2024 Programs of Excellence Series - Social and Support Services

Dianne Stone has more than 20 years of experience with senior centers and aging issues, primarily as the Director of the Newington Senior and Disabled Center in Newington, Connecticut. Stone has also worked, volunteered, and held leadership positions with a variety of organizations in Connecticut, including Connecticut AgeWell Collaborative, the ADA Coalition of Connecticut, Connecticut Medicaid Oversight Council, and the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity. She joined NCOA in January 2022, as a member of the Center for Healthy Aging, where she is primarily focused on supporting senior centers throughout the country through the ACL-funded Modernizing Senior Centers Resource Center and NISC. 

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Jen Teague is the Director for Health Coverage and Benefits at NCOA. She has over 15 years of experience working on behalf of older adults and their families. Jen’s previous roles have included working with the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services, overseeing adult protective services and managing local non-profit organizations.  She has significant experience working with community-based organization (CBO) committees, taskforces, and providing education, information and resources to older adults, key stakeholders, and elected officials. Jen states her passion is ensuring that older adults can access services and supports that allow them to age with dignity and choice. Jen has a Masters degree in Community Counseling and a Bachelors degree in Sociology both from Appalachian State University.

Cristy Russell is the Senior Advocacy Manager for Forsyth County Senior Services. She holds dual master’s in social work and psychology degrees and is a retired service member. She specializes in services to needy elders and oversees the department's Senior Support Division. Cristy is passionate about older adults and believes caring for others who once cared for us is an honor and a privilege. Her hobbies include playing golf, kayaking, and reading.

Aging services professional with a social services background and passionate about making life better for older adults. Oversees communications and program planning for two senior center locations. Part of the tech team that created the award-winning online programming for older adults in Forsyth County, GA.

Julie was born and raised in Logansport, Indiana. After high school, she enlisted and was a German linguist for the US Army. During that time, she met and married her husband, Jeff, a fellow soldier. They have been married for 37 years and have two boys, each with their own family.

Julie graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies, which prompted her to start her own copywriting business, I-Write Communications.

Julie's passion for nonprofits began in the early 1980s when she volunteered at the local YMCA. Her passion continued to grow, as did her volunteer efforts. Many years later, she created the YWCA of Muncie's Clothing Closet Boutique, a place for residents of the YWCA to shop for needed items. She has been on the Muncie Action Plan Task Force 2 board and volunteered with programs at Second Harvest, Motivate our Minds, Whitely Community, and others. She volunteered for LifeStream Services, writing newsletters, press releases, social media posts, and other communications. She also edited LifeStream's book tailored for those with dementia and their caregivers.

She is the current president of the board for Ludingwood Neighborhood and the Executive Director of the Muncie Delaware County Senior Citizens Center.

With over twenty-five years of experience in nonprofit leadership Diane has served as the Executive Director at the McMinn Senior Activity Center for the last 2 and half years after having previously served as Development Director at the Center for two years. Originally from Syracuse, NY Diane grew up in Southeast Tennessee with a few years working on her master's degree in public history in middle Tennessee at Middle Tennessee State University after graduating from Tennessee Wesleyan University. Diane served as Special Projects Coordinator for the Tennessee Overhill Association, Executive Director for the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum, before joining the staff at the McMinn Senior Activity Center.

Diane currently serves on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Ocoee Region

and is an active member of the Athens Kiwanis Club and the McMinn County Health Council. She has also served on the board of directors for Tennessee Wesleyan University, Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association and the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce.

Diane has been married to her husband Jonathan for 22 years, although they have known each other for 45 years, having met in kindergarten. She is the proud mom of Jack who is a junior in high school and will earn his Eagle Scout in about 6 months. She is also going to take up golf after he finishes Boy Scouts because after over a decade of serving as a troop leader, she has to find something else to do with all the free time and extra money. Diane also calls herself "mom" to Vader, her "second child" who happens to be a beagle and is the World's Most Photogenic Dog.

During her free time, Diane can be found in her art studio painting, curled up with a good book­ usually a political biography or something about World War 11 or the Cold War- or hanging out on the couch with her family watching Jeopardy, horror movies, or true crime documentaries.

She is also a rabid Chicago Cubs fan with a strict "anybody but the Yankees" policy.