Michael Matthews

President
Matthews Development Company
Charlottesville, VA
  • 131-K. Acquiring and Repositioning to Meet Consumer Expectations

    • Wednesday, October 28, 2026

    10:00 – 11:00 a.m.

    131-K. Acquiring and Repositioning to Meet Consumer Expectations

    What does it take to successfully acquire, reposition, and transform a senior living community in today’s competitive market? This session will explore how a multisite organization repositioned a fifth campus to meet residents’ evolving needs, promote holistic well-being, and ensure long-term sustainability. Presenters will share how they identified the acquisition opportunity, partnered with a financial services firm to craft the winning bid, and developed a phased master plan that balances innovation, resident appeal, and operational sustainability. They’ll explain why the organization declined to acquire the new campus’s skilled nursing component and how it intentionally designed other parts of the campus to support physical, social, and intellectual wellness.

Matt Mauthe

CEO
Illuminus
Watertown, WI
  • 136-C. Promising Pathways to Aging Services Careers

    • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    136-C. Promising Pathways to Aging Services Careers

    Young people pursue various pathways to launch careers in aging services. Which of these pathways work well, and where are the gaps? This session will offer evidence-based answers to those questions. Presenters will share findings from new national research on academic programs, internships, mentorships, and Administrator-in-Training (AIT) programs that have helped students pursue careers in aging services and gerontology. They’ll also share strategies and case studies to help you create similar programs. You’ll hear success stories about how organizations with modest budgets have attracted new talent. You’ll also take home a clear, customizable framework to reduce vacancies, strengthen career pathways, and develop the next generation of aging services leaders.

Jim Maxwell

President and CEO
Rockwood Retirement Communities
Spokane, WA
  • 38-B. Capital-Efficient Pathways to Meet Needs and Advance Mission

    • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    38-B. Capital-Efficient Pathways to Meet Needs and Advance Mission

    Nonprofit providers of aging services must scale their organizations to serve an older population that continues to grow each year. But how can growth be achieved when land options are limited, and expansion appears cost-prohibitive? This session will showcase a group of single-site and multisite organizations exploring capital-efficient pathways to meet local needs and advance their missions. Presenters will provide an inside look at how these organizations developed new campuses, implemented phased expansions, engaged in adaptive reuse of existing buildings, and established satellite communities. Learn how successful organizations use disciplined planning and evaluation to identify opportunities and mitigate risk. Get the guidance you need to achieve sustainable growth and capital-efficient expansion in constrained markets.

Sean McMahan

Chief Engineer
Horizon House
Seattle, WA
  • 74-A. Electrify Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow

    • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

    74-A. Electrify Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow

    Is your senior living organization feeling pressure from rising utility costs, aging infrastructure, accelerating climate regulations, and residents who expect to live in an environmentally responsible community? It may be time to electrify. This session will share details of a life plan community’s three-year transition from near-total reliance on fossil fuels, such as natural gas and direct steam, to a system that uses electricity to supply 50% of the community’s heat and domestic hot water. Presenters will introduce you to a replicable electrification master plan that organizations of any size can implement, even with aging buildings, limited internal engineering capacity, or constrained capital budgets.

William McMorran

Sr. Partner
Green Oak Consulting Group
Los Angeles, CA
  • 47-G. Fostering a Culture of Philanthropy in Life Plan Communities

    • Tuesday, October 27, 2026

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    47-G. Fostering a Culture of Philanthropy in Life Plan Communities

    Faith-based senior living organizations can no longer rely solely on congregational support for financial sustainability. Instead, they must build internal fundraising capacity by fostering a culture of philanthropy among residents, many of whom don’t realize their monthly fees don’t cover all expenses. During this session, a life plan community’s chief growth officer will share how their organization and its foundation built relationships with key stakeholders and improved donor engagement. Presenters will explain why their fundraising efforts succeeded and how they plan to enhance them. You’ll discover how resident engagement, a strong gift structure, and AI-powered technology boosted their fundraising and could do the same for your organization.

Amanda Mead

Director, Workforce Policy
LeadingAge
Washington, DC
  • 92-A. Updates on Federal Funding and Policy

    • Sunday, October 25, 2026

    1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

    92-A. Updates on Federal Funding and Policy

    Are you seeking up-to-date information on how federal funding and policy decisions are likely to affect your service lines? Or are you simply curious about the broader policy landscape shaping the aging services field? Either way, you’ll leave satisfied after attending this speed round of Washington updates. The LeadingAge Policy Team will be on hand to fill you in on the latest developments affecting Medicare and Medicaid, workforce policy, affordable housing, and the federal legal landscape. You’ll also receive advocacy tips to ensure your voice is heard in Washington, DC.

  • 98-D. Growing the Domestic Workforce: Federal Policy Developments

    • Monday, October 26, 2026

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    98-D. Growing the Domestic Workforce: Federal Policy Developments

    Federal policy is increasingly focused on strengthening the domestic workforce to address persistent recruitment and retention challenges across the aging services continuum. This session will provide an overview of key workforce policy developments, including those affecting training and education pathways, worker supports, funding opportunities, and emerging regulatory requirements. Presenters will explain how these changes are likely to affect aging services organizations and where new challenges may arise. Join us for a timely, balanced conversation about how federal policy is shaping and at times complicating the future of the aging services workforce. You’ll take away practical tips to help you engage in the national conversation.

Tad Melton

Managing Director
Ziegler
Glen Allen, VA
  • 97-D. Navigating M&A: The Critical Role of Insurance

    • Monday, October 26, 2026

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    97-D. Navigating M&A: The Critical Role of Insurance

    As mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continue to reshape the senior living landscape, organizations need specialized knowledge and tools to navigate these complex transactions. During this session, a representative from LeadingAge Gold Partner EPIC Senior Living will review the M&A due diligence process and highlight the critical role insurance plays in protecting buyers and sellers by uncovering hidden liabilities and ensuring coverage continuity throughout the transaction lifecycle. Whether your organization is expanding, consolidating, or exploring strategic partnerships, this session will help you make informed decisions that safeguard your mission, residents, and financial future.

Wes Meltzer

Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Springpoint Senior Living
Wall Township, NJ
  • 67-G. Marketing Data for CEOs: What are All These Numbers Telling Me?

    • Tuesday, October 27, 2026

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    67-G. Marketing Data for CEOs: What are All These Numbers Telling Me?

    Marketing and sales teams often provide CEOs and senior living executives with a range of data to support their conclusions about how effectively their organization is attracting, engaging, and converting consumers. But what do these numbers mean, and how can you use them to ask the right questions, generate new inquiries and increase sales? This session is designed for executive leaders who want a clearer understanding of the difference between an inquiry and a lead, what a conversion rate is and isn’t, and how to act on this information. Presenters will also explain the difference between marketing and sales teams and how they should work together to maximize results. You’ll leave prepared to make informed decisions that will boost your organization’s performance.

Alisa Miller

President and CEO
Kairos Health Systems
Lancaster, PA
  • 31-H. Affiliation Strategies that Balance Autonomy with Collaboration

    • Tuesday, October 27, 2026

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    31-H. Affiliation Strategies that Balance Autonomy with Collaboration

    Affiliation can help nonprofit senior living organizations achieve long-term sustainability, foster innovation, and remain true to their core mission and values amid today’s operational challenges. This session will explore the affiliation process that united two life plan communities under a shared governance structure while preserving their individual identities. Presenters will outline steps for building a successful affiliation, including establishing a robust legal and governance framework, drafting bylaws that reflect shared values and priorities, and addressing board composition and responsibilities. Whether you’re considering affiliation, engaged in partnership talks, or refining an existing relationship, you’ll learn how to build an affiliation that promotes stability, improves services, and ensures long-term success.

Edward Miller

Professor and Chair, Department of Gerontology
UMass Boston Gerontology
Boston, MA
  • 17-E. Do Low Medicaid Payments Worsen Disparities in Nursing Homes?

    • Monday, October 26, 2026

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    17-E. Do Low Medicaid Payments Worsen Disparities in Nursing Homes?

    Do Medicaid payment levels affect quality and influence racial and ethnic disparities in individual nursing homes? This session will present findings from recent research on this previously unexplored question. Presenters will describe their analysis of a new national database containing facility- and resident-level data for nearly 9,500 nursing homes across 44 states. They’ll share findings on racial and ethnic disparities in nursing home quality and outcomes and examine whether these disparities are associated with Medicaid payment levels. Discover how Medicaid reimbursement shapes the association between a nursing home’s racial and ethnic composition, 5-star quality ratings, staffing levels, and resident-level quality outcomes.

Scott Miller

Chief Marketing Officer
Garden Spot Village
New Holland, PA
  • 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.

Colin Milner

Founder/CEO
International Council on Active Aging
Vancouver, BC
  • 118-J. Turn Your Dining Venue into a Wellness Engine

    • Wednesday, October 28, 2026

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    118-J. Turn Your Dining Venue into a Wellness Engine

    When Baby Boomers and members of Gen X arrive at your community’s dining venue, they’ll likely bring new expectations to the table. How will you measure up? This session will report on consumer preferences for culinary programs that deliver flavor, cultural relevance, agency, and a sense of community connection. Presenters will help you meet those preferences with a new culinary framework pioneered by the International Council on Active Aging’s Culinary, Nutrition & Hospitality Network. You’ll learn to reframe senior living dining venues as strategic wellness engines that support physical health, cognitive vitality, and social connection. Get the support you need to rethink how food environments can foster purpose, engagement, and wellness for today’s older adults.