Our Team

Pat Tarantino and Carla Holub-Tarantino

Pat and I began SelectCare 25 years ago with the declaration that homecare can be delivered in a compassionate and professional manner, keeping the client, caregiver and family in the fore front of our decisions. We have worked very hard to assure that each person who becomes part of SelectCare shares in this belief.

We are very proud to have staff members who make a commitment to quality care every day. I invite you to learn more about us and how we work together to ensure you and your loved ones will be well taken care of.

Gloria Fish, RN MSN/ED RAC-CT Director of Nursing

Gloria Fish, RN

I am proud to say that I am a 4th generation nurse from a family of doctors and nurses and I am currently working toward my doctorate in health administration. Through the years I have acquired extensive experience in hospital and long-term-care settings focusing on the geriatric population. My expertise is leading nurses and aides toward the goal of providing excellent client-centered, team-based nursing care by promoting professional integrity, communication and education. My goal is to ensure that clients and their families receive the highest quality of care based on their individualized care-plan. As the Director of Nursing, I will provide care that assures the greatest quality of life possible by working with clients and their families to achieve great customer satisfaction through the services we provide.

Joan Biswas, RN, Field Nurse Supervisor

Joan Biswas, RN

I am an RN Field Supervisor at SelectCare. I trained as an RN in London, England and worked in many countries around the world before finally settling in New York. For many years I worked in the hospital setting first as a staff nurse in ICU and the ER before taking on various hospital management positions. Ten years ago I began working in homecare and of all the areas I have worked in, this field is by far the most enjoyable and rewarding.

It is a great pleasure getting to know our clients and their families. It is very rewarding helping clients improve their quality of life, first by providing superior homecare and then helping them get the services they need to remain at home in a healthy and safe environment. At SelectCare, all nurses have the opportunity to get to know all of our clients even if they are not directly assigned to us. We visit our clients on a regular basis and an RN is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We encourage our clients to contact us with any problems or concerns and are eager to help in any way we can. We also keep in close contact with the client’s other health care providers. As an RN working with SelectCare I strive to meet the needs of our clients and their families with compassion and care.

Kelly Shearer, RN, Field Nurse Supervisor

Kelly Shearer, R.N.

I have been a Registered Nurse for 6 years, working in pediatric and psychiatry before joining the SelectCare Nursing team in 2009. While I found my previous experience extremely rewarding, my time at SelectCare has taught me that with age comes wisdom, reverence and a deep understanding of life that is often overlooked. I make every effort to provide skillful, individualized care to each client I serve with respect and appreciation.

Shamika Fyall, RN Field Nurse Supervisor

Nursing has always been my passion and I began my career 13 years ago as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and received my Registered Nursing Degree 2 years ago. I have had the opportunity to work in many different settings including nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, Visiting Nurses and home care. Joining SelectCare has allowed me to combine the most enjoyable of my experiences: geriatrics and home care.

Our clients choose to remain in the comfort of their homes where they continue to recuperate after major illnesses or accidents. I will help you understand medical treatments and test results, assist you to doctor appointments and find community resources that will enhance your care at home. Whether you need just a few hours a week or around the clock care, I am here to explain those options and guide you in a safe direction. I understand that it is not easy to allow strangers into your home and your life, but rest assured I will always respect your decisions. My goal is to gain your trust so that we can work together to maintain your safety and well being in the privacy and familiarity of your home.

Edith Kindell-Shahjahan, Service Coordinator

Edith Kindell-Shahjahan

I have had the pleasure of being a caregiver for more than thirty years. I began my career in health care as a Certified Nurses Aide before entering the home care field as a Home Health Aide, eventually joining SelectCare in August of 2001 as a member of the field staff. After a month in the field, I demonstrated my home care experience and organizational skills and was promoted to a Service Coordinator position.

I enjoy and take pride in my job as a Service Coordinator. I use my prior experience an aide to ensure that we provide the best care and connect clients with care workers best suited to their needs. After a brief illness left me dependent on the assistance of caregivers, I better understand and empathize with our clients. This experience combined with my eight years of homecare coordinating gives me a unique insight into the importance of finding quality care for my clients.

Sandy Barreras, Service Coordinator

Sandy Barreras

I have worked as a Service Coordinator for more than 15 years and take pleasure in finding the right person to care for you or your family member. I do my best to find the most skilled Home Health Aides to provide you or your family member with excellent daily care and companionship. I consider the unique characteristics of each of our workers and the specific needs of our clients.

I find home care rewarding because it is comforting to know that someone’s mom, dad, sister or brother is not alone and in good hands when busy schedules keep other family members away from their loved one.

You can depend on me to listen to your needs and search until I have found the right person to care for your needs at home or at the hospital.

Ellen Bond, Compliance Coordinator

Ellen Bond

As the Compliance Coordinator, I ensure that the SelectCare staff is comprised of the most qualified, well-trained and trustworthy caregivers in New York City by ensuring that all employee medical records, training and background checks are up to date and in compliance with the Department of Health.

I have worked in home care administration for the past 20 years following an education in Human Services with an emphasis on Geriatric Care. I’m a woman of integrity who enjoys helping people both at work and during my off hours. I volunteer on weekends helping people learn to read, live and cope during distressing times. I understand the value of a strong family bond and think of my three children, husband and 85-year-old mother whenever I am assisting a SelectCare client. I am extremely approachable and I invite you to call me whenever you are in need of assistance.

Meghan Turville, Administrative Assistant

Meghan Turville

I have been a part of the SelectCare team since November 2007. During the first three years I was pursuing my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and Administration. Pat and Carla have given me the opportunity to use my education and experience in all areas of the business focusing on management and information technology. One of my responsibilities is to ensure the staff has the appropriate tools to update date patient information and maintain timely communication so that you receive immediate responses from our nurses and accurate care from our home care staff.

Working at SelectCare is a pleasure because I know I am working with a team that is dedicated to their clients. SelectCare’s motto is “the right person makes all the difference” and this is true not only for the person we send to your home but for the entire staff. We are a team that is committed to making your homecare experience a superior one.

Pat Tarantino, President

Pat Tarantino

Upon graduating college in 1973, due to unforeseen circumstances, I became the primary caregiver for my grandmother who helped to raise me from birth. My family and I thought that she had only weeks to live and we agreed to do everything possible to have her maintain her dignity and comfort. The two years that I cared for her instilled in me the rewarding value of good home care.

After my grandmother’s death I was hired as a Service Coordinator by a national home care service and that started a 35 year career leading up to owning a home care company along with Carla at SelectCare. I am so proud of our entire staff. Their professionalism and dedication assures me that SelectCare will take care of your loved one as though they were members of our family.

We strive for perfection in every aspect of care delivery at SelectCare. Should you be dissatisfied in any way, do not hesitate to call me. I assure you that we will make every effort to get it right and live up to the philosophy that drives our organization, “The Right Person Makes All the Difference”.

Carla Holub-Tarantino, Vice President and Community Liaison

Carla Holub-Tarantino

As Community Liaison for SelectCare, you can count on me to identify and connect you to community services and organizations that enhance and support your wish to remain in the comfort of your home for as long as possible. An example of these services are dentists, physicians, and optometrists who make house calls, volunteer musicians, pet walkers and small home repair workers.

As the Vice President, you can count on me to ensure that SelectCare staff provides you with appropriate and professional care and that you are treated with respect and compassion. As the manager of the daily business, be assured that your questions or concerns will be answered correctly and in a timely manner.

Richard Elfers, Controller

Richard Elfers

I am here to assist you with any questions or concerns regarding your account.I began as SelectCare’s Controller in the Spring of 2003 and oversee all the finances for the company. Although I have worked in finance and accounting throughout my working life, I wish I had discovered the home care industry years ago.I take satisfaction in my job at SelectCare because my work helps ensure that someone’s mother, father, brother or sister gets the best care possible. On top of that, the quality and professionalism of my coworkers really makes my job a pleasure.

Ivonne Martinez, Assistant Controller

I have over 18 years of accounting experience working with a non-profit organization and a private CPA firm. I joined SelectCare because I wanted to work with a company that provided personal attention to their clients. My responsibility is to ensure your invoices are correct each week and I am here to answer your billing questions. One of the many things I love about SelectCare is that we create partnerships with our clients and families; we all work together to ensure all aspects of your home care experience runs smoothly.