Welcome and Keynote Speaker, Kevin Briggs

As President and CEO of the National Council on Aging, Ramsey Alwin is leading a nationwide movement to ensure equitable aging for every American. 

Building on NCOA’s 75 years of service and advocacy for older adults, Alwin is renewing the organization’s commitment to improving the lives of millions, especially those who are struggling. She is sparking critical conversations about the resources every American deserves to age well—and what needs to change to ensure all have access.

A seasoned thought leader and policy advocate, Alwin has changed the way people think about older adult poverty and economic security. She designed a new measure of economic security for older adults that better accounts for out-of-pocket health costs and worked to introduce the Measuring American Poverty Act in Congress to redefine the federal poverty measure for the older population. Thanks to Alwin’s efforts, the U.S. Census Bureau formally implemented the Supplemental Poverty Measure nationwide, virtually doubling the elder poverty count and better demonstrating true needs among this population. 

Prior to leading NCOA, Alwin directed financial resilience global thought leadership at AARP and served as Director of National Economic Security Programs at Wider Opportunities for Women. Currently, she serves on the Executive Committee of the UN NGO Committee on Aging, the America250 Health and Wellness Advisory Council, and the National Academy of Social Insurance Finance Committee.

As an internationally recognized, FBI-trained crisis negotiator and mental health advocate, Kevin Briggs has shared his compelling story and personal experience on some of the world’s most respected platforms. His work has been featured in a TED Talk at the 2014 Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) Conference, as well as on NBC’s Access Live, Yahoo News, The New Yorker, Men’s Health, NPR’s Bob Edwards Radio Show, People Magazine, USA Today, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and numerous other outlets worldwide. His first book, Guardian of the Golden Gate, was released in July 2015. A retired California Highway Patrol sergeant, Briggs spent many years patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, where he encountered individuals in profound emotional distress who were contemplating suicide. Through compassion, patience, and his philosophy of “Listen to Understand,” he helped guide several hundred people away from taking their lives and toward the possibility of a new beginning. These extraordinary efforts earned him the enduring nickname, “Guardian of the Golden Gate.” Briggs served three years in the United States Army, three years with the California Department of Corrections, and 23 years with the California Highway Patrol. Since retiring from the CHP, he has dedicated his life to promoting mental health awareness, resilience, and hope worldwide. His personal journey includes surviving child abuse, battling cancer at age 20, undergoing heart surgery, and coping as a suicide loss survivor. He openly shares how faith, resilience, and post-traumatic growth have played a vital role in navigating life’s most difficult challenges