Dementia Friendly PA Speakers Bureau

Kevin Jameson, Doctor Honorius Causa
Volunteer President | Founder
Dementia Society of America
Bio: Business Executive. Starting as a young entrepreneur from the age of 18, and having launched several start-up businesses in the security industry, Mr. Jameson carried on his career as a sales and marketing executive, which has included over 35 years with major corporate divisions of ADT, BOSCH, and Honeywell International. Author, singer, inventor, and patent holder, Kevin has traveled to Europe, Asia, India, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, South and Central America, and throughout North America to see how the world really lives. Kevin also has a personal story and connection to Dementia. His first wife, Ginny, together for 32 years, died from Dementia, and thus he leads the fight against all forms with thoughts, words, and deeds. In 2016, Jameson was awarded a Doctorate of Public Service, Honoris Causa (DrHC) for his life's work, by his alma mater. His establishment of the Dementia Society is a mission in the making.

Karen Leonovich
Director of Policy & Programs
PA Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Bio: Karen Leonovich has been involved in various human services agencies during her career. As a Bloomsburg University graduate, she was first employed with Suncom Industries, a sheltered workshop for individuals with disabilities. During the majority of her career, she has been involved with Pennsylvania's network of Area Agencies on Aging. While employed at the Columbia/Montour Aging Office, she was the Protective Services Supervisor. She then transferred to the Northumberland County Area Agency on Aging. While at Northumberland, she served as the Agency Administrator. Karen joined the PA Association of Area Agencies on Aging in 2023 as the Director of Policy and Programs, supporting the 52 Area Agencies on Aging in Pennsylvania. Karen has also served on various non-profit boards, including the Northumberland County Opioid Coalition, PA Association of Area Agencies on Aging, PA Behavioral Health & Aging Coalition, and Columbia/Montour Women's Center. She is currently a Victim Services Advisory Committee member with the PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency and a member of the Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans Services Aging Committee.

Susan Shifrin, PhD
Founder & Executive Director
ARTZ Philadelphia
Bio: Susan Shifrin is the founder and director of ARTZ Philadelphia. She founded ARTZ Philadelphia in 2013. She is an art historian, curator, educator and arts accessibility advocate. She received her PhD from Bryn Mawr College and has worked on the staffs of a number of large and small museums up and down the East coast. Susan was inspired to start ARTZ Philadelphia after having hosted a series of workshops and programs for visitors with dementia at the Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College, where she was the Museum's educator for a number of years. Susan was profoundly affected as she watched visitors, many in the later stages of dementia, come to life in the Museum as they looked at and talked about art with each other, with her, their professional caregivers, and the college students who worked at the Museum. People who, in some cases, had rarely spoken about or shared their lives with others seemed transformed. Art was their vehicle for expression, interaction, creativity, and mutual respect.

Jenna L. Franks, Esq.
Attorney
Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak
Bio: Jenna is a Partner at Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak licensed to practice law in both Pennsylvania and Florida. She manages the firm's State College and Altoona locations and her team focuses on dementia care planning, estate planning, long-term care planning, and special needs planning. Jenna is a Certified Dementia Practitioner and an Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Trainer. She was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2020 - 2024. In addition, she co-authored the book Protect Your Family! What You Really Need to Know for the Second Half of Life as well as the PA Trust Guide. Jenna serves as a member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners, Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys, and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. She is also a VA-accredited attorney.

Johanna Hernandez, BSN, RN, CDP, CDCM,CADDCT, CMDCPT
Dementia Coach/Consultant
Puzzled Mind & Body, LLC
Bio: Johanna, a Registered Nurse, Reiki Practitioner, and Certified Dementia Care Manager, draws her dedication from personal experiences. Her journey stems from caring for her grandfather with dementia. Realizing the challenges, she shifted her focus to dementia care training and family education. She integrates holistic practices such as Reiki, Meditation, and Yoga, into her training. Being passionate about supporting caregivers and those with dementia, Johanna continues her quest for knowledge and holistic care approaches. She now practices as a Dementia & Life Coach.

Max Winters, RA
Senior Designer
RLPS Architects
Bio: Max has spent a decade focused exclusively on how the built environment can improve the aging experience. He has been a trusted advisor to senior living organizations around the country in the development of long-term visions and realization of those visions through the built environment. His perspectives and design work have been featured in industry forums, publications and the New York Times. Max currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Loomis Communities in Massachusetts and the Advisory Committee for Dementia-Friendly Pennsylvania.

Melody Karick, CDP, CMDCP, PCHA, VDTCT, PAC
Dementia Educator and Consultant
Garden Spot Communities
Bio: Melody’s journey in dementia care began in 2000 when she became a care partner for her father, who lived with her and her family for 8 years. She is the Dementia Educator and Consultant for Garden Spot Communities. She was previously the Personal Care Administrator at Meadow View Memory Support at Garden Spot Village, where she had the honor to aid in design of Meadow View and its community household model. She is the Director of Dementia Friendly Lancaster and specializes in educating businesses and organizations. She is Certified as a Dementia Practitioner, Montessori Dementia Care Professional, Certified Trainer for Second Wind Dreams, as well as Coach, Trainer, Engagement Leader and Consultant with Positive Approach to Care. Melody is passionate about maintaining normalcy, living each day with purpose and focusing on the strengths of each person living with dementia.

Kelly O'Shea Carney, PhD, ABPP, and Spiritual Director Certificate
Board Certified Geropsychologist
Vision Led Change
Bio: Dr. Kelly O'Shea Carney is a licensed psychologist with board certification in Geropsychology and a clinical specially in supporting people living with dementia. She has served as a leader in aging services and long term care creating new and innovative programs designed to support wellbeing, engagement, and enjoyment among older adults and their care partners. Dr. Carney currently works as a consultant to long term living providers and is activity engaged in writing, speaking, teaching, and consulting on the topics of emotional wellbeing, brain health, and innovative models of care for supporting older adults. She previously served as the Chair of Dementia Friendly Lehigh Valley.

Helene J Cohen
Certified Facilitator , Mediator , Aging Life Specialist
Crossroads
Bio: Accomplished Facilitator and Manager with over 20 years’ experience in resource coordination, multicultural outreach, dementia care programing residential program planning and supervision. Strong advocate for people 62 and older who want to remain in their communities, with a track record of success helping them find solutions and services. Specialties in advocacy, social isolation and loneliness training, aging conferences, dementia training, chairing Dementia Friendly group, elder mediation, and basic mediation.

Elka Kazmierczak, PhD in Educational Policy Studies, MFA in Design, Former art4empowerment facilitator
Retired art educator and designer
Bio: Retired educator in higher education and graphic designer. Elka was forced to retire prematurely to care for her husband who is living with an early onset PCA-posterior cortical atrophy and PPA-primary progressive aphasia. She has been using her research skills to help empower her husband on the treacherous and cruel path of living with mixed dementia.

Julia Wood, MOT
Director of Professional & Community Education
Lewy Body Dementia Association
Bio: Julia Wood is an occupational therapist specializing in assessment and treatment of people with Parkinson’s disease and related dementias. Julia is currently the director of Professional & Community Education at the Lewy Body Dementia Association (LBDA). She serves as faculty for the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Team Training for Parkinson program since 2016, certification and training faculty for the LSVT BIG® program since 2018 and served on the Parkinson’s Foundation Rehabilitation Task Force in 2021. She co-authored the first American Occupational Therapy Association Practice Guideline for Parkinson’s Disease in 2022 and serves on the Comprehensive Care Subcommittee for the World Parkinson’s Congress.

Melanie Titzel, Ph.D., NHA, PCHA, CTRS, CMC
Engagement Officer
LECOM Health
Bio: Dr. Melanie Titzel approaches the topic of dementia from a variety of perspectives including Care Partner with her mother for 13 years; Personal Care Home Administrator for 35 years; Nursing Home Administrator for 6 years; past Chair of the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Pennsylvania; and the research topic of her dissertation was Moderating Resources in the Stress and Coping Process of Alzheimer's Family Caregivers. She hopes to use these experiences to serve others.

Deanna Page, MS, LPC, NCC, CDP
Program Specialist of Aging Initiatives
Jewish Healthcare Foundation
Bio: Deanna Page is a program specialist on the JHF's Aging Initiatives team. In her role, she supports Dementia Friendly Pennsylvania, Dementia Friends Pennsylvania, the PA Long-Term Care Learning Network, and related aging and policy efforts. Prior to joining the Jewish Healthcare Foundation, Deanna served as a care coordinator for Presbyterian SeniorCare Network's Dementia360 program, where she worked directly with family care partners of persons living with dementia to educate and support their efforts in providing quality care in the home setting and extending the length of time living at home for the person living with dementia. She has experience as a Care Coach with Familylinks, Inc. in the Caregivers First Initiative, which administered Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health II, a structured caregiver intervention based on individualized caregiver needs, to family caregivers of persons living with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias. Deanna also has experience in family-based mental health services with UPMC on the OCD and anxiety disorders team. Previously, she volunteered with the Age-Friendly Greater Pittsburgh initiative and was the co-chair of Dementia

Mary Grace Doloso-Pedroso, BSN, MAN, PhD(c)
Director, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)
Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries
Bio: Mary Grace is a seasoned healthcare professional with over 30 years of versatile experience spanning hospitals, academia, training, public health, and elderly care. With a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a Master of Arts in Nursing, and currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Management, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her roles. Her dedication to enhancing the quality of elderly care is underscored by more than a decade of experience in dementia care, where she has demonstrated exceptional compassion and skill. Mary's commitment to professional development is evident in her completion of the Nursing Home Administration Course at Pennsylvania State University Abington and the Dementia Practitioner Training at Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences Lancaster, PA.

With her extensive background, she has not only provided direct care to patients but has also contributed significantly to healthcare education and administration. Her anticipated completion of her doctoral degree in August 2024 further solidifies her dedication to advancing healthcare practices and leadership in the field.