As President and CEO of the National Council on Aging, Ramsey Alwin is leading a nationwide movement to ensure equitable aging for every American. 

Building on NCOA’s 70 years of service and advocacy for older adults, Alwin is renewing the organization’s commitment to improving the lives of millions, especially those who are struggling. She is sparking critical conversations about the resources every American deserves to age well—and what needs to change to ensure all have access.

A seasoned thought leader and policy advocate, Alwin has changed the way people think about older adult poverty and economic security. She designed a new measure of economic security for older adults that better accounts for out-of-pocket health costs and worked to introduce the Measuring American Poverty Act in Congress to redefine the federal poverty measure for the older population. Thanks to Alwin’s efforts, the U.S. Census Bureau formally implemented the Supplemental Poverty Measure nationwide, virtually doubling the elder poverty count and better demonstrating true needs among this population. 

Prior to leading NCOA, Alwin directed financial resilience global thought leadership at AARP and served as Director of National Economic Security Programs at Wider Opportunities for Women. Currently, she serves on the Executive Committee of the UN NGO Committee on Aging, the America250 Health and Wellness Advisory Council, and the National Academy of Social Insurance Finance Committee.

Maryann Mason holds a doctorate in Sociology from Loyola University of Chicago. Dr. Mason is currently an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine where she serves as Injury and Violence Research Director of the Buehler Center for Health Policy and Economics located in the Institute for Public Health and Medicine in the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. Her work concentrates on injury control and violence prevention with significant experience in surveillance system management, population-based research in the areas of violent death, opioid overdose and community-engagement and qualitative methods. Dr. Mason became Principal Investigator of the Illinois Violent Death Reporting System in 2014 when Illinois joined the National Violent Death Reporting System. In 2019, she established the Illinois Statewide Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System.

Kristi Horner is the Founder and Executive Director for Courage to Caregivers. She is a certified, through Ohio's Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Family Peer Support Specialist and NAMI Ohio Trainer for this program. She is also credentialed as a Prevention Specialist and Question Persuade Refer (QPR) Instructor.

In 2014, she lost her brother to suicide. She had been one of her brother’s mental illness long-distance caregivers for four years. He lived with depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder. As someone who supported someone she loved very much, living with mental illness, she knew there had to be a better way to support mental illness caregivers and the idea for Courage to Caregivers was born!

As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, Kari Benson leads the Administration on Aging in advocating on behalf of older Americans. In this capacity, she guides and promotes the development of home and community-based services and healthy aging programs, policies, and services designed to afford older people and their caregivers the ability to age with dignity and independence and to have a broad array of options available for an enhanced quality of life.

Kari's entire career has been in the aging network. Prior to rejoining ACL, Kari served as the director of the Aging and Adult Services Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services and as the executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging.

Kari holds a bachelor's degree in human ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's degree in public policy from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota.

Jennifer Solomon, M.A. serves as a Public Health Analyst for the Health Resources Services Administration/ Bureau of Health Workforce in the Division of Medicine and Dentistry. Ms. Solomon oversees the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP). She has a grant portfolio comprised of several GWEP programs from across the country. Ms. Solomon is a Contract Officer Representative (COR) III overseeing contracts. Ms. Solomon completed the Bureau of Health Workforce’s Aspiring Leaders Program.

Ms. Solomon spent 28 years working for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA)/ Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. As the program lead for developing substance prevention programs for older adults, Ms. Solomon oversaw the development of the Get Connected Toolkit and was the Federal Champion for SAMHSA’s Treatment Improvement Protocol #26 Treating Addiction in Older Adults. Jennifer also served as the COR III on the State Technical Contact, the Prevention Fellows Contract, and the State Liaison Contract. Jennifer was the Participation Protection Officer. She has been a Project Officer for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program and the Drug-Free Communities Program. Ms. Solomon completed the Partnership for Public Service Fellowship Program.

Dane is a Master of Counselling Psychology student at Trinity Western University. He is completing his own research to better highlight new fathers’ meaning making process of received spousal support. Dane currently works as a graduate research assistant for Retirement Lab, based out of the University of British Columbia, focused on the experiences of highly work-identified people and their successful transition to retirement.

Nicole is a Graduate Researcher and Registered Clinical Counsellor based in Vancouver, Canada. She holds a Masters in Counselling Psychology from the University of British Columbia. Through her research and clinical work, Nicole explores how individuals navigate major transitions and find meaning in new life stages. She currently works as a research assistant on the SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) funded study, When You Stop You are Nothing: Older Men and the Transition to Retirement.  

Jenessa is currently completing her master’s degree in counselling psychology at Trinity Western University. Jenessa’s research interests include transitions and transformations, particularly exploring the factors that help and hinder the transition to retirement, as well as exploring the transformative emotion of awe, specifically in therapeutic contexts.

Dr. Angela Hauger is a clinical psychologist with a specialty in aging earned at Washington University, St. Louis, MO. She is a Professor Emeritus of the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth, MN where she recently retired as long-time Director of the Gerontology Program and Professor of Psychology. She has been a licensed psychologist in Minnesota since 1991 and has a private practice in Duluth.   

Katrina Kyle is the Health and Wellness Statewide Coordinator for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. She manages Title IIID with PA’s 52 Area Agencies on Aging and PDA’s endorsement of Healthy IDEAS, Healthy Steps for Older Adults, Healthy Steps in Motion and SMRC’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Suite. She has a bachelor’s degree in social work with a minor in psychology from Shippensburg University. She has over 30 years of experience promoting access to access to health and access to behavioral health for those in greatest of need. While at PA’s Department of Health she was the lead of the Community Health Challenge Grant Program to fund doctors and dentists in health professional shortage areas or to establish new Community Health Centers in medically underserved areas. She was the lead Pennsylvania’s state health assessment and state health improvement plan. As a county Drug and Alcohol Director she implemented collaborations with the local mental health systems and criminal justice to established ‘no wrong door’ policies for mental health and drug and alcohol treatment as well as treatment alternatives to incarceration. She enjoys walks with her dog or cuddling with one or more of her four cats.

Melissa Donegan is the Director of the Healthy Living Center of Excellence (HLCE) at AgeSpan. Melissa assists in the overall management and dissemination of healthy living evidence-based programs in clinical and community settings across the state of Massachusetts. Melissa is the National Director of the Healthy IDEAS Program, an Evidence-based Program that works 1:1 with older adults to identify and reduce the symptoms of depression. Melissa is a National ReFraming Aging Facilitator and a subject matter expert on ageism. Melissa leads initiatives to promote overall wellness in aging which include health equity, social isolation and loneliness, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and anti-ageism efforts. Melissa began her career at AgeSpan in 2004, healthy living is a passion for Melissa both personally and professionally.

EDUCATION
M.Ed. Special Education: Moderate and Severe Handicaps, University of Illinois-Champaign.
(Dean’s List, Special Education Department Award)

B.A. Psychology/Sociology, Hope College-Holland, Michigan. (Presidential Scholarship, Dean’s List, Mortar Board, Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi)

CERTIFICATIONS
Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota Teaching Certificates in Moderate to Severe Mental Handicaps, K-12.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Director of Human Potential, ND Center for Persons with Disabilities – Conducting professional development training for staff to ensure implementation of best-practice initiatives. Providing information, resources, and referrals to individuals with disabilities, family members, and professionals from across the state. (September 2021 to Present)

Project Director, Trauma Informed Approaches for Adults with Disabilities (TRIAD) - Overseeing project activities for providing person-centered trauma informed care to older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family caregivers, and professionals. (May 2024 to Present)

Research Associate, ND Center for Persons with Disabilities –Assessing individuals with disabilities, developing and modifying curriculum, implementing training, collecting and analyzing data for evaluation. (September 2011 to Present)

Preservice Training Facilitator, ND Center for Persons with Disabilities – Facilitating NDCPD’s preservice activities Teaching an interdisciplinary Disability Studies course for Minot State students. Mentoring undergraduate students in internship programs. Facilitating training activities for interdisciplinary scholars based on a LEND model. (May 1998 to Present)

Instructor, Department of Special Education, Minot State University - Teaching undergraduate and graduate coursework for prospective special education teachers. Coordinating practicum and independent study opportunities for preservice students in the special education and human service programs. (August 1996 to Present)

Project Coordinator, Advancing Students Toward Education and Employment Project (ASTEP) – Served as an advisor and the employment coordinator for students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in Minot State University’s TPSID program. Developed and implemented person-centered plans to support college success. Used a customized employment model to support students’ employment. Provided statewide training for families and professionals on postsecondary education opportunities for young adults with intellectual disabilities. (December 2010 to December 2023)

LEND Training Director, Utah Regional LEND Consortium – Recruited trainees. Coordinated implementation of training activities for North Dakota trainees. Served on consortium committees. Facilitated research/leadership projects as a faculty mentor. Directed family mentorship projects and parent-directed consultations for trainees. (August 2005 to August 2019)

Teacher, Special Education Classrooms in Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota - Taught in classrooms for transition-age students with I/DD. Implemented functional, age-appropriate individualized education in regular education and community settings. Promoted self-determination and effective transition to adulthood. (August 1991 to August 1996)

Detail-oriented project manager, trainer, and public speaker with over 15 years of experience in nonprofit program management. 

EDUCATION 

B.A. Clark University, Psychology, graduated 1976 

M.A. University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Clinical Psychology, graduated 1986 

Ph.D. University of Maryland at Baltimore County, Applied Developmental Psychology, 

Trained in Clinical Psychology, Applied Developmental Psychology and Applied Behavioral Analysis, graduated 1996  

LICENSE/CERTIFICATION 

Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist – License # 3537 

EMDR – Trauma Therapy–Advanced Certification 

EDUCATION
B.A. Communication Disorders Brigham Young University

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Abilities Specialist, ND Center for Persons with Disabilities – Co-teaching SPED 234 a class that looks at the lifespan (from birth to death) of people with disabilities. Teaching the importance of person-centered planning and the importance of presuming that all students can learn, live on their own and lead independent lives. Sharing lived experience as a person with a disability.

Certified Navigator, ND Center for Persons with Disabilities - Meet with individuals to provide information about available health insurance plans offered by the marketplace.

Independent living specialist for independence Inc - Developed instructional materials and classes for individuals with disabilities to enhance their independence. Networked across the state to ensure that individuals with disabilities received the support needed to live independently. Ensured client caseload was properly documented and charts were current.

Consumer liaison and consumer service coordinator with North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities–Networked on a national level for potential conference presenters on disability related issues. Served as NDCPD consumer liaison. Coordinated and facilitated all the meetings for the consumer Advisory Council. Coordinated research activities conducted literature reviews and statistical analysis on funded grants with NDCPD. Secured funding from the North Dakota Association of the Disabled for a conference focused on developing the leadership and communication skills of the next generation of advocates.

Committees and Professional Memberships
Peer vision for mental health board of directors