The Future of Aging in Colorado Conference

Highlights from the 2022 conference

2022 conference speakers

Adam Morgan, Denver Commission on Aging (conference emcee)

Adam is completing his final term on the Denver Commission on Aging. Issues of older adults and aging topics are key subjects on his weekly public affairs series on KOSI, KYGO, KKFN and KEPN radio stations. He developed and anchored the television series, “The Active Generation:” Television for Boomers Changing Aging to Ageless for three years on Rocky Mountain PBS and produced the documentary specials, “Inside: Age Friendly Colorado” and recently “Inside: Age Friendly Colorado 2.0.” A former producer/director for Starz networks BET Movies and Westerns Channel, he was also a personality on the legendary KIMN radio. His sons are Kenneth, a linguist in Spanish, and Christopher, co-host of Denver Nuggets Basketball on Altitude Television. Adam is a grad of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a Masters from Colorado State University. A practitioner of being active he recently completed his 15th production with the Windsor Gardens Drama group which he began as an older adult and manages to do smooth jazz on KUVO radio.

Roberto Rey, AARP Colorado State Office

Roberto Rey is the Associate State Director for Multicultural Outreach at the AARP Colorado State office. He is the staff lead for the AARP Colorado State Office Livable Communities outreach. Prior to joining AARP in 1997, Roberto worked 12 years as a community organizer in Chicago with community, disability rights, and leadership development groups—focusing primarily on Direct Action Organizing, grant writing and organizational development.

Jana Lynott, AARP Public Policy Institute

Jana Lynott is project director of the AARP Livability Index. Along with Dr. Rodney Harrell, she developed the initial concept for the tool. She is a key contributor to all facets of the project, including its concept, design, methodology, content, and outreach. Read more about Jana.

Aisha Young, African Americans in Gerontology

Aisha Young is a native of Colorado Springs, Colorado. In 2002, she graduated from Bethune-Cookman University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Gerontology. As an undergrad, she focused on elderly drivers in the state of Florida. In 2008, she obtained her Master’s of Arts degree in Aging Studies from the University of South Florida. While in graduate school she studied Relocation Stress Syndrome. In early 2009, she developed African Americans In Gerontology to network with other gerontologists and to guide students studying gerontology. Currently, she is studying Pastoral Theology at Xavier University of Louisiana. Post-graduation, she will begin her hospital chaplaincy.

Coral Cosway, Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado

Coral Cosway is the Senior Director of Public Policy & Advocacy at the Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado. She has 20 years of experience in the policy field and has spent most of that time working on healthcare issues. She has served as legislative staff for two members of Congress, lobbied for healthcare providers and consumers, and worked on various issues across the physical and behavior healthcare systems. She is in her 6th year serving and representing Coloradans living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

Andrea Kuwik, Bell Policy Center

Andrea Kuwik currently works as a senior policy analyst with the Bell Policy Center, a research, policy, and advocacy organization committed to ensuring economic mobility for every Coloradan. Prior to joining the Bell, Andrea worked on a broad range of policy and advocacy issues in Colorado, Missouri, and Ohio. Andrea began her career in the direct social services field and has worked with individuals experiencing chronic health conditions and homelessness, as well as communities impacted by natural disasters.

Janine Vanderburg, Changing the Narrative

Janine Vanderburg is the director of Changing the Narrative, the nation’s leading effort to change the way people think, talk and act about aging and ageism through evidence-based strategies, strategic communications and innovative public campaigns. She founded its Age-friendly Workplace Initiative, which won a Metro Vision Award from Denver Regional Council of Governments, to call attention to the business case for older workers and intergenerational teams. Janine chairs the Encore Network, a global coalition of leaders who champion the civic, social, and economic contributions of people 50+, and is a 2020-21 Encore Public Voices Fellow. She serves on the board of the Center for Workforce Inclusion Labs, which advances bold and innovative solutions to labor force challenges. Currently a resident of Colorado’s North Fork Valley, she is a former member of the Denver Commission on Aging. She won the Mayor’s Diversity and Inclusion Award for her advocacy of older adults, and Colorado Center on Aging’s 2022 Public Service award.

Dr. Peg Nugent, Christian/Interspiritual Church

Dr. Peg Nugent is an ordained priest in a Christian/Interspiritual Church and has been a professional chaplain for 20 years, most often working with older adults and in hospice care. Along with ministry in various skilled nursing facilities, she was also chaplain to a network of independent/assisted living facilities. She has also worked in hospice, as a Medicare expert for the State Health Insurance Program and an Area Agency on Aging in Wisconsin, and as chaplain for Rocky Mountain PACE. She is a member of the Colorado Commission on Aging.

Claudia Menéndez, City of Fort Collins

Claudia Menéndez is serving as Fort Collins’ inaugural chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer (DEI Officer). Before her current role, she worked as a Spanish literacy teacher and cultural mediator for Poudre School District. She holds a Master of Education in Equity & Cultural Diversity from the University of Colorado and completed her undergraduate degree in Latin American Studies at the University of Calgary.

Erin Fisher, Colorado Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Vintage

Erin Fisher is the Chair of the Colorado Association of Area Agencies on Aging (c4a) and the Director of Vintage, the Area Agency on Aging that serves Grand, Jackson, Summit, Pitkin, and Eagle counties. Erin has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Berry College and a master’s degree in gerontology from Georgia State University. She enjoys xc skiing, fly fishing, hiking 14ers, traveling, and watching SEC college football when she’s not working with older adults and their families.

Andrew Davies, Colorado Center for Aging

Andrew Davies is the Executive Director of the Colorado Center for Aging (previously Colorado Senior Lobby) and has enjoyed a career in nonprofit direction, including the SeniorCorps program of Larimer County through Volunteers of America, and also vocational ministry.  He holds Masters degrees in Ethics from Loyola University Chicago and Divinity from Princeton Seminary.  He’s excited to continue to “raise the voice of older Coloradans” in both legislative and other forums, to the benefit of all.

Jane Barnes, Colorado Commission on Aging

Jane Barnes is the Chair of the Colorado Commission on Aging. Jane has more than 20 years of experience in the health care field. throughout her career, Jane has facilitated and trained numerous community groups, leading to unique programs designed to meet community needs. Jane is the Executive Director of Benefits in Action. This organization located in Lakewood, Colorado that serves individuals throughout the state.

Eileen Doherty, Colorado Gerontological Society

Eileen Doherty is the Executive Director of the Colorado Gerontological Society (The Society) since 1982. As the first and only Director, she has develop a responsive organization to the needs of professionals, elders, and consumers. She views her role as needing to have strong working relationships in the community, as well as knowledgeable and expert board members, staff and volunteers who can meet the need of Colorado elders and their families. The Colorado Gerontological Society’s Mission is: To provide information, education and training, research, and public policy for professionals who work in the field of aging, as well as to provide services for older adults and families.

Rep. Mary Bradfield, Colorado State Legislature

Representative Mary Bradfield arrived in Fountain, Colorado when her husband Dennis was assigned to Ft. Carson. Like many military families, they made Colorado home. Married 41 years, they raised a son who in turn has raised a grandson and granddaughter.
In addition to being a mother, Mary was also a schoolteacher. She taught language arts to middle schoolers. Mary became a team leader and a department head. She served on the curriculum committee, staff development and the State Standards and Assessment Committees.

Mary is also an active Republican. Working at the grassroots level which included several leadership positions. This led to her becoming a candidate for the General Assembly. She was elected as State Representative for House District 21 in 2020. 

Representative Mary Young, Colorado State Legislature 

Representative Mary Young represents House District-50, Greeley, Evans, and Garden City. She sits on the Public & Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee and is the Vice-Chair of the Education Committee. As a school psychologist and special educator who has worked in public schools, primarily working with students with behavioral health issues, developmental disabilities, and other learning disabilities, Representative Young’s professional experiences have deeply shaped her focus on policy and her approach to legislation. Representative Young is passionate about increasing access to behavioral and physical health care for all Coloradans and fighting for well-funded quality education with well-paid educators. Additionally, she is committed to supporting working families, small businesses, and older Coloradans.

Dr. Christian M. Itin, MSW, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Dr. Christian M. Itin, MSW, has served on SAPGA since its inception in 2015.  He has chaired SAPGA and served on the executive committee for four years. Since its inception, he also served as the chair of the workforce subcommittee and has been an active member of that committee.  He is a professor of social work at MSU Denver, where he has served as the chair of the department.  His focus at MSU Denver is developing social work practitioners and experiential practice.

Chad Federwitz, Pitkin County Senior Services

Chad Federwitz is a social gerontologist, dementia care advocate, and currently the Manager of Senior Services for Pitkin County in Aspen Colorado, and serves as the vice-chair and member-at-large for the Colorado Commission on Aging. He holds master degrees in Gerontology from the University of Northern Colorado, a masters in Religious Studies from Naropa University, and is currently PhD candidate of Gerontology at Concordia University Chicago. Before joining Pitkin County, Chad worked many years of direct care service for older adults with Alzheimer’s and Dementia in a number of different capacities. Chad currently serves as adjunct faculty at Colorado Mesa University/ Western Colorado Community College in the Gerontology program.

Edward Leary, M.D., Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging

Dr. Leary is currently serving as Chairman of Colorado Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging. In addition, Dr. Leary is a member of the Advisory Board of Metropolitan State University MHA Program, Executive Advisory Board of University of Denver Osher Life Long Learning Institute and is a Mountain Host at Winter Park Ski Resort. Previously, Dr Leary was Medical Director of Pinnacol Insurance Company, President of Humana Medicare Insurance Mountain West, President of Humana Medicare Insurance Central Region, and Medical Director Humana Health Insurance Midwest. Prior to his career as an executive in the health insurance industry, Dr. Leary practiced surgery for twenty years in Illinois. In addition, Dr. Leary was a consultant with Arthur Andersen Company.

Megan Burke, The SCAN Foundation

Megan Burke is a Program Officer for Policy and Advocacy at The SCAN Foundation. In this role, she executes the Foundation’s policy strategies and grantmaking to advance state and federal solutions that improve the lives of older adults, people with complex care needs, and their family caregivers. She was instrumental in developing the Master Plan for Aging (Master Plan) concept through research, provided technical assistance to states interested in a Master Plan, and now leads the Foundation’s Master Plan efforts in California. Megan has extensive experience in policy analysis, communications, and coalition building, as well as direct service in aging, family caregiving, health, and long-term services and supports.

Erin Westphal, The SCAN Foundation

Erin Westphal serves as a Program Officer at The SCAN Foundation. Erin’s work focuses on building the business case for person-centered care models and integrating the care and financing for medical and social services. Before joining the Foundation, Erin was the special project coordinator for the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging. Where she developed community-based programs for seniors and caregivers. Prior, Erin served as director of research for the Beverly Foundation and project coordinator for the Orange County Elder Abuse Forensic Center.

Erin holds a Master of Science in Gerontology degree from the University of Southern California Davis School of Gerontology and a Bachelor degree in psychology from San Diego State University. Erin enjoys creating her own stationary through letterpress, writing letters to pen pals around the world, reading and spending time outdoors with her family.

Yolanda Webb, State of Colorado – Colorado Department of Human Services

Yolanda Webb is the director of the Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services located in the Colorado Department of Human Services. Yolanda takes the lead in providing policy, performance management, fiscal and administrative tools, and instruction to 64 county social services departments, five state veterans’ homes, three Regional Centers and the entire Adult and Aging Services Division and Colorado Commission on Aging. Joining CDHS in 2019, she has more than 28 years of experience working with adults with disabilities, the adult and aging population, and services to veterans and their caregivers. Yolanda earned a masters degree in humanities from Xavier University in Cincinnati and a leadership certificate from the state of Ohio. She has served on state developmental disabilities and planning councils and sits on numerous advisory boards.

Kara Harvey, State of Colorado – Office of Adult, Aging and Disability Services

Kara Harvey is the Director of the Division of Aging and Adult Services at the Colorado Department of Human Services. She oversees the State Unit on Aging and Adult Protective Services units, and the Colorado Commission on Aging.  She has been serving in this role since the beginning of 2020. Prior to coming to the State, she worked in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities for over 25 years within various provider agencies. Kara has bachelor and master degrees in gerontology as well as an MBA with a healthcare administration emphasis. She lives in Greeley where she enjoys watching her teenage daughter and son compete in various high school sports and cooking, traveling, and golfing with her family and friends.

Nancy Gedeon, State of Colorado – Colorado State Demography Office

Nancy Gedeon joined the State Demography Office in April 2020 as a demographer focusing on population estimates for Colorado’s counties and municipalities. She has a background in urban planning and experience with local government and community development from her 14 years as a demographic analyst for Douglas County, Colorado. Nancy has a bachelor’s degree from Cornell University, a master’s degree in urban planning and development from Cleveland State University, and is certified with the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).

Jarrett Hughes, State of Colorado – Office of Governor Jared Polis

Jarett Hughes joined the Governor’s Office as the Senior Policy Advisor on Aging in November of 2020. Prior to that, Jarett worked as the Project Administrator for Colorado’s Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging.

In his role with the Governor’s Office he supports the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan on Aging and leads the Lifelong Colorado initiative. Jarett is also passionate about teaching and inspiring a new generation of young adults to work intergenerationally with, and on behalf of, older Coloradans.

Jeanne Nofles, Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging

Jeanne Nofles is a retired federal manager at the Denver Regional Office of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Jeanne has over 20 years demonstrated managerial and organizational skills. She is a former Presidential Management Intern for the Federal government. She is also a volunteer legislative advocate for AARP and served two years as Chair of the legislative Advocates. She is a member of the Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging.

Jodi Waterhouse, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus – Multidisciplinary Center on Aging

Jodi Waterhouse, MHA, joined the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in 2019 as the Director, Outreach Programs for CU Anschutz Multidisciplinary Center on Aging (MCoA). The MCoA operates under both the Vice-Chancellor of Health Sciences Office and the Division of Geriatric Medicine in the Department of Medicine. Jodi collaborates across campus with the five Anschutz Medical Campus health sciences schools/college including: Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Public Health, and Nursing. In 2021, she led efforts to submit and pass legislation, specifically Senate Bill 158, as well as, helping to lead the efforts for AMC to become the first designated Age-Friendly University in the CU System. She currently serves on the Colorado Center for Aging Board and works extensively with elected officials, community organizations and non-profit advocacy groups to help establish new programs, policies and bills in government that advocate for Older Coloradans. She collaborates with faculty and clinicians to enhance and expand existing educational, research and clinical programs within the Multidisciplinary Center on Aging and manages and creates partnerships in the community and governmental agencies, positioning AMC faculty for educational and research opportunities across both Colorado and nationally.