Meet the Staff

Moses Williams Jr., MAOL, MBA, LNHA

Executive Director

“Working with older adults allows me to tap into my natural value system of caring for others to maintain a quality of life that all people deserve. By serving older adults I have the opportunity to learn from their experiences which makes me a better person and a more organized leader.”

Moses joined the Oak Park Arms in 1993. Since that time he has held positions as the night auditor, the front desk manager and accountant. His natural leadership ability, personal drive and caring nature enabled him to lead the Oak Park Arms. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Healthcare Leadership and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University. In addition, Moses completed his MBA in Healthcare Administration in May of 2010.

Bonnie Benson

Assistant Director

“My favorite thing about working with our residents is sharing their experiences and getting to know who they are and how they lived. I look at the staff and residents as extended family, and I look forward to every day I work at the Oak Park Arms.”

Bonnie joined the Oak Park Arms in 1994 as a front desk clerk. She rose through the ranks as she was promoted to front desk manager, the administrative assistant, and currently she is the assistant director.

Heather Lindstrom

Director of Marketing

“I sincerely enjoy working and spending time with seniors; I believe it is an honor that the Oak Park Arms allows me to give to them what I consider my contribution to the world.”

Heather joined the Oak Park Arms in August of 2011. She is focused on providing tours and overseeing lease renewals and contracts. Prior to joining the Arms she was in retail management. Heather previously volunteered as an activities coordinator for the Arms organizing Wii bowling tournaments.

Judy Peterson

Homecare Manager

“Every resident is unique and has something to add to our community. I feel a great sense of responsibility to ensure that our residents are happy, cared for and respected.”

Judy joined the Arms in 2008 as the community liaison. She ensures that residents of the Arms have the best quality of life possible through programming and by assessing residents’ personal  needs. Judy also provides new resident orientations and tours with new families.

Judy holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Ball State University in Muncie, IN and lives with her husband and high school sweetheart, Paul, in Berwyn, IL.

Desi Vasquez

Social Director

“Our residents are knowledgeable and generous, and I learn something new from them several times a day. I love to see how programs stimulate people and why programs are meaningful.”

Desi joined the Oak Park Arms in 2006 as the social director. She develops and runs a wide variety of stimulating programs for residents of the Arms.  Many of the events are free and open to the public.

Desi holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature / Theatre from Milton College in Milton, WI and is a member of the Oak Park Art League. She is a member of the Student’s League in New York City, the Screen Actors Guild, and she has trained at the Art Institute of Chicago. Her large scale paintings have been shown in New York, Boston and Chicago.

Marzena M’barek

Adult Day Care Program Coordinator and Front Desk Manager

“The best part of my job is knowing every day I make a difference in the residents’ lives. I also have the opportunity to learn through the Adult Day Care participants’ histories and wisdom.”

Marzena joined the Oak Park Arms in 2007. Her responsibilities include managing the daily operations of the Adult Day Care program and to provide marketing materials and tours. As front desk manager, she manages staff, provides customer service as well as administrative and financial support for community operations. She holds an associate degree in Business Administration from Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills.

Jennifer Long

Social Worker and Life Enrichment Coordinator

“I love seeing the same faces every day and being able to connect with the residents. It helps me recognize residents’ good days and bad days which is useful in detecting when they may need additional assistance.”

Jennifer joined the Oak Park Arms in 2014 as a gerontology intern while attending Dominican University in River Forest. She is now the Life Enrichment Coordinator and Social Worker. Jennifer assists new residents in their transition to a community living lifestyle and works with families to assess a new resident’s needs.

Jennifer earned a bachelor of science degree from Northeastern Illinois University and master’s degree in social work from Dominican University. In addition she earned a certificate in gerontology from Dominican University.

Mike Yrchetta

Chief Engineer

“When residents ask me to fix something they are always so appreciative and express their gratitude in such a loving manner. Working at the Oak Park Arms is marvelous, because it is a family oriented business.”

Joining the Oak Park Arms in 2001, Mike is responsible for maintaining the physical plant and keeping the Arms in tip top shape.

Danuta Nagi

Housekeeping Manager

“I love seeing a smile on our residents’ faces when I’m able to help solve their issues. I view all of the Oak Park Arms’ residents like friends and family.”

Danuta joined the Oak Park Arms in 1997. She is responsible for overseeing the housekeeping staff and ensuring that the resident’s suites are always clean and sparkling.