Jamie Timoteo

Partner
Plante Moran
Chicago, IL
  • 40-C. Strategic Growth and Entrance Fee Alignment

    • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    40-C. Strategic Growth and Entrance Fee Alignment

    Every life plan community strives to develop growth plans that support the organization’s mission while maintaining profitability and marketability. Presenters of this session will argue that independent living entrance fees pose significant risks to achieving those goals. They’ll outline the widening gap between entrance fees and replacement costs, evaluate the long-term risks of outdated pricing strategies, and offer approaches to adjusting those fees while overcoming internal and external resistance to price increases. You’ll gain additional strategies including phased development plans and creative financing to help you strengthen your financial position, ensure operational success, and align projects with the preferences of current and future consumers.

Nathan Torno

Senior Director of Sales & Marketing
Friendship Village Senior Living Communities
St. Louis, MO, US
  • 54-J. Diversifying Revenue in Life Plan Communities

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    54-J. Diversifying Revenue in Life Plan Communities

    Looking to boost revenue by serving older adults before they move to your life plan community? Friendship Village Senior Services in St. Louis, MO, has a few ideas for you. This session will showcase two Friendship Village membership programs that offer prospective residents the opportunity to participate in social events, use community amenities, and access comprehensive campus-based health services. These members also have access to a personal concierge and an exclusive member only app. Discover how these programs shorten the sales cycle, reduce barriers to senior living residency, help fill hard-to-sell small apartments, and increase downstream revenue for ancillary services like home care, private duty, and hospice.

Jeffrey Trendel

Deputy Commissioner
North Carolina Department of Insurance
Raleigh, NC, USA
  • 120-I. Can State Statutes Protect Life Plan Communities from Bankruptcy?

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    120-I. Can State Statutes Protect Life Plan Communities from Bankruptcy?

    *Closed to Press* The rare occurrences of bankruptcy among life plan communities in recent years have raised a compelling and provocative question: What role should state laws play in protecting these communities from insolvency? This session will explore that question. Presenters will provide an overview of the bankruptcy protections that certain states extend to life plan communities through existing statutes. They will also discuss the effects of state actions that either prevent a life plan community’s bankruptcy or worsen a community’s fragile financial position. Don’t miss this opportunity to join experts in the field as they delve into thought-provoking questions about the financial health of life plan communities.

Shirley Turner

Director of Sales & Marketing
Hillcrest
La Verne, CA, USA
  • 42-D. Underdog Strategies for Single-Site Life Plan Communities

    • Monday, October 26, 2026

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    42-D. Underdog Strategies for Single-Site Life Plan Communities

    To affiliate u2026 or not to affiliate? That is the question many single-site life plan communities are asking. This session will appeal to mavericks who prefer to remain independent yet recognize they must improve at every level to thrive in a consolidating market. Leaders from successful single-site communities will share how they resisted affiliation by strengthening operations, culture, and finances. They’ll also recommend strategies to keep communities stable and future-ready. Whether you’re committed to independence or considering affiliation, this session will offer fresh perspectives on how a strong single-site brand can enhance market perception, attract mission-aligned staff, and build trust among residents, prospects, and referral sources.

Kelli Underhill

VP HR, Workforce Solutions
Kintura
Greensboro, NC, USA
  • 144-E. It’s Time to Rethink Your Training Strategies

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    144-E. It’s Time to Rethink Your Training Strategies

    Senior living communities excel at developing “compliance” training programs to meet legal requirements. However, they often overlook the need for “learning and development” training programs that emphasize employee engagement, service excellence, and clinical outcomes. This session will challenge the status quo by recommending that providers adopt a more intentional training strategy. Presenters will share examples of aging services organizations that have used learning and development strategies to redesign an employee orientation program, create an award-winning customer service program, and develop an in-house leadership academy. You’ll gain tools to evaluate your organization’s learning and development offerings and find inspiration to rethink your training approach.

Ben Unkle

President & CEO
Westminster Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay
Virginia Beach, VA, USA
  • 41-A. The ABCs of Credit Ratings: A Guide for Life Plan Communities

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

    41-A. The ABCs of Credit Ratings: A Guide for Life Plan Communities

    Life plan community leaders, financial officers, and strategic planners must have a solid understanding of credit ratings before they can help their organizations secure financing on favorable terms. During this session, Fitch Ratings, along with a diverse panel of providers from multi-site and single-site communities will present an overview of credit ratings, explain how to obtain one, and offer guidance on incorporating credit rating considerations into your strategic planning. You’ll receive tips for aligning capital projects and funding needs with your community’s credit profile, identifying and mitigating risks that could negatively impact your rating, and implementing practices that enhance credit strength. Prepare to improve your community’s credit profile and secure the resources necessary for growth and sustainability.

Gretchen Van Ness

Executive Director
LGBTQ Senior Housing, Inc
Hyde Park, MA, US
  • 53-I. Strategic Partnerships for Developing Affordable Senior Housing

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    53-I. Strategic Partnerships for Developing Affordable Senior Housing

    Developing affordable housing has become increasingly complex in recent years, particularly for providers aiming to serve older adults with health conditions and unique cultural needs. This session will explore how mission-driven organizations can establish and maintain strong partnerships that can help bring affordable housing projects to life. Presenters will share tips for identifying the best partners, overcoming challenges, leveraging multiple funding sources, and staying focused on your organization’s mission and the well-being of residents. Whether you’re just starting out in the housing field or looking to expand your reach, this session will provide practical insights you can use to move your vision from concept to community.

Steven VanderVelde

Director of Senior Living Partnership
ProviNET Solutions
Tinley Park, IL, USA
  • 2-B. Ask ChatGPT: Can AI Address Senior Living Challenges?

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    2-B. Ask ChatGPT: Can AI Address Senior Living Challenges?

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) will take center stage as an active panelist in this unique session. Join an IT consultant and two senior-level IT specialists from LeadingAge member organizations as they invite ChatGPT, an interactive AI model, to tackle senior living challenges in real time. Human panelists will begin the session by sharing their insights into how AI impacts operational efficiencies, resident engagement, strategic decision-making, and resident care in aging services. Then, attendees and panelists will engage in a lively question-and-answer session with ChatGPT. You’ll discover how AI can respond to your organization’s unique challenges and how to critically evaluate AI tools before implementing them in your organization. Don’t miss this opportunity to see AI in action.

David Vega

Vice President Operations Analysis & Compliance
Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.
Fort Washington, PA, USA
  • 111-D. Federal Guidance: Compliance Risk for Nursing Homes

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    111-D. Federal Guidance: Compliance Risk for Nursing Homes

    The federal Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its first Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Homes in 2000. Over the past 25 years, compliance programs for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) have evolved from voluntary to mandatory and are now governed by new OIG guidance released in late 2024. This session will review key compliance risk areas for SNFs outlined in the OIG’s most recent guidance. Presenters will recommend practical strategies for expanding your compliance program to manage and mitigate compliance risks.

Ke’o Velasquez

Corporate Director of Operations
Forefront Living
Dallas, TX, US
  • 76-B. Overcoming Supply Chain Hurdles in Senior Living

    • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    76-B. Overcoming Supply Chain Hurdles in Senior Living

    Nonprofit senior living organizations understand all too well how supply chain disruptions strain operations, leading to higher prices, operational disruptions, supply shortages, staff burnout, and dissatisfied residents. During this session, a representative from LeadingAge Gold Partner Value First will join LeadingAge members to share strategies for optimizing operations and overcoming supply chain hurdles. They’ll discuss the pros and cons of outsourcing operations; the impact of tariffs and workforce challenges; and how organizations can keep their supply chains open. Join the conversation to pinpoint supply chain and operational challenges and learn how your peers are tackling them.

Joe Velderman

Board Member
Parker Health Group, Inc.
Highland Park, NJ, US
  • 4-C. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Aging Services

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    4-C. How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Aging Services

    Three years ago, few people were aware of large language models like ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool capable of understanding, generating, and manipulating human language. This session will explore how far we have progressed in 36 months. Presenters will provide an overview of how AI is reshaping aging services by enhancing efficiency, communication, and workforce support. They will also highlight how providers use AI to streamline operations, improve the resident experience, and empower staff. Whether new to AI or looking to refine your approach, you’ll gain a practical perspective on leveraging these powerful technologies to enhance your operations.

Anna Verbuk

Director of the Resident Technology Program
2Life Communities
Brighton, MA, US
  • 6-E. Can Technology Foster Meaningful Relationships?

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    6-E. Can Technology Foster Meaningful Relationships?

    Social isolation puts many older adults at risk for declines in physical and mental well-being. In-person communication is the best antidote to this isolation, but it’s not always available to those who need it most. That’s why technology is playing an increasingly vital role in helping older adults connect with others. This session will describe how a Boston-based affordable housing provider and its community partner connected older housing residents with their peers while teaching them how to stay connected through technology. Presenters will share their experiences recruiting university students to teach technology skills to a diverse group of older adults. You’ll gain strategies for creating programming that fosters socialization and community-building by helping older adults use technology with confidence.