Erta Cenko is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions. Her research targets conditions that predominantly impact older adults, including cognitive impairment and mobility disability. Her focus is on developing and employing wearable technology applications to facilitate health interventions and provide real-time assessments for aging populations. She is committed to the field of public health and aims to combine her research experience with her passion for teaching and mentoring to help train future clinicians and public health professionals.

Abigail (Abby) Stephan, PhD, is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology and an affiliated faculty member at the Institute for Engaged Aging at Clemson University. Her research often employs a mixed methods approach and takes an interdisciplinary, systems-oriented perspective to a) explore the influence of intergenerational relationships in family, community, and educational contexts on learning, development, and well-being across the lifespan and b) examine social and psychological factors that promote healthy aging. Stephan is also committed to advancing the development, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based educational opportunities that support learners across the lifespan. Two primary avenues for this work include a) creating resources and fostering mentorship opportunities to ensure high-quality training exists for current and future professionals in the field of gerontology and b) promoting lifelong learning through engaging and fulfilling learning experiences for older adults.

Dr. Hollis is a Gerontologist and Assistant Professor of Practice in the Psychology Department at the University of Arizona. She also serves on the Executive Committee for the Innovations in Aging Graduate Programs. Before her academic role, she held positions in behavioral health, aging services, and nonprofit executive management. Her passion lies in preparing the next generation of professionals to advance services and advocate for older adults. Dr. Hollis was appointed to the Minority Issues in Gerontology Advisory Panel for the Gerontological Society of America and is Co-Chair of the Elder Alliance, an initiative housed at the United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona. 

Dr. Moored is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (JHSPH). He completed his PhD in Mental Health at JHSPH and postdoctoral training in the epidemiology of aging at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health. He is an epidemiologist with research experience in neurocognitive aging, prevention science, and lifespan activity engagement. His research integrates survey, wearable device (e.g., GPS), and geospatial data sources to better understand how activity and the built and social environments contribute to lifespan mental health, including neurocognitive functioning and fatigue as we age. His goal is to use these findings to inform structural and individual-level interventions that promote brain health as we age in place.

Dr. Amie Bunker currently serves as the Program Manager for the Melanoma Research Program within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, where she is responsible for the execution and management of tax-payer dollars supporting biomedical research in the field of melanoma. Her responsibilities include annual review of the program vision and mission, development and release of research funding opportunities, overseeing the two-tier review of research proposals, and overall program management and evaluation. Dr. Bunker joined the CDMRP in 2015, and has managed research spanning many scientific topics, covering basic, translation, and clinical studies. Her prior academic work primarily focused on biophysics and studying the mechanisms of gene regulation. She earned a BS in Biology (with Honors) from Towson University and holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Dr. Eisenstein is a Senior Program Officer and Director of Research & Evaluation at RRF Foundation for Aging in Chicago, Illinois. She has worked in the combined fields of gerontology and public health for over 20 years and has held a variety of positions in both academic and community-based settings. She is passionate about working to advance equitable opportunities for older adults to achieve and maintain high levels of dignity and quality of life. Dr. Eisenstein is an Ambassador for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, a Fellow of The Gerontological Society of America, and holds an Adjunct appointment at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in the School of Public Health.

Dr. Sarah Fontaine currently serves as the Program Manager for Alzheimer’s Research Program (AZRP), and the Neurotrauma Portfolio at the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs at Fort Detrick, MD. As program manager, she is responsible for the execution and management of tax- payer dollars supporting investigation into these critical brain health areas for Service Members, Veterans, and other individuals living with these conditions. From 2010-2018 Dr. Fontaine held research appointments the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, the University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, and Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, where she directed research on traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer’s disease, and other tauopathies. Her work focused on understanding molecular mechanisms, pathways, and therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative conditions and neurotraumatic injuries. Dr. Fontaine completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Bath in Bath, England, U.K., and earned her bachelor’s degree from Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, majoring in Animal Sciences.

Dr. Lydia Manning is a gerontologist, educator, and entrepreneur, with a background in aging and life course transitions. Lydia is Co-Founder and CEO of Circle Life Consulting, Inc. She is also the Director of Professional Education and Consulting Services at the Scripps Gerontology Center and oversees the Scripps Aging Hub. Her work centers on translating gerontological research into practical solutions for organizations and communities. Lydia’s research interests include resilience, spirituality, gerontology education, and gerontech.

Dr. Lydia Manning is a gerontologist, educator, and entrepreneur, with a background in aging and life course transitions. Lydia is Co-Founder and CEO of Circle Life Consulting, Inc. She is also the Director of Professional Education and Consulting Services at the Scripps Gerontology Center and oversees the Scripps Aging Hub. Her work centers on translating gerontological research into practical solutions for organizations and communities. Lydia’s research interests include resilience, spirituality, gerontology education, and gerontech.

Dr. Tetyana Shippee is a Professor in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She also serves as Associate Director for Research at the Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation and as Co-Director of the K12 Scholar Career Development Program with the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. An expert in social gerontology and a health services researcher, Dr. Shippee holds a dual PhD in Gerontology and Sociology. Her research focuses on two main areas: 1) improving quality of life (QOL) and other person-reported outcomes among older adults using long-term services and supports, and 2) analyzing patterns and contributors to inequities in long-term care quality among diverse populations of older adults. A growing portion of her work addresses care quality for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (AD/ADRD), with particular attention to quality of life and caregiver support.

Dr. Degenholtz is Professor of Health Policy and Management and Faculty Affiliate of the Center for Bioethics and Health Law. He was the Founding Director of the Doctoral Program in Health Services Research and Policy. Dr. Degenholtz is a health services researcher who focuses on long-term care and aging and organ donation. He is currently the lead for a seven-year evaluation of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Community HealthChoices program. 

He is a member of AcademyHealth and a Fellow in the Gerontological Society of America. He is the Social Media Editor of The Gerontologist, Associate Editor for LTSS of Innovation in Aging and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Aging and Social Policy.

Ahmed is a patient-centered, collaborative, and highly motivated scientist-pharmacist with strong experience in neuroscience biomedical research. Ahmed earned his Pharmacy degree from the School of Pharmacy at Al-Azhar University in Cairo in 2016 where his research was focused on medicinal chemistry and drug development. Following Pharmacy school, Ahmed joined the biomedical sciences PhD program at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he worked under the supervision of Dr. Orly Lazarov. During his PhD, Ahmed studied the extent of hippocampal neurogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease patients and its impact on their learning and memory. After successfully completing his PhD, Ahmed joined the CBC as an entrepreneurial fellow where he aims to close the knowledge gap between the bench and the pharmaceutical market and build a strong biotech ecosystem in the Chicagoland area.

Emily A. Greenfield, PhD, FGSA, is a Professor of Social Work at Rutgers University and Founding Director of the Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration. Her scholarship seeks to bolster community-centered approaches for advancing innovation and equity in social programs for long and healthy lives. Her work has helped to accelerate 21st-century models for aging in community, including age- and dementia-friendly community initiatives, housing-based supportive service programs, and the Village Movement. Hallmark features of her scholarship include fostering cross-sectoral partnerships and elevating the voices of grassroots leaders. She also champions aging within higher education, such as by launching the Hub for Aging Collaboration to amplify work on aging across disciplines and to bolster opportunities for enhanced social work training on aging and older adults.

Brianna is a Geriatric and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner with over a decade of nursing experience caring for older adults living with serious illnesses, including dementia and cancer. Dr. Morgan has a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Basis of Behavior (2008), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (2012), a Masters in Adult and Gerontological Primary Care with a minor in Palliative Care (2015), and a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (2022) all from the University of Pennsylvania. She also holds an Advanced Certification in Hospice and Palliative Nursing® and was named an Emerging Leader by the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Foundation in 2022. She is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at NYU Grossman School of Medicine where she is exploring supportive care interventions for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their care partners. She is also a Geriatric and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at NYU Langone Health.

Nathan LeBrasseur, PT, PhD, holds the Noaber Foundation Professorship in Aging Research and has appointments in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the Department of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering at Mayo Clinic. He is the Director of the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging and the Co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Mayo Clinic. His latest research has centered on cellular senescence, a fundamental mechanism of aging, and interventions to counter this process to extend healthspan. Dr. LeBrasseur has received the Glenn Award for Research in Biological Mechanisms of Aging, the Nathan W. Shock Award Lecture from the National Institute on Aging, and the Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star Award in Aging Research from the American Federation for Aging Research. He is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America.

Maria Carranza, PhD, is a program officer specializing in training and career development in the Division of Extramural Activities at the National Institute on Aging. Dr. Carranza serves as the primary point of contact for policies, goals, and processes related to NIA’s individual and institutional training and career development funding opportunities. She manages a variety of programs, including Diversity, Re-Entry and Re-integration, and Continuity and Retention Supplements. After 12 years as a university professor, she joined the National Science Foundation, where she worked with NSF INCLUDES, a comprehensive, national initiative to broaden participation in STEM fields at scale. Dr. Carranza earned a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Baylor University, and conducted postdoctoral studies at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute.

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.

Natalie leads Justice in Aging’s legislative and administrative health care advocacy in Washington, DC. Since joining Justice in Aging in 2017, Natalie has been advocating to strengthen health care programs that help older adults live at home and stay connected to their communities. Natalie holds a JD with a Certificate in Health Law from Saint Louis University and a BS in Economics from the University of Wyoming.

Jordan P. Lewis is Aleut and Sugpiaq, and his family is from the Naknek Native Village in southwest Alaska and Cannon Beach, Oregon. He is the Director of Research for the Center for One Health Research and a Research Professor with the College of Indigenous Studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He holds a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from UAF, an MSW from Washington University in St. Louis, and a BSW from UAF, and is a certified professional gerontologist. Trained as a cross-cultural community psychologist and gerontologist, Jordan has worked with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities to identify characteristics that enable Alaska Native Elders to age successfully, or age in a good way, and become role models for their families and communities. Using the lessons and experiences of AIAN Elders, Jordan’s research develops generative-based approaches to improve the health of all generations.

Professor Feliciano Villar, PhD, is a developmental psychologist at the University of Barcelona. His main research interest is to explore and promote the contributions of older people to their communities and families, using the concept of generativity in later life. He is currently researching which generative expressions are more common among older people, both in successful and not-so-successful (what could be called ‘aging on the margins’) older people collectives, and what their impacts are in terms of personal growth and social development. He has directed more than 10 research projects funded by competitive national and European calls. He has published more than 100 papers in international academic journals based on his research. He has recently co-authored a book titled 'The development of generativity across the life span’, published by Oxford University Press. He is also the coordinator of the Master's degree on Psychologerontology of the University of Barcelona.

Dr. Heather Farmer is an Assistant Professor in Human Development and Family Sciences at the University of Delaware. She received her Ph.D. in Biobehavioral Health with specialization in Demography from Penn State University and completed an NIA-funded T32 in Aging and Human Development at Duke University. Her research incorporates theory spanning multiple disciplines, biomarker data, and longitudinal analyses to understand social stratification and health in mid- to later life. Her research covers three complementary themes: 1) understanding whether and how psychosocial stress and coping are associated with health in adulthood; 2) exploring biopsychosocial mechanisms associated with health inequities across the life course; and 3) highlighting heterogeneity in health and well-being using a “within-groups” framework.

Dr. Angela Groves is an Assistant Professor at Western Michigan University and an early-stage nursing researcher focused on aging, cardiovascular health, and health disparities. Her work centers on improving low-sodium dietary behaviors and blood pressure control among older African American women with hypertension. Dr. Groves has led several feasibility studies examining culturally tailored interventions, including the DASH diet and dyadic (peer) support models. She has published multiple peer-reviewed articles and presented nationally on her research. She is a participant in the NIH-funded PRIDE-CVD program and the University of Michigan's MIWI Training Program. Her efforts have been supported by grants from the Daisy Foundation and Western Michigan University.