Health & Wellness and Community Development Category Winners

Soheila Phelps is the Senior Services Coordinator for the City of Southlake for over 8 years. Prior to this position, ran a non-profit organization for the City, providing free transportation to seniors and disabled adults residing in Southlake.  She is an active member of Texas Recreation And Parks Society (TRAPS) and Vice Chair of Leisure and Aging Branch of TRAPS. She has been a recipient of Lone Star Recreation Programming Award from TRAPS.  She is a proud wife and mother of 2 young men.  Soheila considers serving the senior community as one of her most rewarding careers to date. 

Laura Hoberg began working for the city in 2016 following the completion of her degree in Sociology and Gerontology from Winona Sate. Laura works as a Recreation Coordinator at the Friendship Center in Winona, MN creating and supporting programs for area older adults, coordinating volunteers, promoting intergenerational engagement, supporting part-time staff, and more.

When Laura isn’t getting the job done, she enjoys growing vegetables, making her own clothes, baking, cooking, trying out hobbies, learning new skills, cross-country skiing, and walking her dog.

Mary Jo Riley started her career working in the health and fitness fields heading the wellness division at a local hospital.  In the mid 1990’s a change at the hospital changed her direction to working the Groton Senior Center starting in 1995.  Mary Jo has applied her knowledge of health and fitness in Groton, worked on expanding the size of the center to include additional classrooms, technology center, fitness center and exercise rooms.  Her most recent efforts were assessing why older adults do not utilize their local senior center and foraging ahead with a name change to address one of the primary perceptions about senior centers and to take away that barrier.  Mary Jo has been a resident of Southeastern Connecticut most of her life and someday will look forward to retirement.

Jenna has spent the past decade working with older adults and is dedicated to the continued growth of enhancing community-based services to best meet the demands of a growing population. Jenna has worked as a Social Worker and leader in the community in a variety of clinical and community based settings. With her experience practicing in both a health and community setting, Jenna’s most recent efforts included the implementation of various Community Based Programs including Complex Home Based Case Management and Housing Prevention programs for older adults.  In 2018, Jenna became the Director of Strategic Initiatives & Community Based Services, supporting the executive leadership in their strategic vision and grant development opportunities throughout ONEgeneration. Her most recent transition to President & CEO in January 2021, Jenna now leads the direction and growth opportunities that lay ahead for the organization, concentrating around supporting our most vulnerable communities. Jenna received her Bachelors in Social Work from California State University Northridge and her Masters in Social Work from California State University, Long Beach. 

Lori Oertel is the Older Adult & Volunteer Supervisor with Menomonee Falls Community Education & Recreation Department in Wisconsin. She oversees the programs, trips and events at the senior center. Lori has been with the department for 9 years and is a member of WASC (Wisconsin Association of Senior Centers), NCOA, NISC, WPRA, and NRPA. The senior center is accredited by their state organization, WASC. Lori joined the WASC Board as a District Representative in 2019 and then became the WASC President in 2021 - current.