Spotlight Session Topic: Reality Check: Mental Health Issues Impacting Older Adults

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.