Power Up Your Congregate Meal Program: Tips to Keep Those We Serve at the Table

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. 

Kathy Wilson-Gold is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 30 years of experience in business and industry-leading executive teams to deliver innovative solutions for healthcare, education, and senior nutrition. She currently serves as a Nutrition Contractor specializing in business acumen for the Office of Nutrition and Health Promotion Programs in the Administration for Community Living.

Her career highlights include 18 years at the Campbell Soup Company and employment at Abbott Laboratories and US Foodservice. A familiar face in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, she has held numerous national and state offices. She is currently Chair of the National Foundation to End Senior Hunger Board of Directors and has served locally on the board of Edmond Mobile Meals.

Stacy works with organizations across the United States to leverage the power of research and insights to fuel consumer knowledge and business growth. During her 20+ years in research, she has worked with clients across a broad range of industries to drive understanding, acceptance, and ultimately usage of research as a tool to improve the lives of consumers. Stacy has worked on multiple large-scale projects related to the customer journey of the senior population and specifically how their lives can be enhanced and improved by removing barriers to product and service usage.

Jennifer Steele is the CEO of Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY, a nonprofit that delivers essential services allowing seniors to remain healthy, happy, and independent in their homes. She has over 15 years of diverse experience in inventive and inclusive leadership positions in the nonprofit sector. Over the last few years, Jennifer has led her organization through transformative change, through a strategic merger with Cincinnati Area Senior Services. The innovative nonprofit leadership by Jennifer has provided major community impact and successfully resulted in a $4 million grant from McKenzie Scott, which will help Jennifer and her team tackle the “Crisis on Aging” in Greater Cincinnati with creative long-term solutions.

Jeff Klein has extensive experience in health care management, consulting, and strategic planning for hospitals, community-based services and aging networks.  He is currently the President/CEO of Nevada Senior Services Inc. operating adult day health care centers, caregiver support services, in home respite, home modifications and geriatric assessment clinic and wellness programs. A trusted not-for-profit organization, is Nevada Senior Services is the Aging and Disability Resource Center serving the majority of southern Nevada’s 2 million residents.  Nevada Senior Services was recognized by the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Leadership in Caregiving (2016).  As a consultant, Mr. Klein has been a founder and Principal of Altila Associates conducting and supervising extensive engagements for hospitals, medical groups and academic centers.  Specialty areas of consultation included strategic planning, feasibility analysis, financial structuring, project financing, and implementation of innovative inpatient and programs in geriatrics, rehabilitation, neurosciences, chronic disease care and disease state management.  While President and CEO of Premier Hospitals Alliance of New York, he structured cost containment, purchasing and revenue enhancement programs for a consortium of six teaching hospitals with over 5,500 beds.  He was CEO of CRCA, an international consulting and management firm.  CRCA conducted over 180 engagements.  An innovative health care executive, Mr. Klein was responsible for the development of the Center for Diagnostic and Rehabilitation Medicine at Daniel Freeman Medical Center, a 606 bed UCLA teaching affiliate.  This facility was twice recognized as the “Outstanding Rehabilitation Facility in the Nation” by the National Association of Rehabilitation Facilities.  As Corporate Vice President at Daniel Freeman Medical Center, he was responsible for clinical operating divisions, marketing, planning, diversification and business development.  

Mr. Klein holds an MBA from Temple University, Philadelphia. He is Board Certified in Healthcare Management as a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives. He has chaired the Nevada Commission on Aging Legislative Subcommittee and is an active member of the public policy committees of the American Society on Aging and is Board Vice Chair of NANASP.

Mary Jo McKay has a MBA from the University of Phoenix and a BS in Management from the University of Florida. She currently oversees Hillsborough County Aging Services’ 7 senior centers, 15 dining centers, home delivered meals program, and volunteer management team. She has worked in the field of Aging for 27 years. She is a Florida Association of Senior Centers regional representative, Florida Association of Aging Service Providers board member and co-founder and board member of the Disciples of Christ Christian Fellowship. She is the proud wife of Pastor Kenneth McKay and mother of two beautiful young ladies, Kendra and Kristen.