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 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. Before joining GSA, Trish was the 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 safe handling of medications in the District.  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.  

Apoorva Rangan is pursuing a Doctor of Medicine and a master's degree in epidemiology and clinical research at Stanford School of Medicine. She aspires to a career working with researchers, community organizations, and older patients to improve quality and equity in geriatric care. Rangan has special interests in geriatrics workforce development, medical-legal collaborations supporting incarcerated older people, and long-term care systems. In 2019, she resided in an intergenerational nursing home in the Netherlands, which was a pivotal experience in her journey toward medicine. She graduated from Harvard College magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and human developmental and regenerative biology. In her free time, she loves birding and yoga. 

Dr. Gebauer is a family physician and translational epidemiologist in Saint Louis University-School of Medicine's Department of Family & Community Medicine. Her research is focused on the integration of geospatial information science and administrative health record data with special interest in chronic pain and prescription opioid use. She focuses on the impact of place on health outcomes, such as communities and neighborhoods. Her medical practice is located in an FQHC look a like clinic, providing primary care to the underserved of St. Louis County.

Marcia G. Ory, Ph.D., M.P.H., is a Regents and Distinguished Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Texas A&M School of Public Health (SPH) in College Station, Texas. Working with interdisciplinary teams in the TAMU Board of Regents Center for Community Health and Aging (CCHA), her primary goal is to reframe healthy aging as the new normal through innovative research, education, and service. Dr. Ory is an international leader in translating research into practice through investigations of behavioral, social, environmental, policy, and/or technological solutions to enhance health and quality of life for all. She has a long-standing commitment to aging and public health research, with a particular interest in dementia research that focuses on both individuals living with dementia and their care partners.

Ashley Z. Ritter, PhD, MSHP, APRN is a nurse practitioner, researcher, and Assistant Professor at Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing whose work centers on improving health outcomes for older adults with complex medical and social needs. Clinically trained in gerontology and palliative care, she has provided direct care in hospital, post-acute and community-based settings. Dr. Ritter’s research examines opioid use disorder (OUD) in aging populations, with multidisciplinary projects funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the CDC, and the Commonwealth Fund. Her studies focus on care transitions, disparities in access to OUD treatment, and integrating harm reduction into the continuum of aging services. Recognized for both scholarly and public engagement, Dr. Ritter is a Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia and a founding member of Those Nerdy Girls, advancing evidence-based health communication.

Dr. Megan O’Grady is a social psychologist and health services researcher interested in using implementation science to improve the system of prevention and treatment for substance use disorder. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and director of the Center for Prevention, Evaluation, and Statistics at UConn Health. Dr. O’Grady is co-investigator on 4 NIH-funded projects and a PCORI-funded study on substance use treatment services, and evaluator on several SAMHSA- and State-funded projects in partnership with New York State and the State of Connecticut. She received her PhD from Colorado State University and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship at the NIH-funded University of Connecticut School of Medicine Alcohol Research Center. She was formerly an Associate Vice President of Health Services Research at Partnership to End Addiction.

Marissa “Mari” Mackiewicz is an assistant professor at UCF’s College of Nursing and a nurse scientist whose work focuses on ensuring all older adults have access to healthcare. Her research interests include substance use disorders and unmet oral health needs in older adult populations. Prior to joining UCF, Mackiewicz held post-doctoral positions at the University of Chicago and Virginia Commonwealth University. Over the past seven years, she has led various research projects aimed at understanding and addressing the health-related needs of older adults. Her work strives to inform healthcare professionals, students, and community members about the unique needs of older adults with mental and behavioral health issues to decrease stigma, promote empathy, and ultimately improve patient care.

Dr. Rottnek is a Professor and the Director of Community Medicine at SSM Health/Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the Program Director of the SSM Health/Saint Louis University Addiction Medicine Fellowship. He is a graduate of the Saint Louis University School of Medicine and the Master of Arts in Health Care Mission Program at Aquinas Institute of Theology. His clinical practices currently include addiction medicine and correctional healthcare. He teaches in the School of Medicine and the School of Law. Board-Certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine, he is the Chief Medical Officer of the Assisted Recovery Centers of American (ARCA) and Medical Director of Juvenile Detention of the City of St. Louis.

Pamela B. Teaster is a Professor and the Director of the Center for Gerontology and the Associate Department Head of the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Virginia Tech. She was a 2023-2025 Health and Aging Policy Fellow, Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, and Fellow of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education. She received the Isabella Horton Grant Award for Guardianship (National College of Probate Judges), the Rosalie Wolf Award for Research on Elder Abuse (NAPSA), the Outstanding Affiliate Member Award (Kentucky Guardianship Association), and Distinguished Educator Award (Kentucky Association for Gerontology). Areas of scholarship include the abuse of vulnerable adults (e.g., sexual abuse; financial and opioid exploitation, guardianship) surrogate decision making, end-of-life decision-making, ethical treatment of older adults, and public policy and public affairs). She has published over 250 scholarly and translational articles, reports, and book chapters and is the editor/author of 7 books.

Assoc. Prof. Rahul Malhotra is the Executive Director of the Centre for Ageing Research & Education and Associate Professor of Health Services Research & Population Health at the Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore. The primary area of his research is ageing. Key projects that he has led/is leading include (1) nationally representative longitudinal surveys of older Singaporeans, studying predictors and outcomes of change in physical, psychological and social health of older adults, (2) longitudinal quantitative and qualitative studies of older Singaporean-family caregiver dyads, assessing patterns, correlates and consequences of changes in caregiving-related outcomes over time, and (3) a health services research project providing the evidence base for older person-centred prescription medication labels. He has published over 225 peer-reviewed papers in the medical, public health and social science literature. He received his basic and advanced medical training at the University of Delhi, India, and public health (MPH) training at Harvard University, USA.

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.

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.

Itunu Akande is a lecturer and research fellow in the Department of Educational Technology and Library Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). He teaches Digital Media and Learning, Diffusion and Adoption of Innovation, Developments in Educational Technology, and Fundamentals of Instructional Design. His research interests broadly surround the philosophical foundations of learning and the ecological frames (cultural, social, psychological) of technology-supported learning systems. With backgrounds in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Media productions, and Education, his research embraces the intersections in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts/humanities, and mathematics) and explores contexts of learning within these spheres. Itunu's collaborations with pre-service and in-service teachers drive his need to investigate teachers' measures of competence, particularly in technology-aided learning spaces, to improve teachers' professional development and ultimately learning outcomes.

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. 

Cynthia holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the American Public University. Retired, December 2023, she was the Executive Director of the Atlantic County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in New Jersey, with over 30 years’ experience working in older adult services. Currently, she is the Advocacy Consultant for the NJ AAA State Association, promoting older adult advocacy. Through her involvement with the New York Academy of Sciences, Cynthia was introduced to the ethical concerns when Artificial Intelligence intersects with this cohort, prompting her to take a deeper dive into this ethical digital divide. Her ability to speak and present on this topic at the NJ AAA State Associations 2024 annual retreat, GSA’s 2024 Poster Presentation, and USAging’s 2025 Conference, showed that various actors have an opportunity to learn about these AI ethical concerns

Justine McGovern, PhD, LMSW is the Chair of the Department of Health Promotion and Nutrition Sciences at Lehman College, City University of New York. Justine’s research contributes to increasing health equity for older adults in the urban environment, diversifying the gerontology workforce, integrating arts-based pedagogies into curricula and decolonizing gerontology. She publishes and presents internationally. Justine teaches at the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral level. Licensed in social work, Justine has extensive practice experience in dementia care, senior services, and community-based mental health. She is the Chair of the Humanities, Arts and Cultural Gerontology Advisory Panel to the Gerontological Society of America and the international partner of the Irish Gerontology Society. She received her PhD and MSW from New York University's Silver School of Social Work, and her BA in American Studies from Yale University.

Walter R. Boot, PhD, is the Irving Sherwood Wright Professor in Geriatrics II and Professor of Psychology in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. He is one of five principal investigators of the multidisciplinary Center for Research and Education on Aging and Technology Enhancement (CREATE), an award-winning center funded by the National Institute on Aging that focuses on ensuring older adults can fully benefit from technology. He also serves as Co-Director of the ENHANCE (Enhancing Neurocognitive Health, Abilities, Networks, & Community Engagement) Center, which is supported by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. ENHANCE focuses on how technology can support older adults with cognitive impairments. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Gerontological Society of America (GSA).

Clara Berridge is a social gerontologist and Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Social Work. For fifteen years, she has studied the ethical and policy implications of data and information technologies used in care, from remote monitoring systems to social companions. Her intervention research engages people living with dementia in decision making about how these technologies should be used in their care to reduce risks to values such as privacy and autonomy. Dr. Berridge’s work raises the profile of older adults’ diverse interests in AI discourse and has been cited in Nature, The Guardian, The Atlantic, New York Times, BBC Radio, and technical publications. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of California Berkeley and was a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Gerontology and Healthcare Research at Brown University.

Dr. Kat Britt is an Assistant Professor in Gerontological Nursing at the University of Iowa College of Nursing, a 2024 Butler Williams Scholar, a 2021-2023 Psychology/Mental Health Jonas Scholar, a Geriatric Nursing editorial board member, and serves as the GSA ESPO Vice-Chair Elect and as a Board Member of her local Iowa Chapter Alzheimer’s Association. She completed a T32 postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, obtained her PhD from The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, and her Master’s in informatics from The University of Texas at Tyler. Her research focuses on protective lifestyle factors and cognitive care planning to inform nonpharmacological interventions for persons living with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and their care partners to slow decline.

Dr. Felipe A. Jain, MD, is Director of Healthy Aging Studies in the Depression Clinical Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and faculty of the Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Health Sciences and Technology program. His research focuses on guided imagery and mindfulness skills for the treatment of depression in family caregivers, and biomarkers that may be used to personalize treatment. Dr. Jain’s work has demonstrated reductions in stress, depression and suicidal ideation in family caregivers of people living with dementia after 4 weeks of mentalizing imagery therapy. Along with studying the therapeutic benefits of this approach, Dr. Jain studies how it impacts functional brain activation and digital phenotypes of behavior and mental health. Dr. Jain developed the CareDoc mobile smartphone platform, a high-throughput, customizable precision psychiatry platform capable of delivery psychotherapeutic information, obtaining ecological momentary assessments, and monitoring passive behavioral data.

Nicole Memmer studied Sociology (B.A. and M.A.) at Heidelberg University, where she developed a keen interest in gerontology through her work as a student assistant in the HeiAge project at Heidelberg University's Network for Aging Research. Her master’s thesis, "Acceptance and Use of Information and Communication Technology and Assistive Technologies by Older Adults", explored how older adults engage with digital technologies, laying the foundation for her current research. She is now a doctoral student in the SMART-AGE project, where she investigates how digital technologies influence social participation among older adults and which factors support their sustained use. Her research focuses on questions such as how different types of internet use relate to subjective and objective social participation, the role of digital skills, the impact of apps specifically designed for older adults, and the individual, social, and technology-related factors that promote long-term engagement.

Laura A. Rice, PhD, MPT, ATP is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. Her research focuses on the management of secondary impairments associated with physical disabilities and increasing quality of life and community participation. She is a RESNA-certified Assistive Technology Professional and director of the Illini Wheelchair and Scooter clinic. She received her PhD in Rehabilitation Science and Technology from the University of Pittsburgh in 2010 and a M.S. in Physical Therapy and B.S. in Health Sciences from Duquesne University in 2004 and 2003 respectively.

Dr. Roque's research examines cognitive aging, focusing on visual attention and its links to factors like age, sleep, and pollution exposure. Using mobile assessments and passive sensing, he explores cognition in daily life, aiming to apply findings to real-world contexts and improve understanding across the lifespan.

Mary Gannon is a nationally recognized executive communications coach. She spent 10 years as the U.S. lead of media and presentation coaching services for Edelman - the world’s largest public relations agency.  Mary’s background as a reporter and producer for CNN Television in Atlanta, WGN-Channel 9 and WBBM Radio in Chicago is crucial to helping her clients effectively deliver high impact messages to external and internal stakeholders. Mary’s clients include Adobe, AstraZeneca, Barilla, Boeing, Cigna, Delta Airlines, Eli Lilly, General Mills, Google, Honeywell, HP, Kroger, lululemon, Mars, Mitsubishi Power, Nike, Pepsi, ServiceNow, Snapchat, Starbucks, Target, The Home Depot and Walmart. She holds a BS in journalism from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

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).

Dr. Pei-Shiun Chang is an Associate Professor for the Indiana University School of Nursing in the Department of Community Health Systems. Dr. Chang received her BSN degree from Taiwan, her master's degree, and her doctoral degree from Yale University. Dr. Chang’s research focuses on promoting the physical and psychological health of older adults with chronic illness using a mind-body practice, Qigong. Dr. Chang has expertise in interventional research, Chinese traditional medicine exercise interventions, meta-analysis, and health outcomes.

Deanna L. Reising, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, FNAP, ANEF is professor of nursing at Indiana University, where she conducts research on educational and patient outcomes of interprofessional education and practice. She teaches BSN, MSN, and PhD programs. She is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Magnet Program Co-Director at IU Health Bloomington Hospital, Bloomington, Indiana, and the Magnet program coordinator for the Indiana University Health system. Dr. Reising is a fellow in the National League for Nursing Academy for Nursing Education, a Distinguished Scholar and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice, and a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Sheri L. Robb, PhD, MT-BC is a Walther Professor of Supportive Oncology in the Indiana University Schools of Nursing and Medicine. Dr. Robb is internationally recognized for her expertise in pediatric music therapy and behavioral intervention research. Her program of research focuses on development and testing of music interventions to manage distress and improve positive health outcomes in children and adolescents with cancer and their caregivers. Dr. Robb is an established investigator with twenty years of continuous funding from the US National Institutes of Health. She also led publication of Reporting Guidelines for Music-based Interventions 

Dr. Carol Shieh’s research centers on maternal and infant health. She developed a self-monitoring weight management program for pregnant women and co-created Together Indy CAN, a Facebook site sharing resources to reduce preventable maternal and infant deaths. Her work also explores factors linked to early study termination in ClinicalTrials.gov and engagement strategies in social media–based research.

Dr. Shieh has extensive experience in faculty mentoring and performance review through a funded initiative, service on promotion and sabbatical committees, and leadership roles, including assistant and interim department chair and Executive Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at IUSON. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

Susan Donley is a mission-driven communications strategist with deep expertise in aging and digital engagement. She has built pioneering platforms that connect millions while shaping national conversations on longevity, equity, and care. As founding Publisher and Managing Director of Next Avenue, PBS’s first initiative for older adults, she grew the audience to 45 million users, tripled revenue, and secured millions in philanthropic funding. She later founded Stria, a digital media brand for longevity leaders, building a community of 85,000 professionals and forging 175+ partnerships with organizations including AARP and Best Buy. Most recently, as SVP of Communications and Marketing at LeadingAge, Susan led marketing and digital strategy, launched a $1M sector-wide messaging initiative, and guided public affairs through COVID—earning 95% member approval. Today, through her consulting practice, she advises foundations, universities, and advocacy groups on strategies that expand visibility, deepen trust, and drive measurable growth.