Vaccine Access and Civic Muscle: The Role of the Aging Network

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The COVID-19 pandemic proved that the aging network plays a vital role  in educating, activating, and ensuring older adults have access to trusted information and vaccines. This is especially true when it comes to reaching communities of color, low-income, and rural populations. Now, it's time to take what we learned and encourage more older adults to get all their recommended vaccines to stay healthy as they age. Explore lessons learned and what's possible for the future to improve vaccine access for older adults.

Rosalinda Natividad

Founder and CEO

Incite Network

Rosalinda is the Founder and CEO of Incite Network, a U.S./Mexico border-based enterprise that provides strategic planning and fund development resources for national and regional-based nonprofits, cities, and counties. Incite Network prioritizes and specializes in the economic prosperity of communities of color and has a presence along the Gulf Coast, the Texas/New Mexico/Mexico border, and key partnerships within Washington D.C. Since its inception, the firm has secured hundreds of millions of dollars and produces innovative strategies for change where local decision-makers are empowered to design the future for their communities. 

Rosalinda's background includes economic development, job creation, commercialization, and healthcare/life sciences. Rosey received her Bachelor’s in Science from Texas Tech University in Human Development and  Family Studies, with a core concentration in Substance Abuse and Addiction. Rosalinda also has a background in juvenile justice, behavioral health, and public health grant writing. She earned her Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Finance and Border Health. 

Rosalinda was chosen as one of fifty women worldwide for an elite coaching fellowship, Working with other young women to create social change in different sectors. She has supported strategic planning for state and national organizations and is known for moving the dial quickly for a change. Specific to her leadership abilities, Rosalinda has been featured in international documentaries on entrepreneurs for Romania and Kuwait.  

 

Diane Slezak

Founder & CEO

AgeOptions

Diane Slezak serves as the Chief Executive Officer of designated by the Illinois Department on Aging under the U. S. Older Americans Act and State Act on Aging to serve older and disabled persons in the Cook County suburbs surrounding Chicago. AgeOptions and the community agencies that serve older and disabled persons in the region, have developed a number of significant and collaborative programs and services including evidence based health promotion, benefits outreach and access, economic security initiatives, aging and disability resource centers, congregate and home delivered nutrition, the Avisery Program and others. Diane has a Bachelor Degree from Wheaton College (Wheaton Illinois) and an MBA degree (concentration Public Administration) from Rosary College (now Dominican University). Diane joined AgeOptions in 1976. 

Dr. Debra Blog, M.D.

Medical Officer, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Alivio Medical Center, Chicago

Since January 2012, Dr. Blog has been the Director of the Division of Epidemiology. The division's mission is to use sound scientific practices and principles to protect the health of all New Yorkers. Through disease surveillance, expert technical assistance, collaborations with local health departments and health care professionals, and by sharing expertise, epidemiologic information, and knowledge the division confronts a variety of new and emerging communicable diseases found in the state. The division is composed of four bureaus and a Statistical Unit. The bureaus include Communicable Disease Control, Tuberculosis Control, Immunization, and Healthcare Associated Infections. Prior to joining the Division, Dr. Blog worked in the NYSDOH Bureau of Immunization for seven years as the Medical Director, becoming the Bureau Director in 2009. The Bureau of Immunization's mission is to reduce morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), in people of all ages, through strategies that prevent VPDs and reduce transmission.  The Bureau works to achieve a vision to eliminate vaccine preventable diseases through a diverse set of initiatives that are administered by five program areas.  The Bureau also works with a vast network of both public and private contacts to provide statewide leadership to improve vaccine delivery and increase immunization rates.   

Dr. Blog attended the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, graduated in 1988 and completed a pediatric residency at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY, then a Cornell affiliate, in 1991.  She went on to work as a general pediatrician for 10 years in Denver, Colorado and Chicago. She completed a residency in preventive medicine and an MPH in 2002. The residency is affiliated with the State University at Albany School of Public Health and the New York State Department of Health.  Her experience and education has given her a strong background and understanding of core epidemiologic concepts to apply to the field of public health and immunizations.   

Gloria Galarza

BEC Program Coordinator

Alivio Medical Center, Chicago

Gloria has served Alivio in various capacities since 2005, which has led to her most recent role in the Pilsen Satellite Senior Center. She collaborates closely with the Community Health Workers (CHW) and the Vaccination team to promote and conduct ongoing vaccination efforts in 26 cities in Illinois and two cities in Indiana, including a mobile unit which provides vaccination services to homebound patients. Gloria contributes to various outreach efforts to educate individuals and community leaders by participating in governmental meetings, coordinated social media campaigns, and many face-to-face community events that reach the community members on familiar ground. Given the urgency and sensitive nature of the messaging, Gloria has collaborated with community leaders/liaisons to relay accurate information in at least two different languages to community members. 

Tracy Colograssi

Senior Center Manager

Arlington Heights Senior Center and Association of IL Senior Centers

Tracey Colagrossi has over 20 years' experience working with older adults in community-based settings.  Ms. Colagrossi was the Program Manager then Director of the Hanover Township Department of Aging Services in Bartlett Illinois for 15 years. Ms. Colagrossi is the Senior Center Manager for the Arlington Heights Senior Center, a unique model of 8 tenant agencies serving older adults for over 2 years  Ms. Colagrossi is the Chair of the Executive Committee for the National Institute of Senior Centers with the National Council on Aging and a trained facilitator for ReFramed Aging Initiative. Tracey Colagrossi has an Associate Degree from the American Academy of Art, a Bachelor in Organizational Management and Leadership from Judson University, and a Master in Gerontology Aging Services from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.  

 

Somava Saha (Moderator)

Founder and Executive Lead

Well-being and Equity (WE) in the World & NCOA Board Member

Somava Saha, MD, MS has dedicated her career to improving health, wellbeing and equity through the development of thriving people, organizations and communities. She has worked as a primary care internist and pediatrician in the safety net and a global public health practitioner for over 20 years. While difficult, she has witnessed and demonstrated sustainable transformation in human and community flourishing around the world.

Currently, Saha serves as founder and executive lead of Well-being and Equity in the World (WE in the World), as well as Executive Lead of the Well Being In the Nation (WIN) Network, which work together to advance inter-generational well-being and equity. Over the last five years, as vice president at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Saha founded and led the 100 Million Healthier Lives (100MLives) initiative, which brought together 1850+ partners in 30+ countries reaching more than 500 million people to improve health, wellbeing and equity. She and her team at WE in the World continue to advance and scale the frameworks, tools, and outcomes from this initiative as a core implementation partner in 100MLives.

Previously, Saha served as vice president of Patient Centered Medical Home Development at Cambridge Health Alliance, where she co-led a transformation that improved health outcomes for a safety net population above the national 90th percentile, improved joy and meaning of work for the workforce, and reduced medical expense by 10%. She served as the founding medical director of the CHA Revere Family Health Center and the Whidden Hospitalist Service, leading to substantial improvements in access, experience, quality and cost for safety net patients.

In 2012, Saha was recognized as one of 10 inaugural Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Young Leaders for her contributions to improving the health of the nation. She has consulted with leaders from across the world, including Guyana, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, Tunisia, Denmark and Brazil. She has appeared on a panel with the Dalai Lama, keynoted conferences around the world, and had her work featured on Sanjay Gupta, the Katie Couric Show, PBS and CNN. In 2016 she was elected as a Leading Causes of Life Global Fellow.

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06/06/2022 at 12:00 PM (EDT)  |  Recorded On: 06/10/2022
06/06/2022 at 12:00 PM (EDT)  |  Recorded On: 06/10/2022