of the New England chapter of ALCA as the Education Chair and as a Member-at-Large.

Gail Leichtman, MEd, LSW, Care Manager

BA, Connecticut College; MEd, Harvard University

Gail enjoys helping elders who are in difficult situations and who have many needs. Her strong advocacy and energetic demeanor make her particularly well-suited for managing very complex cases. For many years, she sat on the Ethics Committee for Minuteman Senior Services, is a nationally certified care manager (CCM), and is a member of both the national and New England chapters of ALCA.

Danielle Lubin, LICSW, Care Manager

BA, UMass Amherst; MSW, Boston College

Danielle received her MSW from Boston College with a concentration in older adults. While attending BC, Danielle worked in senior housing and at McLean Hospital, on their Geriatric Psychiatric unit. She has worked as an advocate for individuals in long term care facilities through the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program in Massachusetts and in New York. She is a member of NASW.

Pam McKee, LCSW, Care Manager, Low Income Specialist

BA, MSW, University of Toronto

Pam has more than 15 years experience helping elders. Since moving to Boston, she has worked in assisted living communities, where she coordinated resident care and worked with the elderly and their families on issues related to dementia and end of life care. Pam managed a crisis intervention program for many years and worked with a diverse population, including individuals with disabilities and frail seniors with complex medical and psycho-social needs. Trained originally as a family therapist, Pam’s calm, thoughtful energy and her steadfast advocacy for her clients are ideally suited for helping our clients find the resources they need.

Susan "Sue" Novick, OTR/L, Care Manager

BS, Tufts University

Sue received her BS in occupational therapy from Tufts University. During her career, she has worked with older adults in rehab, assisted living, and home settings. Her background in occupational therapy has served her well as a care manager. She brings warmth and empathy to every case.

Joanne Peskowitz, LICSW, Care Manager

BA, SUNY Albany; MSW, Boston University

Joanne was a case manager for the ALS Association, has led expert trainings on both Alzheimer’s disease and domestic abuse in the elderly, and was a founding member of the LGBT Aging Project in Boston. She also has extensive experience in home care and leads caregiver support and bereavement groups. She is a nationally certified care manager (C-ASWCM) and is a member of NASW and both the national and New England chapters of ALCA.

Marjorie Raskin, LICSW, Intake Coordinator and Care Manager

BA, Bates College; MSW, Simmons College

For almost 30 years Marjorie’s social work experience has included work in home care, hospitals, and nursing homes in Greater Boston. For the past ten years, she has provided information and resources through CJP SeniorDirect, a service of JF&CS offering information and advice on all resources related to older adults. Marjorie’s experiences have given her an excellent sense of the challenges families face and the questions they have. Marjorie brings compassion and empathy to her clients as well as her expertise in identifying and utilizing beneficial community resources.

Erin Whalen, CDP, Care Manager

BA, Providence College

With more than 20 years of experience assisting elders and their families, Erin utilizes her expertise to advocate for solutions and steadfastly pursues quality of life for her clients. Erin’s diverse professional background includes experience in program development, research, family education, and professional training. In her role as a care manager, Erin has helped individuals dealing with the diverse needs associated with aging as well as complex medical issues. Her professional experience includes work with assisted living and long-term care communities as well as noted national organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association and the Boston University Alzheimer’s Disease Center.

Meet The Team

While all of our clients and their families work directly with one of our care managers, everyone benefits from the rich variety of expertise among the members of our team.

Your Elder Experts is made up of experienced medical social workers who have worked in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, nursing homes, and visiting nurse associations. We have expertise in mental health, family mediation, and community benefits and supports. Our program is part of JF&CS, a well-established human service agency with programs ranging from adoption and early childhood support to extensive programming for people with disabilities and those living with chronic illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia.

Begin the conversation with Your Elder Experts today. Contact us for more information at 866-924-9543 or email your questions via our contact us page.