Founder, CEO & Rehab Physician
Dr. Atanelov, MD, MS
Dr. Atanelov specializes in fall prevention, stroke rehabilitation and spasticity management. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Cybernetics and Masters of Science in Biochemistry at University of California, Los Angeles. Later he studied Jewish Medical Ethics and Talmud at the Heiden Institute in Jerusalem, Israel. He trained in University of California, San Diego Medical School and completed residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
After residency he was recruited to stay on as a full time faculty member with Johns Hopkins Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R). He served as Assistant Program Director training PM&R physician residents at Johns Hopkins. He also served as Director of the PM&R Multidisciplinary Fall Prevention Program at Johns Hopkins. Currently he devotes most of his clinical efforts serving as Medical Director at Steady Strides.
Dr. Atanelov is devoted to the improvement of medical quality. His book "Resident's Handbook of Medical Quality and Safety" was well received in the medical community with 12,000 downloads in its first year of publication. His special interest is promoting a multi-disciplinary fall prevention care model to give patients best of what modern medicine has to offer. He is member of the State of Maryland Falls Free Coalition and was charged with developing an inter-professional model for caring for patients at risk of falls in the State of Maryland. Dr Atanelov is a public speaker and educator for lay-public and medical professionals on topic of preventing falls in the elderly and is actively involved in academic research on fall prevention.
Dr. Atanelov enjoys hiking mountains and studying the Talmud in its original Aramaic.
Languages: English, Russian, Georgian, Spanish, Hebrew.
shannon sheckels, pt, dpt, mtc
Shannon Sheckels is a Physical Therapist with over 20 years of experience. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in exercise science from Western Maryland College (now known as McDaniel College) and her master’s degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware. She received her Manual Therapy Certification and Doctorate of Physical Therapy from The University of St. Augustine. She is also certified in dry needling. Shannon has worked in all treatment settings, with a focus on treating patients with orthopedic and neurological conditions.
amy (aidel) cooperman, OT
Mrs. Amy Cooperman is an Occupational Therapist with 20 years of experience. She received a bachelors degree in art and psychology from the University of Michigan and a masters degree in Occupational Therapy from Towson University. Amy is a respected clinician with experience working with children, adolescents, and adults of all ages in schools, prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, and residential facilities. She has a private practice working with children and adults on the autism spectrum.
Amy fuses her deep and intuitive understanding of her clients’ needs with a passion to match those needs to the most cutting-edge, effective (and enjoyable) interventions. If the ‘right’ intervention does not already exist, she will create a new one herself. Amy created and marketed therapeutic products nationally and internationally.
Amy is certified in Sensory Integration (SIPT Certification). She is also a certified “Stepping On” Fall Prevention leader. Her original contributions to Occupational Therapy are published in articles in Icare4autism, WhereWhatWhen, Tachlis Magazine, as well as video profiles on Facebook.