Meet the Leadership Team

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, CDP, Director of Client Care

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. 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!

Eunice Bempong, Clinical Nurse Liaison (R.N.)

Eunice joined our team initially as a CNA with over 10 years of experience, ahead of passing her RN exam. She graduated with honors from UMASS Boston in 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Health Science, having previously obtained her Nursing diploma overseas. Eunice continues to give back to her community – she has volunteered at Lawrence General Hospital rounding with clients in the emergency room and in the maternity unit providing therapeutic touch to infants born to addicted mothers being weaned off drugs post-birth. Her high standards of care, passion for caring for others, and commitment to helping the communities we serve exemplifies our values.  She is a strong advocate of the best care for all of our clients.  Eunice has a young daughter, and dedicates her time outside of work to her family. She loves writing articles, cooking and reading, and aspires to be a nurse practitioner someday.

Camille Jaber, CDP, LSW, Manager of Client Care

Camille Jaber graduated with a BA in Sociology and Peace and Conflict Studies from UMass Lowell in 2003.  She comes to us with a background in dementia programming for assisted living communities. Her love for managing behaviors and non-verbal communication is rooted from working in Veterinary medicine.  Camille strives to be a strong advocate for people to live a life with dignity, following their wishes with the least amount of restrictions possible to do so.  Camille and her husband are proud parents of a daughter and son.  She enjoys being outdoors hiking and running with her dog and family, gardening, cooking, and spending as much time with her friends and family as she can, enjoying “the little moments.”

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. Her high standards allow her to hire only the best candidates to serve our clients ensuring trustworthy care. Sherin is responsible for recruiting, on-boarding and retention of caregivers. In her free time, Sherin enjoys time with her family, traveling, and cooking dishes from around the world.

Christa Pournaras, Talent Acquisition Specialist

Christa Pournaras graduated  with a Bachelors in Psychology from Northeastern University in 2015,  and has a background in Human Resources and recruiting. She has a passion for helping people and has volunteered at Friendship works (an elderly companionship company) during college. Christa joined this team because she strives to make a difference in people’s lives. In her spare time, she enjoys staying in with her friends and cooking exciting new dishes and spending quality time together.

Cindy Hand, CNA, Staffing Coordinator

Cindy Hand is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) with 30 years 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.

Nashaly Santana, CNA, HHA, Client Care Support Coordinator

Nashaly Santana originally joined our team in October 2020. as a caregiver. She is a certified nursing assistant (CNA) and certified home health aid (HHA) with 6 years of experience working in a variety of elder communities and caring for folks with varying levels of care including Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Nashly successfully worked with and delighted many Assisting Hands clients, and was invited to join the office team in April 2021 as a Client Care Support Coordinator. Nashaly is currently attending Cambridge College where she is expected to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Management this summer. She enjoys helping others outside of work as well, and she feels extremely grateful to be able to make a difference in the lives of Assisting Hands’ clients. In her free time she enjoys learning, spending quality time with family and friends, and trying new things.