About the Founders

Shelley Vonderharr

Shelley Vonderharr is the Vice President of Clinical Services for A WiserMind and DRS Health Group, Inc.  Mrs. Vonderharr has been influential in the development and training of treatment for individuals with mild to severe cognitive impairment.   As the clinical lead and Senior Therapist at Memory Bridging, Inc.  Shelley played a meaningful role in improving the quality of life for hundreds of families living with dementia.

Mrs. Vonderharr began her career in therapy while serving in the Military supporting families and active duty personnel.  She now has over twenty years of experience working with a diverse population in a therapeutic setting.  Most recently, Shelley has focused her attention on identifying ways to educate the public about symptoms and treatment for dementia.

Mrs Vonderharr is a certified Master’s level Logistician, has a Master’s degree in counseling, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Health and Management.

Dan Kostelnik

Dan Kostelnik is a founder and Vice President of Operations for A WiserMind and its parent company DRS HealthGroup, Inc.  Mr. Kostelnik has been instrumental in bringing significant innovations to the care and treatment of individuals and families in need.

Prior to co-founding A WiserMind, Mr. Kostelnik was a founding partner in Mountain Life Care a senior in-home and transitional care organization, and Memory Bridging, Inc.  Mr. Kostelnik also has a successful track record as an entrepreneur, building a number of businesses from the ground up including Cyber Business Solutions and CRP Solutions which were technology consulting organizations. Mr. Kostelnik, lives in Lakewood, CO.

Rick Watson

Rick Watson is the President of A WiserMind and DRS HealthGroup, Inc.  Mr. Watson has personal experiences responding to the symptoms and care demands of Alzheimer’s disease and cancer-induced dementia.  In response to these personal challenges, Rick has been instrumental in bringing significant innovations to the care and treatment of individuals and families in need.

In 2007 his work was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as a Champion in Healthcare for innovation in dementia care.  Prior to co-founding A WiserMind, Mr. Watson was a founding member of Memory Bridging, Inc and Mountain Life Care.

Over the last 20 years–he has provided leadership for a variety of Fortune 500 corporations including work to improve the fraud-detection capabilities for Medicare Carriers in regional processing centers across the United States, and creating ground-breaking software to bring assistive technology to special-needs children.

Rick serves on the board of The Invisible Disabilities Advocate, a non-profit organization focused on educating, supporting and assisting those touched by chronic illness and pain.  He also acts as an advisor for the Working for Good Foundation.