aging and purpose Archives - The Transitions Network (TTN)

Dr. Amy D’Aprix

Amy D’Aprix is an internationally respected expert on lifestyle issues relating to retirement, aging, caregiving, and family dynamics.

With a Ph.D. in Social Work, “Dr. Amy,” as she is affectionately known, provides down-to-earth, practical, and professionally informed guidance on Life Transitions to individuals, professionals, and organizations.

A compelling, pragmatic, inspirational speaker and coach, Dr. Amy has addressed thousands of Financial Advisors and their clients across North America. She has consulted for the financial industry and trained advisors for over 20 years, providing sound guidance in navigating Life Transitions to ensure the success of overall life goals and financial plans.

This passion is reflected in Trusted Advisor of Choice, a program for financial professionals to better understand their clients’ concerns and LifeMap, an exclusive membership site to help advisor’s clients proactively prepare for the life transitions they face.

Dr. Amy’s website: https://www.dramy.life/about-us

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramydaprix/

Julia Henderson, PhD

Julia Henderson (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia. She is a registered occupational therapist, holds a PhD in Theatre (UBC), and a Diploma in acting (Circle in the Square). Her research explores how theatre and performance practices contribute to cultural constructions of aging and old(er) age. Julia’s recent postdoctoral work (with Concordia University and the Sunshine Coast’s Raising the Curtain on the Lived Experience of Dementia Project) re-imagines dementia tragedy narratives and the concept of ‘assistance’ by employing a community-engaged, creative arts intervention involving persons with dementia and their caregivers. Henderson’s research on dramaturgies of aging offers insights on how dramatic structure, design, staging, performance style, and marketing might influence understandings of age. An award-winning researcher, Henderson’s writings on age and theatre are published in Theatre Research in Canada, The Journal of American Drama and Theatre, The Thornton Wilder Journal, Canadian Theatre Review, and Age, Culture, Humanities: An Interdisciplinary Journal. Julia is also Creative Accessibilities Facilitator with Western Gold Theatre.

University of BC profile: https://osot.ubc.ca/our-research/our-faculty/julia-henderson/

Creatus Project: https://creatus.ca/

Dr. Michael Roisen

Dr. Michael Roizen is one of America’s most recognized voices in preventive medicine and co-founder of Lifespan Edge, a platform scaling therapeutic plasma exchange for the next generation of longevity clinics. Alongside entrepreneur John Mauldin, he’s bringing one of medicine’s most clinically established therapies to patients who want to get ahead of aging, not just manage it.

Chief Wellness Officer Emeritus of Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Roizen served as founding chair of its Wellness Institute, the first such role at a major U.S. healthcare institution, and has spent his career translating cutting-edge science into tools real people can use. He has authored more than 188 peer-reviewed publications and co-authored four #1 New York Times bestsellers with collaborators including Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. John La Puma, reaching millions of readers in 44 languages worldwide.

The recipient of an Emmy, an Ellie, and the Paul G. Rogers Award for Best Medical Communicator from the National Library of Medicine, Dr. Roizen is board-certified in internal medicine and anesthesiology. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Williams College and Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, he completed his residency at Harvard’s Beth Israel Hospital and his Public Health Service at the National Institutes of Health in the laboratory of Nobel Prize winner Julius Axelrod.

Cleveland Clinic: https://providers.clevelandclinic.org/provider/michael-roizen/4267898

4Youngevity website: https://4youngevity.com/company/about-us

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Roizen

Sarah Berry

Sarah Barry is a Certified Professional Retirement and Life Transition Coach, author, and global citizen who has lived and worked across Gibraltar, the UK, Australia, Japan, and Dubai, UAE. Her work focuses on the side of retirement that financial planning doesn’t cover: identity, purpose, structure, and what it actually means to design a life after a long career.

She is the author of “9 Habits of Happy Retirees“, winner of the Independent Press Award and the Literary Titan Gold Book Award in 2026, and several other titles on life and work transition.

Sarah works with people who are not in crisis, but in change.

Website: https://sarahbarry .com

Books: https://sarahbarry.com /books

Facebook: https://facebook.com/SarahBarry.TheRetirementCoach

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlbarry

Ken Stern

Ken Stern is the Founder and Chair of the Longevity Project, which fosters public conversation and research on the impact on longer lives on civil society, and engages a global audience through events, research and newsletters. Stern is also the host of the award-winning podcast Century Lives, from the Stanford Center on Longevity.

Stern is the author of the recently released book Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead To Long Lives (PublicAffairs 2025). He is also the national best-selling author of Republican Like Me (HarperCollins 2017) and With Charity for All (Doubleday 2013).

He is also a regular contributor to a diverse group of publications such as Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Slate, The Daily Beast, The Washington Post, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. He is also the CEO of Palisades Media Ventures, a Washington D.C. based thought leadership company.

Longevity Project: https://www.longevity-project .com/about-us

Stanford Center on Longevity: https://longevity .stanford.edu/

Don Kremer

Don Kremer is a former technology executive, management consultant, and civic leader with a career spanning the U.S. Navy, IBM, private industry, management consultant and community service. He has been a member of Rotary International for 35 years serving in several leadership positions.

His current focus is creating Rotary clubs in Active Adult Communities. Active Adult facilities usually offer many recreational activities; however, they often lack purposeful organized local and international community service opportunities. Rotary clubs are designed for members to provide purpose by serving communities.

If you live in a 55+, Senior living facility or Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and are interested in forming a Rotary Club, you can contact Don at:

email:donkremer621@gmail.com

Clare Davenport

Clare Davenport, the founder of Designing4Better, is a positive psychology expert, life design coach, CEO and published author. Clare began her career at Goldman Sachs, followed by over 20 years in strategy management for Fortune 500 companies. She has parlayed her business acumen, life experience and learning to become a change agent for well-being. Leveraging Clare’s leading-edge Ivy League research on managing transitions, Designing4Better develops ideas, frameworks and tools to help individuals, groups and teams evaluate and improve their well-being, resulting in increased satisfaction, productivity and performance in life, retirement, work and beyond. Designing4Better’s energetic style is smart, accessible and innovative, offering practical ideas for handling daily demands and accessible paths to successfully optimize well-being. Clare lives in Toronto, Canada with her husband, four children and two dogs.

TED Talk: https://youtu.be/rmuTvYo2JkA?si=VEXlWonq7lq6A55u

Designing4Better website: https://designing4better.com/who-we-are/

Paula Span

Paula Span is a veteran journalist. Formerly a longtime Washington Post reporter, she has written the New Old Age column, about aging and caregiving, for the New York Times since 2009. In 2017, she added a second Times column, Generation Grandparent, and has adapted those essays for the audiobook “The Bubbe Diaries,” released by Audible in 2021. She is currently at work on a book about octogenarians, tentatively titled “The Ninth Decade,” to be published in 2027 by Penguin Random House.

An alumna of the alternative press and Boston University, she is the author of “When the Time Comes: Families with Aging Parents Share Their Struggles and Solutions,” published by Hachette in 2009. Her freelance articles have appeared in dozens of newspapers and magazines, including the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, Philadelphia Magazine, New York Magazine, the Washingtonian, Glamour, Redbook, Esquire, Smithsonian and others.

Website: https://paulaspan.com/

New York Times column: https://www.nytimes.com/by/paula-span

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-span-9920087/

Dan Levitt

Dan Levitt has tirelessly championed the rights of seniors for 30 years at the provincial, national and international levels.

Prior to his appointment as B.C.’s Seniors Advocate, Dan held leadership positions in senior-living and long-term care homes in the Lower Mainland for more than ten years where he helped shape a dementia-friendly future for seniors and their loved ones.

He was an adjunct professor of gerontology at both Simon Fraser University and a former sessional instructor at the British Columbia Institute of Technology. He has also been a surveyor with Accreditation Canada, reviewing quality improvement and person-centred care at long-term care homes and community-based service providers across the country.

He is a certified health executive with the Canadian College of Health Leaders and achieved Fellowship status in the college in July 2024. He also received the Young Executive Award presented by the BC Lower Mainland Chapter Executive of the Canadian College of Health Leaders. On the global stage, Levitt recently served as a member of the board of directors of the Global Ageing Network and the International Federation on Ageing.

Dan earned an undergraduate degree from the UBC and masters degree from the University of North Texas, Center for Studies in Aging. He has served on the board of directors for the Denominational Health Association and the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia. He is inspired by the aging journeys of his grandparents and great-grandparents, and is now supporting his parents, who are living life to the fullest in their mid-80s.

Office of the Seniors Advocate BC: https://www.seniorsadvocatebc.ca/about-the-advocate/

Raymond Jetson

Catalyst, Innovator, and Elder, Raymond Jetson explores the intersection of aging and race, in his very informative talk and real life experience of aging while Black. With a rich history of public service as a former state representative, Pastor, and deputy secretary for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, Jetson elaborates on the importance of the resurgence of elders in African American life. Raymond A. Jetson is a leading voice on community change strategies, social innovation and the resurgence of elders in African American life. He was a winner of the 2022 AARP Purpose Prize, a national award for innovators over the age of 50. Raymond has a rich history of public service including 15 years as a State Representative, 23 years as pastor of Star Hill Church, and as the deputy secretary for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH). Among his many “irons in the fire” he has recently launched Aging While Black, a discourse exploring the intersection of aging and race.

Website: https://agingwhileblack.co/

TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH_WskNmNdM

Kate Schaefers

Kate Schaefers brings an expertise in lifelong learning, midlife transitions, and career development across the lifespan to her work in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies (CCAPS). She currently directs the University of Minnesota Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a learning community for those 50+, as well as The Midlife Academy.

Prior to joining CCAPS, Kate was executive director of the University of Minnesota Advanced Careers Initiative, a gap year for experienced professionals as they transition into meaningful post-career lives. She currently serves on the AARP-MN Executive Council, as well as the UMN Age-Friendly University Council. She is co-chair of The Nexel Collaborative, a higher education consortium focused on serving a new demographic of learners: those at midlife and beyond.

A licensed psychologist, Kate received her PhD from Iowa State University, MA from the University of Minnesota, and BS from Loyola University Chicago.

University of Minnesota: https://ccaps.umn.edu/people/kate-schaefers

University of Minnesota Advanced Careers Initiative: https://lcc.umn.edu/umac

Abigail Trafford

Abigail Trafford — author, journalist and public speaker — focuses on the new stage of the life cycle after midlife but before traditional old age. Her book — My Time: Making the Most of the Bonus Decades after 50, (Basic Books in 2004, Paperback 2005) chronicles the social revolution of living longer, healthier lives. In her Washington Post column, entitled My Time, she explores the potential in this new stage for both individuals and society. She has been a commentator on health and social issues for Washington Post Radio, host of an online “health talk” program and syndicated columnist with Universal Press syndicate. She gave a keynote address at the White House Conference on Aging in 2005.

Website: https://www.abigailtrafford.com/

Book: “My Time: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life”

Mary Cronin

Mary J. Cronin, PhD is a bestselling author, a serial entrepreneur, and a Research Professor at Boston College School of Management, who passionately believes that prime-time living starts over 50. Her most recent books, The 100X Entrepreneur and Starting Up Smarter, Why Founders Over 50 Build Better Companies, present inspirational business success stories and founders’ strategies for growing profitable, purposeful companies.

Mary is the creator of Why Authors Write and The 100X Entrepreneur YouTube Channels and podcasts. She serves as a Board Member for The Boston Authors Club, as cochair of The Encore Network Entrepreneurship Affinity Group, and is a founder of Founders Over 50.

Website: 4QCatalyst.com

SUBSCRIBE to Mary’s YouTube Channel: Why Authors Write

CONNECT on LinkedIn!

Boston College: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/wcas/about/faculty-research/faculty-directory-folder/mary-j–cronin.html

Barbara Waxman

Barbara Waxman, founder of The Odyssey Group, is a highly sought-after longevity and leadership advocate, advisor, master coach, keynote speaker, and author. Barbara’s body of work—at the intersection of coaching, leadership, adult development, and longevity—translates cutting-edge science and collective wisdom into practical frameworks. Her mission is to help people—and the institutions that serve them—understand and act on the dynamics and potential of an aging world.

Barbara’s leadership as a gerontologist in the coaching field has culminated in the transformative coaching model Entrepreneurship Turned Inward™, the evidence-informed Seven Lifestyle Levers Assessment™, and the Longevity Lifeplan™—a framework that helps people and organizations align today’s decisions with the futures they want to create. She popularized Middlescence as a modern life stage and is advancing the Third Span™, longevity’s next frontier. Her TEDxBoston: Unlocking Longevity 2025 talk explores how we can make longer lives fully lived lives.

Barbara serves as an advisor to the Stanford Center on Longevity, Stanford Lifestyle Medicine and is a board member of ExtraFood.org. She is an Advisor and Master Faculty at MEA (Modern Elder Academy). Her insights have appeared on CBS This Morning and in outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Thrive Global, Next Avenue, Marin Magazine, to name a few. Barbara is the author of The Middlescence Manifesto and contributed the chapter “How to Avoid Burnout, Provide Exceptional Care, and Enhance Work-Life Integration” to Springer’s The Successful Health Care Professional’s Guide. She holds master’s degrees in Gerontology and Public Administration from the University of Southern California, is a graduate of Colgate University, and earned coaching certifications through the International Coach Federation and The Hudson Institute.

Barbara Waxman website: https://barbarawaxman.com/

TEDxSonoma: The Myth of the Mid-Life Crisis

Harry Margolis

Harry S. Margolis founded Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino, a ten-lawyer law firm with offices in Wellesley, in 1987. He is a graduate of Swarthmore College and New York University School of Law. His practice concentrates on elder law, planning for individuals with disabilities, and estate trust administration. Margolis was the founding editor of The ElderLaw Report, a monthly newsletter for elder law attorneys, the ElderLaw Forms Manual and The ElderLaw Portfolio Series, all published by Wolters Kluwer. Mr. Margolis is a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. He has served on the adjunct faculty of Boston College Law School, has been designated a “Super Lawyer” since 2005, one of top 100 Super Lawyers in New England for 2014 and in Massachusetts from 2019 through 2024.

Margolis was the founder and President of ElderLawAnswers as well as a co-founder and director of the Academy of Special Needs Planners. More recently, he created the website www.AskHarry.info where he answers consumer questions about estate planning issues and published Get Your Ducks in a Row: The Baby Boomers Guide to Estate Planning and The Baby Boomers Guide to Trusts: Your All-Purpose Estate Planning Tool. He also answers consumer questions about estate planning in columns on MarketWatch.com and TheStreet.com. Margolis believes strongly that the best legal solutions are achieved through the partnership of well-informed clients and attorneys who combine great technical expertise, experience and an ability to listen.

Margolis Bloom & D’Agostino: https://margolisbloom.com/harry-s-margolis/

ElderLawAnswers: https://www.elderlawanswers.com/about-us/management-team

National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys: https://www.naela.org/fellows

Ashton Applewhite

An internationally recognized expert on ageism, Ashton Applewhite is the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism and a co-founder of the Old School Hub. She has written for Harper’s, the Guardian, and the New York Times; speaks widely at venues that have included the United Nations and the TED mainstage; and is at the forefront of the emerging movement to raise awareness of ageism and make age a criterion for diversity. In 2022 the United Nations named Ashton one of the Healthy Aging 50: fifty leaders transforming the world to be a better place to grow older.

Ashton’s blog: https://thischairrocks.com/blog/

Ashton’s Book: https://celadonbooks.com/book/this-chair-rocks-a-manifesto-against-ageism

Ashton’s Website: https://thischairrocks.com/

Ashton’s TEDtalk: http://ted.com/talks/ashton_applewhite_let_s_end_ageism

Old School Hub: https://oldschool.info/

Kerry Hannon

Kerry Hannon is a workplace futurist and strategist on career transitions, entrepreneurship, personal finance and retirement. She is a frequent TV, radio and podcast commentator and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Kerry is currently a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance and an on-air expert.

Her latest book with co-author Janna Herron is Retirement Bites: A Gen X Guide to Securing Your Financial Future . She was formerly an expert columnist, opinion writer and regular contributor to The New York Times, MarketWatch, Forbes, and a personal finance and entrepreneurship expert on the PBS website NextAvenue.org.

Millions of viewers, readers and listeners have been motivated by Kerry’s can-do, down-to-earth message. She has appeared as a career and financial expert on The Dr. Phil Show ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC Nightly News, NPR, Yahoo Finance and PBS. Kerry has dedicated her work to making a difference in people’s lives, to give them confidence and the tools to succeed personally, professionally and financially. She offers her audiences and readers can-do expert advice on the best ways to empower themselves now and for the future.

Dr. Phil interview: https://aarp.org/videos/DrPhilinterview

Yahoo Finance: https://finance.yahoo.com/author/kerry-hannon/

Patrick Penninckx

Patrick Penninckx is the Secretary General of the European Seniors’ Union, a European, political, non-governmental organisation, with the key aim to promote the rights of seniors in all domains of life, with a key focus on inter-generational dialogue, active (digital) citizenship and the promotion of the positive contribution of senior citizens to public and private policy shaping and democracy.

Patrick has 40 years of being professionally active, 35 of which have been at the Council of Europe, especially focused on transformation processes in the Organization, developing partnerships with other international organizations and national partners. Over the past ten years in the Council of Europe, Patrick was the Head of the Information Society Department and the Digital Development and Governance Department. The Department developed policy standards on Artificial Intelligence, Electronic Evidence in Cybercrime and the modernized Data Protection Convention (108+). These areas remain of great concern in the mandate I have to defend senior citizens’ rights.

European Seniors Union: https://esu-epp.eu/

Chris Farrell

Chris Farrell is currently the senior economics contributor at Marketplace, American Public Media’s nationally syndicated public radio business and economic program. Chris is also the economics commentator for Minnesota Public Radio and host of its series Conversations on the Creative Economy as well as a columnist for PBS Next Avenue and the Star Tribune. Chris Farrell has published five books on personal finance and the economy including, most recently, Purpose and a Paycheck: Finding Meaning, Money, and Happiness is the Second Half of Life.

Chris Farrell’s website: https://chrisfarrell.net/

PBS Marketplace: https://www.marketplace.org/author/chris-farrell

Allison Bough

As Head of Policy & Advocacy at Active Retirement Ireland, Ireland’s largest membership organisation for older people, Allison Bough provides strategic leadership on national and European ageing policy and advocacy, ensuring the voices and rights of older people are represented across government and EU decision-making. Allison leads ARI’s evidence-informed, rights-focused approach to ageing policy, advising the CEO and Board on strategic priorities, and building cross-sector collaboration to influence positive ageing and social inclusion.

Active Retirement Ireland (ARI): https://activeirl.ie/

Jeri Sedlar

Jeri Sedlar is a motivational speaker, social researcher, and co-author of the nationally acclaimed book, Don’t Retire, REWIRE! Third Edition. She is a master of retirement life planning and has earned the title of America’s “rewiring” expert. She has interviewed hundreds of professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, partners and pre-retirees in all industries about their hopes, dreams and fears about the future. She has discovered both the pleasures and pain and possibilities and pitfalls associated with retirement.

Since the introduction of Don’t Retire, REWIRE! in 2002 Jeri has been traveling the globe challenging individuals to get out of their own way and break through society’s as well as their own individual “silver ceilings” to find the fun and fulfillment they deserve and desire at this life stage.

Don’t Retire / Rewire: https://dontretirerewire.com/

Connie Zweig

Connie Zweig, Ph.D. is a retired Jungian therapist and author of Meeting the Shadow (A New Edition is now available) and Romancing the Shadow (A New Edition is now available). Her award-winning book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul, extends Shadow-work into midlife and beyond and explores aging as a spiritual practice. Her book, Meeting the Shadow on the Spiritual Path: The Dance of Darkness and Light in Our Search for Awakening, extends shadow-work into religion and spirituality. Her new PODCAST, Dr. Neil’s Spiritual Awakening to Non-Duality, posts on all podcast platforms. See her new SUBSTACK for livestreams and

Connie’s SubStack: https://www.shadowworkawareness.com/about.

Connie’s Website: https://conniezweig.com/

Clare Davenport

Clare Davenport, founder of Designing4Better, is a positive psychology expert, life design coach, CEO and published author. Beginning her career at Goldman Sachs followed by over 20 years in strategy managing large projects for Fortune 500 companies, she has parlayed her business acumen, as a creative leader, to become a consultant and change agent for well-being.

Design4Better Website: https://designing4better.com/who-we-are/

TED Talk x BYU: https://youtu.be/rmuTvYo2JkA?si=hFZVhZsehokYPD3M

Dr. Donna Benton

Donna Benton, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. She received her graduate training in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology and was a gero-psychological postdoctoral fellow at USC/Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center. Benton is the Director of the USC Family Caregiver Support Center (FCSC) and the Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center (LACRC). She has over 30 years of experience in providing direct service, advocacy and programs for families caring for persons with dementia. She was appointed to the CA Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Commission and the CA Commission on Aging (CCOA). Her research focus is on the development of online evidence-based interventions for family caregivers to improve mental and physical health and well being and prevention of elder mistreatment. She also serves as a mentor to students interested in advocacy for caregivers.

Faculty Website: https://gero.usc.edu/faculty/donna-benton-ph-d/

Susan Enguidanos

Susan Enguídanos, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. Enguídanos has a multidisciplinary background evident in her educational and professional history. She obtained her BA in psychology at UCLA, master’s degree in public health at California State University, Long Beach, and her doctoral degree in social work at USC.

Enguídanos conducts research in the field of palliative care, including a home-based model that is currently being implemented in many Kaiser Permanente facilities nationally. She has conducted extensive research in investigating ethnic variation in access to and use of hospice care, work that led to the development and implementation of theoretically-driven interventions aimed at improving access to hospice care for these populations. Enguídanos is currently working on understanding care setting transitions for seriously ill patients and developing mechanisms for improving continuity of palliative care for individuals with complicated illness.

USC School of Gerontology website: https://gero.usc.edu/faculty/enguidanos/

Kelsey Knoedler Perri

Kelsey Knoedler Perri is the Public Relations Director at Road Scholar, the nonprofit world leader in educational travel for older adults. She has worked in travel and tourism throughout her career and has been with Road Scholar since 2016. There she has developed her skills in and knowledge of communicating with and marketing to adults over 50 who #AgeAdventurously. She has special expertise in digital communications, social media, and public relations. She holds an MFA in creative writing and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Road Scholar Website: https://www.roadscholar.org/

Kathleen Terry

Kathleen Terry is a 26 year member and past president of the Manhattan Beach Rotary Club, and one of the most dynamic champions of Rotary’s mission in District 5280. Over the past several years, she has played a pivotal role in chartering innovative new Rotary Clubs, including a cause-based club dedicated to fighting human trafficking. This year, she is helping launch additional cause-based clubs focused on mental health, the environment, and LGBTQ+ issues. Kathleen also serves on the Zones New Club Development Task Force, supporting districts across the region in building vibrant, future-focused Rotary communities.

Beyond Rotary, Kathleen is the founder of Participative Management Systems, where she has spent decades helping organizations develop high‑performing teams and effective leaders. Her high‑impact seminars and workshops have been delivered nationally and internationally to clients ranging from high‑tech companies and major healthcare organizations to city and county governments and leading aerospace contractors. She also teaches with Caltech’s Industrial Relations Center and has been recognized in Who’s Who in California for her contributions to productivity and employee participation.

Kathleen holds a certificate in Managing in Multicultural Work Environments from California State University, a certificate in Engineering Management from Caltech, and a master’s degree in psychology with a concentration in multicultural relations from Antioch University.

A passionate advocate for purpose at every age, Kathleen believes deeply that seniors have extraordinary gifts to offer their communities. Her work in combating human trafficking and supporting cause‑based service reflects her commitment to helping people — especially those later in life — find meaningful ways to contribute, connect, and lead.

Rotary Membership: https://rotary5280.org/page/membership/

Rotary Website: https://www.rotary.org/en

Diana Shoemaker

Diana Shoemaker has worked for over 20 years in non-profit and community organizations tackling issues like housing and homelessness; and for the past 10 years at the helm of a local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. Her experience has shown her that volunteers are the foundation for any successful grassroots movement. Diana is currently the Executive Director of the Elder Action Network (EAN) where she is working alongside volunteers and staff, providing support for EAN’s critical work for social and climate justice.

EAN website: https://eldersaction.org/leadership

Robert Laura

Robert Laura is a pioneer in the psychology and social science of retirement and legacy planning. He is a seven-time best-selling author, former nationally syndicated columnist and recognized thought-leader at conferences and training events across the country. He is the founder of the Retirement Coaches Association, Certified Professional Retirement Coach Designation and Retirement Intelligence or RQ Assessment. His work has reached millions of retirement readers through seven books, twelve guides, and over 900 articles. In addition to his own writings, he frequently appears in major business media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNBC, MarketWatch, the New York Times, and more.

As a former social worker turned retirement expert and author, he has found that retirement is among the most fascinating, yet least understood, phases of life. As a result, he has developed a powerful message to tackle the mental, social, physical, spiritual, and financial aspects of retirement. All of his work reflects his ground-breaking efforts to challenge the status quo of traditional retirement and estate planning and help people create a No-Regrets Retirement & Legacy Plan!

Retirement Coaches Association: https://retirementcoachesassociation.org/

Retirement Project: https://retirementproject.org/

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-laura/

Dr. Harry (Rick) Moody

Dr. Harry (Rick) Moody, Ph.D., recently retired as Vice President and Director of Academic Affairs for AARP in Washington, DC. He is currently Visiting Professor at Fielding Graduate University and also serves as a Senior Fellow of Encore.Org. Dr. Moody previously served as Executive Director of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College and Chairman of the Board of Road Scholar (formerly ElderHostel). He is listed with the NextAge Speakers Bureau and speaks extensively around the United States.

Website: https://www.hrmoody.com/

Pamela Slim

Pamela Slim is an award-winning author, speaker and agency owner who has spent three decades helping business owners scale their businesses and IP. The Pamela Slim Agency (PSA) specializes in productizing service businesses and the design and development of certification and licensing programs. Pam is the author of Escape from Cubicle Nation (Penguin Portfolio, 2009), Body of Work (Penguin Portfolio, 2014) and The Widest Net (McGraw Hill, November, 2021, winner of Best Sales and Marketing Book of 2021 from Porchlight Books).

Website: https://pamelaslim.com/

Nancy Collamer

Nancy Collamer is a retirement coach and a recognized expert on second-act career trends. She is the author of Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit Your Passions During Semi-Retirement (Ten Speed Press, 2013). Nancy writes about second acts for the PBS site NextAvenue.org and on her website at NancyCollamer.com.

Nancy holds a MS in career development from the College of New Rochelle and a BA in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also a certified retirement coach. Her advice has been featured in numerous media outlets, including NBC Nightly News; the New York Times; CNN; the Wall Street Journal; Redbook; Ladies’ Home Journal; Marketwatch; and Fortune.

Website: https://www.nancycollamer.com/

Helen Dennis

Helen Dennis, a nationally recognized leader on issues of aging, employment and the new retirement, has received numerous awards for her university teaching at USC’s Davis School of Gerontology and for her contributions to the field of aging, the community and literary arts. Editor of two books, author of over 100 articles and frequent speaker, she has helped over 20,000 employees prepare for the non-economic aspects of retirement. As a weekly syndicated columnist she writes on the subject of Successful Aging for the Los Angeles Newspaper reaching 1.6 million readers and completing almost 1,000 columns. Additionally, she is co-author of the Los Angeles Times bestseller “Project Renewment: The First Retirement Model for Career Women” and has presented keynotes and workshops on the topic. Helen has served as president of five nonprofit organizations and continues to serve on several boards. She has been recognized by PBS Next Avenue as one of the 50 Influencers in aging who continue to push beyond traditional boundaries and change our understanding of what it means to grow older.

Website: https://www.helenmdennis.com/

Clive Illendon

In this conversation with TTN, Clive Illinden shares his journey of early retirement at 57 and the evolution of his YouTube channel, Level 50 Lifestyle. He discusses the importance of finding purpose and passion in retirement, the challenges of transitioning from a structured work life to a more flexible lifestyle, and the significance of social interactions. Clive emphasizes the need for a loose structure in retirement to maintain motivation and fulfillment, while also exploring the gradual changes that come with this new phase of life.

Level50 YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/@level50lifestyle

Andrea Maizes

Andrea Maizes is the Chief Operating Officer and Lead Coach, first connected with Goldinage as a client. After a long career as an HR Executive and Leadership Coach, Andrea found herself looking for a new path as she considered retirement. Though her journey working with us she became an Associate Certified Coach and discovered her second act and is now in the process of becoming a Certified Professional Retirement Coach, helping others navigate their transitions alongside Ashley.

Goldinage is the embodiment of multi-generational collaboration, where respect for the past and vision for the future come together to empower those on the brink of their next adventure.

Website: https://www.goldinage.com/about-us

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreamaizes/

Dr. Stephanie Punt, PhD.

Dr. Punt is deeply committed to helping individuals navigate the emotional, cognitive, and physical challenges that arise throughout life. She works compassionately with clients experiencing depression, anxiety, cognitive challenges, self-esteem concerns, grief, chronic pain, and major life transitions. Through extensive training in health psychology, Dr. Punt specializes in supporting individuals and couples across the lifespan as they adapt to acute and chronic medical conditions and the stressors that often accompany them.

Dr. Punt has provided care in a wide range of clinical settings, working with children, adolescents, adults, and couples. She completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in neuropsychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), with specialized training in polytrauma and traumatic brain injury recovery. She also completed her APA-accredited predoctoral internship at UCLA, where she was trained by leading experts in coping with acute and chronic health conditions, functional neurological disorders, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, relationship difficulties, grief, life transitions, and cognitive functioning concerns.

Personal Website: https://www.stephaniepuntphd.com/about

UCLA Health: https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/stephanie-punt

Silvia Perel-Levin

Silvia Perel-Levin is an advocate for the human rights of older persons and experienced consultant with a demonstrated history of working with non-profit organisations and the audiovisual industry. With 25 years of experience in human rights, ageing, and health, she has worked with international organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Before transitioning to this field, she was a social theatre and television producer.

At the United Nations in Geneva, Silvia represents the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the International Longevity Centre Global Alliance (ILC GA), actively advocating for the meaningful inclusion of older persons at the Human Rights Council and throughout the UN system.

She has also been an active participant in the sessions of the UN Open-ended Working Group on Ageing in New York, serving as both a panelist and moderator. She is a strong proponent of a UN Convention on the human rights of older persons. Silvia currently serves as Vice-Chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing in Geneva, Committee she chaired from April 2014 to April 2022 and is a member of the steering group of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older People (GAROP).

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silvia-perel-levin-16a6787/

Adriane Berg

Adriane Berg is a leading advocate for age-inclusive tourism, fighting ageism and a sought-after authority on longevity marketing, demographic trends, and productivity. Her mission is to redefine aging by promoting good health, excitement, and accomplishment in the mature life stage. She believes in the power of travel, volunteering, and lifelong learning to inspire and empower boomers and older adults. Through her work, Adriane helps businesses better attract, serve, and retain these dynamic and valuable clients and customers. Adriane’s dedication to redefining aging and supporting the mature traveler makes her an essential resource for individuals and businesses aiming to thrive in this growing demographic.

Adriane’s Sites: website: https://www.adrianeberg.com

Lee Gale Gruen

Lee Gale Gruen (Lee Gale is her first name) lives in the East San Francisco Bay area. She has two children and three grandchildren. She graduated college from UCLA and had a 37-year career as a probation officer. After retiring, she became an actress, author, speaker, and blogger. She has appeared in television, films, commercials, theater, and print jobs. She performs regularly at medical schools portraying patients for student training and was one of six supporting exercise/dancers in the 2011 “Jane Fonda Prime Time Firm & Burn” workout DVD. Her transition to becoming an actress in her senior years has been written about in Time Magazine, the Los Angeles Times newspaper, AARP Life Reimagined, and in Marlo Thomas’ 2014 book, which profiles women who have reinvented themselves.

Website: https://www.leegalegruen.com/

Acting website: https://LeeGaleGruenActress.com

Blog: https://leegalegruen.wordpress.com/

Amazon link for Books: https://a.co/d/07Ai3MFZ

Carol Rosenstein

Carol Rosenstein founded Music Mends Minds in 2014 to help with her husband’s Parkinsons. In the 12 years since it’s founding, over 25 organizations and news sources worldwide have covered the Music Mends Minds story and their philosophy on the transformative power of music on the mind. The research behind our mission about the effects of music on the brain to prevent neurocognitive decline has been and is actively being conducted and expanded across the globe from the U.S. to Europe and Asia. This interview talks to Carol’s passion and how she got involved in Volunteering.

Music Mends Minds website: https://www.musicmendsminds.org/

Dr. Catherine Rickwood

Dr. Catherine Rickwood is a researcher, consultant and speaker who challenges age stereotypes and invites individuals and organizations to reimagine the retirement paradigm. She recently collaborated with the University of New South Wales (Australia) Ageing Futures Institute on a project looking at multi-generational teams.

Catherine Rickwood website: https://catherinerickwood.com/

Richard Leider

Richard Leider is founder of Inventure – The Purpose Company, where the purpose is to help people to “unlock the power of purpose” and answer that question. He’s an international bestselling author of twelve books including three best-sellers which have sold over one million copies. His latest book, the 4th edition of The Power of Purpose is a classic in the personal growth field. Widely viewed as a pioneer of the global purpose movement, his work is regularly featured in many media sources, and his PBS Special – “The Power of Purpose” – was viewed by millions of people. He has taken his purpose message to 4 continents, and has advised everyone from AARP to the National Football League to the U.S. State Department.

Website: richardlei der .com

Dr. Linda Ercoli

Dr. Linda Ercoli, PhD, is the Interim Director of the UCLA Longevity Center and is a geriatric psychologist specializing in neuropsychology, dementia caregiver education, and the management of behavioral symptoms in individuals with dementia. She has collaborated on numerous research studies focused on early detection of dementia, late life depression, healthy lifestyle interventions, and caregiver support. She conducts behavioral management training for paid and unpaid caregivers. Dr. Ercoli developed cognitive enhancement programs for individuals with mild age-related memory concerns and people cancer-related cognitive changes.

Website: UCLA Staff page

TEDxUCLA: Self Care for Caregivers

Dr. Richard Caro

Dr. Richard G. Caro has 30+ years of experience at the intersection of technology and business — as startup CEO; startup CTO; scientist/inventor; angel investor; and advisor to emerging growth companies.

Dr. Caro is Co-founder of Tech-enhanced Life, PBC — a social venture which, together with a virtual community of older adults (the Longevity Explorers), is exploring the intersection of aging and technology and seeking ways to leverage technology to enhance quality of life as people age.

Website: Tech Enhanced Life

Dr. Riley Moynes

Dr. Riley Moynes is a best-selling author and an outstanding public speaker. Now retired from active involvement in the investment field, he concentrates his efforts on writing reader-friendly publications on topics of public interest, presenting Workshops across the country based on those publications, and devoting time and energy to charitable endeavours.

Based on current research, extensive interviews as well as his own personal journey, Riley explores and explains The Four Phases of Retirement that almost everyone experiences. The book speaks to the 10,000 North Americans retiring every day, as well as the millions who’ll retire over the next decade. A huge audience!

Book: 4 Phases of Retirement: What to Expect When You’re Retiring.

TEDTalk: 4 Phases of Retirement

Dr. Terri Orbuch

Dr. Terri Orbuch (PhD), also known as The Love Doctor®, is America’s most trusted relationship expert. For over three decades, she has helped thousands of individuals and couples create lasting love, happiness, and connection in their lives. Dr. Terri wears many hats — she’s a best-selling author, sought-after speaker, relationship coach, and a Distinguished Professor at Oakland University. She’s also a Research Professor at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, where she directed one of the longest-running studies of married couples in the U.S.

Website: DrTerrithelovedoctor.com

Lief Simon

Lief Simon has lived and worked in 7 countries on 5 continents and traveled to more than 75 countries. His real estate investment career began with a $5,000 down payment on a three-flat building in Chicago. From there, he turned his attention overseas and has bought property in 24 countries including France, Croatia, Portugal, Ireland, Belize, Spain, Argentina, Cyprus, Romania, and beyond.

Lief has established residency in 3 countries and acquired a second passport from Ireland. In 2008 Lief and wife Kathleen Peddicord (co-founder of ‘Live and Invest Overseas’) purchased an acreage in Panama and installed underground electricity, water, and internet to built a forever family home. Lief’s latest book, “Cowboy Millionaire—The New American Pioneer,” collects all the wisdom he has learned in three decades of living and investing outside America. He also offers advice on international diversification in his twice-weekly Offshore Living Letter and monthly Simon Letter dispatches.

Dr. Helen Lavretsky

Dr. Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS is a Professor In-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry at the UCLA and a geriatric integrative psychiatrist with the federally-funded research program in integrative mental health using mind-body therapies. She is a recipient of several Research Career Development awards from NIMH/NIH and the NCCIH/NIH, and other prestigious research awards. Her current research studies include investigations of novel therapeutic options for mood and cognitive disorders in older adults, and for Long-COVID.

Website: https://drhelenlavretsky.com/

Elias Arjan

Elias Arjan is a longevity speaker, futurist, researcher, and CEO of Healthspan Productions, where he leads one of the most dynamic movements focused on extending healthy human life. With more than 30 years of experience at the intersection of science, wellness, biometric technology, and behavioural change, Elias has become a trusted voice for doctors, researchers, and innovators working to push the boundaries of human health and performance.

Website: EliasArjan.com

Jacki Lange

Jacki Lange is the founder of Panama Relocation Tours, a company she launched after retiring, which has since helped thousands of people explore and relocate to Panama with confidence. Originally from Texas, Jacki moved to Panama in 2010 seeking a better quality of life, spring‑like weather, and a more affordable retirement. What began as a simple effort to help a small group of friends understand what life in Panama is really like “accidentally” grew into a thriving business, now offering monthly relocation tours across the country.

Company: Panama Relocation Tours

Michael Rogers

Michael Rogers is an author, futurist and interactive media pioneer. Michael was the Futurist for The New York Times and helps businesses and organizations worldwide think about the future. In recent year, He has worked with companies ranging from FedEx and Boeing to Microsoft and NBC Universal. His most recent novel, Email from the Future: Notes from 2084, was published on Earth Day, 2022.

Book: “Email from the Future: Notes from 2084”

Paul Tasner

As part of the Retirement & Entrepreneurship pillar, we bring you an interview with Paul Tasner, the founder and president of PulpWorks. Paul was 66 when he founded the company. PulpWorks is a sustainable packaging company replacing toxic, single-use plastic packaging with molded pulp solutions from 100% agricultural or paper waste that are compostable, recyclable, biodegradable, and plastic-free.

TTN Interview: “Why He Walked Away from Retirement to Start PulpWorks“

PulpWorks website: https://pulpworksinc.com/

TEDTalk: https://youtu.be/Ogce5D2XMZ0?si=OXva87hrxlegVru8

Tag: aging and purpose

Helen Dennis on What Nobody Tells You About Retirement

Why Society Has It Wrong About Getting Older

Breaking Ageism: The Untapped Travel Market Explained

From Probation Officer to Actress—Her Late-Life Transformation

Retirement Doesn’t End at 65—Here’s Why

Why He Walked Away from Retirement to Start PulpWorks