2025 Future of Aging Summit

Donna M. Butts is an award-winning nonprofit executive, author, and trusted voice frequently quoted in the national media. As Executive Director of Generations United, a role she served in for more than twenty-seven years, she was invited to testify before Congress, address the United Nations, and present in more than a dozen countries. As a fierce advocate for intergenerational solutions that benefit children, youth, older adults and families, she has helped pave the way for crucial legislation and support for grandfamilies. She currently serves as a Senior Fellow at Generations United and lives in the Washington, DC, area.

Corvêlo joined Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) as CEO in May 2022, bringing over 20 years of healthcare and nonprofit leadership experience. A champion for health equity, she has advanced cross-sector partnerships to better serve underrepresented communities. At SCES, she has led a comprehensive modernization strategy, positioning the agency as a leader in aging services. Her initiatives have strengthened integration across the healthcare continuum, ensuring coordinated, person-centered support for older adults and people with disabilities. Under her leadership, SCES has embedded equity in all programs, improved efficiency, and fostered data-driven decision-making. She has built a diverse, innovative leadership team—nearly half of staff and leaders identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian, or from other underrepresented groups, with services in sixteen languages. Corvêlo’s vision continues to expand SCES’s reach and reputation for equity, innovation, and excellence in aging services.

Erica C. R. Costello, JD, MA, is Associate Director at the ABA Commission on Law and Aging and has worked extensively on elder abuse and guardianship reform efforts at both the state and national level.  Prior to joining COLA, she was the Director of Adult Protective Services for the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office in South Bend, Indiana, and worked as a Staff Attorney with the Adult Guardianship Office at the Indiana Supreme Court. She has a B.A. from Indiana University-Bloomington, an M.A. from Northwestern University, and a J.D. from Brandeis School of Law, at the University of Louisville, in Kentucky. In her current position, Erica provides substantive legal support and expertise in the areas of elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation, adult guardianship, supported decision-making, and access to courts.  She is licensed to practice law in Indiana and is a nationally certified guardian.

Lauren Cerino is a Technical Associate at the MIT AgeLab whose work examines how technology and human behavior intersect to shape the future of living, working, and planning across the lifespan. Her research spans topics including financial decision-making, aging in place, and social robotics. Lauren also co-manages OMEGA, an intergenerational outreach program connecting teens and older adults, and leads collaborations with industry partners to translate research into actionable insights.

Tory Cross is the Associate Director of Federal Policy & Government Relations at Caring Across Generations. She is disabled and grew up as a caregiver for several family members, and she is lucky to now have robust disabled communities of care. She brings her experience with health and disability justice, progressive advocacy, and public health to Caring Across’ federal policy work, and she holds a Masters of Science in Public Health from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Illinois.

Richard Danca has lived at Center Communities of Brookline for nine years. For most of that time, he has been with the multi-gen group, meeting weekly with high school students. These students have changed his life and he is impressed by how intelligent they are and how comfortable they are with people old enough to be their grandparents. Several have become his close friends.

Richard is originally from Newton and went to UMass, then became a VISTA volunteer, later working for the government, ending his career as a writer/editor.
 

Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP is the Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs for the Gerontological Society of America (GSA). Ms. D’Antonio directs GSA’s policy initiatives and is responsible for developing relationships with organizations in the aging arena. She represents GSA on several policy coalitions and serves as co-chair for the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition, president of the board of the Protecting Access to Pain Relief, and a member of the steering committee for several federally focused coalitions, including the Friends of NIA. Ms. D’Antonio is also the executive director for the National Center to Reframe Aging, the central hub to advance the long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. Before joining GSA, Trish was the executive director for the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy and program manager for the Pharmaceutical Control Division, where she was responsible for the regulatory and policy development for the practice of pharmacy and safe handling of medications in the District.  She received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Duquesne University and her Master of Science in Health Finance and Master in Business Administration with a concentration in health care from Temple University. She completed a residency in administration and finance at The Philadelphia Geriatric Center.

Susan J. Douglas is the Catharine Neafie Kellogg Professor and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Communication and Media, and former department chair, at The University of Michigan.  She is the author of seven books including In Our Prime:  How Older Women are Reinventing the Road Ahead, an “Editors’ Choice/Staff Picks” by the New York Times;  The Rise of Enlightened Sexism:  How Pop Culture Took us from Girl Power to Girls Gone Wild; The Mommy Myth:  The Idealization of Motherhood and How it Undermines Women; andWhere The Girls Are:  Growing Up Female with the Mass Media.  She has appeared on The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Working Woman, NPR's Fresh Air, andWeekend Edition. In 2022, she was the recipient of the Teresa Award, for “outstanding contributions to the development, reach and influence of feminist scholarship” awarded by the Feminist Scholarship Division of the International Communication Association.  

Dr. Dupee is chief of Geriatric Medicine at Tufts Medical Center. He is former chief of Geriatric Medicine at Newton – Wellesley Hospital and former Dean of the Office of International Affairs at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Dupee attended Tufts College, and Tufts University School of Medicine. He performed his medical residency training at Tufts teaching hospitals. Dr. Dupee is former Governor of the American College of Physicians, Massachusetts Chapter, and former president of the Massachusetts Geriatrics Society. Dr. Dupee has published notable works in Postgraduate Medicine, The Journal of Medical Practice Management, and the Annals of Long – term care, of which he is on the editorial board. Dr. Dupee has received numerous teaching awards, notably from the Tufts third-year students on numerous occasions. He has also been recognized with awards like Top Doctors in Geriatrics from Castle Connolley and Boston Magazine for over 10 years. He has been instrumental in helping to create and manage the  level I geriatric emergency department at Tufts Medical Center, and the level I geriatrics trauma service.

Rachel Gershon joined Justice in Aging in 2023. Her work on the Health Team is focused on improving the experiences of low-income adults enrolled in Medicare, including avoiding medical debt, leaving incarceration, and navigating both Medicaid and Medicare at the same time. She has a J.D. and Masters in Public Health from Harvard University.

Amy E. Gotwals joined USAging in September 2005 and currently serves as Chief, Public Policy and External Affairs. 

In her role, Amy leads USAging's public policy, advocacy, external relations and membership relations activities. Representing local aging agencies, Amy serves as the lead in outreach to Congress and the Administration to ensure that needed resources and support services are available to older Americans and their caregivers.

Amy has 30 years of public policy, lobbying and grassroots organizing experience. She has represented groups including the Older Women’s League, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers and the National Network for Youth.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Mount Holyoke College and earned a Master of Legislative Affairs from the George Washington University.

Ryann Hill, MPH is the Founder and CEO of Indigo Hill Strategies, a Washington, DC–based government affairs firm specializing in federal healthcare, disability, and aging policy. With nearly 15 years of experience in Congress, industry, and the nonprofit sector, Ryann helps organizations navigate complex policy and regulatory environments to advance equity, access, and innovation across the continuum of care.

Through her firm’s research and advocacy work, Ryann supports clients focused on Medicare, Medicaid, long-term services and supports, and healthy aging initiatives. She also hosts Mic’d Up with Ryann Hill, a podcast featuring conversations with national leaders shaping the future of health and aging policy.

Martin Borch Jensen is the cofounder and CSO of Gordian Biotechnology, the first company to discover novel targets for complex disease through pooled in vivo therapeutic screening. Martin led the development of the technology to interrogate disease states inside living organisms, and guides therapeutic development across indications. In addition to his work at Gordian, is the founder and president of Norn Group, a do tank for longevity research that does grantmaking, talent, and roadmapping to accelerate progress in the field.

Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD is the Director of the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Chief Academic Officer and Irving and Edyth S. Usen and Family Chair in Medical Research at Hebrew SeniorLife; an attending geriatrician in the Division of Gerontology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lipsitz is also the current Editor-in-Chief of the Gerontological Society of America’s Journal of Gerontology Medical Sciences. His research is focused on the mechanisms and management of age-related alterations in cognition and mobility, and clinical trials to prevent disease and disability in late life. 

At 69, Ande Lyons is the founder of New England Podcasters Group, and host of the popular pro-aging podcast Don’t Be Caged By Your Age, where she helps folks thrive after 65.

Deanna Mazina, MPH, is a dedicated public health leader committed to advancing equity, strengthening policy, and creating systems that promote wellbeing across the lifespan. As Director of Public Health Policy and Outreach at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence, she leads initiatives that connect public health, aging, and social supports to improve outcomes for older adults and caregivers across the Commonwealth. With experience spanning municipal, state, and academic settings, Deanna brings a broad perspective shaped by her work in community health and program development. She has built cross-sector partnerships and advanced initiatives that enhance preparedness, access, and inclusion. Recognized with the Manual Carballo Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service, Deanna demonstrates analytical expertise, collaborative leadership, and a strong commitment to equitable, evidence-based policy. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Sciences from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Dr. Miller is Professor and Chair, Department of Gerontology, and Fellow, Gerontology Institute, Donna M. and Robert J. Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston. His research focuses on understanding the determinants and effects of policies, programs, and practices affecting older adults in need of long-term services and supports. He has 157 articles in peer reviewed journals and authored/co-authored/edited nine books, 22 book chapters, and 69 other publications and reports. Dr. Miller has mentored numerous undergraduate, masters, and doctoral students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career-faculty members over the course of his career. After earning a PhD in Political Science and Health Services Organization and Policy from the University of Michigan, Dr. Miller completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Yale University. He also spent time in New Zealand as a Fulbright scholar and at the Congressional Research Service as a social policy analyst.  He was formerly an assistant professor of public policy and then adjunct professor of health services, policy & practice at Brown University. Dr. Miller is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and has been Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Aging & Social Policy since 2016.

Jennifer Molinsky is Director of the Housing an Aging Society Program at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and Lecturer at the Graduate School of Design. She leads research exploring the housing challenges facing an aging population, including affordability, accessibility and safety in the home, community livability, and connections between housing, services, and health. Dr. Molinsky is a member of the Advisory Board of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, the Board of Directors of Hearth, Inc. and 2Life Communities. She also serves on the steering committee for The Chan School of Public Health Initiative on Health and Homelessness. She holds a PhD in Urban Planning from MIT, a Masters of Public Affairs-Urban and Regional Planning from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, and a BA from Yale.

Sophie Morgado serves as the Legislative & Policy Associate at the National Council on Aging (NCOA). In this capacity, she advocates for older Americans at the federal level, focusing on critical issues such as the Older Americans Act, Medicare, long-term care, falls prevention, and other key health care, access, and retirement issues.

Prior to starting her professional career at NCOA in 2023, Sophie interned at Powers Pyles Sutter and Verville, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm. In this role, she supported the Powers team in policy areas including aging and disability. In 2021, Sophie served as a Legislative Intern in the United States Senate.

Sophie holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a concentration in Health Policy from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, and a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Political Science from West Virginia University.

Hannah Silver is the current Multigenerational Program Coordinator for Hebrew SeniorLife’s Volunteer, Youth, and Community Engagement department. Growing up the daughter and granddaughter of educators, teaching felt like the natural path for much of her life. Although, after two of her grandparents got diagnosed with dementia, she quickly became all too familiar with the senior care system. Once these two pieces of her life collided, multigenerational programming found her. After finishing her Master’s in Education at Boston University, she joined the Hebrew SeniorLife team where she now has the privilege of leading multigenerational programming every day. In her role over the past year, she has discovered, and quickly fallen in love with, the magic of multigenerational relationships. She is so honored to be here with all of you and cannot wait to see the difference we all make on aging in the future.

Thomas Stanley is presently serving the people of the 9th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he serves as the House Chair of the Joint Committee on Aging and Independence (formerly Elder Affairs), a post he has held since 2021.  Mr. Stanley is a native of Waltham who has also served as an At-Large member of the Waltham City council from 1997 to 2016; 2018-Present.

As the House Aging and Independence Chair, Representative Stanley championed improvements across the continuum of care for older adults in need of long-term services and supports (LTSS). He sponsored legislation (now Chapter 197 of the Acts of 2024) that supports the long-term care workforce, increases oversight and transparency standards for facilities and operators, improves the quality of and access to care, and permanently allows assisted living residences to offer basic health services. He serves on the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias, the Rest Homes Task Force, the Assisted Living Residents (ALR) Commission, the Special Commission on Continuing Care Retirement Communities, and the Senior Housing Commission.

Alan Weil is the Senior Vice President for Public Policy at AARP and director of AARP’s Public Policy Institute where he leads a team focused on health, economic security, and quality of life for older Americans.  

Previously, he was editor-in-chief of Health Affairs; executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP); director of the Urban Institute's Assessing the New Federalism project; and executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the state’s Medicaid agency. 

Weil is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and served on MACPAC (the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission). He is the co-editor of two books and has published in a range of peer-reviewed journals.  

Weil earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley, a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a J.D., cum laude, from Harvard Law School. 

Cynthia Wilkerson is a board member of OutstandingLife, a virtual community of LGBTQ+ older adults, and the former Executive Director of LBFE Boston. With over two decades of nonprofit leadership and program development experience, Cynthia is a connector, creator, and innovator in the intergenerational and aging spaces.

In 2015, she launched CitySites, an intergenerational program recognized by Generations United as a Program of Distinction. As an inaugural 2023 Eisner Prize Fellow, she developed Gen2GenQ, an LGBTQIA+ intergenerational network.

Cynthia holds a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Certificate in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. In her free time, she is an avid movie and museum goer.