Barbara Greenspan Shaiman is a pioneer who has put inspiration, innovation, and creation in action for decades. She is an educator, businesswoman and social entrepreneur who creates meaningful connections between generations. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, she founded Champions of Caring, empowering thousands of students to become leaders in service. She spearheaded intergenerational courses and cafes at Temple and Drexel Universities. Her book “Live Your Legacy Now” inspires individuals to create social change. Barbara epitomizes what the world needs today. She is an example of leading, inspiring, and creating a better world that benefits us all people. Her spirit and desire to create positive change are ageless. I cannot think of a better person to nominate or celebrate.

Toni is a true champion Encore, bringing her decades-long experience in the nonprofit world to create a Livable, Equitable, Age-Friendly Yellow Springs through her collaborative efforts with numerous organizations and individuals. She has led research-based surveys, discussion groups, and related endeavors to assess and create strategies that are just beginning to take form to create safe, affordable, and community-focused living and engaging spaces for various aging populations in our village.

Len has served as an Encore Fellow with the Yellow Springs Community Foundation since 2018, working to strengthen intergenerational relationships in our village. Most recently, Len has been working on our recent Diversity/Equity/Inclusion program to provide Universal Basic Income grants to individuals, as well as emergency assistance to help folks get a "leg up" toward financial stability. Len's experience, methodical and research-based approach continues to contribute to a more resilient community.

Anthea Perkinson, CFP, founder of Monterey Associates, has a commitment to making financial planning accessible to older adults of all income levels. As director and content developer for Money Made Simple in residence at PSS, she offers dozens of easy-to-understand webinars on crucial money topics. MMS also provides one-on-one consultations at no cost. This PSS Coming of Age Impact Award recipient is also studying for her MSW at Columbia University to better serve clients in their quest to prepare more purposefully for later stages of life.

Encore Fellow Hartford 2016 nominated as a Hartford Courant Hometown Hero in 2018. Director and Executive Producer of the NonProfit World TV Show which highlights organizations and leaders in the sector. Over 100 shows broadcasted on TV and her youtube channel with over 2000 subscribers. She is over 50 and deserves the title of Encore Network Champion.

Following retirement as an executive in Medicaid managed care in 2019, Janet has leveraged her talents in public policy, improving her community for future generations. As the Board Vice Chair and Legislative Advocacy Chair for Fair Districts GA, Janet has led key redistricting initiatives and provided expert testimony. She is a poll manager; recruiting and training volunteers in the time of COVID. She led community Get Out The Vote phone banking and voter registration drives supporting record election turnouts in Dekalb County. Janet’s commitment to civic duty and fair elections is an inspiration for making the most of the encore years!

Dave Hinchen is Director of Ignatian Volunteer Corps of New England, a volunteer program for older adults that combines a year of service with spiritual reflection. Dave matches the skills of volunteers with the needs of nonprofits in education, social services, immigration and other sectors. Dave's career has focused on community action and volunteer service. He was founding director of Jesuit Volunteer Corps along the east coast from Maine to North Carolina, founded a program for homeless adults in Washington, DC, and a Jesuit Hiker's Hostel on the Appalachian Trail. He ran volunteer programs for schools, hospitals, and other organizations, before starting the New England chapter of Ignatian Volunteer Corps. Dave is a graduate of Holy Cross, St. Louis University and Weston College School of Theology.

Atalaya Sergi is Director of AmeriCorps Seniors, which matches over 170,000 older adults annually to service opportunities through RSVP, Foster Grandparents, and Senior Companions programs. Previously, Atalaya served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Programming at Jumpstart for Young Children in Los Angeles. She founded the Los Angeles Generation to Generation initiative through Encore.org and was selected as an Encore Public Voices Fellow, writing about the positive impact of older adults in educational settings. Atalaya has worked in public school districts and served on several advisory committees, councils, and coalitions. She is a graduate of University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University.

   

Dorian Mintzer is a retirement expert who has created a platform of information and support for older adults as well as other professionals in the field. She combines her personal and professional experiences as a therapist, coach, and teacher with expertise in adult development, life planning, and positive psychology. For more than ten years, she has hosted Boomers & Beyond, a weekly interview series with authors and experts in the field of aging. Geared for professionals, it is a required stop for thought leaders, writers and others. More recently, Dori created a monthly webinar series geared for people over 50 called Revolutionize Your Retirement. She just launched a podcast of the same name that features in-depth conversations with leaders in the aging field. Dori has written or contributed to numerous books, including The Couple's Retirement Puzzle: 10 Must-Have Conversations for Creating an Amazing New Life Together. She is a graduate of Smith College, University of Pittsburgh and University of California, Berkeley.

Richard Ross has advocated for the economic value and dignity of older workers for a lifetime. In his 20s, he joined and then led Mature Temps, an employment agency specializing in placing people over 50 in a variety of temporary positions. Quoted in the New York Times in 1979, he said a banking client told him that older "workers were more reliable and more productive than younger employees" and that they lowered his costs as a result. After his retirement from Mature Temps, Richard continues to promote opportunities for people over 50, working with AARP and Manpower Group to create Job Connections for Mature Workers. This arm of Manpower Group recruits older job seekers into remote roles in which they can earn money while working safely from home. Richard is an active member of the Encore Network and the Over-50 Employment Affinity Group.

Following a career in business, which ranged from leadership positions in large companies to CEO of a startup, Jim McGinley shifted to social entrepreneurship with a focus on youth and education equity. For the past 20 years, he has served on the boards and played leadership roles for numerous organizations, including Social Venture Partners, 501 Commons, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and the Center for Ethical Leadership. Jim launched the Encore Fellowship initiative in Seattle, founded Youth Venture Seattle working closely with Ashoka, helped found Jesuit Volunteer EnCorps, led the Generation to Generation program in Seattle, and is currently helping to scale the Quest for Space program in elementary, middle and high schools. Jim has been an active member of the Encore Network, serving as co-chair of the Program Committee. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Dayton.

After a distinguished career as a TV news producer, reporter and anchor in Charlotte, Atlanta, New York and Boston, Lester Strong began his encore career in the nonprofit and education sectors. He served as Principal Gifts Officer and CEO of AARP Experience Corps, which tutors and mentors elementary school children who struggle with reading by utilizing the skills and experiences of adults 55-plus. As Chief Development Officer for the BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) Foundation, he doubled the foundation’s endowment and propelled expansion from three to five cities. Later he launched a community dialogue between young people and police officers in Kingston, NY called The Peaceful Guardians Project. A longtime proponent and practitioner of meditation, Lester was CEO of the SYDA Foundation, an organization that provides instruction in yoga and meditation in 46 countries. He is a graduate of Davidson College and Columbia Business School.

Marci Alboher, one of the nation’s leading authorities on career issues and workplace trends, is Vice President of Narrative Change at Encore.org. Marci’s current focus is on the power of connecting, collaborating, and innovating across the generations. A former blogger and columnist for The New York Times, her latest book, The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life, was hailed as an “invaluable resource” by the Associated Press and is perhaps the book most often recommended by Encore Network members. She is a Senior Advisor to Girls Write Now and serves as a mentor-editor for The OpEd Project. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade practicing law. Marci is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Washington College of Law at American University.

Marc Freedman, the founder and co-CEO of Encore.org, is a renowned social entrepreneur, thought leader and writer. Under Marc’s leadership, Encore.org has pioneered innovative programs and sparked a growing movement in the United States and beyond to tap the talent and experience of people past midlife as a human resource for solving our most vexing social problems. Many of the organizations and programs that make up the Encore Network trace their roots to Marc's work. He is the author of five books, including his most recent, How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations. Marc was named Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the World Economic Forum, recognized as one of the nation’s leading social entrepreneurs by Fast Company magazine three years in a row, and received the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the Eisner Prize for Intergenerational Excellence. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College and Yale School of Management.

Eunice Lin Nichols is Co-CEO of Encore.org. She has spent more than two decades bringing older and younger generations together to bridge divides and solve problems, including leading Encore.org’s innovation portfolio of fellowships and prizes, serving as national campaign director for the Generation to Generation initiative, running The Purpose Prize (now a program of AARP), and scaling Experience Corps from one neighborhood school in San Francisco into a thriving Bay Area program helping thousands of kids read by third grade. Eunice has been recognized as a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging and is a graduate of the Billions Institute Fellowship for Large-Scale Change. She is also a recipient of the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for advancing innovative and effective solutions to California’s most significant issues.

Patricia Spence is Executive Director of the Urban Farming Institute, which helps alleviate hunger and promotes self-reliance in urban communities by teaching small-scale urban farming so people can grow their own food. UFI converts vacant lots into farms, operates small farms, educates farmers, and advocates for the support of government, vendors, funders and others. UFI also runs "Fit Around the Farm," a 10-week program for adults over 60 that integrates fitness and healthy cooking. Pat's mantra is that engaging individuals of all ages in growing food helps to improve personal health and quality of life, but also builds a healthy, resilient community. Pat is a graduate of Brandeis University.

Dychtwald’s crowning achievement is the conception, sponsorship, and hosting of 12 “legacy interviews,” presented by ASA, to capture the wisdom, perspectives, and life lessons of diverse pioneers in the aging fields such as: Larry Curley, MPA; Marc Freedman; Linda Fried, MD, MPH; Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN; Kathy Greenlee, JD; Jennie Chin Hansen, RN, MS; Paul Nathanson, JD; Jack Rowe, MD; E. Percil Stanford, PhD; Jeanette Takamura, PhD; Fernando Torres-Gil, PhD; and Imani Woody, PhD, MS. For everyone who touches the lives of older adults, the interviews have been distilled into: a 60-minute public television special “Sages of Aging” to air nationally October 1st, a 90-minute professional documentary, and a book, Sages of Aging: A Guide for Changemakers.

Harry (Rick) Moody, Ph.D., exemplifies what "encore" really means. Harry retired as Vice President for Academic Affairs with AARP and is currently Visiting Faculty at Fielding Graduate University and Tohoku University in Japan. He previously served as Executive Director of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College and Chairman of the Board of Elderhostel (now Road Scholar). He is author of many scholarly articles, and books including co-author of Aging: Concepts and Controversies. a gerontology textbook now in its 10th edition. His book, The Five Stages of the Soul, was published by Doubleday and has been translated into seven languages worldwide. He is the editor of the "Human Values in Aging" newsletter, with 5,000 subscribers monthly. In 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society on Aging and in 2008 he was named by Utne Reader Magazine as one of “50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World.” His current book, Climate Change in an Aging Society, will be published next year by Routledge.

Margit Novack is an entrepreneur, thought leader in aging and pioneer in Senior Move Management. Margit founded Moving Solutions in 1996 and is widely recognized as founder of the Senior Move Management industry. She is Founding President of the National Association of Senior and Specialty Move Managers (NASMM) and developed industry training. She moved away from her life of work and title, to another role --- author, speaker, and champion of a re-visioned picture of aging. Squint: Re-visioning the Second Half of Life, is her first book. Her business and book enhances opportunities for older adults to live the best life possible.

Shanna has made a big impact through her intergenerational programs at Portland OR's SAGE and in her new role as associate director at the Community for Positive Aging (formerly The Hollywood Senior Center & The Giving Tree). As a co-lead in The Encore Network's Intergenerational Affinity group, Shanna has created engaging discussions, raised important questions, and shared valuable tools that enhance all of our work.

Dr. Stephanie FallCreek is President/CEO of Fairhill Partners in Cleveland, Ohio, serving there since 1992. This unique social purpose real estate campus and nonprofit organization is dedicated to lifelong learning, intergenerational relationships, and successful aging, She is known for her work in health promotion and organizational development, as well as for advocacy in public policy on successful aging throughout Cuyahoga County and Ohio. June 2022 received the Muriel Bertsch Award from the Ohio Association of Senior Centers. This recognizes individuals in Ohio who show outstanding leadership, advocacy and service to older adults.

Clint Wilkins's leadership of the Network's Intergenerational Affinity Group has been really effective. Our monthly meetings have benefited from Clint's pre-encore organizational skills and his Encore Fellowship experience from the San Jose Mayor's office. Our monthly meetings are invaluable connectors among longstanding leaders and newcomers. He and his leadership team (Jim McGinley and Shanna Pittman-Frank) continue to create new learning opportunities for all participants.

Mary is a pioneer in educating, encouraging and enabling people over the age of 50 to become entrepreneurs. She has written many books on the topic and gives generously of her time to speak at events around the world. I am inspired by her work!

Wisdom. Whether you’ve been retired for decades or are only now beginning to think seriously about it, Joe Casey is the guide for you. Thanks to Joe’s skills as interviewer, his aptly named Retirement Wisdom website, blog and podcast are jampacked with helpful information from authors, speakers, researchers and other thought leaders whose work is not only helping people thrive in retirement but also transforming the entire retirement landscape. I haven’t missed a single episode and know my retirement will be much richer socially, emotionally and financially as a result of all I have learned from Joe and his guests.

Colorado's communities are better off with Yolanda's advocacy and passion. She brings her amazing asset-based approach to directing Colorado’s Office of Adult, Aging & Disability Services and co-chairing Colorado’s Health Equity Commission, infusing her belief that all people live lives that are “inclusive, supported and empowered.” Yolanda is also the CEO and Principal Advisor for the WEBB Advisory Group, LLC, a national minority, women owned consulting group providing executive coaching, leadership development, executive compensation, organizational strategy, human resource consulting, and equity, diversity and inclusion strategies that work.

"Go big or go home" could be Gary's motto. A seasoned social entrepreneur, Gary is in his own encore career from senior executive positions at large scale nonprofits addressing affordable housing and community development. As the current President & CEO of Center for Workforce Inclusion, the largest and most experienced nonprofit dedicated exclusively to workplace inclusion and economic opportunity for low-income, older job seekers, Gary has focused on advocacy for older workers, both within government and the private sector, and launched the American Workforce Coalition to build a national movement supporting America's older workers.

When Lisa Jensen shares her encore story, people listen. She started her career as a registered nurse in acute care, and then moved on to develop creative and successful programs in clinical research, compliance, public health, health promotion, and workforce pipelines. After 23 years in leadership roles on the CU Anschutz Campus, the pilot program she was working on closed due to COVID funding cuts. She gained a personal perspective of the obstacles older job seekers face during 14 months of lay-off, and now in her role as the Career Services Program Manager at Workforce Boulder County, she’s out to make sure others get help to reenter the workforce with the support they need and a healthy, strengths-forward approach.

When Jodi gets involved in something, innovation is sure to follow. As Director of Outreach Programs for The Multidisciplinary Center on Aging at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, she has established community partnerships statewide and nationally, and led efforts to have the campus become an Age-Friendly University, the first academic medical campus in the state to earn the designation. Jodi has been instrumental in piloting a cutting-edge encore program, preparing older adults from diverse backgrounds for new roles as Older Adult Research Specialists who apply knowledge and skills as health navigators to facilitate the participation of underrepresented groups in clinical trials.

Mike’s Twitter bio says it all: “Missed the retirement memo.” He’s applied his corporate communications expertise to his encore role as the Elevate Leadership and Workforce Development Training Coordinator for Larimer County’s Economic and Workforce Development Department. Mike co-created a short film, Profit from Experience, that highlights the benefits of older workers. His efforts resulted in an Innovation Grant award to educate local employers about the many benefits of cultivating an age-diverse workforce, and to pair adults 55+ who have been adversely affected by the pandemic due to loss of income or educational opportunities with paid internship opportunities leading to sustained employment.

Often missing in encore narrative are the economic needs of older women. Jess Maurer makes sure it isn’t forgotten. As Executive Director of the Maine Council on Aging, she was instrumental in the development of the report on the Economic Security of Older Women in Maine, and has been relentless in addressing ageism. Providing leadership within Maine’s aging network, she supports Maine’s Legislative Caucus on Aging and oversees the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging, a regional learning collaborative aimed at increasing the collective impact of community-driven aging initiatives. She annually organizes statewide and regional events that advance aging policy, including the Maine Wisdom Summit.

Many of us know Rich from his stellar work as Managing Editor of NextAvenue, where he wrote and curated stories about money and work so helpful to those in the encore stage of life, stories that advanced a different narrative about older adults, meaning and purpose. Since his “unretirement” at the end of 2021, Rich has been the embodiment of what encore life can be. Whether it’s continued writing, co-hosting a podcast, teaching college students about digital media content development strategies, or volunteering, Rich is demonstrating the value that older adult experience and connections bring to the world.

Sometimes an encore isn’t a pivot; it’s a culmination of a lifetime of experiences. Jesse Ogas epitomizes this encore stage. As the Executive Director of Social Responsibility and Community Affairs for Colorado’s 9News, Jesse brings insights and connections from over three decades of nonprofit leadership experience: as executive director of Firefly Autism, an accomplished fundraiser, and board member of numerous nonprofit organizations, including Colorado Aids Project, Tepeyac Community Health Center, Latina Safehouse, and the MSU Denver President’s Cabinet. And as an actor for Su Teatro, one of the country’s most prominent Latino theatres, Jesse is well able to tell the stories of those whose stories are frequently unheard.

Yolanda’s “retirement” might seem exhausting to some. The former Vice-President of Student Affairs for Metropolitan State University of Denver, Yolanda’s encore includes acting with the renown Latino theatre company, Su Teatro; cohosting Canción Mexicana, a Sunday morning radio show featuring music from Mexico, New Mexico, Tejano, and Colorado; and serving on numerous nonprofit boards. That hasn’t stopped her from deciding to run for the University of Colorado Board of Regents, so that she use her 35+ years of higher education experience to “create access for all Colorado students who have the dream of receiving a university degree.”

When community calls, Lucille answers. After retiring as the administrator of one of Denver’s safety net clinics, Lucille began her encore heading up human resources for six years for Tepeyac Community Health Center as it scaled up operations. When Lucille decided to retire, the community once again called on her: to head up the Chicano Humanities and Arts Council, as it faced some unique challenges in its history. She led efforts to raise funding, including a crowdfunding campaign. As gentrification threatened CHAC’s historic location in a once Latino neighborhood, she worked with other board members to find temporary gallery space and a new permanent location.

For more than a decade, Don Ambrose, in his work with Del Mar Healthcare Inc., has invested in older adults across the country. His gifts to The Dayton Foundation, in Dayton, Ohio, have directly supported organizations serving older people and, for the past five years, the Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative. His support has allowed more than a dozen highly skilled, retired professionals to take on major issues in our community as paid Fellows. Don is not just a generous donor: he is knowledgeable and concerned about issues facing older adults and truly an Encore Network Champion.

After a varied career in government, business and education, Bren shifted her focus to community engagement and advocacy, with an emphasis on healthy aging, health disparities among people of color, building intergenerational connection and strengthening communities to bring about social change. She is a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Aging and has served on National Center for Creative Aging and the Bates Art Center. As an artist, she connects to others through Memory Cafes and other venues. Brenda is a former Encore Public Voices Fellow and a current Encore Boston Network board member.

Dr Cynthia Barnett is a great example of an Encore Champion. In 2003 she retired from her position as an assistant high school principal and founded “Amazing Girls Science” whose goal is to ignite girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) fields of study. In 2017 she was awarded the Purpose Prize for her work.  In 2020, she started a coaching business,“Refire, Don’t Retire” for older adults. In 2021,she was selected as a Gen2Gen Innovation Fellow where she is launching a virtual mentorship program! She is looking for retired STEAM professionals to be mentors.

Karen Beal and Helen Ross Pitts champion the value of older adults through the Jesuit Volunteer EnCorps (JV EnCorps) program, offered in six Oregon and Washington State locations. They have been partners in leading the organization through a period of growth, fine-tuning, and engaging volunteer leadership. They're active supporters of the Encore Network. "Contemplation in Action" is at the program's heart. Participants serve environmental or social justice nonprofits, using their skills in 5+ hours/week of volunteer work. Their service is enhanced with spiritual reflection, community gatherings and an emphasis on simple living.

Lenora Inez Brown is transforming ideas about the value of older adults' experience as a Senior Fellow with Cleveland Leadership Center (CLC) and the Director of Advanced Leadership Institute: Inspired by Carl and Louis Stokes. Lenora launched and manages those programs, which engages experienced leaders in civic issues and projects to drive long-term change that improves Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. She brings an unusually varied skill set to her role, including nonprofit leadership, public-private partnerships and theater. Lenora serves on the Encore Network Leadership Council, with a focus on communications.

Helen Dennis is a pioneer in the fields of aging, retirement planning, employment of older adults and social purpose. She is co-founder of Project Renewment, a movement of career women defining their next chapters and co-author of the bestselling book by the same name. An active speaker and writer, Helen has written more than 1000 widely read syndicated columns for the Southern California News Group entitled Successful Aging -- reaching 1.6 million readers weekly. She is a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging and a past member of the Encore Network Leadership Council.

Doug Dickson helped found the Encore Network in 2011, building on his own transition from for-profit to nonprofit roles. He also helped found the Life Planning Network (2005) and Encore Boston Network (2012). He has been EBN's board chair since its launch, supporting that program's development into a go-to resource for greater Boston individuals, nonprofits, businesses, higher education and government, and a role model for other communities.  Doug is a valued member of our Network's Leadership Council and co-lead for the Program Committee.

Susan is a role model for encore careers, moving from years in the home building business to help launch The Transition Network's Philadelphia chapter, and then become its Executive Director. Her charisma and marketing, program development and people skills helped TTN grow membership by 50%, launch new programs to support members embracing change and celebrate its 20th anniversary.  Susan serves on the Encore Network Leadership Council, focusing on marketing, communications and operational support.

As Research Professor at Boston College, and founder of 4Q Catalyst, Mary J. Cronin focuses on social entrepreneurship, managing for social impact, and inter-generational collaboration. Mary’s book, Starting Up Smarter: Why Founders Over 50 Build Better Businesses, celebrates the success of encore entrepreneurs. She directs Write the Family, a program to engage older adults in sharing their life stories, and is a co-founder of the Founders Over 55 Collective. Mary serves as a nonprofit board member of Encore Boston Network, the Center for Ageless Entrepreneurship and Boston Authors Club.

Joe Casey is transforming the encore stage of life via his Retirement Wisdom podcast. His guests include authors, speakers and other thought leaders who are shaping how we work and—more importantly, how we live—in our 50s, 60s and beyond. A knowledgeable host and an excellent interviewer, Joe puts his guests center stage, giving them ample time to share their life-affirming wisdom on topics ranging from networking to strength training, from exit strategies to second acts, from finding purpose to creating more meaningful relationships. I have learned so much from him and know others have as well.

Following her retirement from Bloomingdale's after a forty-year career in the retail industry, Pat Chadwick completed a Fellowship at the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. She is Managing Director of Golden Seeds, a 300-member angel investing for early stage and growth capital to women entrepreneurs. She is also Vice Chair of the Encore Boston Network board and Founders Scholarship Fund, providing financial assistance to young men and women of Collier County, FL. She previously served on the board of Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts.

Judith is founder/ past president of Carquinez Village, a nonprofit numbering 120 plus older adults in Vallejo/Benicia. CV assists older adults 65 and up to live safely and with dignity in their own communities and to remain an integral part of life. Volunteers, who may also be members, assist others in this. We offer services like rides but we offer a calendar of social and educational events, speakers, and high interest programming. Members find new friendships, warm acceptance and fun. Judith volunteers at every turn: driving, heading up fundraising, recruitment of members, volunteers, and funding partners.

A true innovator in aging, Therese has been instrumental in advancing the encore movement in Colorado, and narrative change nationally. As senior program officer in aging for Rose Community Foundation, Therese was the catalyst behind Experienced EngAGEd (formerly Boomers Leading Change), a groundbreaking Colorado organization dedicated to training, supporting and connecting adults 50+ so they can have greater impact and community involvement—harnessing the experience dividend as an asset to their communities. Therese also was an early champion of Reframing Aging, and her efforts resulted in Changing the Narrative.

Currently the Director of Communications for Urban Land Conservancy, Angelle’s work has included senior communications roles for leading foundations and nonprofits, and volunteer leadership of Montbello Organizing Committee, a community development effort serving one of Denver’s largest and most under-resourced communities. In the last year, Angelle and daughter Daryn teamed up to change the narrative about getting older and to demonstrate the many variations of the encore of life, by elevating the stories of older Black, indigenous and Latino people who are making change in their communities.

Linda Friedman is the co-founder of Encore!Hartford, a program of the University of Connecticut’s Department of Public Policy, which after a decade of hard work, has spread statewide as Encore!Connecticut. The program assists seasoned corporate professionals transition their experience and skills to managerial positions in the nonprofit sector. The heart and soul of Encore!Connecticut, Linda spent many an hour counseling Encore!Connecticut Fellows and co-leading the program to national recognition. In addition, Linda provided content expertise to the development and launch of the initial Encore Network website.

Dave Garvey has championed the value of experience for more than a decade, as Encore!Connecticut co-lead. The program connects older adults interested in public sector jobs with the nonprofits that need their work and life experience, leveraging his role in the University of Connecticut's Department of Public Policy and extensive network. Encore!Connecticut received national media attention for this innovative program. Dave played a key role in developing the Encore Talent Works toolkit, the first website to help public sector organizations understand and engage mature talent.

Ward Greene and Steve Higgs are part of the leadership at SAGE (Senior Advocates for Generational Equity). SAGE inspires older adults to give forward so future generations thrive. Each year, SAGE engages over 1,000 people to elevate this Greek Proverb at the heart of its work: “A society grows great when its elders plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Their programs include speakers, fellowships, workshops, teams, and a young leaders advisory board. All programs are intergenerational because people of all generations need each other, and the future needs all the advocates it can get.

Mary Gunn leads program development and community engagement as Program Director for Encore Boston Network. She was previously a consultant for Encore.org, coaching Gen2Gen nonprofit innovation partners. She retired as Executive Director of Generations Incorporated after 15 years, growing the AARP Experience Corps youth literacy program in Boston to one of the largest and most successful in the nation. Before that, Mary was Executive Director of the Bird Street Community Center in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

Hamburg, Germany-based Körber Foundation champions encore-age adults through its "Encore" prize, modeled on Encore.org's Purpose Prize. Led by Karin Haist, Jana Lunz and Susanne Kutz, the program recognizes 60+ social entrepreneurs using their life/work experience to improve their communities. Ten winners have received 60,000 euros each in the program's three year history. Their stories have inspired older - and younger - Germans to take a positive view of later-life opportunities. Their work honors founder Kurt Körber, himself a business leader who led and funded many philanthropic causes starting in his 50s.

In Cleveland, Kathy is a go-to person for all things encore, in her role as Cleveland Foundation Program Director, Leadership Development. Encore Cleveland provides funding and other resources for 14 organizations that tap the time, skills and abilities of experienced Clevelanders to solve community challenges, fill unmet needs and address community opportunities. This initiative started in 2013 and continues to grow and evolve as more older adults get involved. Kathy is part of the Encore Network Leadership Council and serves on the Program committee.

Sandra Harris is State President, AARP Massachusetts, and Founder of The Massachusetts Taskforce to End Loneliness and Build Community. As part of this project, she was selected as a Encore.org Gen2Gen Innovation Fellow. Sandra is a member of Commit to Connect Nationwide Network of Champions, the Age-Friendly Boston Advisory Council, and other boards. She was featured as part of Boston's Age Strong ad campaign to combat ageism. Sandra was Principal of an interior design firm specializing in senior living design and a founding member of the Boston Society of Architect’s Knowledge Committee on Designing for Aging.

Jan has been a driving force in the encore movement. In 2006, she was named National Purpose Prize Fellow. In 2004, she founded the “Vital Aging Network” in Minneapolis. In 2006, co-founded “Shift” a non profit that empowered older adults to find meaning as social entrepreneurs. Jan’s latest efforts led to a collaboration with Moira Allen to start “Pass It ON Network”, a global network of encore leaders to exchange ideas and innovative programs. Jan also received her PHD at 69! Jan’s mantra is “Meaningful work, paid or unpaid, through the last breath.” Jan is a founding member of the Encore Network.

Rimas Jasin has been a champion for New York City encore programs since 2009, when he moved from Cleveland to become Executive Director of PSS. That organization's mission is to help older adults, their families and communities thrive. Toward that end, Rimas launched the NYC Coming of Age program, connecting eight existing NYC organizations to help people over 50 thrive. He is a board member of Gray Panthers, and a valued colleague across the city's positive aging community. Rimas serves on the Encore Network Leadership Council, focusing on programs that educate and connect members.

Ayleen Jung champions the value of older adults as a Project Manager in South Korea's Seoul 50+ Foundation. In the past five years, she has led policy development work, as well as programs that help people 50+ return to the workforce in fellowship roles, and that support the 50+ generation in launching new businesses. In addition to her work in Seoul, Ayleen has a global perspective, organizing local forums with encore leaders and participating in conferences of Encore.org and the International Federation on Ageing.

Dot Keenan founded and leads GrandInvolve, an award-winning Fairfax County VA nonprofit that brings older tutors to local high-poverty public schools. Its three missions: support kids' learning, reduce ageism through intergenerational connections, and teach older adults about a variety of cultures. GrandInvolve has had a busy fall, receiving a Burke & Herbert Bank sponsorship ($100 for every goal scored by the Washington Capitals hockey team), launching training programs and sending mentors back into classrooms. GrandInvolve is Dot's encore career, after retiring as Fairfax County Supervisor of Senior Services.

After a career in finance at tech and financial services companies, Pat Latimore shifted her expertise to the nonprofit sector. She was Chief Financial Officer, and then Chief Operating Officer at United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, where she spent 10 years. Following her retirement, she joined the board of Encore Boston Network. She also co-chairs the Equity and Justice Advisory Committee for the Town of Milton and is a founding member of Citizens for a Diverse Milton. Pat also serves on the Board of Celebrate Milton and the Audit Committee of Olin College.

Kaye Manson Jeter is the epitome of an Encore Network Champion. She’s had a string of encores! She was a teacher, then trained as an attorney and practiced law for 20 years. She served as general counsel to the Tennessee Department of Education. Along the way, she obtained a Ph.D. in education and served as Dean of the College of Education at Central State University. She retired, traveled to distant lands, and had a revelation: “I can’t spend the rest of my life on the back of a camel!” She became a Del Mar Encore Fellow, helping the Dayton Metro Library (Ohio) expand its Rock Your Homework Program.

Santiago Chile-based Fundacion Mas unleashes the talents of older adults to support nonprofits, entrepreneurs and governments. Co-founder José Manuel Jaramillo was inspired by Encore.org to launch the organization, recruiting his father (a retired engineer) and other business leaders to develop consulting opportunities and a training program. Learn more about the program and its success stories at http://fundacionmas.cl. Fundacion Mas plans to expand its program in South America, helping other countries tap the value of their 50+ populations in social sector projects.

Shavel'le Olivier is the first Executive Director of Mattapan Food and Fitness Coalition, a community organization with a focus on improving the food and physical activity environment and promoting healthy behaviors. Shavel'le began as a youth leader in this intergenerational initiative, helping to set up a farmer's market, a youth bike-a-thon, advocating for walking trails, and other initiatives. She has also worked for Livable Street Alliance, Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, and the DREAM program. Shavel'le is passionate about connecting community assets to improve health and livability.

Vitality Society Founder and CEO, Meredith Oppenheim, has dedicated herself to the well-being of older people for more than three decades. She launched Vitality Society™ January of 2020 to ignite a movement to empower, enrich and engage people 60 and better to remain at their best. Vitality Society which has been referred to by members as "a lifeline" and "a game-changer for physical and mental well-being" is a concierge-powered and community-oriented online wellness, fitness and enrichment platform delivering best-in-class instruction, support and results. Oppenheim spent twenty years gaining operational experience in the senior housing industry across the full continuum and worldwide.

Nancy Peterson is the Network's godmother. Starting in 2011, she saw the potential of connecting organizations and individuals to build the encore movement, and championed that work within Encore.org, launching a volunteer-led network. With Bechtel Foundation, she developed the Innovation Fellows program, investing in experienced leaders to support encore work in new sectors and around the country. Nancy led a 2015 White House Conference on Aging network-wide collaboration, highlighting the value of the "longevity dividend." More recently, Nancy led the Network's global growth and its transition to a stand-alone group.

Shānna Pittman-Frank is Director of Community Engagement at SAGE, where she inspires, trains and supports individuals to improve our world so that future generations can thrive. Her focus at SAGE is intergenerational action and innovation, and highlighting the need for all hands (of all ages) "on deck" to create communities where we all can thrive. Prior to SAGE, Shānna led age-friendly programs and communications for Elders in Action. In addition to her work at SAGE, Shānna serves on the board of Stone Soup PDX, a nonprofit workforce development program and active restaurant/catering kitchen.

Pam’s ability to “walk the talk” and effortlessly model purposeful aging inspires everyone around her. For the past five years, Pamela Ramsden worked at PSS, a NYC-based nonprofit, as the Manager of Coming of Age, an organization focused on inspiring people 50 and older to live with passion and purpose. Pam was able to do it all – create two informative e-newsletters every month, coordinate numerous workshops and events, and work with community partners to promote positive and purposeful aging. As a result of her leadership and efforts, Coming of Age has helped thousands to live their second half of life more fully.

If enthusiasm was a product, Bevan Rogel would be its spokesperson. She is a passionate, tireless advocate for older adults and the value of our experience. As founder of Encore Tampa Bay and co-chair of the membership committee of Encore Network, Bevan puts her entire being into the mission of leveraging the power of people 50+. With 35 years of experience in organization and leadership development, Bevan is uniquely qualified to demonstrate the change that older adults must embrace to continue as effective contributors to society. She’s an expert connector of people who share the vision of a transformative culture that values individuals of all ages - the definition of an Encore Network Champion.

Bobbie Sackman has served as an advocate for people 50+ for several decades, through her policy work to secure supports and services at the city, state, and national levels, and through her community organizing with the New York Caring Majority campaign, a coalition of older and disabled people, family caregivers, and home care workers. Bobbie Sackman is a fierce advocate focused on bread-and-butter issues like affordable housing, home and community-based care, food insecurity, elder abuse, senior centers, and support for family caregivers, as well as overall fighting for greater empowerment and leadership for people 50+.

In the past decade, Kate has championed the value of older adults, leading multiple programs: Shift, Life Planning Network and AARP Minnesota (State President). She did the heavy lifting to create the Encore Talent Works toolkit, a resource for social sector organizations to engage experienced talent. With Phyllis Moen, Kate co-founded the University of Minnesota's Advanced Careers (UMAC) program, the first public university program to prepares encore adults for social impact careers and civic engagement.  Kate serves as a member of the Encore Network Leadership Council, focused on membership growth and retention.  She’s a psychologist by training, a connector by nature, and an innovator by design.

Phyllis Segal's focus as Senior Fellow at Encore.org is advancing intergenerational service as a powerful new way to address community problems and bridge the generational divide. She serves on the boards of the JFK Library Foundation, Encore Boston Network, and Segal Citizen Leadership Program at Brandeis University (which she co-founded). She previously served on the Corporation for National and Community Service board, as Trustee of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, and as Chair of the Federal Labor Relations Authority.

What do encore seekers really need? A champion who will advocate vigorously for public policies that ensure older workers have access to retraining and upskilling, and for stronger age discrimination laws. We have that in Tony Tapia, chair of Colorado’s Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging’s Workforce Development Committee, issuing recommendations to strengthen every part of the workforce development system. In his day job, Tony is a philanthropic advisor and Program Director at the Conference Board. Weekends? You’ll find Tony on the slopes in his encore as a ski instructor. We’re thrilled to have him on Changing the Narrative’s Advisory Board.

Janine is an all-purpose encore leader, role model and advocate for the value of older adults in all spheres of life. She chairs the Encore Network leadership council and she’s the fearless leader of Colorado-based Changing the Narrative, which changes the way people think, talk and act about ageism. She was a ’20-’21 Encore Public Voices Fellow. Leading up to those roles, Janine was a Denver Commission on Aging member, recognized with its 2018 Diversity and Inclusion Award, as well as founder of social sector consulting firm Joining Vision and Action.

Under Paul's leadership, Oasis is expanding its impact with the launch of Oasis Everywhere online programs, and dramatically expanding its largest-in-the-US tutoring program, especially in communities of color. Paul is a passionate advocate for older adults' health, lifelong learning and volunteerism, and a skilled fundraiser. He is committed to collaboration, licensing many Oasis programs to local organizations, and looking for partnership opportunities; Oasis is active in 250 communities and reaches 50,000 individuals each year.

Betsy Werley is a shining example of an Encore Network Champion, having led two successful networks of older adults in this stage of life. In 2005, she became executive director of the Transition Network, organizing women moving from their primary career to what is next. She grew the organization from two chapters to 10, in just 8 years. Selected as one of the first Encore Innovation Fellows in 2013, she began building the Encore Network at Encore.org. As director, Betsy’s vision and leadership strengthened the movement, connecting 150 leaders worldwide for learning and growth, laying the foundation for success.

Noreen Willhelm is an important contributor to the Encore Network as Secretary/Treasurer of our Leadership Council, and in her day-to-day leadership of the Dayton Foundation Del Mar Encore Fellows program as its Senior Fellow. A longtime Dayton resident, Noreen had an early career in journalism, then spent 30 years in nonprofit executive roles with local social service and arts organizations. As the Senior Fellow, she leverages that experience, advocating for the value of older adults and organizing older adults to use their work and life skills in high value projects.

Craig is a visionary leader, leveraging his technology expertise to help nonprofits connect with volunteers. In 2017, after a successful technology career, Craig launched Cincinnati-based Inspiring Service, a platform that supports state service commissions in maximizing volunteer engagement in three states. He founded the Cincinnati Social Venture Partners chapter, built Cincinnati Cares, a "search and discover guide" to area nonprofits that supports board service, volunteerism and donations, and serves on the National Association of Volunteer Engagement board. Craig also serves on the Encore Network Leadership Council.