Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Central Queens

Meet the Central Queens 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 Central Queens 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 Kew Gardens 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 Central Queens was proud to join the system in 2025. 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.

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 Central Queens Team

Rigoberto Villalvir (Rigo)

Owner

Rigo was born in Puerto Cortes, Honduras and moved to Los Angeles, California with his family when he was 2 years old. Soon after, the family settled in Queens, New York, where his parents became flea market merchants, exposing Rigoberto to the world of business, trading and accounting at a very young age. Rigoberto and his siblings worked at the flea markets and festivals all year round on weekends, oftentimes traveling to other states.

Rigo knew he wanted to be a Marine when he was just 14 years old. He wanted to serve the only country that he proudly knew as home, and the place where his parents came in pursuit of the American dream and a better future for their children. Rigoberto enlisted at the age of 17, in the Marines soon after graduating Aviation High School in Queens. He went on to become a Sergeant and serve two tours of duty in Iraq. Rigoberto was honorably discharged in June 2008 but continued to serve in the United States Marine Corps Reserve until 2011 as an Infantry platoon sergeant.

After the Marine Corps, he settled in Los Angeles, California. Rigo continued serving his country as a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer in Los Angeles Airport for over 2 years. He later moved to New York to pursue higher education. Rigoberto holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Fordham University and Master’s in Business Administration from Questrom Business school at Boston University. During his studies, he was introduced to the financial services industry through an internship at GP Renewables and Trading. He was truly fascinated by the work of this organization, and was eager to learn more about accounting and finance. Rigoberto was certain, from that experience, that his calling was in the financial services industry and in none other than his hometown.

He spent 12 years in the financial services and worked for various large multinational financial institutions. During his free time, he would volunteer at his Local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #2348 and met many senior veterans. Rigoberto ended up leading the post as the Post Commander. While leading the organization he noticed a lot of the senior veterans from past wars no longer had companionship. He worked hard to include those veterans in events and provide them with transportation. As a post commander he led the younger veterans to visit older veterans at their nursing homes. This experience inspired him to advocate for the elderly veteran population and to find better ways to take care of his fellow brothers and sisters in arms.

Rigo is married to Jessica, a registered dietitian who manages her own private practice, Worthy of Wellness, LLC. They have two amazing young boys and a wonderful, rescued dog. He loves to spend countless hours with his young family. They enjoy going to the local beaches and doing fun activities with their children in their local community.

Alexis Villalvir

Office Manager

Alexis is a dedicated professional based in Queens, New York, with a strong background in education and a growing career in healthcare administration. Formerly a teacher with the NYC Department of Education, Alexis is now transitioning into an office manager role at Senior Helpers, where he brings strong organizational skills, empathy, and leadership to support both staff and clients. He holds a bachelor’s degree from The City College of New York and has a passion for visual arts, which continues to inspire his creativity and problem-solving in the workplace.

John Liang

Sales Manager

John grew up in an underprivileged household shaped by resilience. With one parent mentally disabled and the other physically impaired, he stepped up early in life to help make ends meet. This provided a foundation that instilled compassion, adaptability, and a deep sense of responsibility.

John served in the U.S. Army, completing multiple overseas deployments as a combat operator. While serving as an S3 operations planning and training manager in garrison units, he found unexpected fulfillment in organizing family readiness activities, an experience that planted early roots in community care. He was honorably discharged twice, each time carrying forward lessons in leadership, discipline, and service.

After military service, John attended Fordham University, managing double full-time coursework while serving as vice president of the Fordham Veterans Association. Actively involved in over a dozen veterans’ organizations, especially those supporting disabled veterans, he used his voice and experience to advocate.

Professionally, John has held roles in the legal field with a focus on project and case management, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration. He often served as a single point of contact, valued for his clarity, coordination, and empathy.

A personal turning point came when he stepped away from his career to care for his aging grandparents. It was during this time that he realized life’s deepest purpose wasn’t about accolades or income, but about people, especially our elderly, veterans, and disabled community members. This moment of clarity redefined his path.

Now returning with renewed purpose, John is dedicated to senior care, driven by a lifelong commitment to service, a culmination of diverse skills, and a sincere desire to make a meaningful impact. He believes in the power of connection, dignity, and compassion in caregiving.

John shares his life with his partner Tina and their puppy daughter, Brownie. Together, they enjoy long walks and giving back, especially to those who came before us and paved the way.

Amelia Sharp

Community Outreach Director

Amelia is the Community Outreach Director at Senior Helpers, where she brings a dynamic blend of relationship-building, operational expertise, and team leadership to support families and seniors with care and compassion. With a background in early childhood education and admissions, including roles at New York Preschool & Kids Club and The Goddard School, Amelia has consistently driven outreach success, streamlined systems, and fostered award-winning team culture. Her passion for connection and her commitment to excellence make her a trusted advocate for the communities she serves.

Meet the Central Queens office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Central Queens Team

Photos from the Central Queens Office!

Areas We Serve