Melissa Wendland

Director of Strategic Initiatives
Common Ground Health
Rochester, NY, USA
  • 7-E. How Data Exchange Benefits Your Care and Your Business

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    7-E. How Data Exchange Benefits Your Care and Your Business

    Interoperable data exchange among health and service providers is becoming increasingly common nationwide. How can your organization maximize the business- and care-related benefits of data exchange? This session can help. Presenters will demonstrate how data exchange can support your organization’s work, whether you’re sending care plans and treatment goals to a resident’s healthcare providers, sharing diagnoses and medication management information during care transitions, or receiving alerts about a hospital discharge. They will also explore the unique considerations you should prioritize as you develop your data exchange ecosystem. You’ll learn how to influence national and state data security policies and address common challenges that might arise as you integrate new systems and practices into daily workflows.

Marsha Wesley Coleman

Senior Consultant
Praxis Consulting Group
Philadelphia, PA, United States
  • 17-B. Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts: Practical Tools to Address Bias

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    17-B. Ouch! That Stereotype Hurts: Practical Tools to Address Bias

    Addressing everyday stereotypes and biases can create a more respectful and inclusive culture in senior care organizations. This session will provide practical tools and strategies for fostering effective communication and navigating difficult conversations about bias. Presenters will help you identify subtle biases and stereotypes and respond to them constructively. Senior living leaders will share their experiences implementing bias workshops, and you’ll view a video demonstrating workshop best practices and techniques. Explore how culture change can help you challenge stereotypes and build stronger, more respectful relationships among team members and between staff and residents.

Bruce Whitaker, Jr.

Owner
The Millennium Group
New Britain, CT, USA
  • 44-C. Expanding an Affordable Housing Community to Reach the Middle Market

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    44-C. Expanding an Affordable Housing Community to Reach the Middle Market

    West Hartford Fellowship Housing is implementing a comprehensive campus expansion which will broaden its mission to meet the needs of middle-market consumers. Presenters will outline steps the Connecticut-based housing provider has taken to protect the rights of current residents and preserve existing lower rent structures while also serving a slightly different income demographic. They’ll share architectural design strategies that helped reduce the cost of new construction and a multi-source financing plan that incorporates Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and existing federal subsidies. Whether you’re a seasoned affordable housing provider or new to the field, this session will equip you to reach new middle- and lower-middle markets.

Asa Whitcomb

COO
Vermont Veterans’ Home
Bennington, VT, USA

Cynthia Wilkerson

Executive Director
LBFE Boston | Little Brothers -Friends of the Elderly
Boston, MA, USA
  • 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.

David Williams

Chief Executive
St. Monica Trust
Bristol, UK
  • 43-B. International Perspectives: Building Community-Integrated Care Settings

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    2:45 – 3:45 p.m.

    43-B. International Perspectives: Building Community-Integrated Care Settings

    Two solutions to improve services for older adults have emerged independently on opposite sides of the globe, and both will be showcased during this session. Presenters from St. Monica Trust in Bristol, United Kingdom, and Southern Cross Care in Queensland, Australia, will explain how they enhanced quality of life in aged care by listening to their communities, collaborating with trusted partners, and creating outward-facing, integrated care settings. Learn how St Monica Trust shaped The Chocolate Quarter design during 250 focus groups with residents and community stakeholders. Explore how Southern Cross Care Queensland’s Chinchilla Community Wellness Hub promotes provider interaction while reducing resident isolation. You’ll discover how to build integrated communities with older adults at their center.

Lisa Williams

Board Member
Pinnacle Living
Glen Allen, VA, USA
  • 34-H. Enhancing Your Board’s Financial Expertise

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    3:00 – 4:00 p.m.

    34-H. Enhancing Your Board’s Financial Expertise

    Good governance entails more than simply assembling a diverse group of board members with the skills and background necessary to advance your organization’s mission. It also requires organizational leaders to help board members fully grasp their fiduciary responsibilities. During this session, you’ll discover strategies for enhancing the financial acumen of board members, enabling them to develop a thorough understanding of your organization’s financial and operational health. This understanding will allow all board members to engage in strategic planning, participate in nuanced discussions about the ramifications of financial decisions, and make informed decisions. If your board is seeking ways to promote open, informed discussions that foster effective governance and accountability, this session is for you.

Mary Williams

Director of Outreach and Recruitment
United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
Washington, DC, USA
  • 37-I. Workforce Development: Join the Leadership Fellowship Program

    • Tuesday, November 04, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    37-I. Workforce Development: Join the Leadership Fellowship Program

    The Leadership Fellowship Pilot Program, a collaboration between LeadingAge and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), aims to raise awareness about careers in aging services by inviting high-potential, mid-level leaders to spend a year working in non-clinical roles at LeadingAge provider organizations. This session will explore the pilot program’s strategic approach to workforce development in aging services, explain how UNCF recruits prospective fellows for provider-specific positions, and review the program’s curriculum, which introduces fellows to the field of aging services. You’ll hear from providers and fellows about their experiences in the program and learn about the mentoring support fellows receive as they prepare to pursue promising careers in aging.

Thomas Willis

Partner & Co-Founder
Phoenix Performance Partners
Brighton, MI, USA
  • 30-D. Leading from Where You Are

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

    30-D. Leading from Where You Are

    You don’t need a fancy C-suite title to become an effective leader and contribute to organizational culture. Leadership is a choice available to everyone in an organization, regardless of their position. This practical session will show you how to unlock your potential and discover how to use three essential tools to create engaged teams: leadership that inspires purpose, management that creates accountability, and coaching that fosters growth. You’ll learn valuable lessons to help you decide which tool to use and when to apply it. Develop the mental fitness to move beyond behaviors that limit your effectiveness and embrace frameworks that elevate your leadership impact.

Charlie Wilson

CEO
Azura Hospitality
Dallas, TX, United States
  • 132-F. Meet the Adult Family Home: Prefabricated Congregate Housing

    • Monday, November 03, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    132-F. Meet the Adult Family Home: Prefabricated Congregate Housing

    As the shortage of affordable and accessible housing persists, addressing the needs of an aging population becomes increasingly urgent. This session will present an innovative solution: the Adult Family Home, a prefabricated congregate housing prototype that features five to ten bedrooms and is designed to help unrelated adults age in place, foster relationships, and receive assistance with daily activities. Presenters will discuss the model’s biophilic design principles, which enhance connections to nature, outline its financial benefits, including reduced initial startup costs, and describe its potential as a financeable option for small business operators. You’ll discover how this model cultivates vibrant, supportive communities while addressing pressing housing needs.

Matt Wilson

Founder & CEO
Next Level Senior Advisors
Oklahoma City, OK, USA
  • 59-C. How Important are Placement Agencies to Your Marketing Program?

    • Sunday, November 02, 2025

    4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

    59-C. How Important are Placement Agencies to Your Marketing Program?

    Placement agencies can help senior living communities attract new residents. They can also serve as a valuable resource to older adults seeking housing, services, and supports. How can providers evaluate an agency to ensure it shares their values and goals? This session will help you answer that question. Presenters will examine the influence of placement agencies on the senior living sector, the benefits and drawbacks of using these agencies, and strategies for establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with them. A panel representing placement agencies and providers will discuss common challenges related to agency fees, competition, market dynamics, transparency, and resident choice. Discover how to effectively collaborate with placement agencies to streamline the referral process and increase your occupancy rate.

Seth Wilson

Principal
CLA
Charlotte, NC, 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.