Keith Kleszynski, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Research in the Section of Geriatric Medicine in the OUHSC Department of Medicine. Keith is also the Associate Director of the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative. Keith holds a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Oklahoma. He has 15 years of research experience, including conducting research with older Oklahoman adults, American Indian tribes, undocumented Latino immigrants in the U.S., drug court enrollees, and former undocumented Latino immigrants who have returned to Mexico and Latin America. His specialties and research interests involve qualitative research methodologies, population health disparities, geriatric health issues, aging issues, active living, identity, and migration.

Giuliana Casanova is a PhD candidate in Gerontology and Geriatrics at the University of Aveiro, in collaboration with the University of Porto, Portugal. She is a recipient of a research fellowship from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), supporting her work at RISE-HEALTH on adult education, lifelong learning, and the impact of productive engagement on older adults’ well-being. She holds two master’s degrees, one in Social Gerontology from the Instituto Superior de Serviço Social do Porto, Portugal, and another in Social Work from Florida International University, USA. Giuliana is the founder and president of the first international GSA student chapter, established in 2022. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences, contributing to discussions on productive engagement and lifelong learning. As an active member of GSA, she has been awarded the James McKenney Travel Award and the GSA Student Leadership Award.

Dr. Christine Fruhauf is a professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Colorado State University, specializing in adult development, aging, and prevention research. Her research interests include understanding the dynamics of aging families, with a particular focus on grandparent-grandchild relationships, interventions for grandparents raising grandchildren and family caregivers, and community-based initiatives aimed at enhancing resources and programs for healthy aging. Dr. Fruhauf is the director of her department’s Engagement and Extension programs, program coordinator for CSU’s gerontology interdisciplinary minor, and division director of the Prevention Research Center’s – Healthy Aging Division. Dr. Fruhauf’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, USDA/NIFA, and the Brookdale Foundation. She is a fellow of both the Gerontological Society of America and the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education, where she currently serves as chair-elect of the Academy.

Mo-Kyung Sin is a Dr. Lester and Mary Ann Sauvage Endowed Professor at Seattle University College of Nursing (SU CON). She is an experienced educator and a leader, as well as a NIH-funded researcher. Mo has been working at SU CON since 2004. She enjoys interacting with her students and feels privileged to be a part of her students' career development. Mo is currently serving as a chair of the Gerontological Society of America Health Sciences Section, which she enjoys very much and feels grateful for the opportunity. My research focus includes ADRD, biomarkers for cerebral amyloid angiopathy, chronic diseases, and neuropathologies. Mo collaborates with great researchers across the U.S. (and feels blessed). In her spare time, she enjoys movies, spending time with friends, cooking, and walking.

Kimberly D. Acquaviva, PhD, MSW, CSE, FNAP, is the Betty Norman Norris Endowed Professor at the University of Virginia School of Nursing. Kim earned a PhD in human sexuality education from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice, and a BA in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania College of Arts and Sciences. She is an AASECT-Certified Sexuality Educator and Licensed Master Social Worker, in addition to being a Fellow at the National Academies of Practice.

Huai Yong Cheng was trained in internal medicine, geriatrics medicine, palliative and hospice medicine, endocrinology-osteoporosis, cardiology, and geriatrics education. He has been dedicated to scholarly teaching scholarship and leadership in geriatrics education for the last 20 years. Currently, he is the associate director of geriatrics education and evaluation and program director of advanced fellowship in geriatrics at the Minneapolis VA Hospital. He is an associate professor of medicine (academic track) at the University of Minnesota. Huai Yong Cheng received a Geriatric Academic Career Award. Teaching activities. He has taught more than 1150 medical students, 750 allied health care professional students, 400 internal medicine residents, 15 geriatrics fellows, and 300 community providers. Regarding scholarly teaching and scholarship, he received three geriatric education grants as a PI. He developed nine new geriatrics curricula using instructional design and assessments, including team-based learning, the escape room, flipped classroom, Ken’s six-step approach, and Gagne’s instructional design principles.

Sarah Dys, PhD, MPA, is a senior research associate at the Institute on Aging at Portland State University with expertise in assisted living, residential care, and memory care communities and resident population health and outcomes. She is an early career member of the Gerontology Society of America, where she has served in leadership roles within the Social Research, Policy, and Practice member section. Dr. Dys earned her doctorate in Community Health from the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health with a specialization in gerontology. Her professional vision is to center aging in public health discourse, particularly at the intersection of housing, health, and social services provision. She specializes in weaving together quantitative and qualitative methods to tell stories that highlight the voices of those who live and work in long-term services and support (LTSS).

Patricia Slattum, Ph.D., Pharm.D., is a pharmacist and geriatric clinical pharmacologist. She works part-time with the Virginia Center on Aging at VCU as the co-director of the Virginia Geriatric Education Center Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program. She develops a geriatrics-focused curriculum for interprofessional training and has more than twenty years of experience establishing pharmacy and interprofessional practice models serving older adults. She serves as faculty in the VCU Mobile Health and Wellness Program, an interprofessional teaching and care coordination program in low-income senior housing that she co-founded in 2012. Her role in these efforts is to facilitate the integration of age-friendly practice into primary care. Her strength is in applying team science principles to interdisciplinary community-engaged collaborative projects to facilitate project success. She also serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Gerontological Society of America and as Co-Editor in Chief of The Senior Care Pharmacist.

Dr. Chung (she/her) is an Associate Professor in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University. Her program of research is directed toward developing, applying, and evaluating technology applications and AI/machine learning to detect early functional changes and social isolation risks, which may lead to adverse health outcomes. Focusing on technology-enabled prevention and proactive interventions, she aims to promote healthy aging in community-dwelling older adults, including those with health disparities. Additionally, she continues to work on advancing the technology implementation science by exploring the acceptability of digital health technology among older adults and caregivers in a sociocultural context. She utilizes design thinking to create user-centered technology solutions that meet the needs of older adult users. Dr. Chung's ultimate goal is to develop a community-based informatics approach that supports older adults in aging in place, maximizing their independence and function through the end of life.

Dr. Manka Nkimbeng is a nurse scientist and assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and an Affiliate assistant professor at the University of Minnesota School of Nursing. Before that, she was a Robert L. Kane Postdoctoral Fellow in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She received her Ph.D. in nursing from the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, her MPH from the Boston University School of Public Health, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She works with communities to develop and test culturally appropriate interventions that can be translated into health policies and clinical practice to improve health and eliminate health inequities for older adults.

Dr. Yousefzadeh’s laboratory utilizes in vitro and in vivo models of aging to explore the effect of senescent cells, in particular senescent immune cells, on driving organismal aging. The mechanistic studies of cell and cell non-autonomous effects provide insight into interorgan communication and how different pillars of aging can serve to drive aging in a tissue or cell type-specific manner. Using samples from human and animal models of aging, the laboratory focuses on developing useful biomarkers of aging with translational potential. Lastly, the laboratory uses models of natural aging, accelerated aging, and preclinical models of disease to test the efficacy of geroprotective compounds like senolytics.

Caroline Adams has been on staff with GSA since 2019 and manages the Governance, Awards, and Fellows programs. 

Dr. Cacchione is the Ralston House Term Chair in Gerontological Nursing, Professor of Geropsychiatric Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and Nurse Scientist at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. She is a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner who has practiced for over 30 years across the care continuum. She is a nurse innovator. Her research focuses on social robotics for older adults. She is the CEO and Founder of AgingSense, a startup technology company to improve the lives of older adults. Dr Cacchione received her BSN from Villanova University, MSN from Marymount University, and PhD from Saint Louis University. She completed postdoctoral training at the University of Iowa. Dr. Cacchione has over 100 publications and is the Past Editor in Chief of Clinical Nursing Research and International Journal. Dr. Cacchione is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and the American Academy of Nursing.

Mo-Kyung Sin is a Dr. Lester and Mary Ann Sauvage Endowed Professor at Seattle University College of Nursing (SU CON). She is an experienced educator and a leader, as well as a NIH-funded researcher. Mo has been working at SU CON since 2004. She enjoys interacting with her students and feels privileged to be a part of her students' career development. Mo is currently serving as a chair of the Gerontological Society of America Health Sciences Section, which she enjoys very much and feels grateful for the opportunity. My research focus includes ADRD, biomarkers for cerebral amyloid angiopathy, chronic diseases, and neuropathologies. Mo collaborates with great researchers across the U.S. (and feels blessed). In her spare time, she enjoys movies, spending time with friends, cooking, and walking.

Dr. Elizabeth Vásquez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University at Albany School of Public Health and the Director of the Center for Elimination of Minority Health Disparities. Dr. Vásquez's research examines the individual-level indicators and the ecological impact of social context, which contributes to differential health outcomes in older racial and ethnically diverse populations, in particular, Latinos. Dr. Vásquez is a fellow with the Sustained Training in Aging and HIV Research (STAHR) program and an affiliated investigator with the Study of Latinos (SOL). She is an alumna of Programs to Increase Diversity among Individuals Engaged in Health-Related Research (PRIDE), the National Institute of Aging Butler-Williams Scholars Program, and the Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI).

Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP is the Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs for the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and a board-certified geriatric pharmacist. Ms. D’Antonio directs GSA’s policy initiatives and is responsible for developing relationships with organizations in the aging arena. She represents GSA on several policy coalitions and serves as co-chair for the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition, president of the board of the Protecting Access to Pain Relief, and a member of the steering committee for several federally focused coalitions. Ms. D’Antonio is also the executive director for the National Center to Reframe Aging, the central hub to advance the long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. Additionally, she serves on the leadership team of the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research National Coordinating Center.

Allison (Alli) Hamburger is a Policy Analyst at Healthsperien, where she supports projects focused on Medicaid and Medicare policy, including aging, integrated care for dually eligible individuals, and long-term services and supports (LTSS). She helps clients navigate complex policy changes and develop strategic recommendations for advocacy, regulatory engagement, and business decisions. Her work includes leading multi-stakeholder policy workgroups, drafting thought leadership reports, and advancing initiatives to improve care coordination for marginalized populations. Prior to joining Healthsperien, Alli was an Associate at Avalere, providing policy analysis and strategic recommendations related to the Medicare and Medicaid programs. During her graduate studies, she gained a deeper understanding of federal health policy as a Fellow at HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). Alli holds a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University’s McCourt School and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Public Policy from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Rachel Jordan is a health policy consultant with four years of experience in behavioral health policy and non-profit management. As a Policy Analyst, Rachel leads strategic planning initiatives, policy analysis, and federal advocacy efforts, driven by a passion for addressing systemic health disparities and improving behavioral health outcomes. She actively contributes to Healthsperien’s non-profit partners, which includes overseeing the advocacy efforts of the Foundation for Social Connection Action Network and the day-to-day operations of ACTNow for Mental Health. Prior to Rachel’s experience in policy and regulatory analysis, she supported health communication efforts for Healthsperien clients and non-profit partners. Additionally, during her time as an undergraduate student, she held positions in the U.S. Senate and supported digital campaigns for progressive candidates. Rachel has a B.A. in Justice and Law with a concentration in Criminal Justice and a minor in Public Health from American University.

Serving as Policy Director for NPHI, Ethan is responsible for leading a wide range of initiatives including, but not limited to, monitoring policy and regulatory developments, interfacing with industry and government officials, preparing collateral materials, assisting with event planning, and providing strategic guidance to advance the priorities of the Partnership and its members. Ethan also plays a critical role in supporting the work of the NPHI Innovation Lab, where he provides policy and project management oversight. Prior to joining NPHI and Healthsperien, Ethan held multiple public policy-focused roles, namely, with the National Coalition on Health Care, where he was involved in communications, message development, and policy analysis efforts. He also spent time with Wynne Health Group, one of the preeminent healthcare policy consulting firms in DC, where he assisted in servicing their diverse set of clients. Additionally, Ethan has prior experience in the congressional office of Senator Michael Bennet.

Brian Lindberg is a Washington, DC-based advocate, policy educator, and lobbyist. He serves as a public policy advisor to several organizations, including the Gerontological Society of America and the National Association for Geriatric Education. Brian has served on many boards and advisory panels, including for the Institute of Medicine, CMS, NAIC, and the Planning Committee for the National Quality Forum (appointed by Vice President Gore). Currently, Brian serves on the Board of Visitors of the College of Public Health at Temple University. Brian worked in Congress for ten years on the House Select Committee on Aging and the Senate Special Committee on Aging. He holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Temple University and a Master’s degree in Management of Human Services from Brandeis University. He studied at the University of Stockholm’s International Graduate School.

Robert “Bob” Blancato is the president of Matz, Blancato & Associates in Washington, DC. In that capacity, he serves as the Executive Director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, the National Coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition, and the National Coordinator for the Defeat Malnutrition Today coalition. Bob’s prior work includes more than 20 years of public service, including 17 years as a senior staffer in the House of Representatives. President Clinton appointed him to serve as the Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging, one of four he has participated in. Bob is a member of the Senior Executive Service. Bob is recognized as a national policy advocate for older adults and has testified on numerous occasions before Senate and House Committees, most recently in 2022 before the House Appropriations Labor-HHS Education Subcommittee. As a volunteer, he currently serves as the second vice chair on the AARP Board of Directors and is a member of the AARP Foundation Board. In 2024, Bob was appointed to the Next50 Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He serves on the National Hispanic Council on Aging Board. He has previously served as the chair of the American Society on Aging and the board of the National Council on Aging. Bob has been appointed to several federal advisory commissions, most recently the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. Bob was inducted into the American Society of Aging’s Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2023, he was awarded Generations United’s highest advocacy award.

Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP is the Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs for the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and a board-certified geriatric pharmacist. Ms. D’Antonio directs GSA’s policy initiatives and is responsible for developing relationships with organizations in the aging arena. She represents GSA on several policy coalitions and serves as co-chair for the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition, president of the board of the Protecting Access to Pain Relief, and a member of the steering committee for several federally focused coalitions. Ms. D’Antonio is also the executive director for the National Center to Reframe Aging, the central hub to advance the long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. Additionally, she serves on the leadership team of the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research National Coordinating Center.

Andrew MacPherson is the Founding Principal & Managing Partner at Healthsperien, LLC, with two decades of federal and state healthcare legislative and regulatory policy and political experience. Andrew co-leads a team of over forty experts who specialize in developing comprehensive legislative & regulatory policy strategies, in-depth analyses, and strategic advocacy & communications initiatives for a wide range of health care organizations, including Fortune 100 businesses, public sector purchasers, national health plans, professional associations, issue-based coalitions, health care start-ups and market innovators, and not-for-profit providers. He has a special emphasis and speaks regularly to national audiences on policy and political issues related to person-centered healthcare delivery transformation, including the public health crisis of social isolation and loneliness in the U.S., value-based insurance design (V-BID), and person-centered advanced illness and end-of-life care delivery.

Patricia D’Antonio is the Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs for The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and a board-certified geriatric pharmacist. Trish directs GSA’s policy initiatives and is responsible for developing relationships with organizations in the aging arena.  

Trish represents GSA on several policy coalitions and serves as co-chair for the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition, president of the board of the Protecting Access to Pain Relief. Additionally, she serves as the Executive Director for the National Center to Reframe Aging, the central hub to advance the long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. Before joining GSA, Trish served as Executive Director for the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy and Program Manager for the Pharmaceutical Control Division, where she was responsible for the regulatory and policy development for the practice of pharmacy and served as liaison to the FDA, DEA, and other federal, state, and city organizations that promote safe handling of medications. A Pennsylvania native, she received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Duquesne University and her Master of Science in Health Finance and Master in Business Administration with a concentration in health care from Temple University. She completed a residency in administration and finance at The Philadelphia Geriatric Center.

Jeein Jang is a third-year PhD student in the Gerontology Department at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master’s in Public Policy and Social Policy from the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management. Jeein's research centers on aging policies that promote equitable and healthy aging, with a particular focus on underrepresented populations. Specifically, she investigates the role of neighborhood environments in shaping population-level racial and ethnic health inequalities and collective behaviors among older adults.

Samuel Van Vleet is a 4th year doctoral candidate in the Department of Sociology and Gerontology at Miami University. His research focuses on the role of social inequity in determining later life outcomes for marginalized older adult populations. Samuel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Applied Gerontology and a Master’s degree in Gerontological Studies. His dissertation examines the impact of gentrification on later-life displacement of marginalized older adults in historically redlined areas. This research fills a critical gap by exploring the intersection of gerontology and spatial justice, providing insights that inform policy and community planning to protect older adults from displacement. Outside academia, Samuel advocates for social justice through documentary filmmaking and community outreach programs.