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.

Sunghwan 'Justin' Ko is a PhD candidate from the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA. He received his bachelor's degree in biochemistry from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin (UTPB), Odessa, Texas, USA. He also received his master's degree from UTPB in biology, with the thesis focusing on mitochondrial quality control in neurodegenerative diseases. He is currently affiliated with the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) for his doctoral research in the lab of Dr. Sarah Ocañas, PhD. His research is focused on elucidating the effect of aging and sex differences in Alzheimer's disease (AD), with a special emphasis on brain immune responses and the effect of sex hormones.

Erin Staker is a graduate student in clinical mental health counseling at Marymount University and serves as the President of the university's Gerontological Society of America (GSA) student chapter. She is passionate about increasing student engagement in gerontology through research, advocacy, and professional development. As a research coordinator at the Marymount Center for Optimal Aging, Erin collaborates on projects and community initiatives related to aging. She is particularly interested in the impact of health promotion programs on the aging process. Erin earned her Bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech, where she double-majored in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology. She is actively involved in community councils and is a member of GSA's Social Research Policy & Practice community. Committed to bridging the gap between research, policy, and student leadership, Erin looks forward to sharing insights on building a successful Student Chapter and expanding opportunities for students in aging-related fields.