Summer Series

Keynote Presenter    Conference Speakers

Faculty

Keynote Presenter

Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D.

Gene D. Cohen, M.D., Ph.D. is Director of the Center on Aging, Health &  Humanities at George Washington University.  He is a Past Presidentof the Gerontological Society of America.  During his 20-year career at the National Institutes of Health, he was appointed the first Chief of the Aging Center at the National Institute of Mental Health in 1975, and subsequently served as Acting Director of the National Institute on Aging during 1991-1993.  He is the author of more than 150 publications.  His book The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life (Harper Collins, 2001) was the first book totally focused on creativity and aging and was featured on PBS.  His new book is The Mature Mind: The Positive Power of the Aging Brain (Basic Books, 2006), and is presently being translated into six other languages.  He is the primary investigator of the Creativity and Aging Study sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts, and he is the primary investigator of the first longitudinal study of Baby Boomers using individual interviews, supported by the Helen Bader Foundation and NRTA/AARP.

Closing Luncheon

G. Richard "Dick" Ambrosius, M.A.

G. Richard “Dick” Ambrosius, MA, has been aggressively countering aging stereotypes and promoting positive aging for over 30 years. Dick is the author of The Art of the Positive, Choices & Changes…a primer on life planning, and The Art of the Possible. He began his career in aging as Director of an Area Agency on Aging. In 1980, President Ronald Reagan appointed him to the National Advisory Committee to the 1981 White House Conference on Aging; and selected as a delegate-at-large for the 2005 White House Conference on Aging. As a professional speaker, Dick has blended humor and motivation with practical examples and creative problem solving to entertain and inform audiences in 49 states. He has a BA and MA in Political Science and is a decorated Viet Nam veteran. Ambrosius currently serves as Vice President of Communications, Coaching and Culture for PRAXEIS LLC of Jacksonville, FL the company that is developing the Life Fulfilling Community® of Limestone Crossing in cooperation with the University of Kentucky.

Conference Speakers

Patrick Arbore, Ed.D.

Patrick Arbore, EdD, began his career in the field of aging in 1973. He is the founder and the Director of the Center for Elderly Suicide Prevention and Grief Related Services (CESP), a program now of the Institute on Aging in San Francisco. Patrick also serves as the Director of Staff Development/Leadership & Training at the Institute on Aging. Patrick conducts workshops and presents lectures locally and nationally on aging related subjects. He is the author of numerous articles and book chapters on suicide prevention, bereavement, suffering, etc., including a chapter he co-authored entitled “Suffering and the Caring Professional” in When Professionals Weep: Emotional and Countertransference Responses in End-of-Life Care (2006) edited by Katz, R. & Johnson, T. A. He is a current member of the Editorial Board of Dimensions, a quarterly newsletter of the Mental Health and Aging Network, a publication of the American Society on Aging. He is also a Senior Lecturer in the Human Services Division at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, CA. He was the co-recipient of the 2002 Gloria A. Cavanaugh Award for excellence in training and education in aging presented by the American Society on Aging.

Dr. Patricia A. Brill, Ph.D.

Patricia A. Brill, PhD is the founder of Functional Fitness, L.L.C., a consulting company that designs and implements exercise programs for older adults living at home, in independent and assisted living communities, in nursing homes and in dementia care facilities.  Dr. Brill has written two books: “Functional Fitness for Older Adults,” an illustrated guide for activity professionals working with adults with various functional performance levels, and “Exercise Your Independence: Functional Fitness Exercises to Keep You Active” for consumers.  She has published over 25 peer-reviewed research articles, co-authored a fitness prescription provider guide for physicians and health professionals, has received several awards for her exercise programs, and has presented at over 17 national and international conferences over the last 10 years.  She is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and is a Senior Public Health Manager at Harris County Public Health and Environmental Services in Houston, TX.

Dr. Louis Burgio, Ph.D.

Louis Burgio, PhD received his doctorate from the University of Notre Dame in 1981 in Applied Developmental Psychology. He is currently Professor of Clinical Psychology and Nursing and Director of the Center for Mental Health and Aging (CMHA) at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa.  The mission of CMHA is to develop new knowledge, test new interventions, and disseminate information related to mental health and aging. Through applied interdisciplinary research, the CMHA promotes improved quality of life for older adults. In February 2004, he was conferred the honor of University Distinguished Research Professor by the University of Alabama Board of Trustees. All of Dr. Burgio’s current research is focused on translating best practices into community settings. He has received grant funding from NIA, NINR, AAA, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Retirement Research Foundation, and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving. He has received continuous funding from NIH since 1990, and is the 2007 recipient of the Rosalynn Carter Institute Award for Excellence in Caregiving Research.

David A. Casey, M.D.

David A. Casey, MD graduated from University of Louisville School of Medicine in 1981 and completed his residency in Psychiatry at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington in 1985.  Dr. Casey has served on the faculty at the University of Louisville since 1985 in a variety of roles including Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry program.  Currently he is an Associate Professor and the Vice Chair of the University of Louisville  Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and is board certified in general and geriatric psychiatry.  His interests include Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, geriatric depression, psychiatric education, and the history of psychiatry.

Robert Cluxton, B.S., Pharm.D., M.B.A.

Robert Cluxton, PharmD, MBA, received his B.S., Pharm.D., and M.B.A. from the University of Cincinnati. He is Professor of Pharmacy Practice and Family Medicine at UC, where he teaches Geriatric Therapeutics and Drug Literature Evaluation. His clinical practice is at the Alois Alzheimer’s Center in Greenhills, Ohio and as a Consultant Pharmacist for Skilled Care Pharmacy at Maple Knoll Village. Since 2006 he has been chairman of the Pharmacy and Therapeutic committee for Community Care Rx, the fourth largest Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, serving more than 1.1 million clients. Dr. Cluxton is a Certified Geriatric Pharmacist, a member of the American Geriatric Society and a member of the Professional Advisory Council of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Dr. Cluxton has practiced in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, and in the Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Indian Health Service.

Jim Concotelli, MSW, Ph.D.

Jim Concotelli, MSW, PhD, received his MSW and PhD in education psychology from the University of Kentucky with an emphasis in gerontology and wellness. He was recognized by the International Council on Active Aging as one of the top ten innovators in wellness programming for older adults. The LiveWell! Program he developed for Horizon Bay Senior Communities received a “Best Practice” award from the National Council on Aging Health Promotion Institute. Jim is on the development board of the University of South Florida Suncoast Alzheimer’s and Gerontology Center, as well as being a published author and a popular presenter at national conferences on a variety of healthy aging topics. He currently serves as Vice President of Resident Programs for Horizon Bay Senior Communities in Tampa where is oversees wellness program development for all levels of care in over 70 senior retirement communities throughout the country.

Todd Cote, M.D.

Todd Cote, MD, joined the Hospice of the Bluegrass staff as Chief Medical Officer in 2007. He is Board Certified in both Family Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Since 1990, he has worked as a medical leader for both for-profit and not-for profit hospice programs, including the Connecticut Hospice, (the first hospice in the United States) where he served as Chief Medical Officer. As a hospice leader, he has served on clinical faculty at Yale, the University of Connecticut and the University of Southern California. He has written numerous articles and has made presentations at international and national hospice and palliative care conferences as well as at medical and pharmacy conferences. Dr. Cote attended the University of San Diego for his undergraduate studies, St. Louis University School of Medicine, in St. Louis, Missouri and completed his post doctoral education at the Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California.

Julia Trivett Dillon, B.S.

Julia Trivett Dillon, BS is the Director of Family Support Services for Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. (MEOC) in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  MEOC is the Area Agency on Aging for Lee, Scott and Wise Counties and the City of Norton in far southwest Virginia. Ms. Dillon received her BS degree in Social Welfare from the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. She has served on several local, regional and state boards during her twenty-eight year history at MEOC.  She currently serves on the Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice Board of Directors and the Virginia Veteran’s Care Center Advisory Committee.  She is a founding member of the Virginia Caregiver Coalition. Ms. Dillon has presented at the National Conference on Rural Aging, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging Conference and the Brookdale Foundation Conferences.  She is the coordinator of the regional Annual Alzheimer’s Seminar (currently in its 19^th year).

Ann Duesing, BA, MLS

Ann Duesing, BA, MLS is an Outreach Librarian for the University of Virginia Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, Charlottesville, Virginia. She was appointed to the position in August 1995 to serve the southwest Virginia Region. Her office is located at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, Wyllie Library in Wise, Virginia. Through a cooperative arrangement with that library, she serves as a reference librarian for the Wyllie Library as well as providing health sciences information outreach services for the region from Roanoke south. She received her BA from the University of Missouri, Columbia and her Masters in Library Science from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Patricia K. Gleich, Eds

Patricia K. Gleich, EdS, has headed the National Health Ministries office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) since mid 2001. She directs the denominational program department of National Health Ministries, providing health and wellness related support and resources for congregations throughout the U.S. She has integrated health information for older adults, support for family caregivers and program resources specifically designed to assist aging and older adults into the work of the NHM office and is focusing the newest congregational resources on Positive Aging through a new website for aging and older adults entitled “Healthy Living.” She combines a background of public health, social work, advocacy and program management. She holds an Arts Baccalaureate in English with a minor in music, an MA and an Educational Specialist Degree in Counseling Psychology with emphasis in psycho-social dynamics. Pat completed a Graduate Certificate in Social Gerontology from Indiana University in May, 2007 and is currently pursuing a doctorate in Aging Studies through the University of West Florida.

Dr. Gregory A. Jicha

Gregory A. Jicha, MD, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, and the UK Alzheimer’s Disease Center (ADC). A recipient of an NIH Medical Scientist Training Program Grant, he obtained his MD and PhD at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, graduating with distinction as a member of AOA, the National Medical Honor Society. He completed his internship, neurology residency, and a behavioral neurology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, and was an integral member of the clinical core at the Mayo ADC. While at Mayo, his research focused on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). His roles at the UK ADC include serving on the Executive Committee and as Assistant Director of both the Clinical and Education Cores. He also directs the Telemedicine Cognitive Clinic which reaches rural populations across the Commonwealth for AD related clinical and research activities. He is principle investigator for the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study Group, currently conducting several clinical trials. He was recipient of multiple teaching awards while at Mayo. In 2006 he received the Wethington Award for contributions to the UK Research Program.

Harold L. Kleinert, Ed.D.

Harold L. Kleinert, EdD, is currently the Executive Director of the Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute – University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service at the University of Kentucky. He has directed a broad range of federally funded demonstration and research projects, especially in the area of education of children and youth with severe disabilities. Most recently, he has led projects designed to teach physicians, as well as medical, dental, nursing, and physician assistant students, how to provide high quality care to patients with developmental disabilities. He has also directed a recent project to assist aging care givers of adult children with developmental disabilities to create future plans that reflect their child’s preferences, interests, and community inclusion.

Kathy Laurenhue, M.A.

Kathy Laurenhue, MA has always loved to write, but in more recent decades has learned that she has a penchant for writing about difficult topics in a practical, compassionate and yet light-hearted way. Although she has a master's degree in instructional technology (developing multi-media training) and an undergraduate degree in English, she nearly majored in art history because she was fascinated by the ability of art historians to help viewers see beneath the surface of art and architecture. She has chosen instead to help people see deeper into their fellow human beings and into a broad range of topics from aging issues to the use of humor in intellectual growth. She has been strongly influenced by an amazing group of individuals spanning several continents, but the greatest influences of all — and the reason aging issues became a career focus — were her parents, Kathy's ever-cheerful mother, who died of Alzheimer's disease in 1996, and her ever-curious father, who died of multiple causes in 1993.

Kay Loughrey, MPH, MSM, RD

Kay Loughrey, MPH, MSM, RD has twenty years of successful leadership experience in building programs to ensure the health and well being of adults and older adults. She offers a unique combination of social marketing, health promotion, and health communications experience. Kay currently works for the U.S Department of Health and Human Services in the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP). As part of ODPHP, she is working with other agencies within the US Department of Health and Human services to address the health literacy needs of older adults and leading the communication team involved in the development of the HHS Physical Activity Guidelines to be released in October 2008. Kay previously led development of AoA’s You Can! Steps to Healthier Aging campaign. She received an MS in Marketing at Johns Hopkins University, an MPH from the University of Hawaii, and her BA in Home Economics from San Francisco State University. In addition, she has a certificate in strategic planning and is a registered dietitian.

Marilyn Pace Maxwell, MSW, ACSW

Marilyn Pace Maxwell, MSW, ACSW, Executive Director since 1974 of Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc., the Area Agency on Aging, Public Transit Authority, Children’s Advocacy Center and Healthy Families Initiative for a three county region in the western tip of VA. She holds a BS from the University of Alabama, an MSW from the UNC,Chapel Hill and a post-graduate Specialist in Aging Certificate from the University of Michigan Institute of Gerontology. Ms. Maxwell received the 2000 Outstanding Alumnus Award from the UNC School of Social Work, the school’s highest honor and was named Wise County, VA’s 2002 Outstanding Citizen. She serves as a member of the Governor’s Commission on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. She has been a Congressional appointee to the past three White House Conferences on Aging and has served on 75+ Boards and Advisory Councils concerned with issues of health, aging, transportation and rural needs. Presently she serves on the Virginia Tech Gerontology Futures Board, Virginia AARP Executive Committee and the Board of CareSpark, a Regional Health Information Organization.

Connie Mefford, RN, BSN, CPHQ

Connie Mefford, RN, BSN, CPHQ, is the Director, Quality Improvement Services with the Kentucky Medicare QIO, collaborating with health care partners, stakeholders, and provider associations to promote and educate on health care quality improvement. She received her associate and baccalaureate degrees in nursing from Indiana University Southeast, New Albany, Indiana, and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ). Under the auspice of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, QIO 8th Statement of Work contract, she has oversight of the Home Health, Hospital, and Nursing Home quality initiatives. Connie has worked in several health care settings (hospitals, hospice, and nursing homes) as well as group homes for the developmentally disabled. In addition, Connie has served as a performance improvement director and staff development coordinator, and has led long-term care quality improvement efforts.

Paula M. Mixson, LMSW-AP, CVW

Paula M. Mixson, LMSW-AP, CVW, is an independent consultant and trainer with over 23 years of experience in the Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) program. She has been a member of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) and the National APS Association (NAPSA) since their inceptions, serving multiple terms on both boards. She has written a number of practice-related articles and commentaries for a number of professional publications. She has a BA in Drama from Sam Houston State Teachers College in Huntsville, Texas; a secondary teacher’s certificate in English, Spanish, and Drama from Sam Houston State University; and has completed graduate courses in gerontology at the Center for Studies on Aging at the University of North Texas. She is a licensed MSW, Advanced Practitioner (LMSW-AP). She is a Certified Validation® Worker, in order to promote wider use of these techniques in the care of late-onset dementia patients. After retiring from state employment in August 2003, she completed a certificate program in the Management of Non-Profit Organizations at the University of Texas Continuing and Extended Education Program. She is an Associate of Case Management and Guardianship Services, a private practice based in Austin.

David Moliterno, MD

David J. Moliterno, MD, is an interventional cardiologist. He is Professor and Chief of Cardiology, and Vice-Chair of Internal Medicine at the University of Kentucky. He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, medical degree from the Medical College of Virginia, and Internal Medicine training from Vanderbilt University Hospitals. He completed fellowships at The University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center and The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, where he remained as an attending staff cardiologist for 10 years before joining the University of Kentucky in 2004. Dr. Moliterno is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, ESC, and SCAI, as well as a council member of the AHA, and Governor of the Kentucky Chapter of the ACC. Dr. Moliterno is a frequent manuscript reviewer for numerous journals and is on the editorial board of four journals. He has served as principal investigator or committee member on many multinational investigational studies.  Dr. Moliterno is a prolific author with over 200 publications. He is an outstanding lecturer who has been an invited lecturer in more than 20 countries

Robert Mollica, Ed.D.

Robert Mollica, EdD, is Senior Program Director at the National Academy for State Health Policy in Portland, Maine. He conducts long term care policy research and provides technical assistance to state policy leaders on a range of issues that include long term care and assisted living. He has spoken widely on these topics during the past seventeen years. He also serves as the co-director of the National Technical Assistance Exchange Collaborative at the Rutgers Center for State Health Policy and assists grantees of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Real Choice Systems Change program. He also serves as a subcontractor on a CMS project to identify and track strategies used by states to balance their long term care systems and he provides technical assistance to states on the CMS Money Follows the Person Demonstration program. Dr. Mollica has over thirty years of policy, program development and legislative relations experience in long term care. He has a Doctorate in Counseling and a Master's in Social Work from Boston University and he earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Villanova University.

LuMarie Polivka-West, MSP

LuMarie Polivka-West, MSP, is the Senior Vice President, Chief of Clinical Services, with the Florida Health Care Association and is responsible for the planning and implementation of long term care related policies and programs, and staffing the Quality Credentialing Program and serves as the Principal Investigator for the John A. Hartford Foundation Disaster Preparedness grant. Ms. Polivka-West is the past Florida Director of Licensure and Certification, Medicaid Program Development Chief and Aging Community-Based Services Chief with over 20 years in state government. She serves as past president of the Tallahassee Alzheimer Resource Center Board; Aging Services Chair of the Clearinghouse for Human Services; the steering committee of the Teaching Nursing Home, the American Health Care Association's Quality Committee; and the Milbank Foundation's national project on difficult decision-making in nursing homes. She received an MS degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University, where she has been an adjunct faculty for the past ten years teaching a graduate seminar on health care regulation.

Janet Pollock, B.A.

Janet Pollock, BA, is the Kentucky Clinical Coordinator, Nursing Home Quality Initiative at Health Care Excel (HCE).She received her baccalaureate degree in religious studies at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte. As a long term care ombudsman for eight years, she presented to nursing home staff on resident rights, aging sensitivity, elder abuse, and behavior management. Janet began working with the State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) in 1993, and continues that involvement as a resource for SHIP trainings. In her role at Health Care Excel, Janet worked with primary care physician practices, nursing homes, pharmaceutical organizations, and prescription drug programs on a statewide basis to fulfill the recent task 1d3 of HCE’s three year contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Janet is a member of the Louisville Health Information Exchange (LouHIE) board, and multiple educational planning committees at Health Care Excel.

Joanne Snyder, RN

Joanne Snyder, RN, is the Home Health Quality Initiative (HHQI) Clinical Coordinator at Health Care Excel (HCE), the Kentucky Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). Ms. Snyder attended Broward Community College in Davie, Florida. Under the auspices of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), she leads the Kentucky HHQI. Ms. Snyder has worked in leadership positions in several health care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and critical care settings. She worked in a home health agency where she held an administrative position responsible for education. In her current role, she collaborates with the Kentucky Home Health Association, health care partners, and stakeholders to promote and educate on health care quality improvement.

Duane Spurlock, M.A.

Duane Spurlock, MA, is the Director, Public Relations and Physicians Practice Services, for Health Care Excel, Kentucky Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky and has worked in publishing (both traditional print and Internet-based) as a copy editor, writer, illustrator, and editorial director for more than 20 years. He has worked in communications and public relations for the QIO since 2003.

Beth Slack, CIRS-A

Beth Slack, CIRS-A, received her nursing degree from Alabama Southern Community College in 1989 and became a Certified Information and Referral Specialist with a speciality in Aging (CIRS-A) in 2006. With 20 years of nursing experience in geriatric services, she has completed extensive work with grants serving the senior population, individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. She has worked as a Clinical Nurse, Home Health Field Nurse, Senior Treatment Coordinator, Nursing Home Transition Grant Coordinator and REACH (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer Caregiver Health) Grant Coordinator. Presently she is employed with the Alabama Tombigbee Regional Commission-Area Agency on Aging as the Alabama CARES Coordinator and the REACH Coordinator for the Adult Day Health.

Harvey L. Sterns, Ph.D.

Harvey L. Sterns, PhD, received his doctorate in Life-Span Developmental Psychology from West Virginia University in 1971. His major areas of interest include industrial gerontology, life-span development, training and career development. He is the Professor of Psychology, Director, Institute for Life- Span Development and Gerontology, the University of Akron, and Research Professor of Gerontology, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Pharmacy. His publications have appeared in many gerontology journals including Experimental Aging Research, The Counseling Psychologist, Journal of Gerontology, Generations, and Journal of Applied Gerontology. He has served on the editorial board of Psychology and Aging, The Gerontologist, and Journal of Women and Aging and serves on the editorial boards of Experimental Aging Research and Research on Aging. He is a Fellow of the American Psychology Association, Gerontological Society of America and the American Psychological Society. His current research includes training of adult and older adult workers, personality factors, and retirement adjustment and satisfaction, as well as personality factors in housing choices in retirement. Other research includes alcohol treatment and aging, and life planning issues for older adults with mental retardation.

Karen Stobbe

Karen Stobbe was working as an actress, director, writer and instructor of theatre when her Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Since then, her life has taken on a new focus and new meaning: combining her two worlds into one life’s work. Karen has performed over 600 trainings in storytelling, improvisation, caring for persons with Alzheimer’s and the importance of laughter, including for The Pioneer Network, UC-San Diego, the national Alzheimer’s Association Educational Conference, and Alzheimer’s Association chapters around the country. She and her husband, Mondy Carter, wrote and now perform Sometimes Ya Gotta Laugh, a journey through the world of caregiving: the laughter and the tears. She wrote a book of the same name, now in its third printing. She has a 6-week training program, In the Moment, that uses creativity, improvisation and theatre as training tools (www.in-themoment.com). Karen’s Mom, Virginia was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s/Vascular dementia a year after Karen’s Dad passed away.

Pamela B. Teaster, Ph.D.

Pamela B. Teaster, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Graduate Center for Gerontology and Department of Health Behavior at the University of Kentucky. She serves on the Editorial Board of The Gerontologist, Journal of Applied Gerontology, and the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, of which she is a former editor. She serves as the President of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the Kentucky Guardianship Association. She recently served on the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Social Security and Representative Payees, the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, and the Center for Guardianship Certification. She is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and a recipient of the Rosalie Wolf Award for Research on Elder Abuse. Selected national research projects include: elder abuse with the National Association of Adult Protective Services (Administration on Aging), public guardianship systems (The Retirement Research Foundation), the sexual abuse of vulnerable adults in institutions (National Institute on Aging), and court-focused elder abuse initiatives (The National Institute of Justice). She is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed articles, reports, books, and book chapters.

Michael D. Verble, B.A.

Michael D. Verble, BA, is a well known veteran of estate preservation, elder law & trust issues as well as with Medicaid planning. He has been assisting attorneys throughout Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia & Arkansas with their Medicaid preservation clients for many years. He is a frequent lecturer and presenter on estate and today’s elder issues to attorneys, accountants, financial planners and other groups. His articles and advice appear in numerous periodicals. He is an instructor for the continuing legal education (CLE) certification programs on his area of expertise for the benefit of attorneys throughout Tennessee as well as CEU for geriatric case managers and social workers. He received his bachelor degrees in Finance and Gerontology from Middle TN State University. He serves on the Board of Directors for Senior Citizens, Inc., with the education, conservatorship and guardianship committee. He also serves on the educational panel for the Alzheimer Association for the State of TN and for the TN Div. Mental Health.

Carolyn B. Wheeler

Carolyn B. Wheeler is a native Kentuckian and has devoted her professional life to efforts which support people with disabilities to have full and meaningful lives in the community. While she has a Master's degree in Special Education, her work has focused on helping people plan for the future, with a specific emphasis on transition planning from high school to adult life. Through her work at the Human Development Instrument at the University of Kentucky, Carolyn was instrumental in the development of the Kentucky Hart-Supported Living Program, the promotion of Person-Centered Planning practices and supported self-employment for people with significant disabilities. Carolyn has developed an area of expertise in estate planning and is now a Special Care Planner with the MassMutual Financial Group. Through this venue, she assists families in creating a safe and secure future for their families.

Joyce Wright, RN, BSN

Joyce Wright, RN, BSN, serves as the Clinical Coordinator for the Hospital Quality Initiative at Health Care Excel, the Kentucky Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO). Joyce received her baccalaureate degree in nursing from Cedar Crest College in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Under the auspice of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, she coordinates the Hospital Quality Improvement Initiative. Ms. Wright has 23 years of combined nursing experience in Quality Improvement, ICU, CCU, Telemetry, Medical-Surgical Nursing, Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Radiology Nursing, and Community Nursing.  She is a member of the Kentucky Association for Healthcare Quality, the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Professional Education Planning Committee, and the Hospital-Based Tobacco Cessation Initiative Task Force Committee, which is a part of the Governor’s Office of Wellness and Physical Activity Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program. Mrs. Wright also is co-chairman of the cardiovascular healthcare delivery systems subtask, part of the Kentucky Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention State Plan Taskforce, an initiative at the Kentucky Department for Public Health