Monica Askew
Monica is an ordained minister with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, where she is pastor at Carter Monumental CME Church in Columbus, GA. The Church’s focus is to make a difference in the community by meeting their needs. In January 2023, Carter Monumental CME Church partnered with the Alter program to become a Dementia Friendly Church. Since that time, her passion has been to educate as many people as possible about Dementia. Monica is a 1986 graduate of Tuskegee University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science. She has worked as a Computer Programmer for approximately thirty years, supporting the HR Departments, Worker’s Compensation Departments, and Transportation Departments. In 2014, Monica became a Financial Advisor with World Financial Group and a licensed Life Insurance Agent. As a Financial Advisor, her main focus is Reaching and Teaching others How Money Works and How It Can Work for Them because Money does Matter.
Conor Callahan, MSW
Conor is a Policy Associate at ADvancing States with experience in various roles, including Outreach Social Worker at DOROT, Graduate Student Intern at NYC Department for the Aging, Classroom Teacher at Harlem Children’s Zone and Novato Unified School District, Event Manager at Just Relish, and Substitute Teacher at Oakland Unified School District. Conor holds a Master of Social Work degree in Gerontology from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from San Francisco State University.
Jenya Cassidy
Jenya was the Policy Director for the Labor Project for Working Families and a Project Manager for Next Generation. She has also worked as a union representative for SEIU, Local 250 Healthcare Workers Union, where she learned about the connection between health and safety and winning workers’ rights. Jenya has also worked as a community organizer and on disability rights campaigns.
Marc Cohen, PhD
Dr. Cohen is a Professor of Gerontology at UMass Boston, where he serves as Co-Director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center and Research Director at the Center for Community Engagement in Health Innovation at Community Catalyst. Before joining UMass in 2016, he was Chief R&D Officer and co-founder of LifePlans, a long-term care research and risk management firm. Dr. Cohen has testified before Congress, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and other key organizations, contributed to Governor Patrick’s Task Force on LTSS Financing in MA and played leadership roles in the Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative and the National Academy of Social Insurance. His recent research focuses on enhancing person-centered care, expanding services in senior housing, improving patient engagement in research, strengthening family caregiving advocacy, and addressing challenges faced by individuals dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Frequently cited in outlets like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Time Magazine, Dr. Cohen is a recognized expert on elder care financing. He holds a Ph.D. from the Heller School at Brandeis University and a Master’s Degree from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Howard Gleckman
Howard is a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. He is affiliated with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and the Program on Retirement Policy, where he works on long-term care issues. Gleckman writes regular columns for Forbes.com on tax policy and elder care, speaks and writes frequently on long-term care issues, and is the author of the book Caring for Our Parents. He was co-convenor of the Long-term Care Financing Collaborative and served on the National Academy of Social Insurance Study Panel on Long-Term Services and Supports. Before joining Urban, Gleckman was senior correspondent in the Washington bureau of Business Week, where he was a 2003 National Magazine Award finalist. He was a 2006–07 media fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation and a visiting fellow at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College from 2006 to 2008.
Cara Goldstein, MS
Cara Goldstein serves as the Assistant Director of Caregiving Services and Supports for USAging. In this role, she works to strengthen the capacity of the Aging Network to develop and deliver services meeting the diverse needs of the nation’s caregivers through the Innovations in Family Caregiver Services and Supports Initiative. Previously, as the Director of Community Health for Johns Hopkins Health System, she oversaw a team of community health workers and managed the implementation of community health interventions for Medicare patients. Cara also served as a Senior Advisor at the AARP Foundation and as a Senior Policy Advisor with the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. Cara began her career developing policies and programs for family caregivers and grandparents raising grandchildren at non-profit organizations in Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA.
Paul Irving
Paul is a senior advisor at the Milken Institute, where he previously served as president and founding chair of its Center for the Future of Aging. He is also a distinguished scholar-in-residence at USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and a national advisor at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, where he earlier served as chair and CEO. Irving serves on numerous boards, including East West Bancorp, the USC Davis School, and CoGenerate. Author of The Upside of Aging and a regular contributor to major publications, including Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal, Irving has been a member of the National Academy of Medicine Global Commission on Healthy Longevity and a participant in the White House Conference on Aging. Recognized with Stanford University’s Life Journey Inspiration Award and as an “Influencer” by PBS Next Avenue. Irving’s thought leadership continues to shape conversations on aging, longevity, and innovation worldwide.
Lindsay Jurist-Rosner
Lindsay is the founder and CEO of Wellthy, a technology-powered caregiving concierge. With Wellthy, Lindsay is building the company she needed throughout the 28 years of caring for her mother. Before founding Wellthy in 2014, Lindsay was in the advertising technology and media industries with functional responsibilities in marketing, product, and sales.
Karen Kavanaugh
Karen is the Chief Officer of Strategic Initiatives at the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers, with expertise in strategic planning, program analysis, leadership, and change management. Previously at Pew, she addressed economic, social, and health issues nationwide, including policy solutions, program gaps, and stakeholder mapping. Karen also has experience in the workplace, human services, and transportation policy.
Julie Kennedy, MPA
Julie is the CEO & Co-Founder of RubyWell, a software company that is building tools that help family caregivers save, find, and earn money throughout the caregiving journey. Prior to RubyWell, Julie was the founding Chief Operating Officer of Trusty.care, a Medicare technology company. Her work as the founder and leader at DC SCORES and AMERICA SCORES earned her local and national awards, including Washingtonian of the Year, a Daily Points of Light award from President Clinton, and a finalist mention for the Presidential National Service Award. Julie holds a BA from Georgetown University and an MPA from Harvard University.
Vik Sharma
Vik is the Founder & CEO of MiraKare, a groundbreaking care tech company revolutionizing support for caregivers and care recipients. With a mission to empower caregivers and enhance lives, Vik leads a dedicated team focused on providing innovative technology, tools, and resources that address caregivers’ unique challenges. Under his leadership, MiraKare is building comprehensive solutions that enable caregivers to provide confident, proactive, and exceptional care. A passionate advocate for caregiver support, Vik is committed to transforming the caregiving experience, fostering connections, and driving progress in the care tech space.
Billie Tohee
Billie (Otoe-Missouria Tribe) is the Executive Director of the National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA), a nonprofit organization founded in 1976 by members of the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association. After becoming a board member of NICOA at the 2018 Pechanga Conference, she quickly rose to prominence, being elected as the Chair of NICOA after two years of dedicated service, notably at the 2021 Reno conference. Notably, within a couple of months of becoming a board member, Billie was promoted to board secretary, showcasing her dedication and passion. She is actively engaged in assisting tribal members and elders, lending her support to address their concerns and grievances. One of Billie’s primary objectives is to foster national collaborations among tribes, creating a network where resources can be shared and utilized effectively.
