Management Team

Julianne Roth, President
Julianne Roth has been a professional in the business community over the past 30 years. Her corporate and entrepreneurial experiences have spanned the disciplines of Customer Service, Marketing and Sales, Human Resources and Process Consulting at companies such as Sprint/Sprint PCS, Hifi.com and ADVO. After watching several close relatives (and the family) struggle as they aged, Julianne set her sights and business experience on the mission of improving the lives of seniors. In September of 2005 she launched Companions for Living, LLC. It is her philosophy that everyone should be allowed to age in whatever style they wish, and engagement in life and the community is the key in aging successfully.

Julianne’s community involvement reaches beyond Companions for Living.  She serves on several volunteer boards of Directors and holds an officer position on the board of the Homecare Association of America.  She holds a BS in Marketing and a MS in Organizational Behavior, both from the University of Hartford.

When she is not at work, Julianne enjoys spending time with her family including her dog Ziggy (who is a staple at the CFL office) and her horse, traveling, teaching yoga, reading, and volunteering at a local horse rescue.

Julianne is available for public speaking engagements. She is able to customize topics specific to an audience’s interests. She may be reached at (860) 882-0802 and [email protected].

Frank Day, Director, Operations
Frank Day brings 20 years of experience running his own business to his role as Director of Operations at Companions for Living. In his role, Frank oversees the Human Resource and general business operations.  His earliest experience in human resources was as a student at Central Connecticut State University studying business management and working part-time. His employer, a large logistics company, promoted him to the role of recruiter. In later years as a business owner, Frank hired and managed both employees and sub-contractors. This experience instilled in him the importance of choosing employees with both the skills and character to deliver the highest quality service for customers.

In his current role, Frank hires and oversees the management of over 100 Certified Nurse’s Aides, Home Health Aides, and companions/homemakers that provide the direct care of clients. Only experienced caregivers are considered. During the interview process, Frank looks for that sparkle in their eyes when they describe their warm and caring relationships with former clients. His guiding principle is to ask himself, would I want this person to care for my own mother? Only if the answer is yes, would the candidate be considered for employment.  Frank is available at 860-882-0802 and [email protected]

Ken Popillo, Manager, Community Relations
Ken has been assisting individuals and families for over 25 years. He has a diverse range of experience in Healthcare and Home Care, and was the founder of two successful healthcare networking groups in CT. Still licensed, Ken had also worked as a funeral director/embalmer for over 15 years where he helped countless families in need. His work ethic is guided by one rule: “You’ll know when you make a right decision because there will be peace in your heart”

A long-time musician, Ken is a guitarist/vocalist for his church and other music projects. He served 10 years in the USAF as a Jet Engine Technician, followed by an additional 5 years in the aerospace industry. Ken is originally from and currently lives in Newington with his family.

Ken meets with individuals and families to determine the appropriate home care support needed and he closely works with physicians, hospitals, clinicians, clergy and skilled nursing facilities seeking collaborative opportunities. “One of the best compliments we can receive is a homecare referral”. Ken can be reached at 860-882-0802 and by email at [email protected].

Doreen Katusabe, Director, Client Services
Doreen comes to CFL with a background in the customer service industry and home care services.  Her background gave her the skills to perform her critical role at Companions for Living of both managing client needs and the Scheduling function.  In other words, Doreen responsible for ensuring our clients are getting the care that they need, when they need it and they way that they want it.  As a Dementia specialist Doreen enjoys counseling our caregivers with any questions, concerns or difficult situations that they encounter while taking care of our clients.

Doreen has a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Makerere University (Uganda) and a Bachelor’s degree in General Studies from University of Connecticut.  Outside the office, Doreen enjoys spending time with her friends, traveling and shopping.  Doreen may be reached at 860–216-2515 and [email protected].

Mireya Lepore, Team Lead, Scheduling 
Prior to working with CFL, Mireya worked for 2 ½ years as a Scheduler at a homecare/behavioral health agency. She was promoted after just 8 months to the Lead in her department. This was her first experience working in the homecare field, and where she developed a strong passion for helping others. Prior to working in the homecare, Mireya worked in Customer Service-related jobs from retail, pharmacy technician, and a Peer Academic Advisor at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Mireya graduated at Eastern Connecticut State University with her BS in Psychology with a concentration in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Mireya was born in Bolivia. For fun, she enjoys shopping, and spending time with friends/family.

Tamara Chiron, Scheduling Coordinator
Tamara Chiron joined the CFL Scheduling Team as a Coordinator in 2018. Prior to joining the team, she spent 19 years working in the Home Care Industry. Specifically, she has been scheduling since 2006 in both Coordinator and Supervisory roles, and prior to that time she was a Caregiver. Tamara is an integral part of the CFL team. Her attention to detail and genuine compassion for our clients and staff make her successful in her role.

Tamara attended several semesters at the University of New Haven for Business Management and then attended the Stone Academy where she was certified as a Medical Office Assistant and a Certified Nurse’s Aide (CNA). In her free time, Tamara loves to watch movies and enjoys spending time with her kids.

Bethzaida Perez, Scheduling Coordinator
Bethzaida (Betsy) joined CFL’s Scheduling Team in November of  2019. Prior to joining the team,  she had been scheduling at other agencies since 2016, in addition to working as a Caregiver.  Betsy also worked for 12 years in retail in a customer service and store lead role.  Betsy has a certificate in computers from Capital Community College and is a Certified as a Nurse’s Aide (CNA).  In her free time, she loves watching movies, shopping, traveling and spending time with her family.

Brittany Rose, Caregiver Recruiter
Brittany joined our team in November 2019, proved herself quickly, and was promoted to Scheduling Coordinator. Previously, Brittany had six years’ experience working as a Certified Nurse’s Aide and, more recently, two years’ experience working as a Scheduler/Administrative Assistant at a Skilled Nursing agency. Brittany holds a Social Services Assistant certificate from Capital Community College. Her future goal is to become an advocate for the elderly as a Geriatric Counselor. During her free time, she loves to take vacations and spend time with her family.

Tammy Thompson, Office Manager
Tammy Thompson joined the CFL family in October of 2018 as a Scheduling Coordinator. Prior to joining the team, she worked as a Scheduling Coordinator for 8 years at another home care agency. In March of 2019, Tammy transitioned within the company to the role of Office Manager.

Tammy’s educational experience has all been under the Human Services umbrella. She has pursued: a Medical Technician course of study at the University of Hartford, a Certified Nursing Assistant certificate at Capital Community college and taken classes in the field of Human Services at Goodwin College. In her free time, Tammy enjoys spending time with her family, reading and watching TV.

Lauren Forbes, Administrative Assistant
Lauren’s role includes providing receptionist, human resources and general office support. She joins the CFL family after receiving her BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) in May 2019. Lauren has also worked as a caregiver, sales associate, certified lifeguard, and held the position of President for the Accounting Society at SCSU. In her free time, Lauren enjoys traveling, shopping, going to the movies, and sharing her love of cosmetics with her friends and family.