Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Madison

Meet the Madison Office

More than 90% of seniors want to age in their own home with dignity, but getting the right type of care can seem daunting. At Senior Helpers — Madison, we believe getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. Our owners, are passionate about helping people in need, and are committed to delivering the best possible in-home care to seniors in the Madison community and surrounding areas.

We take in-home care seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible. Since 2011, 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.

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 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 affordable in-home care. This was the mission-driven spark that started Senior Helpers.

The first office opened in Baltimore, 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. Since 2002, 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 Madison was proud to join the system in 2007 and are fully-committed to the original goal of providing dependable and affordable in-home care with well-trained caregivers. We have been lucky to serve hundreds of seniors in our community over the years, 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 Madison Team

Gil Atanasoff

Owner

As Owner, Gil oversees all activities for Senior Helpers of Madison. He is dedicated to improving the lives of our clients, and hiring compassionate caregivers that meet their specific needs. Being responsible for Senior Helpers of Madison is a “homecoming”, as Gil most recently led this office as Executive Director back in 2015. 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 the Madison, WI, and surrounding areas.

Chris Schneider

Owner

As an Owner for Senior Helpers, Chris utilizes her UW 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.

Tanya Sutton

Director of Operations

As Director of Operations for Senior Helpers, Tanya works diligently to oversee both office operations and client care. With more than 20 years in the healthcare industry in a variety of settings, and a Certified Social Worker, her passion is ensuring that the clients, families and community partners are provided with excellent care while caregivers are supported. She believes that integrity and passion for service = success in business. Tanya loves training caregivers and community partners in topics such as Caregiver Grief, Stress Management, Customer Service, Hospice and Dementia. She enjoys working with the office and caregiver teams to brighten our clients' lives and help them enjoy quality of life in their homes.

Rebecca (Becky) Geoghegan Smith

Case Manager

As a Case Manager for Senior Helpers, Becky is committed and passionate about caring for, and working collaboratively with clients, families and other members of the Senior Helpers Team. Becky is a Social Worker and has been working in the healthcare industry for 15 years. She has worked in a variety of roles and settings, including Nursing homes, Admissions and Marketing, Administrator of a memory care facility and hospice care. Becky has a strong passion for working with the older population and will advocate to carry out goals for quality of life while maintaining dignity, respect and independence. Becky truly enjoys listening, problem solving, and getting to know clients. She is humbled and honored to be given the opportunity to work with Senior Helpers Clients and families.

Becca Hipp

Case Manager

As a Case Manager for Senior Helpers, Becca is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of clients. She has 5 years of experience as a community-based case manager and 6 years as a caregiver for Senior Helpers. She is passionate about working with the older population, advocating for clients, and helping individuals reach their goals. She thrives on forging strong connections with clients and their families, believing that nurturing relationships is key to enriching lives. Becca feels fortunate to be a part of the Senior Helpers team.

Kelly Knippel

RN Case Manager

As an RN Case Manager for Senior Helpers, Kelly is dedicated to helping seniors stay in a place that they consider their home. Kelly has been in the healthcare field for over 16 years, 12.5 years as a nurse, working in a mixture of settings from plasma and lab to urgent care, including acute and primary care settings. Her passion has been helping people reach their goals through health and fitness. Kelly is a strong client advocate and enjoys listening to seniors tell stories of their own experiences. She looks forward to a rewarding career at SH, working with seniors, their families and the VA community.

Betsy Stanton

Lead Scheduler

As Lead Scheduler for Senior Helpers, Betsy supervises all client and caregiver schedules. She is in constant communication with our caregivers to arrange quality services and care for our clients. By looking at each caregiver's skill level, location, character traits, and previous experience, Betsy diligently seeks to find the best match for each client, ensuring each client's needs are met. She feels fortunate to be a part of such a caring and rewarding environment.

Bertha Concepcion

Scheduler

As a Scheduler for Senior Helpers, Bertha works to manage all client and caregiver schedules. She assists the Lead Scheduler in coordinating and scheduling caregivers based on assessment and care plan information for all new and existing clients. She maintains communication with our caregivers to arrange quality services and care for our clients while responding to scheduling conflicts, emergencies and call outs as they arise.

Melissa Watters

HR Manager

As the HR Manager for Senior Helpers, Melissa is responsible for the management and retention of our current caregivers as well as seeking out new caregivers to join the Senior Helpers - Madison team. She oversees the hiring and initial training of our caregivers as well as encourages and facilitates ongoing training to ensure our caregivers have the necessary skills to provide our clients with the best care possible. She is in constant communication with our staff to ensure that all questions are answered, and all needs are met. Melissa is excited to work in such a positive and impactful establishment.

Tanya Fabre

Recruitment Coordinator

As Recruitment Coordinator for Senior Helpers, Tanya identifies hiring needs, sources candidates through multiple platforms, conducts interviews, and serves as the main contact for employment candidates. Tanya also works closely with Human Resources and Scheduling to ensure she is bringing the right candidates on board and that they are matched with the clients that best fit their skill level. Tanya has been in recruiting for the past 9 years and has developed an understanding of client needs as well as what employees are looking for in an employer and caregiving position. She has a great track record for meeting objectives while also attracting some of the best caregivers in the area!

Andrea Merkes

Executive Administrator

As Executive Administrator for Senior Helpers, Andrea provides direct support to Dennis and Lisa by assisting with payroll and invoicing, inquiry follow-up and handling computer support needs in the office. She is responsible for determining health insurance eligibility and maintaining it. She assists in whatever area is in need whether it be scheduling, HR or client services. Her dedication and diligence to accuracy ensure that tasks are done in a timely manner and that no detail is missed. She feels great reward in being a part of the SH team and the exemplary care that is provided to the clients.

Colleen Whittow

Office Coordinator

As Office Coordinator for Senior Helpers, Colleen helps to ensure the office is running smoothly. Her friendly voice on the phone facilitates communication between clients, caregivers, office staff, and the community. In addition to managing our call center, Colleen assists HR and is an integral part of keeping the office highly organized.

Sam Ulam

Office Assistant

As Office Assistant for Senior Helpers, Sam helps to answer phone calls from clients, caregivers, and office staff. Along with that, Sam also assists in keeping interview folders and new hire paperwork stocked throughout the office. Sam has a background in the medical field as both a CNA and medical assistant, which helps her to communicate effectively with the community. Sam is passionate about helping people and is excited to be a part of the Senior Helpers team.

Meet the Madison Office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Madison Team

Images from Senior Helpers Madison

Areas We Serve