Collette Adamsen is a Research Assistant Professor and the Associate Director for Indigenous Health and Aging and Research and Evaluation at the Center for Rural Health.  She also serves as the Director of the National Resource Center on Native American Aging and the Resource Center on Native Aging and Disabilities at the University of North Dakota, School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Center for Rural Health.  In addition, she is an adjunct professor in the Indigenous Health program.  Other projects she oversees include the Native Urban Elders Needs Assessment Survey (NUENAS) and the Native Aging in Place Project (NAPP).

Dr. Adamsen has over a decade of experience working in the areas of research, education, training, and technical assistance with American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian (AI/AN/NH) communities and Native aging programs.  In her position, she provides grant project direction and leadership, conducts both quantitative and qualitative research, manages data and specializes in working with the AI/AN/NH elder populations.

She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, a Master of Public Administration, with an emphasis in Health Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Foundations and Research from UND.  She is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians.

Cecelia Aldridge has been with the U.S. Administration on Aging (AoA) since 2004. She began her career with AoA as a Grants Management Specialist with the Office of Grants Management managing discretionary programs. In 2008 she moved to the Office of Program Evaluation (currently Office of Program Evaluation) working with state planning and program data comparison and evaluation. In 2010 she moved into the Office of American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian programs where she is currently involved with the Title VI Mandatory Grant Program providing instructions for online reporting and guidance and technical assistance to grantees. She also services as the Program Officer managing several discretionary programs and project manager for one additional program - the Native American Resource Centers, the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative, Tribal Long Term Services and Supports Resource Center, and the National Minority Organization Program under Health Disparities.

Ms. Aldridge is the lead for the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA).  Prior to employment at AoA, Ms. Aldridge worked for the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Rehabilitative Services as a Management Analyst providing oversight and training on Federal travel policy/regulations and later worked as a grant specialist for Rehabilitative Services Administration, RSA managing discretionary grant programs.

Jasmine Aplin has been working with Title VI programs for over 5 years now. During her time with Title VI, Jasmine has had the honor of hosting numerous chats, taking trips to Indian Country and getting to know so many of you! Before joining ACL and Title VI, Jasmine worked at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for 4.5 years.

Jasmine is originally from Tampa, Florida, but moved up to Maryland to attend Law School. Jasmine has a Law Degree and a Master of Public Health.

Peggy Jo Archer presently holds the Director of the Elder Justice Project role at the International Association for Indigenous Aging. Peggy Jo embarked on her journey in violence prevention in 2007, focusing on power-based violence prevention. Progressing in the nonprofit sector, she spearheaded community-based prevention programs. She brings a wealth of experience in program leadership and training community members, medical, law enforcement, and military professionals in trauma and culturally informed practices. Her expertise extends beyond traditional sectors, creating a bridge between diverse fields. Her expertise extends to mobilizing communities to address violence, creating a cohesive and informed front against these challenges.

Drawing from her extensive background, Peggy Jo brings a wealth of experience in overseeing program operations for federally funded projects, including the National Indigenous Elder Justice Initiative (NIEJI) at the University of North Dakota and the Native American Elder Justice Initiative National Resource Center (NAEJI) at state, regional, and national levels. Serving as a knowledgeable and culturally informed resource for American Indians. Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian aging issues, Peggy Jo places a particular emphasis on combating elder abuse.

Laurai Atcitty (Navajo/Taos Pueblo) serves as the director for the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona—Area Agency on Aging, Region 8 (ITCA-AAA). Prior to her employment with ITCA-AAA, she was a supervisor with Bank One, and JPMorgan Chase, and an underwriter for Wells Fargo. As a director of an AAA, her duties include day-to-day operations, contract management, performance reporting and state/federal area planning to coordinate Title III, Title VI and Title VII services that support the 21 member tribes in Arizona.

Rebecca Baca is an independent consultant working with the Title VI program to support tribal senior center programs providing nutritional and support services for Indian elders.  Rebecca began her work with the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) as the director of a Kellogg grant that investigated the impact of managed care on tribal communities.  In 1998, she successfully assisted NM tribes regain access to 100 million dollars for Medicaid eligible recipients who were receiving health care through IHS and Tribal 638 Contracted health services.  She was recognized as an “Honorary Elder” by the NM Indian Council on Aging for her efforts, and received the “Heart and Spirit” award from the Healing Our Spirit Worldwide (HOSW) conference held in conjunction with NICOA.  She served for four years as the former director of the NM Office of Indian Elder Affairs with the NM Aging & Long Term Services Department.  Rebecca and is committed to serving as an advocate for Indian Elders and is working to develop a Technical Support Team to support the development of tribal senior center and adult day care programs.  She currently serves as a consultant for the Title VI program.

Alison Barkoff was sworn in as Principal Deputy Administrator on January 20, 2021 and is currently performing the duties of the ACL Administrator and the Assistant Secretary for Aging.  She provides executive leadership and coordination for ACL programs nationwide and advises the HHS Secretary on issues affecting people with disabilities and older adults.

A sibling of an adult brother with developmental disabilities and a civil rights attorney, Alison is a lifelong advocate for community living – both professionally and personally – and has been at the forefront of national efforts to expand the home and community-based services (HCBS) that make community living possible.

As part of countless coalitions of people with disabilities, older adults, and advocates, she has fought to uphold the rights of people with disabilities and older adults and advance policies to ensure their access to health care, housing, employment, education, and all other facets of community life. She has testified before Congress and the US Commission on Civil Rights on disability rights and community living.

She has served in a variety of leadership roles with disability rights organizations, including leading advocacy efforts at the Center for Public Representation and the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.

She also is a veteran of the federal government. As Special Counsel for Olmstead Enforcement in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, she led efforts to enforce the rights of people with disabilities to live, work and fully participate in their communities. She also led interagency initiatives with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Medicaid HCBS and with the Department of Labor on direct care workforce issues.

Alison has brought that same focus on collaboration and coordination to her current role. Under her leadership, ACL is working with partners across HHS and the federal government on initiatives and interagency approaches to issues that affect people with disabilities and older adults, such as expanding access to HCBS and affordable, accessible housing; strengthening the direct care workforce; increasing competitive, integrated employment for people with disabilities; and advancing equity, to name just a few.

Sonya Begay is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation (Dine’). She is Táchii’nii” Notah Dine’ (Red-Running-Into-The-Water, Tobacco People) clan and was born for the Tódích’íi’nii (Bitter Water people) clan. Ms. Begay is working as the Management and Program Analyst for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Administration for Native Americans (ANA). Sonya’s professional work focused on employment and training for Native Americans nationwide which she was one of the Federal Project Officers’ (FPO) for the Division of Native American programs under the U.S. Department of Labor. Later, Ms. Begay served as an AmeriCorps VISTA for one year within the Eastern Kentucky area where she worked on community and economic development for the Appalachian areas. Ms. Begay has been very active with the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples’ (MMIP), Elder Justice, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GAP) and caregivers within Indian Country.

Ana Beltran is an attorney and director of the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network, the first federally funded national technical assistance center on the families, at Generations United. For twenty-five years, Beltran has worked on the array of issues impacting kinship/grandfamilies, providing technical assistance and training to government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the legal community. She is also a prolific writer who has authored many articles, reports, and resources to support the families. In a joint collaboration, Beltran co-authored the first set of comprehensive National Model Family Foster Home Licensing Standards on which the federal government “relied heavily” and is part of a team working on Kin-Specific Foster Home Approval Standards. She is also currently serving as an appointed member of the federal Advisory Council on Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. Prior to joining Generations United in 1999, Beltran worked in all three branches of the federal government and was a practicing attorney. She found her true passion when she began helping support grandfamilies. Beltran credits this passion to her amazing grandma who helped raise her.

Brook Bender has been a leader for the Community Health Representative (CHR) workforce in Arizona and nationally since 2015. He started as a CHR and became a CHR Manager before becoming the Director of Elder Services for the Hualapai Tribe. Brook inspires all CHRs, showing them a path for career growth and leadership. He has tirelessly advocated for the CHR workforce in the Hualapai Tribe, the Phoenix Area, and the Arizona legislative domain. His advocacy has helped raise awareness among decision-makers about the CHR workforce’s value, importance, and impact on the health of American Indian communities. Brook also mentors many new CHR Managers, using his years of experience to help emerging leaders work effectively with Tribal leadership and Indian Health Services to enhance the role and integration of the CHR Program with other programs and teams serving American Indian patients.

As a long-time partner of the University, Brook is always open to learning new ways to improve patient care and support Tribal programs. He is a collaborative leader who encourages people to be courageous and look for solutions, no matter how big or long-standing the obstacles may be. Brook is a thoughtful, motivated thinker who meets people where they are and inspires them to overcome challenges.

Bill Benson, President and co-founder of the International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA²) has worked in aging and health for over 50 years. Benson has co-authored numerous papers on a range of issues in Indian country. As former staff director for the Senate Labor Subcommittee on Aging, Benson oversaw the successful reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) in 1992. Under his leadership, that year’s reauthorization included Title VII, Subtitle B–Native American Organization and Elder Justice Provisions — the first federal law created to address the issues of elder abuse and elder justice for Indian elders. In addition to IA², Bill co-owns HBABCs, an independent consulting practice specializing in aging and health policy & services, program development, assessment and strategic planning, and training.

Kari Benson, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, leads the Administration on Aging in advocating on behalf of older Americans. In this capacity, she guides and promotes the development of home and community-based long-term care programs, policies, and services designed to afford older people and their caregivers the ability to age with dignity and independence and to have a broad array of options available for an enhanced quality of life. This includes the promotion and implementation of evidence-based prevention interventions proven effective in avoiding or delaying the onset of chronic disease and illness.

Kari’s entire career has been in the aging network, most recently serving as the director of the Aging and Adult Services Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services and as the executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging.  Through these dual roles, she oversaw the full range of federal- and state-funded HCBS for older adults, their families, and the friends, neighbors, and others who provide informal caregiving support. Prioritizing collaboration with the 11 tribal nations that share geography with Minnesota, as well as organizations reaching rural and underserved communities, was a hallmark of her leadership at the state level. She also partnered with the state’s Disability Services Division to coordinate quality assurance and improvement strategies for the Medicaid waiver programs, strengthen maltreatment and critical incident remediation efforts for older adults and people with disabilities, and launch the state’s universal LTSS assessment tool.

Kari holds a bachelor’s degree in human ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s degree in public policy from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota.

Melanie Two Eagle-Black Bull (Twin) member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. My Lakota Name is Wayang Upi Win (The Young Woman They Come to See). I am from Pesla Tiospaye. I am married to Fabian Black Bull. I have two children, Wind Dancer and Isabella. I have three stepchildren, Danzel, Darian, and Tabian. I have two hunka children, Anita Lone Hill and Kelsey Walking Eagle Espinosa. My parents are the Late Teddy R. Two Eagle and Rhonda Big Owl- Two Eagle of Porcupine South Dakota. My Maternal grandparents are Earnest Big Owl and Evelyn (Badger) Big Owl and Theadore Two Eagle and Eleanor Weston of Porcupine South Dakota. I am a grandma to six grandchildren, London, Alonnia, Molvina, Aceton, Doug, and Laluna.

My educational background consists of having a Masters in Lakota Leadership Management, I have a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting, I have an Associate’s Degree in Accounting, General Business, Tribal Law, and Lakota Studies from the Oglala Lakota College.

I served in various capacities throughout my life. I worked for the Drug Elimination Program, I worked as a OSLH Tenant Services Supervisor, I worked for the Oglala Sioux Tribe Finance Department Coordinator, I served as a Compliance Officer, I served as the Oglala Sioux Tribal Treasurer for one term, I worked for the State of South Dakota Department of Social Services as a Benefits Specialist, I worked for the OST Child Protection Services as an Administrative Assistant, and I am currently serving as the Director of the OST Title VI Elderly Meals and Care Giving Program.

I enjoy painting, beading, quilting, doing quill work, beadwork, dancing, tanning hides, reading, gardening, and cooking.  I am Drug and Alcohol Free. I love the work that I do for our Lakota Elders on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Lacey Boven As of 2022, Lacey Boven serves as Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living (ACL), Region V. Prior to serving Region V, Lacey served as Regional Administrator for Region VII in Kansas City and an Aging Services Liaison in Chicago with ACL since 2015. Lacey brings a decade of prior experience working within the Aging Network at the local and state levels. Beyond professional endeavors, her passion lies in spending quality time with her Blue Heeler, Dodger. Lacey is a proud Kansas State Wildcat and enjoys hiking, traveling, and working on home projects with her family.

Brian Bower graduated from the Great Lakes Culinary Institute in Traverse City, MI in 2018. He is the co-founder and Executive Chef for Zkede, LLC, with his wife Janine Sam. Zkede means ‘’the spark that lights the fire” in Anishnaabemowin. Brian descends from the Little River Band of Ottawa and is also of Potawatomi descent. He has been working in the culinary field pre-dating his graduation. His prior experiences include Arcadia Bluffs, as well as Ruth’s Cris Steakhouse, prior to founding Zkede. Recently, he was employed by the Gun Lake Tribe as the Elder’s meals specialist, working under the Title 6 grants.

Zkede operates a catering company, food concessions, and consulting services. The focus of the company is to provide traditional knowledge about foods, including how to incorporate native foods into mainstream diets. Under Brian’s direction, Zkede has created contemporary dishes like Squash Mousse and Mnomen Shaved Milk that have been featured in local Grand Rapids, MI restaurants. Brian is passionate about using local ingredients and using the foods of our ancestors as the basis for today’s diet. Brian continues to work directly with Tribal governments to provide traditional foods and knowledge to their communities.

Cynthia Brammeier, Regional Administrator, Region VII, Kansas City, MO.  Cynthia joined the ACL team in May 2023, after serving as the Nebraska State Unit on Aging Administrator since 2014. Cynthia worked for Nebraska State government 26 years, in 3 segments. While at the SUA, she served on state workgroups, and national committees. Before this, she worked in social / service programs, including Medicaid fee-for-service; child welfare, child support; motor vehicles; and served as a nonprofit development director for 3 national nonprofits. Cynthia grew up on the Colorado River Indian Reservation in Parker, Arizona. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Arizona, in Tucson. Cynthia has a Certificate in Gerontology, from the University of Nebraska – Omaha, and will complete her Master’s in Gerontology in May 2025. Personally, Cynthia & her husband, Matt, have two adult children, two grandchildren, two dogs, and both moms are still living. They share a house with Matt’s mom. Cynthia’s mom is in an assisted living a couple of miles away. They enjoy riding their tandem bicycle, renovating old houses (including theirs), historic architecture, music in the park, traveling, museums, their dogs, their neighborhood association & friends, kayaking, and of course the kids & grand kiddos.

Amanda Cash is the director of the Office of Performance and Evaluation and the Chief Data Officer at the Administration for Community Living, where she leads a team that focuses on evaluating ACL programs, conducting intramural and extramural research in support of policy and program relevant questions related to older adults and people with disabilities, and leading performance management efforts for Older Americans Act programs. She is an epidemiologist, and she has spent the last 16 years at various agencies at the Department of Health and Human Services including the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services leading evaluation and policy research for HHS.

Percy Devine III serves as Regional Administrator of the Administration for Community Living in Region VIII (Denver regional office) with responsibility for representing the Assistant Secretary for Aging and advocating for seniors in the Region. Previously, Mr. Devine served as the State Unit on Aging Director for the State Utah Division of Aging and Adult Services, and many other responsible positions in the field of aging during his distinguished 30 years of service in gerontology. Mr. Devine has a Masters Degree in Social Work with a Master Certificate in Gerontology from the University of Utah and a B.S. degree in Sociology with a B.S. Certificate in Gerontology from Weber State College / University. He is also a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute (class of 2000) and the National Institute on Aging.

Virginia Dize is the Program Director of Transportation at USAging and Co-Director of the Federal Transit Administration-funded National Aging and Disability Transportation Center (NADTC), a partnership pf USAging and Easterseals. NADTC’s mission is to increase the availability and accessibility of transportation for older adults and people with disabilities in communities nationwide. Ms. Dize also directs USAging’s work on the Accessible Transportation Resource Center funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living. She. holds a Master of Science degree in Gerontology from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Kelsey Donnellan serves the International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA²) as the Director of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease Projects. She is an interdisciplinary and public health practitioner with over 10 years of experience prioritizing participatory and indigenous-led processes in her work. Her background is in brain health, health equity, and healthy aging. Prior to joining IA², she worked at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), where she worked closely with the IA² team to develop the first edition of the Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain communication materials, served as a reviewer of the first Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) Road Map for Indian Country, and facilitated a learning collaborative on heart health with tribal and state partnership teams.

Breana Dorame is the Tribal Public Health and Aging Associate for the International Association for Indigenous Aging. She is a Southern California Native of the Gabrielino-Tongva tribe. She works across IA² on multiple projects, including the CDC Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) project, the Kevin and Avonte Department of Justice (DOJ) Dementia Wandering project, the CDC Foundation Partnering for Vaccine Equity (P4VE) grant and the Equitable Public Health Response to Achieve Mpox Vaccination coverage in Indian Country, and the Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities initiative.  She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in Ecological, Evolution, Marine Biology, and Zoological Sciences, B.S. and minoring in both American Indian and Indigenous Studies and education.  

John Eagle Shield is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. He worked as the Community Health Representative (CHR) for the Center for Rural Health (CRH) for Standing Rock for 35 years and during that time served as the Great Plains CHR Association Chairman for several terms. John is a long-term advocate for tribal elders, health promotion, and tribal sovereignty. He received the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Health Fellowship in 2003.

Jackie Edwards is the Family Caregiver Support Program Coordinator for the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. – Area Agency on Aging, Region 8. Ms. Edwards provides support and technical assistance to the Tribal Caregiver Program Coordinators in the state of Arizona. She facilitates evidence-based programs as a certified Master Trainer for Powerful Tools for Caregivers, the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and the Diabetes Self-Management Program. Ms. Edwards is a Licensed Master Social Worker with a concentration on Gerontology with Native Elders and Mental Health. Prior to her work with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., she was a Caregiver Program Coordinator and social worker at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Senior Services Department.

Atheda Fletcher is the Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative Grant Principle Investigator for the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System. Ms. Fletcher is also an Absentee Shawnee tribal member whose passion for the well-being of all tribal members of Native American tribes, who are well represented in the patient population of the AST Health System.  She understands that not all tribes are alike, but there exists a common thread that can bring tribes together to provide more services and support for all Native peoples in the health care arena. Atheda’s goal is to bring greater understanding of the disease “dementia” and awareness of the needs for services and support to not only the individuals living with dementia, but to unpaid caregivers within the Native American population service area of Lincoln, Logan, Oklahoma, Cleveland, and Pottawatomie Counties.

Prior to joining the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Health System, she retired from a leading global independent energy company, Hess Corporation.  Continuing to be active after retirement, she travelled extensively and volunteered at various non-profit organizations that included clinic settings.  She also was elected as the Absentee Shawnee Tribal Representative for a two-year term, governing during the worst pandemic in generations to hit the world.

She holds a degree in Human Resource Management from the University of Central Oklahoma and a Certification as a Professional in Human Resources.  She is also a Dementia Certified professional.

Maggie Flowers - As a Program Manager at the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Maggie Flowers manages two national grant programs that provide education and assistance for older adults and people with disabilities related to Medicare and low-income benefit programs. She is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and administration of the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) program. She has extensive experience in program management, evaluation, and grants administration for programs serving older adults who are struggling financially. Prior positions include Associate Director, Economic Security at the National Council on Aging, Interim Director of the Elder Economic Security Initiative at Wider Opportunities for Women and IAHSA Services Manager at LeadingAge. She received her Master of Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M University and her Bachelor of Arts in Government from the University of Texas at Austin.

Lori Gerhard is the Director of the Office of Interagency Innovation (OII) for the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL). The Office of Interagency Innovation partners with federal departments and agencies such as the U.S. Department of Transportation, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Office of the Surgeon General, and the Federal Communications Commission; and national, state and local organizations to foster and develop partnerships that enable older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers to live at home and participate as they choose in their community.  Her portfolio of work includes advancing partnerships, implementing and supporting self-direction programs, increasing access to assistive technology, accessible and affordable housing, transportation, other long-term services and supports programs, care transitions out of institutions, and programs that address social isolation and loneliness.  Ms. Gerhard has a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Planning and Administration from The Pennsylvania State University, she has served in policy and leadership positions in Pennsylvania State Human services agencies and worked in various capacities in senior living programs.  She has more than 40 years of experience partnering with individuals and organizations to develop programs, solution, and serve people in need of long-term services and supports and caregivers.

Leonard Geshick Indian Elders Coordinator, Minnesota Board on Aging (State Unit on Aging,) aims to serve AI/AN elders in partnership with the eleven Tribal Nations that share geography with Minnesota and urban AI/AN communities. Most recently, the Indian Elders Coordinator was instrumental in the reorganization of the tribal Area Agency on Aging that expanded its planning and service area from serving four tribes to serving ten of the eleven tribes. Leonard graduated with a double bachelors in Urban Studies and American Indian Studies from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

Melinda Golub is a Senior Counsel in Office of Counsel to the Inspector General (OCIG) where she began working in 1997.  She serves as the OIG’s Tribal Liaison.  She began her HHS career in 1980 working in the HHS Office of General Council.   She holds a BA from Harvard University and a JD from Boston College Law School.

Fay Gordon was the Project Director of the National Center on Law and Elder Rights (NCLER) prior to joining ACL. Fay worked closely with ACL to launch NCLER, and over four years, NCLER grew and became a go-to training center for over 40,000 law, aging and disability network professionals. Fay previously worked in Justice in Aging’s Washington, DC office, as an attorney on the Health Care team. In this role, Fay provided policy analysis on issues impacting individuals who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid, managed care, home and community-based services and long-term services and supports. Fay received her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law, with a Health Law Concentration, and a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Marcia Hall is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and resides on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.  Since 2010, Marcia has served as the Elder Adult Protection Services worker addressing: elder abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, protection orders, guardianships, Indian Wills, Power of Attorneys, and 24-hr crisis calls.   

In 2012, the first annual “Taking a Stand Against Elder Abuse” half-day event was organized with the intent to educate elders in the community on senior services and reporting of abuse.  Since then, the annual event is 2 days covering a spectrum of topics: Alzheimer’s & dementia, elder scams, elder abuse, historical trauma, grandparents raising grandchildren, and drug information training for educational professionals (state and tribal). In 2023, the event had over 36 tribes in attendance from 13 states, including a group from Canada.  On both days, there were over 400 participants, 16 informational vender booths on senior services (state/city/tribal) and 13 traditional arts venders.  The 12th Annual event is scheduled for May 14-16, 2024 at the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Casino Hotel.

In 2018, the Multi-Disciplinary Elder Task Force was established to better serve the elder/vulnerable adult tribal/tribal descent members on/off the reservation addressing medical/emergency/welfare checks/neglect/reports of abuse. The committee consists of: Tribal Health Nursing, Diabetes Program, Area on Aging Adult Protection Services, Medical Social Worker, Fort Hall Housing, Fort Hall Police Department, Fort Hall Emergency Medical Services, Elderly Nutrition Kincare, and Fort Hall Business Council member.

In addition, the program also created a Community Board of Guardians to address adult guardianship for those that cannot make medical/financial decisions when family is unable to step into that role.

In 2019, the program was awarded the Office of Justice Programs at the U.S. Department of Justice CTAS 3 year-Grant.  The grant was extended for an additional year, as it expires this September 2024.

Brenda House is the Elder Services Director for the Wyandotte Nation. She oversees the Title VI A (Nutrition) and C (Caregiver) Programs. Brenda has been employed at the Wyandotte Nation since July 1987. All 36 plus years have been with the Title VI Program. She is a graduate of the Native American Institute on Aging. She is the Treasurer of the Oklahoma Indian Council on Aging, Treasurer of the National Title VI Association, former President of the Grand Gateway AAA Advisory Council and she along with the former Director of Grand Gateway AAA formed the Northeast Oklahoma Caregiver Coalition, which received State, Regional and National recognition for their Medicare Diabetes Health Screening Initiative. The Caregiver Coalition also received a USAging award for their Car Bingo Initiative to prevent Social Isolation during COVID. She is a recipient of the USAging Title VI National Leadership Award and serves on the USAging Board of Directors. She was previously the Honored Person at the Wyandotte Nation Pow Wow. She received the Wyandotte Nation Outstanding Department Head of the Year Award. She is also a two-time recipient of the Outstanding Title VI Director of the Year at the Oklahoma Minority Conference on Aging.

Dr. Britteny M. Howell is an anthropologist and gerontologist in the Division of Population Health Sciences at University of Alaska Anchorage, where she serves as associate professor, coordinator of the undergraduate gerontology certificate program, director of the Healthy Aging Research Lab, and co-director of the National Resource Center for Alaska Native Elders.  

Melissa Howtopat is an enrolled member of the Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin. She is the Title VI Director/Area Agency on Aging Program Manager for the Confederated Tribes and Bands of Yakama Nation. She comes from the Family Caregiver Support Program where she served as the Program Coordinator for three years. In her 20+ years of experience working in the field of aging, Melissa worked serving elders in several different capacities, but predominantly in family caregiving support.

Melissa has an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration and is currently a student at the University of Maryland Global Campus in the Gerontology/Aging Services Program finishing her last 6 credits to receive her Bachelor’s degree. Her real-life employment experience has given her the ability to serve elders and caregivers and to lead others to do the same with compassion and empathy.

In her time working with elders and caregivers, Melissa conceptualized and led a team to accomplish a successful Caregiver Appreciation Day, increased outreach efforts using unconventional tactics, and spearheaded the development and implementation of elder spotlight and caregiver spotlight in local tribal newspaper.

Jill Jacobs was appointed to serve as the Commissioner of ACL’s Administration on Disabilities on Feb. 14, 2022.

Ms. Jacobs has more than two decades of professional experience managing disability services organizations, analyzing policy, and working toward improved health and disability programs and services at local, state, and federal levels. She also has been an active grassroots organizer, leading campaigns to depict President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated in his wheelchair in the national monument in Washington, D.C. and to ensure the inclusion of disabled children in schools, and organizing disaster response efforts for people with disabilities following Hurricanes Harvey and Maria, to name just a few of her accomplishments. In addition, Ms. Jacobs brings to the role the lived experience of her own disability and as the mother of two disabled adults.

Before joining ACL, Ms. Jacobs served as the Executive Director of the ENDependence Center of Northern Virginia (ECNV), a center for independent living. Previously, Ms. Jacobs founded and served for sixteen years as the CEO of Ability Unleashed, a coordination and facilitation agency for Medicaid home and community-based services. She has held executive positions at several non-profit and government entities and served on the boards of a number of disability advocacy organizations, including the National Council on Independent Living and United Cerebral Palsy of Washington & Northern Virginia.

For her work advancing rights and access of disabled military family members while she was an Army spouse, the United States Army awarded Jill the Dr. Mary E. Walker Medal of Honor. Ms. Jacobs is a graduate of Texas A&M at Central Texas and received social work training at Army Social Work Services at Fort Hood, Texas.

Rita Jojola’s career began in the field of environmental protection, an office specifically established for the New Mexico Pueblos. Thereafter, she was the director for the Pueblo of Tesuque Department of Education where she administered a variety of programs ranging from a scholarship program for adult learning, and college, Early Head Start, Head Start, Tewa language, and afterschool enrichment program(s).

Rita was provided an opportunity by her tribe to work with the elders of her village as the elder center director, where she is currently employed. She is dedicated to ensuring the highest quality of services and takes a serious role in advocating for all Native elders. The Pueblo of Isleta Elder Center provides 50 employee and volunteer positions that support elder services such as: transportation, in-home services, adult day services, food nutrition services, recreation, senior Olympics, personal care services, veteran’s support/volunteer program, senior companionship, and benefits coordination.

Currently, Rita serves as the chair for the New Mexico Council on Aging Legislative Committee and is a co-chair of the All Pueblo Council of Governors Elder Committee. She has served on the New Mexico State Senate Joint Memorial Caregivers Task Force, and the Administration on Community Living’s TVI Evaluation Working Group.

Rita holds a dual associate degree in business and general studies from the University of New Mexico and a bachelor’s degree in multicultural communications and management from the University of New Mexico.

June Kao is the Audience Strategy Manager for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) audiences at AARP. In her role, June focuses on collaborative and innovate efforts, including intersectional and intergenerational opportunities, to engage the diverse 50 and older communities on topics such as family caregiving, fraud prevention, and more. Specifically, she cultivates, curates, and communicates resources and events to support and empower the AAPI and AI/AN communities as they age.

June was also the Chair of AARP’s AAPI Employee Resource Group and previously worked as the Project Manager on Family Caregiving grant work at the AARP Public Policy Institute. Her past board service included: Chair of East Coast Asian American Student Union (ECAASU) and board member of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL). June graduated from New York University with a B.A. in Psychology.

Leland Kiang manages USAging’s role in the Grandfamilies and Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center, which is funded by the Administration for Community Living and led by Generations United, to increase the capacity of states, territories, tribes and community-based organizations (CBOs) to support kinship/grandfamilies. He holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Catholic University and a Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of California in Santa Cruz.

Rebecca Kinney is the Director for the Administration for Community Living’s Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling (OHIC). In this role, Rebecca is responsible for the administration of the programs which reside within OHIC; State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) program, and the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program, as well as for the support of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Duals Demonstration Ombudsman Technical Assistance program. She provides oversight and direction to OHIC’s project officers, the state grantees, various administrative contracts used to support state grantee work, and the three primary programs’ national resource centers. Rebecca has worked as Program Manager for all three OHIC programs since 2011 when her tenure at ACL began.
Prior to coming to Washington DC, Rebecca worked with the Michigan SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA grantee as the statewide Trainer. In this role she was responsible for the education and certification of the volunteers statewide and became known for her expertise on both Medicare and Michigan Medicaid.
Rebecca has spent her entire professional career working on these Medicare beneficiary focused programs at all levels (from local AAA to her current Federal position). Throughout it all she has persistently advocated for Medicare beneficiaries, constantly worked to strengthen partner relationships at all levels, and actively supported the program networks by providing training and technical assistance whenever possible.
Rebecca acquired her Master of Social Work with a focus in aging and management in 2006 from the University of Michigan where she was also a Geriatric Fellow.  She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in drawing and painting from Alma College.

Cynthia LaCounte, a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, has worked as the director of the Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Programs since January 2012. The Administration on Aging (AoA), an agency of the Administration for Community Living (ACL), is responsible for programs of social and supportive services for older adults. Cynthia has oversight for Older Americans Act Programs that serve American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians elders. She began her work with tribal elders in 1976 as Area Agency on Aging’s director for Montana tribes, which launched her career as an advocate serving Native elders. Prior to joining AoA/ACL, Cynthia was a project manager for the Title VI Training and Technical Assistance Project through Kauffman and Associates, Inc. She has held the post of chairwoman for the Trenton Indian Service Area.

Lora Lee LaFrance is the Director of the Office for the Aging (OFA) at Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe (SRMT). She has served as Director for the past 8 years, and has over 18 years of experience working in OFA as the NY Connects and HIICAP Coordinator. She received a Bachelors in Statistics and Biometry from Cornell University and a Master in Business Administration from the University of St. Mary’s. Ms. La France is a registered member of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and lives on the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation. She is passionate about serving her community and ensuring all tribal seniors age with dignity and respect. The mission of the SRMT OFA is, ‘to provide excellent service to seniors by promoting: health, happiness, an active lifestyle, engagement, independence, and a long life.’

Bethany Lay is an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation, located in Western New York, near Buffalo, on beautiful Lake Erie. She is the Acting Director of the Seneca Nation Area Office for the Aging (SNAOA), which serves Seneca Elders 60 and over who reside on the Cattaraugus Territory, Allegany Territory, or within the City of Salamanca. The Seneca Nation is one of the eight federally recognized tribes in the state of New York.

Bethany has worked for the Seneca Nation for 32 years and 22 of those years at the SNAOA. Her experience at SNAOA started as the Budget Assistant, then Budget Supervisor, then Deputy Director, and ultimately Acting Director.   

Bethany is committed to providing the needed services for Seneca Elders to safely age in place with dignity and respect. She advocates for creating innovative and continued Long-Term Care Services and having Caregiving support systems in place.

Of her many achievements, the reinvigoration of the Seneca Nation AOA Advisory Council and the passage of the Seneca Nation Elders Protection Code by the Nation’s Tribal Council are two successes that have had a positive impact on the community. The passage of the Elder Protection Code is a huge recognition that our Seneca Elders are our most valuable resources for culture, language, community, and traditions.   

Derek Lee serves as the regional point of contact providing guidance on developing and implementing state plans on aging; and provides training to state and tribal staff on OAA programs and policies as well as for disaster assistance. Before coming to Administration for Community Living, he was with the Alabama Department of Senior Services where he served in a variety of capacities, including the department assistant director. Prior to that, Derek worked as a social worker with the Alabama Department of Human Services, and as a habilitation treatment specialist with the Alabama Department of Mental Health supervising direct care staff in carrying out habilitation plans for adults in an intermediate care facility for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Derek is a graduate of Alabama State University.

Jean Lloyd recently retired from the Administration for Community Living/Administration on Aging (ACL/AoA) after 23 years as the national Nutritionist in Washington, DC. During her time at ACL/AoA, she has been very proud of her involvement with the Title VI program and learned much from Title VI directors as well as Elders themselves. During her time with AoA, Ms. Lloyd was responsible and provided input for the nutrition-related functions of policy, budget, legislation, and regulation; program development and implementation; training and technical assistance; advocacy; evaluation; and research, demonstration, and training grants. She represented ACL/AoA on intra- and inter-departmental committees, synthesized science- and evidence-based research, and advocated for comprehensive and coordinated community-based food and nutrition services for older adults across the continuum of care both within and outside the federal government. She is a member of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics, the Virginia Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), Northern Virginia Dietetic Association as well as numerous dietetic practice groups, including the Health Aging Practice Group of AND, as well as, the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior. Ms. Lloyd earned a bachelor’s degree in English education and her master’s degree in human nutrition from Ohio State University.

David Long has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Illinois at Chicago.  He previously worked for Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of State, Department of Defense, and the Federal Trade Commission.  He is also a U.S. Army veteran.  David performs many important, diverse roles in support of the Title VI program.  He serves as team lead for the office website, as well as the Title VI veterans and transportation programs.  He develops new, innovative guides and instructional materials for Title VI grantees. David also created and manages the Native Food Directory, the Title VI Gardens’ Program, the Title VI Archive, and the Title VI Service Area Mapping Project using Google Earth.

Erin Long leads the Administration on Aging’s (AoA) state, community, and tribal grant programs dedicated to supporting persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers. AoA’s ADRD programs are dedicated to building and expanding dementia-capability across the United States, through culturally competent education and training on a broad range of dementia related issues, as well as the provision of direct services through evidence-based interventions. In addition to being responsible for the planning and development of the programs, Erin provides programmatic guidance and oversight for all program activities, including the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center, and serves as a federal member of the National Alzheimer’s Project Act Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care and Services. She has a master’s of social work from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

Sandy Markwood is the CEO of USAging (formerly the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)), which represents and supports the network of Area Agencies on Aging and advocates for the Title VI Native American Aging Programs. Sandy is a national advocate for aging issues and a champion for ensuring that older adults have the best supports to age well at home and in their communities. As the CEO USAging since 2002, she is committed to ensuring that our society values and supports people across the lifespan. This commitment has taken many forms, including advocacy with multiple administrations and on Capitol Hill for the passage of legislation aimed at supporting older adults, including access to critical information, in-home services and caregiver support.

Tyler Matney manages the development of the Title VI Data Entry Workbooks and leads the team that provides assistance to grantees in using the workbook. He is Vice President of IT Architecture at New Editions Consulting, Inc. and has over 25 years of experience in managing programs, projects and tasks for federal and state governments as well as commercial and non-profit organizations. He specializes in information technology development, maintenance, and security. Additionally, he has subject matter expertise in business analysis, marketing, diversity and disability inclusion, and human capital management.

May Ling McKee As the Supervisory Grant Management Specialist, May Ling McKee creates and manages ACL’s AoA financial process and implements monitoring events for the mandatory formula grants: Title III, VII and tribal programs. She performs the oversight function for award management and supports internal and external stakeholders in clarifying compliance expectations. Prior to that, she was the Acting Certifying Officer for approving grant payments in other federal agencies. In the private sector, she was an auditor for a fortune-20 company. She has resided and traveled to Europe, Asia, Africa, and many cities in the United States.

Richard Mousseau is an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Richard received his Master of Science in Administration from the University of South Dakota. Richard currently serves as the Program Manager for the Smoke Free Homes program under the Community Health Department at the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board. Mr. Mousseau is a Lay Leader for the Better Choices Better Health SD for the Chronic Conditions, Diabetes, and Cancer: Thriving and Surviving workshops. Richard has promoted health care advocacy and health support for American Indians in the Great Plains region for over 19 years.

Bora Mpinja is an accomplished grants management specialist with over 10 years of experience in the federal government. Her previous work experience involves managing grants with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

In addition to HHS, her experience managing complex grant portfolios from pre-award to closeout includes working at the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), where she was responsible for processing new grant awards, grant post award actions and grant closeouts specifically for Tribal schools and Native American Serving non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI). Her work with the Tribes has allowed her to conduct in-person site visits in Arizona, New Mexico, and Montana.

Bora has a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism with emphasis in Public Relations from Florida A&M University and a Master’s degree in Mass Communication and Media Studies from Howard University. She currently resides in Germantown, Maryland.

Shelley Muneoka is a Kanaka Maoli woman from He’eia Uli on the island of O’ahu. She is the Program Coordinator for Hā Kūpuna National Resource Center for Native Hawaiian Elders funded by the Administration for Community Living. Shelley received an MSW from the Thompson School of Social Work and Public Health at the University of Hawaii in 2009 and has a particular interest in indigenous community and intergenerational healing. Much of Shelley’s life’s work focuses on the care of elders, past, present and future, both human and more-than-human. She is involved in a number of different advocacy efforts for ancestral places and practices that make Hawai’i unique. Shelley has had the privilege of connecting with and caring for kūpuna over the years and believes in the power of learning and passing on their stories.

Danielle Nelson works in the Office of Rural and Targeted Programs at the Federal Transition Administration (FTA). At FTA she manages the Coordinating Council on Access and Mobility (CCAM), a Federal interagency council working to simplify customer access to human services transportation by streamlining Federal policy and implementing activities that encourage coordinated delivery. The CCAM strives to incentivize collaboration and reduce duplication between the 130+ Federal programs across 9 Federal departments that may fund human services transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and/or individuals of low-income.

Prior to joining FTA Danielle worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as an Aging Services Program Specialist. Before starting her federal career, she worked in long-term care and the Virginia Tech Adult Day Center. Danielle also served as a volunteer Commissioner for the Fairfax County Commission on Aging. Danielle holds a B.S. in Human Development from Virginia Tech and a Master’s Degree in Public Health and Gerontology from George Mason University.  

Robin Phillips joined National RTAP in December 2014 with almost 18 years of experience working with FTA programs at the state and national level, including at Oregon and Washington State Departments of Transportation, as Regional Transit Coordinator and Administrator of Coordinated Transportation, respectively, and as Senior Policy Director at the American Bus Association. Throughout her career, she has been involved in the planning and development of local, regional, and state multimodal transportation networks that respond to community needs. Her education and experience as a lawyer have proved valuable for interpreting Federal regulations and policies. Robin has specific interests in intercity transportation, rural and tribal transit research, and visible and usable data, such as GTFS data used for online trip planners, to improve passenger information, planning, and transportation coordination. Working at National RTAP is a natural culmination of Robin's experience and her dedication to improving transportation options in rural and tribal communities.

Nathan Rabang is a research professional at the Center for Human Development at the University of Alaska Anchorage. He is also a part-time graduate student in the Indigenous Studies program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. His interests include disability research, Indigenous public health, and bioethics. 

Delaney Roach is a an analyst with the Office of Performance and Evaluation at the Administration for Community Living (ACL). She has been in this position for about a year and a half and works very closely with the Office for American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Programs. Including this position, she’s worked for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for over four years. Delaney is passionate about public health and has worked with a wide range of populations including youth and families, both rural and urban communities, and currently American Indian, Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiians. In this role, she has the honor of working with Title VI grantees, especially on the Program Performance Report (PPR).

Heidi Robertson is the Title VI Nutrition Consultant and provides training and technical assistance on questions pertaining to the Older Americans Act Title TVI nutrition program. She is passionate about nutrition and healthy aging and has been enjoying learning more about the TVI programs. Prior to this role, she was the Program Officer - Health for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians where she reviewed funding proposals related to health, environment, and community development. Ms. Robertson worked for the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. – Area Agency on Aging, Region 8 where she coordinated Title III/Title VI Congregate and Home Delivered Meal services, evaluated programs and provided training to senior center staff. She has also worked for the U.S. Peace Corps as a Community Health Improvement Extension Agent in rural Zambia, Africa; and has degrees in both Nutrition and Public Health.

Charles Rutkowski is the Director of Technical Assistance Programs for the Community Transportation Association of America in Washington, DC. Charlie has more than 48 years of experience in community transportation planning, evaluation, management, operations and financing. He is the Project Director for the Accessible Transportation Resource Center funded by the Administration for Community Living. He has had direct involvement in the development and implementation of transit service and facility projects in over 150 communities in 44 states. He is a graduate of Syracuse University.

Louise Ryan, MPA.  Louise serves as ACL’s regional representative in Region 10 and also provides technical assistance to states and Tribes on the operations of their Older Americans Act programs.  She previously served as the National Ombudsman Program Coordinator for ACL. Louise has spent her entire career in human services and prior to joining ACL, she was the Washington State Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Louise has a Master’s in Public Administration from Seattle University. When not working she enjoys gardening, crocheting, traveling and being a grandma.

Rhonda Schwartz has served as a Regional Administrator for the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, since 2019 and currently acts as the Regional Administrator for Region II (NJ, NY, PR, and USVI).  As Regional Administrator, Rhonda is the representative for the ACL Administrator/Assistant Secretary for Aging at the regional level.  Rhonda joined ACL in July 2016 as an Aging Services Program Specialist in ACL’s Region I office located in Boston, Massachusetts.  In that capacity, she worked with federal, state, and tribal organizations, with particular attention to oversight of the Older Americans Act (OAA) state and tribal grant programs.   Prior to joining ACL, she spent several years managing OAA and other ACL programs at a state unit on aging.

Rhonda earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Georgetown University in 1985 and a J.D. from Columbia University in 1988.  Following award of her J.D., she joined a law firm in Manhattan, NY, where she focused on commercial real estate transactions.  Rhonda left her law practice in 2004 to pursue a Master of Social Work degree, which she received from Rhode Island College in 2006.

Elaina Seep is currently a senior policy analyst at the National Resource Center for Native American Aging (NRCNAA) at the University of North Dakota.  Working on Dr. Collette Adamsen’s team, Elaina is part of the  new Resource Center on Native Aging and Disability (RCNAD) funded by Title VI and ACL.  Elaina is also the founder of Aniwahya Consulting Services, a company focused on partnering with Tribal Nations and communities to aid in building self-sustaining long-term services and support programs to help Elders and people living with disabilities age in place. Elaina’s educational and professional background includes her Bachelor’s degree in history and legal studies at the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater where she also received her project management certification. Elaina worked actively with Tribal communities as a program analyst for the Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council on the Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services on the Money Follows the Person Tribal Initiative demonstration. In early 2017, she left to pursue her master’s degree in Indian law and has since been pursuing opportunities to serve Tribal nations directly, and with the Title VI team. Elaina’s work is focused on aiding Tribes in creating Medicaid billable, self-sustaining Long-Term Service and Supports programs to serve Elders and other vulnerable members of their communities. Elaina loves her work with Elders and Indian Country and is honored to be part of this great work to ensure all of our relatives live well at all ages and abilities.

Karen Semmens, DNP, GCNS-BC, FLAG-F - Dr. Karen Semmens has been a clinical assistant professor at the College of Nursing and Professional Disciplines at the University of North since 2006. She graduated from the University of North Dakota with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing, she obtained her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from the University of Minnesota. She is licensed as a Geriatric Clinical Nurse Specialist. Dr. Semmens works closely with the National Resource Center on Native American Aging (NRCNAA) department at the University of North Dakota.

Audrey Simplicio is an enrolled tribal member from the Pueblo of Zuni in New Mexico. She is currently the Program Manager for the Zuni Senior Center since January 2022.

Audrey is a UNM alumni, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in University Studies: emphasizing on Health Education, Psychology and Sociology. Audrey is continuing to pursue her master’s degree with the UNM School of Anderson. She humbly served as an elected Tribal leader and Tribal Secretary for the Pueblo of Zuni. As a former Tribal leader, and now as the Program manager, she continues to advocate for the elders and their families on building sustainable partnerships with stakeholders through collaboration and networking with the local, state, regional, national, and international communities to identify essential priorities and needs for all Native American Indian Elders.

Audrey’s passion is to seek & provide solutions with empathy to improve the quality of life. With her knowledge and passion, she continues to be a role model to her Pueblo and that working together anything is possible.

Heather Skadsem is the long-term support services tribal liaison with the National Resource Center on Native American Aging (NRCNAA) and the Native Aging in Place Project with the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine & Health Sciences in Grand Forks.

Among her responsibilities in this position, Heather serves as a resource for tribal Title VI directors by providing assistance regarding Title VI applications, NRCNAA needs assessment surveys, and long-term support services development in the tribal communities. She is a resource for American Indian/Alaska Native/Native Hawaiian aging issues for tribal and urban populations.

Originally from Warwick, North Dakota, Heather earned an associate of arts degree from Cankdeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten, North Dakota, and a bachelor of university studies degree with an emphasis in business from Mayville State University. She also attended UND. Heather also served as the Spirit Lake Tribe’s senior services director. She helped establish the Spirit Lake Tribe’s Quality Service Provider Agency.

Tim Smolen started as the SHIBA Program Manager in January 2021. The SHIBA program is celebrating 45 years as a free, unbiased and confidential service of the Office of Insurance Commissioner this year.  Before his 20-year career in State government, Tim worked in several non-profit organizations, including large insurance companies.

Tim lives with his beloved wife, Stephanie, in Olympia. His hobbies include reading, walking, movies, and cooking for friends.

Jonelle Soeffing began her career as a Special Agent with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations in 2005.  Jonelle led numerous multi-jurisdictional, criminal and civil investigations resulting in successful prosecutions, settlements, fines, and recoveries exceeding $3.5 billion.  Jonelle served as an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army Reserves from 1995 to 2003 and as an intelligence research specialist with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms from 2002 to 2005.  Jonelle currently serves as an Operations Officer in the Investigations Branch assigned to Headquarters.  Jonelle is responsible for law enforcement program oversight of grant & contract fraud investigations.

Katie Spears is a Project ECHO Coordinator at the Center for Human Development at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She works closely with a group of subject matter experts, also known as the “Hub” planning team, to offer a training series that meets the needs of participants in the Title VI ECHO program. This is a new series designed to respond to the nation’s growing Elder population, improve knowledge of the problems and needs of Elders, support training opportunities for personnel in the field of aging, and to explore best practices that improve the quality of life for Elders and their caregivers. Katie is a professional learner and an avid supporter of Project ECHO’s all teach, all learn, all support model. She helps to coordinate other training series that include the following topics: mental health and developmental disabilities, early childhood education, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), co-occurring mental health and substance use disorder, and support for families with children who exhibit medical, behavioral, and/or developmental disabilities.

Shawn Terrell has been working in the long-term services and supports (LTSS) arena for over 25 years. He is a Health Insurance Specialist at the Administration for Community Living (ACL), where his primary focus is on policy analysis and development in home and community-based services (HCBS). He is engaged in several policy areas including person/family/community centered practices, quality improvement, behavioral health recovery, self-directed HCBS, managed LTSS, LTSS access, Older Americans Act Title VI, and Medicaid financing. Shawn holds a master’s degree in Medical Anthropology/Health Services Administration and a master’s degree in Social Work.

Jennifer Throwe serves as the regional representative for the services, supports, and programs ACL provides and funds to carry out the mission of ACL. Prior to Federal employment Jennifer worked in State Government with responsibilities including SHIP Director, Aging & Disability Resource Center Director, and served as a Governor appointed member of the Developmental Disabilities Council. She earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut with a Certificate in Aging.

Sara R. Vogler joins the Office of American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs office as a Program Manager today, bringing a wealth of experience in partnership building and program administration. Vogler recently transitioned from her role as a Program Analyst at the Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling, Administration for Community Living (ACL), where she oversaw OHIC’s SHIP/SMP/MIPPA program grants implementation and managed various contract administrations. During her tenure at OHIC, Vogler played a pivotal role in fostering diversity and equity within the Centers for Integrated Programs centers and ACL agency through comprehensive trainings and collaborative efforts. She has been instrumental in building partnerships and enhancing mutual collaboration to advance the agency’s mission.

Vogler holds a Bachelor’s degree in Government/International Relations from California State University, Sacramento, and is a certified FAC-COR Level II professional.

Outside of her professional endeavors, Vogler channels her creativity through writing poetry, engaging in artistic pursuits, and maintaining an active lifestyle through CrossFit.

Edwin Walker as the former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, Edwin L. Walker dedicated over three decades to advocating for the well-being of older Americans, leading the Administration on Aging in developing home and community-based long-term care programs, policies, and services. His tenure was marked by a commitment to promoting dignity, independence, and quality of life for older individuals and their caregivers, emphasizing evidence-based prevention interventions to enhance overall health outcomes.

With a background as the Director of the Missouri Division of Aging, Mr. Walker brought extensive experience in administering human service programs for older adults and individuals with disabilities. His educational journey includes earning a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University.

After serving in various roles at the state and federal levels, Mr. Walker announced his retirement in March, reflecting on his fulfilling career dedicated to advancing policies and programs for older adults. Throughout his retirement planning, he took part in the selection process for his successor, seeking a leader who shared his values and commitment to collaboration within the aging services network.

Victoria Wells is a member of Makwa (Bear) Clan and reside in Manistee, Michigan. She is super passionate about food and specifically traditional foods. She is a member of the American Culinary Federation as a certified culinarian and is trying to bring traditional foods to that environment as well as to their Tribe. She graduated in May of 2020 from Great Lakes Culinary Institute where she earned her Culinary Arts Associates Degree and gained her Culinary Sales and Marketing Associates degree in December 2020. She learned how to create recipes and use that science to curate new recipes in a modern or old way to bring ingredients to front and center. She believes food is medicine! She has been creating menus for Elders that involve bringing traditional foods back into their diets. They talk about it and they feel the same as she does, that food can bring you home and help heal the traumas endured.

Mary Weston serves as the Area Agency on Aging, Region 8 Program Manager at the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., in Phoenix, Arizona. Ms. Weston is a Master Trainer for several evidence-based programs, the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP), and the Powerful Tools for Caregiver Program. Her experience in Arizona includes working as the Elderly Services Program Coordinator with the Gila River Indian Community, a Family Caregiver Support Coordinator with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc., Area Agency on Aging, Region 8, as the Caregiver Coordinator at the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, and a Foster Grandparent Program/Senior Companion Program Director with the State of Arizona Aging & Adult Services. Prior to coming to Arizona, Ms. Weston lived with her family in Alaska for 12 years where she worked for the State of Alaska providing social services to rural tribal communities. In addition, she served 20 years with the Department of Defense providing social services to military families.

Amy Wiatr-Rodriguez leads ACL’s team of regional administrators who represent ACL in each HHS regional office, serving as liaisons to state, tribal, and local aging and disability stakeholders as the Director for the Center for Regional Operations. She also works with and connects stakeholders to other HHS divisions and federal agencies to help advance the development of programs and activities serving older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers. Previously, Amy worked for Age Options, an area agency on aging serving the suburban Chicago area. She also has experience in nursing homes and other settings. She has a Bachelor of Arts in social work and English from Concordia University Chicago, and a Master of Social Work with a management concentration from the State University of New York at Albany.

Traci Wilson is the director of research at USAging. There, she oversees the ACL-funded Information and Planning Cooperative Agreement which tracks the trends and new directions of the Aging Network through triennial surveys of Title VI Programs and Area Agencies on Aging. From these surveys, her team develops resources that grantees can use to promote their work. Traci also provides programmatic technical assistance for OAAPS. Before joining USAging, she was a Research Scholar at the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Oxford, OH where she conducted both quantitative and qualitative research on the capacity and impact of the Aging Network. Traci grew up in Minnesota and lives in Ohio with her husband, two daughters, and elderly cat. She loves to hike, canoe, and craft with her children.

Ashley Withrow is an Alaska Native - Eskimo, born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska to Charisse Dunlap and Lawrence Straley. With family originating from Nome and Fairbanks, Alaska, subsistence fishing, hunting and gathering have been prominent ways of life that Ashley and her husband Van, continue to teach their three boys. Ashley has an educational background in health sciences and public/community health and ten years of work, advocacy and development in the Elder care field. Serving Elders, developing Elder services, navigating complex health systems and improving the lives of Older Alaskans has been a passion of Ashley’s for many years. Currently as the Community Health Services Director at Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Ashley has broadened the scope of her work to include, cancer prevention, tobacco prevention, wellness services, food sovereignty programs and continued efforts on Alzheimer’s and dementia prevention and education. The opportunity provided through her current role supports efforts in understanding better social determinants of health and a person-centered approach to providing services. Ashley currently fills the Title VI seat on the USAging Board of Directors where she continues her work and advocacy for Alaska Native Elders.

Fong Yee retired from the Administration for Community Living July 31, 2019, after 28 years of federal services. Her dedication to Native American programs will continue.