Our Team

Alyssa Ulmer 

Highly adept in customer service, Alyssa has been working in the finance industry for nearly sixteen years, and she brings a high-level of dedication and organization to every client she works with. Her years of experience and attention to detail help to ensure that every member of her portfolio receives the same care and quality of service that is expected when doing business with Optima. Alyssa is constantly recognized by her clients in providing outstanding support since joining Optima in 2014.

Alyssa is a graduate of Our Lady of Mercy School For Young Women and later went on to graduate from Duquesne University (Communications and Journalism) where she played lacrosse and was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta international sorority. Alyssa moved back to her hometown of Rochester, NY in 2000. She is lucky enough to be a work at home Mom and currently resides in Farmington with her family & Boston Terrier.

Barbara Gaston 

Barbara Gaston has been an integral part of Optima’s success serving as Executive Service Administrator since 2009. She is a team player that is always willing to help, not only her clients but her co-workers. Her goal is to provide swift and accurate resolutions to any issue or task she is provided.

Barbara is a graduate from Katharine Gibbs Business College with an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and Business Management and North Eastern University with a Bachelor’s degree in law as well as having a Bachelor’s degree in Theology from The Way College of Biblical Research in Indiana. She has been well educated and trained to be a teacher and leader in whatever she sets her mind to.

Being a parent has been the highlight of her life and was a very involved parent with her son. For instance, Barbara is still involved as an Assistance Scout Master in Boy Scouts even after her son became an Eagle Scout and graduated from the program. It was there where she began to form her love for outdoors and now takes every opportunity to be outside enjoying nature. Most of her free time she will be hiking, camping, kayaking, skiing, etc.

Dan Alsheimer

Dan joined the Optima team in 2019. After years in the industry, he now serves as the Head of Payroll Operations, managing the payroll and tax departments, working with existing clients, and helping new clients transition to partnering with Optima. Dan also carries a strong conviction for making sure his team is set up to be confident and successful. He takes pride in being approachable and will drop everything to help others put a mark in the win column. Ideas and operations strategies that go beyond the norm have made Dan a top up-and-coming name in the Rochester market.

Dan is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he developed a love of illustration and design. In his free time, he’s designed and illustrated work for magazines, podcasts, Hollywood stars and professional athletes. If he’s not in the office, you’ll usually find him drawing or on the golf course. He lives in Chili, NY with his wife Christy and their dog, Roux.

The two things in life you are in total control over are your attitude and your effort.”

Jacob Hamilton 

Jake is a lifetime Rochesterian that entered the payroll industry after graduating from SUNY Geneseo. After completing his undergraduate in Business Administration and having his internship with the Buffalo Bills, he developed skills that transitioned well into the payroll world. At Optima, Jake does a bit of everything, helping with new client set up, payroll processing and even helps with the marketing efforts. Jake is a true team player always willing to do whatever is necessary to ensure a great experience for our clients.

Jake currently resides in East Rochester with his longtime girlfriend, Teva, and their dog Ziggy. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar, going to concerts and watching the Raiders.

Fun Fact: His highest game of bowling is 279 which he has gotten 5 times.

Joe Fiannaca 

Taking care of clients has always been the most important aspect of Joe’s MO. Joe began his professional career at Paychex working in the customer service and sales areas for the company. After 5 years he became the Operations Manager and then the Vice President of Operations for USA Payroll, which was a start up company when he first joined, but was a multi million dollar company when he left after 23 years. Since joining Optima as an Independent Consultant in 2019, Joe has been able to help develop relationships and new business opportunities for Optima.

Joe graduated from the University of Rochester with a degree in Organizational Behavior and a minor in Management studies. Joe also played football and hockey at the U of R and is also a member of the Batavia High School Athletic Hall of Fame where he graduated from High School. Joe is a long time member of Ridgemont Country Club and  resides in Rochester with his wife of 25 years, Kristin along with their 3 children.

Sheril Damelio

Over the past 25 years, Sheril has been solely focused on providing solutions to her clients. Sheril began her career in the banking industry as a Business Development Officer, responsible for educating and attracting new commercial businesses. She later moved into the securities industry as a Financial Planner, understanding the importance of providing her clients with an increased platform of services. Her knowledge and dedication to quality of service have gained her the respect and admiration of her clients and peers receiving the Small Business Excellence Award. Sheril plays a key role in new business development, client service, and retention for our team. Her passion to be a consistent resource for our clients enhances the experience Employers feel when coming on board with Optima.

Sheril received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Nazareth College. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Young Women of American Award and the first recipient of the Nazareth College Service Award. As a proud Naz alum, she remains continually active in the Nazareth Community. Her biggest accomplishment, and the one most proud of, is raising two wonderful, successful daughters, Ashley and Alyssa.

Tania Bonin 

Making sure that all of the I’s are dotted and the T’s are crossed is Tania’s strength. Because of her strong organizational skills and detail oriented nature, she has been able to handle a multitude of financial transactions at Optima since 2015. These include, but are not limited to, processing invoices and payments for benefits customers; completing monthly, quarterly and annual audits; reconciling insurance, bank and benefit policies and statements; as well as process many other financial transactions.

Tania has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Brockport as well as Two Associates Degrees in both Accounting & Nutrition from The Rochester Business Institute & Monroe Community Colleges. Born and raised in the Rochester area, Tania’s hobbies and interests include traveling, health and fitness, cooking and wine pairing. She utilizes this knowledge in her free time by working as a Private Chef and a Brand Ambassador for several companies. Tania also believes in giving back to her community by volunteering at Foodlink and organizing charity events for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Victoria Steinmetz

Victoria has been in the payroll business in the Rochester and Finger Lakes area for 30 years. She is known for her personal service, timeliness in responding to her clients and accuracy of her work. Her expertise in this field enables her to address any unique payroll situation that you may encounter. Victoria’s extensive experience provides Optima and its clients an expert in the payroll field that can handle any situation.

Victoria is lifelong Rochesterian that enjoys all things outdoors, especially riding her Harley. She is a graduate of Marcus Whitman high school and has 6 grandchildren.