Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Cheyenne

Meet the Cheyenne office

More than 90% of seniors want to be able to age in their own home with dignity but getting the right type of care can seem daunting. At Senior Helpers of Cheyenne, we believe that getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. We recognize the growing need for in-home care services, and with our passion for helping others, we are committed to delivering the best possible care to seniors in the Cheyenne community.

We take the opportunity to provide care in your home seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible. We have built an exceptional team of care professionals, each committed to remaining at the forefront of the in-home care industry through our proprietary ongoing training and education programs. You can feel confident that your loved one is in good hands with Senior Helpers.

Our History

Senior Helpers was founded in 2002 by Tony Bonacuse with the help of Peter Ross after their firsthand experience in caring for their respective family members. Tony and Peter identified a need that was not being filled properly by the other companies. They realized that most seniors would prefer to age in their own home rather than move into an unfamiliar institution. Unfortunately, the options available to most seniors were very limited. Most seniors did not have access to well-trained, dependable and accessible in-home care. This was the mission-driven spark that started Senior Helpers.

The first office opened in Baltimore, Maryland, and quickly developed a reputation for delivering excellent in-home senior care with their well-trained staff of professional caregivers. Based on the success of the Baltimore location, the company began to expand. Over the past 13 years, the Senior Helpers family has grown to include a network of more than 300 locally owned and operated franchises across the United States.

Senior Helpers of Cheyenne was proud to join the system in 2021. Like every other owner, we too are fully-committed to the original goal of providing dependable and accessible in-home care with well-trained caregivers. Nothing is more important to us than being the best available resource for seniors and families in our community. We are lucky to serve hundreds of seniors in our community, and we are committed to continuing to provide uncompromising levels of care to all our families.

Gil Atanasoff was drawn to Senior Helpers after working for several years in various roles with GE Healthcare. He was immersed in the world of providing preventative care and was very intrigued when the opportunity to be the Executive Director of a Wisconsin-based Senior Helpers arose. Gil is very compassionate about senior care and he made the decision to open his own franchise. As he was researching location options, he came across Fort Collins, CO and realized immediately that it closely matched the community in Madison, WI. He purchased the franchise in Larimer County in April of 2017 and then purchased Weld County in December of that year. Gil has since gone the extra mile to provide Senior GEMS training to 100% of our local office and caregiver staff which has earned us the Dementia Friendly Leader recognition from the non-profit organization, Dementia Friendly Communities of Northern Colorado. We partner heavily with the Alzheimer’s Association and the Parkinson’s Support Group locally to connect ourselves personally to our community and involve Senior Helpers in ways to give back loc

Our process

The first step in the process is a complimentary, initial in-home care assessment with a Senior Helpers consultant. This assessment can help you understand the true needs of your loved one, and your options. Together we can discuss their needs, our senior care services and determine what’s best for your entire family.

We will cover:

Your family's specific goals

Your loved one's daily plan design and schedule

Pricing and payment methods

Implementation process

Ongoing communication and follow-up plan

Meet the Cheyenne Team

Gil Atanasoff

Owner/Executive Director

As Owner and Executive Director, Gil oversees all activities for Senior Helpers of Northern Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming. He is dedicated to improving the lives of our clients, and hiring compassionate caregivers that meet their specific needs. He is grateful to work for a company that shares his passion for helping seniors live independently. Gil looks forward to helping more people and their families by growing Senior Helpers in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Chris Schneider

Director, ODAA

As a Director for Senior Helpers of Fort Collins and Cheyenne, Chris utilizes her hometown roots to collaborate with community partners on supporting our local seniors. Chris revels in the opportunity to talk with community members including families of prospective clients to assist them in finding resources within the community that best fit their needs. Chris has worked as a Business Analyst for Harley-Davidson headquarters and Colorado State University. Most recently, Chris taught in a high school work-based learning program teaching career skills while creating community connections to support students with internships, jobs and volunteerism positions. Her desire to impact people in positive ways and experience dealing with the challenges of aging within her own family drew her into working with the senior community. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Business - Management Information Systems from University of Wisconsin and a Master’s in Education and Human Resource Studies from Colorado State University.

Joel Scimeca

Director of Operations

Joel comes to Senior Helpers with 18 years of operations in the education industry serving students and faculty. He has a passion for building great teams and an environment where staff can reach their highest potentials. Joel's passion for Senior Helpers comes from years of helping his aging parents. During this time, he enjoyed forming relationships with seniors and delighted in hearing the stories of their life. His goal is to make an impact in this community and help bridge services in the area with the clients that we serve. Joel is a hands-on leader that supports the staff, clients, and family members that are all doing their best to make sure their loved ones get the proper care during their golden years!

Ed Wulf

Caregiver Experience Manager

Born in Colombia, South America and raised in Texas, Ed joined Senior Helpers in 2024. Although new to this career, the opportunity of helping individuals and families as they navigate the season in life was an exciting and welcomed challenge. After retiring from the U.S. Airforce after 20 years he made the decision to start a career in the education field as it provided more of an opportunity to serve people and help individuals change their lives. Along with 16 years in the education field where oversaw and trained both faculty and students and 3 years as an assistant payroll manager, he has brought a passion for helping people along with extensive knowledge working with technology to effectively train and lead individuals in forming an effective team. Ed has been happily married to his high school sweetheart for 44 years and has 3 grown children along with 3 amazing grandsons who fill his life with fullness and gratitude. Loves to do anything outdoors, running, hiking in the mountains, paddleboarding and traveling among many hobbies and activities.

Rhonda Smith

VA Client Services Liaison

Rhonda has over 18 years of experience as a client services manager as well as personal experience as a family caregiver. She has a deep respect for our community’s veterans and is always happy to assist with coordinating their care needs. This background makes her the perfect person to liaise between the VA and our amazing veterans. Since the VA closely monitors authorization for veteran client care, Rhonda ensures the documentation process is current and care is uninterrupted. In her spare time, Rhonda enjoys gardening, camping and cooking, and loves to hang out with her teenage niece and nephew.

Hunter Weaver

Lead Scheduler

Hunter comes to Senior Helpers as our Lead Scheduler after moving from California. With over 7 years of experience as a Professional Caregiver and Manager for a Vocational Adult Day Program for behavioral and developmentally disabled adults, he specializes in building dynamic relationships and bridging communities together. Hunter was born on a Hawaiian Military base as his father was a Marine for 21 years, served two overseas tours, and is now a veteran which drives Hunter’s passion towards the care of our Veteran clients. When Hunter is not out in the community for Senior Helpers, you can find him engulfed in his passion for botany, spending time with his beloved Italian Greyhound, cooking and baking, or hiking around beautiful Colorado. Hunter is excited and enthusiastic about enriching the lives of seniors and providing their families with peace of mind.

Erin Torres

Client Services Manager

Erin has worked in many different roles in the healthcare field for about 10 years including rehabilitation, assisted living and memory care communities located throughout Northern Colorado. She enjoys educating family members and loved ones through sharing resources, understanding challenges and discussing next steps to provide the highest quality care necessary for each individual situation. Erin enjoys camping, fishing, hiking, and pretty much anything our great Colorado outdoors has to offer! She and her husband have two beautiful daughters and she enjoys spending time with her family.

Lisa Rusch

HR & Recruitment Coordinator

Lisa has been in the geriatric work environment off and on for over 15 years starting as a C.N.A. and more recently in the offices of home health and skilled facilities working in Human Resources, Payroll, and Social Services. She has lived in Colorado for over 20 years while raising her 4 children. In her spare time she enjoys catching up with family members both near and far.

Nic Dottore

VA Client Services Manager

Nic has many years of healthcare experience working as a registered nurse across several states in varied fields. Most recently he spent several years working for the Idaho Division of Veterans Services bringing care to our nation's heroes and continues to do so in his role as VA client services manager. Nic is passionate about serving those who served and understands the challenges they face in receiving care. He enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with his family and dogs.

Meet the Cheyenne office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Cheyenne Team

Areas We Serve