Irene Kovala

Board Member
Sun Health Communites
Surprise, AZ, US
  • 33-G. Engaging, Strengthening, and Compensating Board Members

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    33-G. Engaging, Strengthening, and Compensating Board Members

    Creating a high-performing nonprofit board of directors entails more than simply selecting individuals to serve. Organizations must also strive to enhance the impact of board members once they are recruited. This session will examine the holistic Board Lifecycle Program implemented by Sun Health Communities in Surprise, AZ. Presenters will describe program features, including strategic recruitment aligned with effective board engagement, an onboarding process designed to help new board members contribute and thrive, and a board rotation policy that encourages fresh perspectives while maintaining institutional knowledge. The Board Lifecycle Program also features board compensation to boost recruitment, raise expectations, and enhance engagement. Get ready to access practical tools that will help you develop a high-impact board.

Jessica Kraft

President
Lifestar Creative
Venice, FL, US
  • 66-F. Refresh Your Marketing Playbook

    • Monday, October 26, 2026

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    66-F. Refresh Your Marketing Playbook

    Senior living marketers and sales professionals are navigating a rapidly changing landscape as consumer behaviors shift, digital expectations rise, and artificial intelligence reshapes how prospects find and evaluate senior living options. During this session, a LeadingAge member and a marketing consultant will team up to share simple, replicable strategies to help teams overcome today’s marketing challenges. Presenters will show you how small adjustments can yield measurable improvements in your outreach and help you invigorate your current marketing plan to generate more qualified leads. You’ll gain a toolkit of practical strategies you can implement immediately to increase your visibility in the marketplace, improve engagement, and nurture conversion-ready prospects.

Brian Kramer

Chief Underwriting Officer
The Hartford
Southington, CT, USA
  • 79-F. What Rising Insurance Rates Mean for Your Property

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    79-F. What Rising Insurance Rates Mean for Your Property

    Today’s property market remains fractured, unstable, and increasingly expensive. This is especially true for properties in geographic regions at greater risk for severe natural disasters or other events that can cause significant damage and lead to double-digit increases in property insurance rates. This session will help you understand the current property market, how insurance rates are determined, and strategies for combating rising costs. Panelists will share their predictions for the future and outline the opportunities that a chaotic insurance market might present for your organization.

Val Kratzman

Interim CEO and Chairman
SatyaDx
Portland, ME, United States

David Kremer

Executive Director
Legacy Pointe at UCF
Orlando, FL, US
  • 80-E. Optimizing Dining Operations Amid Workforce Challenges

    • Monday, October 26, 2026

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    80-E. Optimizing Dining Operations Amid Workforce Challenges

    A senior living community’s dining program shapes residents’ daily experience and signals organizational stability and operational efficiency. Unfortunately, high staff turnover, driven by low compensation, often leads to inconsistent service quality and undermines resident satisfaction. This session will provide practical tools to maintain your dining program’s quality, consistency, and service standards. Presenters will share management practices including coaching frontline supervisors and standardizing expectations that build resilience in dining departments. You’ll also learn to improve the dining experience through menu innovations, structured leadership training, outcome measurement, and operational systems that sustain quality. Make your dining experience a reliable, mission-critical touchpoint despite ongoing workforce challenges.

Peter Kress

Innovation and Security Advisor
Acts Retirement-Life Communities, Inc.
Fort Washington, PA, USA
  • 12-L. Beyond the Hype: AI’s Future in Aging Services

    • Wednesday, October 28, 2026

    11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

    12-L. Beyond the Hype: AI’s Future in Aging Services

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is gaining recognition worldwide. But what is AI’s real impact on aging services providers today, and how could it shape the future of care? This session will cut through the hype to answer the questions on every provider’s mind: Which parts of AI are real? Which are a waste of resources? A panel of senior living leaders will share how they’ve used AI to improve operational efficiency, support team members, and engage residents more effectively. They’ll also explain how AI helps them manage data security, integrate organizational systems, and enhance operations and services. You’ll discover AI’s transformative possibilities and learn how to develop your own AI implementation plan.

Daniel Krieger

Chief Business Integration and Compliance Officer
Presbyterian Senior Living
Dillsburg, PA, US
  • 81-G. On-Site Care: Promoting Health in Life Plan Communities

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    81-G. On-Site Care: Promoting Health in Life Plan Communities

    Life plan communities strive to maximize resident independence and well-being by providing multiple levels of care and service so residents can avoid hospital admissions when their needs change. This session will introduce a critical step toward achieving that goal: employing healthcare practitioners to deliver primary care and care coordination through on-site clinics, home visits, and telehealth services. Presenters will demonstrate how on-site primary care can help reduce resident hospitalizations and facilitate transitions between service levels while improving access to medication reconciliation, behavior management, advanced care planning, and palliative care. You’ll discover the types of on-site medical services residents expect and how an on-site healthcare team can build trust in your organization.

  • 107-B. Crisis and Issue Management: Best Practices for Senior Living

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    107-B. Crisis and Issue Management: Best Practices for Senior Living

    The dynamic and high-stakes nature of senior living environments requires robust strategies for crisis and issue management. This session, designed for senior living executives and legal compliance professionals, will explore best practices for navigating scenarios that can threaten operational stability, reputational integrity, and regulatory compliance. Presenters will offer practical insights into managing crises, including data privacy breaches and ransomware attacks. Participants will engage in an interactive game-show-like format to address scenarios involving regulatory scrutiny, media pressure, and internal investigations. Learn how to minimize liability and safeguard organizational trust while preserving confidentiality in privileged communications, managing relationships with third-party vendors, and addressing allegations of workplace misconduct.

Eric Krull

Executive Vice President
THW Design
Atlanta, GA, US
  • 135-I. Design and Construction: A Better Way to Keep Budgets on Track

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    135-I. Design and Construction: A Better Way to Keep Budgets on Track

    High interest rates and construction costs have many organizations struggling to complete senior living projects within budget. Unfortunately, budget overruns often occur late in the construction process, forcing project teams to cut building costs after making significant investments in the design process. This session will present a better approach. Senior living construction experts will demonstrate how to use pre-design programming to set your projects up for success. You’ll learn how to transform financial projections, market demand data, and consumer preferences into detailed project requirements, identify essential construction process components and how each contributes to the total cost, and establish a realistic project scope. This practical guidance will help ensure your project objectives align with your budget.

Lisa Kubiak

President & CEO
Mary Ann Morse Healthcare Corp.
Natick, MA, USA
  • 15-L. Using Technology to Meet Immediate and Long-Term Goals

    • Wednesday, November 05, 2025

    11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

    15-L. Using Technology to Meet Immediate and Long-Term Goals

    Should aging services providers view technology as a strategic imperative that drives innovation and long-term growth, or as a tactical solution for addressing immediate operational challenges? This session will explore these questions, and the answers may surprise you. Presenters will suggest that the digital revolution presents an unprecedented opportunity for aging services organizations to integrate technology into their core vision, enabling them to transform operations, improve care quality, and ensure long-term sustainability. Additionally, these technologies can serve as tactical solutions that help organizations address specific operational challenges, resulting in immediate and measurable improvements. Discover how to take an integrated, strategic approach to deploying technology solutions that can support long-term transformation and innovation while meeting immediate needs.

Shane Kuhnen

VP, Dining Services
Hebrew Home at Riverdale – RiverSpring Living
Bronx, NY, US
  • 9-F. For Dining Success, Blend High-Tech and Human Ingredients

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    9-F. For Dining Success, Blend High-Tech and Human Ingredients

    Senior living organizations operating in today’s business environment often find it challenging to manage operational costs. This challenge is particularly evident in dining services and this session will demonstrate how to reduce costs and enhance dining quality by using technology to streamline your culinary operations. Presenters will share examples of technology solutions from electronic menus and voice-activated appliances to smart thermometers and electronic inventory management systems that can boost efficiency and elevate the overall customer experience. You’ll also discover practical, simple, and effective methods for ensuring that human interaction remains at the heart of the dining experience so you can continue providing memorable meals that appeal to every guest.

Brian Kuhns

Senior Associate & Senior Project Architect
Noelker and Hull Associates, Inc.
Chambersburg, PA, US
  • 128-H. Brighten Up Your Community: Reimagining Outdated Spaces

    • Tuesday, October 27, 2026

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    128-H. Brighten Up Your Community: Reimagining Outdated Spaces

    Does your senior living community have dark interiors, underutilized spaces, and outdated dining areas? It may be time to reimagine your community to make it more appealing to consumers seeking modern design, diverse dining options, and vibrant spaces that foster social engagement. This session will show you how to keep pace with new developments by evaluating your campus space, identifying underused areas, and repurposing them to align with emerging trends and resident expectations. Presenters will share tips for taking a phased renovation approach that lets you exercise your imagination, maximize existing assets, and avoid significant debt. They’ll also offer tools to engage residents in the design process and turn them into project champions.

Joseph La Rue

CEO/President
Sun Health Communites
Surprise, AZ, US
  • 33-G. Engaging, Strengthening, and Compensating Board Members

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    33-G. Engaging, Strengthening, and Compensating Board Members

    Creating a high-performing nonprofit board of directors entails more than simply selecting individuals to serve. Organizations must also strive to enhance the impact of board members once they are recruited. This session will examine the holistic Board Lifecycle Program implemented by Sun Health Communities in Surprise, AZ. Presenters will describe program features, including strategic recruitment aligned with effective board engagement, an onboarding process designed to help new board members contribute and thrive, and a board rotation policy that encourages fresh perspectives while maintaining institutional knowledge. The Board Lifecycle Program also features board compensation to boost recruitment, raise expectations, and enhance engagement. Get ready to access practical tools that will help you develop a high-impact board.