Management Team

Elie Pollak

CEO/President

Elie joined the Handmaker team in 2019 as Chief Executive Officer. Since his start, he has successfully streamlined various business processes and effectively led the growth, expansion, and innovation for Handmaker.

Elie was born and raised in New York City and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in both the state of Arizona and New York. Elie has a passion for Long Term Care and bringing quality care to the Geriatric population. He has successfully overseen many different Skilled Nursing Facilities in a wide range of acute and clinical settings. Elie has four boys; Joshua, Dovi, Benny, and Joseph; and one daughter, Shari, with his wife Talia.

Kristin Goldstrom Oeder

Chief Operating Officer

Kristin is an experienced healthcare executive with more than two decades of leadership in skilled nursing and senior care. She brings a deep commitment to quality, compassion, and operational excellence, with a career focused on building strong teams, stabilizing complex organizations, and improving outcomes for residents and families.

Kristin holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Gerontology/Nursing Home Administration, an MBA in Healthcare Management, and is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Assisted Living Administrator. She is also completing doctoral studies focused on gerontology and leadership. As a Certified Credentialed Gerontologist and Certified Dementia Practitioner, her training and academic background, combined with hands-on operational experience, allows her to approach senior care through a human-centered lens.

Throughout her career, Kristin has led facilities through periods of growth, regulatory challenge, and transformation, always with a focus on dignity, safety, and person-centered care. She is known for her collaborative leadership style, transparent communication, and ability to create cultures where staff feel supported and residents feel truly at home.

Kristin is passionate about advocating for older adults, supporting caregivers, and ensuring that long-term care environments reflect respect, integrity, and excellence. She is honored to serve residents and families and considers it a privilege to be entrusted with their care.

Alicia Huff

Chief Financial Officer

Alicia brings over 25 years of experience across hospitals, hospice, and mental health care. She combines strategic financial leadership with a deep understanding of patient-centered environments, ensuring both operational excellence and compassionate care.

Alicia earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona and her MBA from Wayland Baptist University. Her career reflects a strong commitment to excellence and service, guided by her passion for supporting seniors and enhancing their quality of life.

In her spare time, Alicia is passionate about family—especially her grandbabies—and enjoys working out in the gym, and participating in pageantry.

Brian Balliet

Administrator

Originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania, Brian spent the first 13 years of his working life working at a nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pennsylvania. His bachelor’s degree in safety management led him to his second career, in the nursing home industry as a Risk Manager in a 790-bed, county-owned, nursing home in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. After earning his certificate as a Nursing Home Administrator and then his license, he went on to be one of two Administrators in that same nursing home.

Brian and his wife moved to Tucson in 2014. Brian has served as the Administrator at several nursing homes here in Tucson before making his way to Handmaker, where he plans on staying until his retirement.

He and his wife have a blended family of four children (three girls and a boy) ranging in age from 34 to 42, and six grandchildren ranging in age from three months to 22 years old.

In his spare time Brian can be found at the Tucson Convention Center, where he is a Supervisor of the American Hockey League Off-Ice Officials. He and his wife also enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and traveling to Mexico and the Caribbean.

Rachel Dorf

Human Resources Director

Rachel began her career at Handmaker as a volunteer in the HR department. Her passion and dedication resulted in her hiring in 1997. After nine years, she became the Director of Human Resources in 2006. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management.

Claire Ferguson

Food and Facility Services Manager

Claire has been part of the Handmaker family since 2015. She began her journey at Handmaker as the Pastry Chef and, after two and a half years, stepped into the role of Executive Chef. Today, as Food & Facility Services Manager, she has the opportunity to care for residents while supporting both the Food Services and Environmental Services teams.

Claire's love of food and hospitality began at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch in Tucson, where she worked as a baker and line chef and gained experience with vegan and farm-to-table cooking. She has always enjoyed the creativity that comes with food, but what she values most is the opportunity to make someone's day a little better through a good meal and genuine care.

Claire enjoys getting to know the residents, working alongside her team, and finding ways to make Handmaker feel like home. She is passionate about continuing to learn and grow in Healthcare Food Service and nutrition and bringing that knowledge back to the residents and staff she serves.

Outside of work, Claire enjoys staying active through exercise and adult soccer, spending time with loved ones, relaxing with creative art projects, and always finding new ways to learn, grow, and connect with others.

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