We all deserve to live and age with dignity and respect. Yet too often, older adults are marginalized and their lifelong contributions overlooked. I advance a more just and age-inclusive society through my leadership of the University’s Long-Term Care Administration Program and the Policy Core of the Center for Healthy Aging & Innovation. My commitment to community impact extends beyond the University through service on the Governor’s Council on an Age-Friendly Minnesota and the boards of the Minnesota Association of Geriatrics Inspired Clinicians and the Stevens Square Foundation.

Grounded in academic training in psychology, gerontology, and social work, I remain deeply committed to lifelong learning. I am honored to be a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and the Hartford Foundation, as well as a McNair Scholar and Health and Aging Policy Fellow. My work bridges disciplines and institutions, with appointments supported by the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, the Center for Healthy Aging & Innovation, the School of Public Health, and the Medical School. In recognition of this work, I was named a National Influencer in Aging by PBS in 2022 and received the Outstanding Gerontologist Award from the Minnesota Gerontological Society in 2025