November 2020 - Reaching Communities of Color with Remote Programs

S. Orlene Grant, RN, MSN, is the President, Founder and CEO of the Juanita C. Grant Foundation whose mission is “to improve the lives of older adults through economic development, education, and training.” Ms. Grant is a innovative leader in the aging field as is known for building partnerships with government entities, higher education, local and national non-profit organizations in delivering national programs and services at the local level. Ms. Grant works collaboratively in the community to develop inclusive outreach programs to address high levels of elder poverty, lack of social connectedness, and financial hardships as a result of elder abuse and fraud. She is an advocate for equity in aging and elder justice. Ms. Grant leads training programs with Federal, state and local law enforcement on preventing elder abuse and fraud.  Ms. Grant is a frequent speaker and panelist at professional conferences such as the NCOA Age + Action Conference the Prince George’s County League of Women Voters. She has been  a frequent  guest on WHUR shows the Daily Drum and Taking It To the Street as well as WUSA9 Morning Show speaking on the topics of the value an intergenerational work culture, and financial scams targeting older adults. 

Ms. Grant serves on regional and national boards including elected to the National Alliance of Non-profit Insurance and elected Vice Chair of the Virginia Fairfax County’s Long Term Care Coordinating Counsel. Ms. Grant was also appointed Chair of the LTCCC Equity in Aging and Disabilities Committee.

In continuing her development as a non-profit leader, Ms. Grant has completed the American Society on Aging 2021 Leadership Class Certificate training, the 2022 Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy Center for Public and Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate program and 2023 SAGE Platinum level training certification.

 Ms. Grant received her Nursing undergraduate degree and Master’s in Community Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing from Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Valerie V. Quintana, MA, PTP is the Director of Community & Clinical Linkages at Community Health, with Presbyterian Healthcare Services (PHS).  Her skills are proficient in the psychology of human interaction and human communication. They have been instrumental in the implementation of Change Theory within healthcare systems by strengthening and developing relationships, facilitating collaborations, ensuring clear communication, and building consensus. Valerie orchestrates linkages between Presbyterian, FQHCs, Community Health Workers, Peer Support Specialists, and community wellness programs to create a shared operations model that improves access to healthcare, behavioral healthcare, nutritious food and safer physical activity opportunities for Hispanic, Latin, and Native American residents of New Mexico. She is leading a team that is building out the Community Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist models, as Presbyterian strengthens how it addresses health related social needs and behavioral health in our communities. Valerie enjoys building collaborative relationship within healthcare systems, including providers and medical staff.  Through those relationships, and by building a shared understanding, she crafts human habits and behaviors that lead to highly desired, yet unconventional means of connecting patients to resources that can enhance medical treatments for those with chronic disease, on a statewide level. She has built her career helping organizations change their systems, thinking and operations in order to best suit the people and communities they serve.

Valerie was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and has a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree of Arts in Communication Studies from New Mexico State University. She has fifteen years of experience in the field of behavioral health, and created her own business providing on-site wholistic care for social workers. Valerie is an award-winning Rosary Artist who is also Internationally Certified as a Polarity Therapy Professional. She also holds certifications in Herbalism, Essential Oils, Touch Therapy, Health Facilitation, and Cranial Sacral Therapy.  

Kathleen Cameron, BSPharm, MPH, has more than 25 years of experience in the health care field as a pharmacist, researcher, and program director focusing on falls prevention, geriatric pharmacotherapy, mental health, long-term services and supports, and caregiving. Cameron is Senior Director of the NCOA Center for Healthy Aging, where she provides subject matter expertise on health care programmatic and policy related issues and oversees the Modernizing Senior Center Resource Center.