Margo Marasa, MPH, BSN, RN
Owner and Professional Patient Advocate
Margo is a graduate of University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administration with an emphasis in gerontology. She attended graduate school at University of Illinois Chicago and received her Masters in Public Health with a focus on Health Administration. Margo began her career working in administration in nursing homes. Shortly after she began her career, Margo decided to go back to school to pursue a nursing degree. She obtained her Bachelors of Science in Nursing from Resurrection University.
Margo has a passion for helping people understand and navigate the confusing healthcare system that exists today. Margo has 20 years of experience working in nursing facilities and most recently was the Chief Operating Officer where she oversaw a portfolio of nursing home and rehabilitation facilities, and assisted living facilities. She worked with hospitals establishing post acute rehabilitation programs within the facilities. Margo’s expertise comes from her experience as a social worker, administrator, operator, working with accountable care organizations, local hospitals and doctors’ offices. She understands the various insurance options that exist for adults and strives to help all her clients feel comfortable with their care and empowered to make their care decisions.
Estelle Mare
Chief Operating Officer and Director of Marketing
Estelle Mare has moved from South Africa with her family to further her husband’s career in the USA. She has a B.Com Marketing and an LLB (Law) degree with various post graduate diplomas in law and financial markets and instruments. She has 25 years of marketing and financial services experience. Estelle is a creative person by nature and is always busy creating something beautiful. The healthcare industry in the USA is challenging and Estelle will use her knowledge to help the world know what the value is that NShore Patient Advocates will add to them.
Bettina Carlson
Director of Publishing. Care Manager.
Bettina Carlson is NShore’s first official Senior Executive Assistant, and is enthusiastic, positive, and hardworking. Originally from Germany, Bettina says she’s thrilled to be able to raise her kids in Illinois, feeling that Midwesterners are great people. The values shared here, she says, are like the values she was raised on in Germany. These same values fuel her passion for helping those in need.
Bettina brings a unique perspective to understanding healthcare. After overcoming hurdles while caring for her own father in Germany, she realized that when it comes to healthcare, some unfortunate truths are universal. Whether here in the US, or across the world, medical staff are overworked and understaffed. And for people like her father, who has dementia but is still relatively healthy, nothing can replace quality companionship and personal advocacy. With a Master’s Degree in American studies, political science, and cultural anthropology, she is well equipped to understand how communities and systems work.
Now, she uses her knowledge of them to do what she does best; help people in need by truly getting to know them. As a personal Senior Executive Assistant, she can provide the same type of assistance to seniors that she would to her own family, whether it be home organizational management, accompanying clients to social outings, or assistance with shopping, doctor appointments and errands, Bettina is one “super helper” you will want on your team!
Mary Ireland
Patient Advocate/Care Manager
Mary Ireland is a Patient Advocate/Care Manager for NorthShore Patient Advocates, LLC serving Chicago and its outlying communities. Her passion for patient advocacy has been at the forefront of her career in healthcare, remaining steadfast in her efforts to help patients and families navigate today’s intricate healthcare system while ensuring the patient is always at the center of care.
She leverages her past experience from working in the hospital environment as a Patient Relations Specialist facilitating care between patients, family and the multidisciplinary healthcare team. Additionally, she co-chaired the hospital’s Grievance Committee, provided patient advocacy education to staff members and was an integral member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council.
Along with her deep sense of compassion, Mary works tirelessly to provide emotional support and to establish a strong sense of trust through clear concise communication between her client, the clinical staff and others involved in the care of the patient.
Her unique ability to develop both short term and long term solutions to care management issues is driven by a passion to “lead with empathy” while relieving the patient and family of the time consuming, complex details associated with the healthcare process.
Rosemarie Bosshardt
Patient Advocate
Rose has over 37 years working as a healthcare professional with clinical expertise across the healthcare continuum beginning with Emergency Department through Discharge Planning in the Acute care setting. She is passionate about improving the lives of patients as they address their health care needs. Rose seeks to streamline healthcare navigation and improve the quality of care options for her patients and their families.
She immigrated to the U.S. from Peru when she was a toddler. Rose grew up moving all around the United States with her family, until she visited Chicago and, fell in love the with city and its people.
Thirty five years later, she still calls Chicago home and shares her life in this fabulous city with her husband and their dog. She loves to travel, garden and create happy spaces.
Susan Kowalski, RN
Patient Advocate
Susan is a decades experienced RN with a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, dedicated to advocating for individuals with healthcare questions, concerns. Susan’s professional journey spans several areas, most recently the continuum of care for seniors, including roles in home care, home health, wellness care within retirement communities, and skilled nursing care. This diverse experience equips her with a comprehensive understanding of healthcare needs across various settings. Committed to ensuring optimal patient well-being, promoting accessible, compassionate health care. Adept at navigating complex medical scenarios and championing the individual rights and health care needs of the person.
Yvonne Atwater
Billing Administrator
Yvonne is Nshore’s Billing Administrator. She has over 15 years of financial, and bookkeeping experience specializing in providing her clients not only accurate bookkeeping services but financial reporting that allows her clients to make the best financial decisions for their businesses.
Yvonne works closely with our team of RN Advocates and our clients to ensure that our clients are able to concentrate on the care of their loved ones, and are able to trust her to take care of their loved ones billing and payment responsibilities.
Her easygoing nature, and diligence in her duties, support of her co-workers, and overall commitment to our core values, make her an invaluable asset to our team.
Yvonne was born and raised in Illinois. She has also lived abroad, and in Louisiana for many years. She currently resides in the McHenry, IL area, raising her 4 children. Her passions include cooking, baking, and supporting her children in their college and post-graduate careers. On the rare occasion that Yvonne has free time, she loves the water, boating, and sunshine!
