Dr. Tara C. Klinedinst is an Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and an occupational therapist. Her research focuses on improving participation, reducing disability, and supporting health self-management among adults with chronic conditions.

Dr. Perepezko earned her PhD in Public Health (Mental Health) and her MSPH in Social and Behavioral Interventions from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and holds a B.A. in Psychology from New York University. Her recent scholarship has explored caregiver well-being, sleep disturbances, relationship quality, successful aging and family caregiving, and innovative approaches to supporting older adults and their families. Through her research, Dr. Perepezko is committed to creating sustainable systems of care that strengthen the well-being of both older adults and those who care for them. 

Joyce Siette, PhD, is an Associate Professor in Healthy Aging at the MARCS Institute for Brain, Behavior and Development at Western Sydney University. Her interdisciplinary research focuses on understanding the behavioral and social factors that support healthy brain aging across the lifespan, with particular emphasis on dementia prevention, cognitive health, and improving quality of life for older adults. Dr. Siette’s work explores how digital health, data analytics, and innovative technologies can promote healthy aging and enhance care for older adults in community and residential settings. She is also recognized for translating research into practical solutions, including public health initiatives that increase awareness of modifiable dementia risk factors. With a background in psychology and public health, Dr. Siette has led and collaborated on numerous projects related to dementia literacy, social connectedness, culturally inclusive care, and preventive brain health programs. Her research is grounded in improving real-world outcomes for individuals, families, and communities navigating aging and cognitive change. 

Michelle Putnam, PhD, MGS, FGSA is Director of the Gerontology Institute and Professor in the Gerontology Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She holds a BA in History from the University of Michigan, a Master's in Gerontological Studies from Miami University in Ohio, and a PhD in Social Welfare from the University of California, Los Angeles, and served as a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Public Health in Disabilities at Oregon Health & Sciences University. Dr. Putnam's scholarship focuses on the intersections of aging and disability including how growing older with lifelong and long-term disability is different than aging into disability for the first time in later life and how to build bridges across aging and disability research, policy and practice. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of Innovation in Aging, a journal of the Gerontological Society of America.

Julia Squarr is a biologist by training with a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology. Following completion of her doctorate, she transitioned into scientific publishing, where she held editorial and leadership roles at Springer Nature and Wiley, working across medicine and life sciences portfolios. Currently at PLOS, Julia oversees a subset of the journal portfolio and leads the conceptualization and launch of new journals. Most recently, she helped launch PLOS Aging and Health, an innovative publication focused on advancing research at the intersection of aging and health.