Stefanie Elkins
Leeza Care Advocate

Circle of Care Leeza’s Place

selkins@leezasplace.org

Stefanie Elkins is the Leeza Care Advocate for the Leeza’s Place in Sherman Oaks, California. Stefanie’s earliest volunteer memory was calling out bingo numbers at a senior facility and bringing a smile to the faces of seniors even if it was for just a second. Since that time Stefanie has made it her personal and professional mission to empower and educate individuals on how they can make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.

Stefanie is very excited and humbled to be part of The Leeza Gibbon’s Memory Foundation family and understands that caregivers of those with memory disorders experience a challenging, scary and emotional ride. Stefanie looks forward to being a resource and friend for caregivers and their loved ones and to remind the families that there is a Life after Diagnosis. Stefanie’s background is in community outreach, program development, fundraising and marketing. She received her BA in Social Relations (interdisplinary of Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology) at University of CA, Riverside.

She then continued her education on the east coast where she received a double Master’s in Management in Human Services and Jewish Communal Service at Brandeis University in Massachusetts. After six years of being on the east coast (Boston, Philadelphia and then back in Los Angeles) Stefanie’s focus became fundraising and community building in the Jewish community.

While working in the nonprofit community, she always made time to volunteer as a senior buddy and in assisted living facilities. Stefanie enjoyed that experience so much she has made a career shift and is now committed to working directly with seniors and their families in her backyard where she grew up – yes, she is a “Valley Girl.”