What Is the Best Age to Move Into Independent Living In Chicago, Illinois?

Monica Rusboldt

Monica Rusboldt became Executive Director of The Clare in September 2022 and most recently held the position of Associate Executive Director. She completed her bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in Spanish and business at Indiana University. She completed her Master of Science degree in occupational therapy at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Monica began her career at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where she worked as an occupational therapist and was promoted to senior therapist. She joined The Clare in 2012, working as an occupational therapist, rehab director and eventually area director, managing multiple sites. She joined LCS® as the administrator in December 2019.

Monica is from Michigan City, IN and enjoys going back home to visit her family and friends. She lives in the Gold Coast and enjoys trying new restaurants, baking and traveling. She also enjoys yoga and reading.

Francesco Tardio

As our Associate Executive Director/Director of Dining Services at The Clare, Francesco Tardio oversees the community's comprehensive food and beverage operations while supporting community operations to enhance the experience for all residents and team members alike.

His background includes positions as food and beverage director, director of outlets and general manager for exclusive private clubs, hotels and restaurants in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Francesco holds a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a master's degree in healthcare administration from Concordia University Chicago.

Liza Steinfeld

Liza joined The Clare in October 2022 as Administrator for The Terraces. Liza is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) and Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with a broad spectrum of work experience. She has held medical social worker positions in various Chicago hospitals and worked in Cambodia, Ecuador and the UK. Liza graduated from Cornell University, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration and earned her Master of Social Work at New York University.

Liza is a curious, lifelong learner, recently earning the designations of QAPI Certified Professional (QCP) and Dementia Care Specialist. She also has a bit of an adventurous streak and has enjoyed traveling to Guatemala and Gabon (Central Africa) in the last five years. When Liza is not planning her next trip, she enjoys doing crossword puzzles and abstract art. Liza is passionate about assisting at-risk populations, particularly older adults, and is excited to be part of a team dedicated to high-quality care.

Dan Rogers

Dan Rogers has been with The Clare since 2011. He oversees the accounting team in the day-to-day operations of payroll, billing and accounts payable. He also prepares the monthly financials, works with management on developing annual budgets, projects future operating performance and coordinates necessary financial audits. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Dan has been married since 2009 and has four kids. He is also a sports fan who especially enjoys college sports (Go Illini!), and is probably one of the very few people who roots for both the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs. Outside of sports, Dan is an avid music fan.

Lynne Lukas

As Director of Sales and Marketing, Lynne Lukas is responsible for planning, developing and directing all aspects of selling and marketing The Clare’s independent living, assisted living and memory care residences. She oversees sales, lead generation, referral development, advertising, strategic market planning and events as well as managing her department’s team. Before beginning her career in senior housing, Lynne was employed with a luxury hotel group in Chicago. She feels her hospitality background serves her well in her chosen profession.

Lynne resides on the north side of Chicago with her husband, David.

Cathy Milano

As Senior Residency Counselor at The Clare, Cathy is often the first point of contact for prospective residents, bringing a wealth of experience across all levels of retirement living and senior services. With over fifteen years in the senior living industry—and a dedicated tenure at The Clare since 2014—Cathy is deeply committed to helping residents find the right fit for their needs. Prior to her work in senior living, Cathy built a successful 20-year career in the financial sector.

Residing just northwest of Chicago, Cathy enjoys life with her husband, Mark, and their dog, Scarlet. In her free time, she loves visiting with her granddaughter, golfing, and unwinding at their cabin in Northern Wisconsin.

Lindsay Bailey

As Director of Environmental Services at The Clare, Lindsay leads Environmental Services with a focus on modernizing operations, building high-performing teams, and elevating health care environmental standards across our high-rise community. Lindsay blends rigorous IDPH and OSHA compliance with forward-thinking operational strategies—ensuring our living spaces, clinical areas, and public environments are pristine, compliant, and continuously evolving.

Her background includes positions such as Director of Housekeeping and various manager roles for multiple Forbes 5 star resorts across the United States.

From Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Lindsay holds a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Business from The Broad College of Business at Michigan State University.

Nikki Gamble

Nikki started her career at The Clare in 2014 as the Life Enrichment Manager of The Terraces Healthcare. After over 11 years in that role, she joined the Director team in August of 2025.  As the Director of Resident Experience, her position is focused on planning a diverse range of events, outings, and community programming for Independent Living residents while overseeing the fitness department, community communications, and the front desk, concierge, and drivers.

An Iowa native, Nikki holds a Bachelor of Music Therapy from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and a Master’s Degree in Neurological Music Therapy from Colorado State University. She also completed the Therapeutic Recreation (CTRS) equivalency path at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She is a certified dementia practitioner (CDP) and is the Heartfelt Connections Champion for The Clare, providing dementia training to all newly hired staff. 

Nikki loves to incorporate creativity and music into her life in any way she can. She plays guitar, piano, and is a soprano in The Chicago Chamber Choir. She is also an avid outdoors person, enjoying fishing, camping, hiking, and has been a member of Scouting America, previously known as the Boy Scouts of America, for over 20 years. She is a proud pet parent of Jazmine, a Maine Coon mix, and Maya, a Pomsky (Pomeranian Husky), who is also therapy dog certified.

Kelli Gkigkinis, RN

Kelli joined The Clare’s Director Team as the Director of Nursing in June 2025, bringing a deep passion for patient care and years of hands-on clinical leadership experience. Born and raised in Chicago, Kelli began her academic journey as a history major at the University of Illinois in Champaign but discovered her true calling in nursing. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Chamberlain University and became a registered nurse.

Kelli began her nursing career at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as a medical-surgical nurse, then went on to provide specialized care as a ventilator nurse for developmentally disabled children and adults. Kelli first joined The Clare in 2022 as Assistant Director of Nursing, quickly proving herself to be a compassionate and dedicated leader. In addition to her current role, she has served as an Infection Preventionist since 2022 and was honored to speak at the 2024 National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) Summit in Chicago. She was also selected to join the LCS Clinical Leadership Council, a testament to her expertise and leadership in the field.

Outside of her professional life, Kelli has a lifelong love for music. She has played piano since the age of four, is currently learning guitar, and spent eight years as a singing waitress at Spavone’s Restaurante. A proud Cubs fan, she enjoys spending her free time walking along the lakefront with her chihuahua/terrier mix, Roxie.

Hagop Hagopian

Executive Chef Hagop Hagopian has more than 20 years of culinary experience and many accomplishments. Notably, Hagop has received a 3-star rating from the Chicago Tribune and AAA Four Diamond status. He also participates in American Culinary Federation competitions and has performed kitchen stages in Michelin star-rated restaurants.

Hagop enjoys all aspects of culinary art including savory, gard manger, ice carving and pastry and confectionary arts. Hagop enjoys working with the residents, gathering their input and executing their ideas.

Chef Hagop enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter and two dogs when not at The Clare.

Joanne Walsh Malleta

Social worker by trade, Joanne Walsh Malleta has worked in senior living for more than 30 years and joined The Clare in 2013. As Director of Resident Health Services, Joanne acts as a liaison between residents, staff and outside parties. She also meets with residents before they move to The Clare.

Joanne grew up on a farm in Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa (the real U of I – she is a Hawkeye through and through!). She and her husband, Vijay have two children, Keaton and Nolan. Her family keeps her busy, but she also enjoys needlepoint, meditation, movies and concerts.

Dave Murphy

Dave Murphy joined The Clare as Director of Plant Operations, bringing more than 20 years of experience leading facilities, maintenance, life safety, and operational excellence across senior living, educational, and commercial environments. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for developing strong teams, maintaining safe and welcoming communities, and ensuring residents and staff enjoy exceptional service and well-maintained facilities. Prior to joining The Clare, Dave held leadership positions in senior living, education, and commercial real estate, overseeing capital projects, preventive maintenance programs, regulatory compliance, and multi-site operations. 

Dave earned a Master of Industrial Technology and Operations from the Illinois Institute of Technology and holds numerous professional certifications in facilities management, safety, and building operations.
 
Outside of work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, Bridget, and their three daughters, Tara, Tess, and Mae. He is also kept busy by the family's beloved golden retriever-Labrador mix, Clancy. An active member of his community, Dave has coached youth sports for many years and enjoys helping others grow both personally and professionally.

Michael Plowman

As Director of Human Resources, Michael Plowman is responsible for implementing human resource management strategies to recruit, train and retain a high-performing and motivated workforce. He is responsible for developing and executing on-boarding, training and development, performance management, employee retention, benefits management and employee relations policies and strategies. The Clare has earned many awards over the years, including Choice Community Award for employee engagement and Holleran’s Highest Honors, which recognizes The Clare for exceeding expectations in employee engagement and satisfaction.

Before joining The Clare, Michael worked in the luxury sector of the hotel industry for more than 15 years, formerly with the Four Seasons Chicago and most recently at Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts as the Director of Training and Development.

Outside of the office, you can find Michael hanging out with his miniature Schnauzer, Rocco and his miniature Wirehaired Dachshund, Frankie. He also enjoys trying new restaurants and traveling.

Dr. Lee Lindquist

Dr. Lee Lindquist has been the Medical Director of The Terraces at The Clare for over a decade. Her skill and experience are rooted deeply in geriatric care. She is the Chief of the Division of Geriatrics at Northwestern Medicine. Additionally. Dr. Lindquist is a Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, where she teaches and conducts innovative, patient-centered geriatric research. The Geriatric Division that Dr. Lindquist oversees is ranked #1 in Illinois and #8 in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Dr. Lindquist’s Northwestern alignment affords The Terraces at The Clare access to the medical center’s labs and EHRs, which deliver real-time information sharing with Northwestern physicians.

Dr. Lindquist’s geriatric expertise aside, she has a true passion for seniors and feels like they are a part of her family. Her highest priority in caring for seniors is to help keep them healthier longer and to remain as independent as possible.

Recognized nationally as a geriatric expert, Dr. Lindquist has been published in multiple medical journals and has been the geriatric voice for the New York Times, Harper’s, Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal. Appearing on CNN, MSNBC, and NPR, Dr. Lindquist has been tapped by multiple news sources to cover current geriatric patient care and medical issues.