May 19, 2020 - Leader Engagement and Support during COVID-19

Dr. Jennifer L. Tripken is an Associate Director, Center for Healthy Aging at the National Council on Aging. In this role, Jennifer supports the expansion and sustainability of evidence-based health promotion and disease prevention programs in the community and online through collaboration with national, state, and community partners. Prior to joining NCOA, Jennifer worked for eight years as a university professor in Health Education and Promotion. Before that, Jennifer spent six years as a middle and high school Health Education teacher in New York. 

Jennifer earned her Ed.D. in Health Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, her M.Ed. in Health Education at Boston University, and her B.S. in Athletic Training at Pennsylvania State University.

Natasha Vos is the Diabetes Project Manager at the NC Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW) at UNC Asheville. In this position, Natasha is focused on increasing access to evidence-based programs through expanding the capacity of agencies in offering Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES). Through an Administration for Community Living (ACL) grant, Natasha works primarily in Eastern NC to assist Area Agencies on Aging in receiving accreditation through the American Association for Diabetes Educators (AADE) and becoming Medicare Providers for DSMES. Natasha received her Bachelor’s degrees in Animal Science and Poultry Science from North Carolina State University and her Master’s degree in Public Health from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC-Chapel Hill. She is a registered dietitian through the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Prior to joining UNC-Asheville, Natasha has served in different roles that have developed her skills in project management, community outreach, and service-learning. Natasha worked as a Student Service Specialist with the Carolina Center for Public Service at UNC-Chapel Hill and served two terms as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Campus Kitchen Program at Wake Forest University. Her passions outside of work include rock climbing, reading, fermentation and watching reruns of crime procedurals

Ellen Bailey, MA, MPH, is the Falls Prevention Program Manager for the Healthy Aging NC initiative at the NC Center for Health and Wellness at UNC Asheville. As part of the Falls Prevention grant awarded through the Administration on Community Living, Ellen works with the Healthy Aging NC team to promote evidence-based falls prevention programs across North Carolina, to support regional and state falls prevention coalitions, and to develop clinical-community connections.