aarp virginia diversity and aging forumnov 12, 2009 · grew up in the far suburbs of northwest...

The 50+ population is

exploding. What does this mean

for Virginia?

AARP VirginiaDiversity and Aging ForumExamining the intersection of diversity and aging in Virginia

November 12, 2009

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W e l c o m e

Dear Conference Participants,

Welcome to the second AARP Virginia Forum on Diversity and Aging. Our first forum included over 200 participants representing the many diverse communi-ties that make up Virginia’s population. They came away with new insights into the strengths that our diverse populations represent as well as the challenges ahead to make sure that every community and every individual has the opportunity to age with dignity and respect.

Most Virginians haven’t noticed that there is a major demographic shift going on across the commonwealth. The Old Dominion is getting older. Today, about 14 percent of our population is 65 or older. By the year 2020 that will change to almost 20 percent and by the year 2030 Virginia’s retirement population will look much like Florida’s population looks today.

These changes mean that aging in Virginia in the future will be very different from aging in Virginia today. At AARP we ask the question “will we be ready for the age wave?” Will Virginians have saved enough to live 20-30 years past normal retirement age? Will people work longer and will the jobs be there for an aging workforce? How will we stretch our health care dollars and health care workforce to meet a growing demand? Will our communities be livable for the vast majority of older citizens who choose to stay in their homes and communities as long as possible? Will today’s ser-vices and methods of delivery be what an aging population wants in the future?

Many of these questions will be explored in presentations and workshops throughout the day. I hope you will learn new information from the expert presenters who are with us and that you will share your expertise with others who attend the forum.

I want to thank everyone who helped plan and execute this event. Special thanks goes to AARP’s Diversity Advisory Committee, which guided the planning for the forum and continues to advise us on the best ways to assure that we grow as a diverse and inclusive organization.

Sincerely,

Bill Kallio State Director AARP Virginia

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8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:45 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Welcome and OverviewLavern Chatman, President and CEO, Northern Virginia Urban League, AARP Virginia Executive Council Member and Moderator

Greetings by Dr. Warren Stewart, State President, AARP Virginia

Greetings by the Honorable Dwight C. Jones, Mayor, City of Richmond

9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Plenary Session: The Impact of the Economic Crisis on Older AmericansThe current economic crisis and the increased cost of daily necessities chal-lenge the welfare of the average Ameri-can household and further marginalize 50+ Americans who silently sit on the knife’s edge of economic stress. The pre-carious situation of these individuals is due to lack of retirement income and/or employment opportunities; inadequate assets and financial management tools; limited health insurance coverage and access to benefits; level of disability and poor health. Furthermore, these harsh circumstances disproportionately im-pact women, communities of color and persons living alone.

INTRODUCTION AND SESSION MODERATOR:My Lan Tran, OMBD Program Manager, City of Richmond

PRESENTER:Ann Battle Macheras, PhD, Vice President of the Regional Division of the Research Department, Federal Re-serve Bank of Richmond

10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Break — (Visit Exhibitor Display Area)

10:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon Mini Sessions (Choose One)Session I — Housing Pitfalls: Foreclosure Prevention, Mortgage Issues and ScamsThis workshop will familiarize the par-ticipants about what foreclosure actually involves and briefly cover the current foreclosure problem that’s plaguing the country. Information will be shared about what a person can do when it ap-pears that foreclosure is imminent, and how to avoid being taken advantage of in foreclosure rescue scams. The workshop will feature a case study of what actu-ally happened to a client of the presenter, with an opportunity for members of the audience to participate in formulating solutions.

MODERATOR:Jim Naggles, JD, Virginia Poverty Law Center, Richmond, VA

PRESENTER:Paula Sherman, Lending Protection Coordinator, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc.

D i v e r s i t y a n D a g i n g F o ru m a g e n D a | n o v e m b e r 1 2 , 2 0 0 9

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Session II — Assistive Technology: The Solution to the Age Wave Crisis?This presentation will offer basic defi-nitions of assistive technology devices and services and overviews of Universal Design, Accessible Design for Housing and Home Modifications, with the goal of improving “visitability.” Funding for assistive technology also is examined. We will review a range of low- and high-tech solutions for older persons and caregivers that will maximize an indi-vidual’s participation in self care and community living.

MODERATOR:Theresa Preda, Director of Independent Living, Department of Rehabilitative Services, Virginia

PANELISTS:Bob Krollman, Senior Assistive Technology Specialist, Virginia Assistive Technology System

Joey Wallace, PhD, Executive Director, New Well Fund

Session III – Health Care Reform: Policy OverviewThe health care reform debate is domi-nating the headlines and AARP has been heavily involved in reform efforts. Attend this workshop to better understand the history and current policy implications of health reform and how it will impact seniors.

MODERATOR:Amy Gilbody, Associate State Director, Federal and Grassroots Advocacy, AARP Virginia, Richmond, VA

PRESENTER:Bill Kallio, State Director, AARP Virginia, Richmond, VA

12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Luncheon Program

MODERATOR: Lavern Chatman, President and CEO, Northern Virginia Urban League

Special Recognition:Ken Johnson, 2010 AARP Foundation Calendar Cover Artist

Champion of Change Award Presentation:Virginia State Conference NAACP

PRESENTER:Bill Kallio, State Director, AARP Virginia

Keynote Address:Diversity and Aging at AARP

INTRODUCTION:Percil Stanford, PhD, Chief Diversity Officer, AARP, Washington, DC

PRESENTER:Jennie Chin Hansen, President, AARP, Washington, DC


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1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Mini Sessions (Choose One)Session IV — Emerging Issues in Diversity and AgingHow can nontraditional households best legally structure their relationships to ensure that medical, property, guard-ianship and other aging and life issues are dealt with according to their wishes? How do new immigrants, for example, deal with challenges of language, exploi-tation and a lack of health care? A panel of experts will present options and field questions from the audience.

MODERATOR: Jon Blair, Executive Director, Equality Virginia, Richmond, VA

PANELISTS:Danny Avula, MD, MPH, Deputy Director, Richmond City Health District, Richmond, VA

Luis Garcia, Entrepreneur, Richmond, VA

Claire Gastanaga, JD, Richmond, VA

Session V — Financial Security: Creating Effective Working Environments for Older WorkersAn aging workforce means U.S. busi-nesses are running out of time to prevent labor shortages, talent wars and knowl-edge loss, even in a tough economy. Between 2006 and 2016, the 55+ work-force will grow five times faster than the overall labor force. If the massive Baby Boom Generation retires at historical rates, companies may scramble to find enough qualified younger workers to fill empty slots.

What are the implications for employers as diversity and aging come together in the 21st century? The Virginia Chamber of Commerce, The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce, and The Metropolitan Business League will report on the current status and future prospects of older workers.

MODERATOR:Pamela Caldwell, Associate State Director, Community Outreach, AARP Virginia, Richmond, VA

PANELISTS:Tinh Duc Phan, Chairman, Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce, Richmond, VA

Hugh Keogh, President, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Richmond, VA

Oliver Singleton, President, Metropoli-tan Business League, Richmond, VA

Michel Zajur, President, Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce


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Session VI — Health Care: Care Dispari-ties Impacting Minority CommunitiesDespite some improvements in Virginia in health outcomes (most notably in the African American infant mortality rate) disparities still persist across racial, ethnic and class lines. Lack of health care coverage is seen as a key barrier, but other factors also play key roles. These include: missed diagnoses or under di-agnosis of chronic diseases in minority populations, avoidable hospitalizations, reduced incidents of childhood im-munizations and poor communication with physicians. This session will high-light strategies that may be successful in mitigating some health disparities. It also will examine the critical shortage of organ donors from ethnically diverse backgrounds.

MODERATOR: Marilyn Branch-Mitchell, Human Resource Manager, Senior Connections, Richmond, VA

PANELISTS:Walter K. Graham, Executive Director, UNOS, Richmond, VA

Michael Royster, MD, MPH, Director, Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health, Richmond, VA

2:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Break (Visit Exhibitor Display Area)

3:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Dealing with Loss in Challenging TimesWhen we think about loss, usually the first thing that comes to mind is the death of a loved one. But we are now liv-ing through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. Many of us are dealing with or know someone who has lost a job, is getting divorced, or has filed for bankruptcy. The suicide rate has reached the highest level in 10 years. What are some of the strategies we can use in an effort to deal with these chal-lenging times?

PRESENTER:Karen R. Gill, MSW, Director of Grief Support and Education, Nelsen Funeral Home

3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Plenary Session:

INTRODUCTION: Lavern Chatman, President and CEO, Northern Virginia Urban League

PRESENTER:Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Aging, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC

4:30 p.m. — Adjourn


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DANNY AVULA, MD, MPH Dr. Danny Avula is the deputy director of the Richmond City Health District. In addition to his role as a preventive medicine physician, he is also a board-certified pediatrician who continues to practice clinically at several area hospi-tals. After graduating from the University of Virginia, he attended medical school at the VCU School of Medicine, and he subsequently completed residencies at MCV Hospital and Johns Hopkins Univer-sity, where he also received a Master’s in Public Health. He is deeply committed to the Church Hill community in Richmond, where he has lived for the past five years.

JON BLAIRJon Blair was born in Chicago, IL, and grew up in the far suburbs of northwest Indiana. He graduated from Indiana University — Bloomington with a degree in political science. Jon is a veteran manager of state and federal political campaigns, focusing on the Midwest, Southwest and the East Coast. Before returning to Virginia for the third time in January 2009, Jon served as campaign manager for Congressman Martin Hein-rich of New Mexico. Jon currently resides in Richmond, VA.

MARILYN BRANCH-MITCHELLMarilyn Branch-Mitchell earned a degree in Sociology from Westhampton College at the University of Richmond and began her career with Senior Connections when the agency was known as The Capital Area Agency on Aging. She has held sev-eral positions with Senior Connections including working with the Older Worker

Programs and the Senior Discount Pro-gram. She currently holds the position of human resources manager. Marilyn is very active in the community volunteer-ing with the Girl Scouts Commonwealth Council, the Boy Scouts of America in the Colonial Council and the Heart of Vir-ginia Council, The Virginia Association of Family & Community Educators (VAFCE), and Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) in the York County and Chesterfield County school systems.

PAMELA CALDwELLPam Caldwell is an associate state direc-tor for community outreach at the AARP office in Richmond, VA. She has been with AARP for more than 20 years, work-ing at the National Office, as well as in offices in Kansas City and Seattle before moving back to the East Coast in 2005. She works primarily in SW Virginia.

LAVERN CHATMANPresently, Ms. Chatman is serving as the president and CEO of the Northern Vir-ginia Urban League (since June 2003). Ms. Chatman retired in 1993 as the commu-nity relations director of Technology Applications, Incorporated (TAI). She began her career as a marketing repre-sentative for the IBM Corporation. She then served as general manager for a Washington, DC gospel radio station and as an associate producer for a local talk show produced by WDCA Television.

LUIS GARCIALuis Garcia, a native of Guatemala, has lived in the U.S. for 38 years. He gradu-ated in business from Strayer College and

s p e a k e r b i o g r a p h i e s

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worked as retail manager for Kinney’s Shoes Corporation and Miller and Rho-des. He moved to Richmond in 1978 after living seven years in Washington, DC. Luis Garcia has over 25 years of experi-ence in retail management. After retail-ing, Luis went to work for the IRS and subsequently moved to the Small Busi-ness Administration where he worked in different capacities, including: loan servicing, liquidation, paralegal, busi-ness information specialist and finally as a business development specialist in the contracting division of the SBA. For two and a half years, Luis worked in coopera-tion with the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce where the SBA had the Business Information Center. Luis owns a small business that he started in 1988 on a part-time basis.

CLAIRE GUTHRIE GASTANAGA, JDClaire Guthrie Gastañaga, Esquire, has been recognized nationally as a skilled legislative and policy advocate, as an expert in higher education law, honored for her work on environmental issues at the state level, and named three times as a Southern Women in Public Service Pacesetter by the Stennis Center for Public Service. She is particularly well known for her expertise in sexual ha-rassment policies and procedures. Ms. Gastañaga serves on the national board of directors for the National Association of Women Business Owners, and on the boards of several regional and statewide organizations in Virginia including the Board of Trustees for the Poe Museum, where she is valued for her expertise on

not-for-profit governance and organiza-tional development.

AMY GILBODYAmy Gilbody is associate state director, Federal and Grassroots Advocacy at AARP Virginia. Ms. Gilbody leads AARP Virgin-ia’s grassroots activities related to federal and state issues. She has over 15 years experience in association public affairs and advocacy at both the state and fed-eral level. In the past she has worked for the Public Affairs Council and American Medical Association in Washington, DC. Ms. Gilbody received an undergraduate degree in business administration from California State University in Fullerton and a Masters of Public Administration from the George Washington University. She lives in Richmond.

KAREN REYNOLDS GILLKaren Reynolds Gill received her Mas-ter of Social Work degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1995, and her LCSW in 2000. Karen joined Nelsen Funeral Home as the director of grief support and education in June 2006. She works with families, groups, individuals and community organizations offering resources, support and education. She has a 14 year history of employment in hospice care as a medical social worker, bereavement coordinator and commu-nity services coordinator. From 2004 through 2006 she wrote a bi-weekly column related to caregiving and grief issues published in The Progress Index and The Colonial Voice. She organized the Crater Caregiver Coalition in 2002, and she has been the leading force in hav-


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ing April named as Virginia’s month of the Grieving Child since 2005. She was awarded the Distinguished Community Partner in Healing in 2009 by the MCV Department of Pastoral Care. Karen also serves as a field supervisor for social work students at Virginia Commonwealth Uni-versity.

wALTER K. GRAHAM, JDWalter K. Graham is the executive director of UNOS, the private, nonprofit membership organization that oper-ates the nation’s organ procurement and transplantation system under contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mr. Graham functions as the corporation’s top executive and oversees all operations. Headquartered in Richmond, VA, UNOS operates 24 hours-a-day, managing the nation’s organ trans-plant waiting list. UNOS operates two wholly owned subsidiaries of which he is the president and CEO. The UNOS Foun-dation conducts charitable fundraising on behalf of UNOS. The Transplant Infor-matics Institute, a for-profit information technology company, provides services matching donor organs to waiting pa-tients and collecting all donor, candidate and recipient data for use in outcomes research; allocation policy-making, pro-fessional standards development and decision-making among medical profes-sionals and patients and their families. The organization employs 297 full-time staff members and has an annual operat-ing budget of more than $35 million.

Mr. Graham also serves as a member of two nonprofit boards for organizations

that promote organ donation: Donate Life America and the Organ Donation and Transplantation Alliance. He also serves on the corporate board of the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park in Richmond. He served as UNOS’ Assistant Executive Director for eight years before taking on the role of Executive Director in 1995, and was a management consultant to UNOS for one year prior to joining the organization. An attorney, Mr. Graham has more than 35 years of senior manage-ment experience in health care admin-istration, and served as senior corporate executive at five different health care organizations.

KATHY GREENLEEKathy Greenlee was appointed by Presi-dent Barack Obama as the fourth Assis-tant Secretary for Aging at the U.S. De-partment of Health and Human Services and confirmed by the Senate in June 2009. Ms. Greenlee brings over 10 years of experience advancing the health and independence of older persons and their families. Prior to becoming Assistant Sec-retary, Ms. Greenlee served as Secretary of Aging for the state of Kansas. In that capacity, she led a cabinet-level agency with 192 full-time staff members and a total budget of $495 million. Her depart-ment oversaw the state’s Older Ameri-cans Act programs, the distribution of Medicaid long-term care payments and regulation of nursing home licensure and survey processes. She also served on the board of the National Association of State Units on Aging. Before her tenure as the Secretary of Aging, Ms. Greenlee served


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as State Long-Term Care ombudsman in Kansas, and the state’s Assistant Secre-tary of Aging. Ms. Greenlee also served as general counsel at the Kansas Insurance Department. During her tenure there, she led the team of regulators who evalu-ated the proposed sale of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Kansas and oversaw the Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas program.

Greenlee also served as chief of staff and chief of operations for then Gover-nor Kathleen Sebelius. Ms. Greenlee is a graduate of the University of Kansas with degrees in business administration and law.

JENNIE CHIN HANSENJennie Chin Hansen has been president of AARP since May 2008. In 2005 she retired as executive director of On Lok Inc., a family of organizations providing community-based services to seniors throughout San Francisco. On Lok is the prototype for the Program of All-Inclu-sive Care for the Elderly (PACE), a pro-gram of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that is now available in all 50 states. Hansen be-gan her career in community and public health nursing; in 1980 she joined On Lok as a research associate and later served as executive director. She is a senior fellow at the Center for the Health Professions at the University of California, San Fran-cisco, and a part-time nursing faculty member at San Francisco State Univer-sity. Her numerous awards include the 2005 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid

Administrator’s Award, the 2002 Geronto-logical Society of America’s Maxwell Pol-lack Award for Productive Aging and the Women’s Healthcare Executive Woman of the Year of Northern California.

MAYOR DwIGHT C. JONES Mayor Dwight C. Jones has been an ac-tive public servant in the City of Rich-mond for over 35 years. Throughout his time he has worked for causes that posi-tively affirm his beliefs and efforts that uplift not only his immediate constitu-ency but also the city and state at large. Mayor Jones has diligently advocated economic empowerment for those who are not in the mainstream. He has been instrumental through his various board appointments and other community investments in creating positive change. Mayor Jones was first elected to the Vir-ginia House of Delegates in 1993. There he assembled an impressive legislative record, working with members on both sides of the aisle to focus on providing health services, ensuring strong finances, and protecting Richmond’s neighbor-hoods and most fragile citizens. Mayor Jones holds a firm belief that change and progress start in your own neighborhood. Since 1975, he has founded the South Richmond Senior Center and the Imani Intergenerational Community Develop-ment Corporation — a community-based development corporation committed to the building of affordable housing, re-vitalization of distressed business areas and business development, as well as cre-ating workforce initiatives and training. In 1985, he was named one of Richmond’s


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100 Most Outstanding Citizens. Mayor Jones was a member of the Richmond City School Board and served as its chair-man from 1982-1985. He serves on many boards throughout the metro Richmond region and was elected mayor in 2008.

BILL KALLIOBill Kallio has served as AARP’s state director for Virginia since 1995. In that capacity he oversees AARP’s program, community service and advocacy activi-ties within the state. He has been with AARP for 21 years. He first served as a senior program specialist in AARP’s Pro-gram Division where he directed AARP’s national Widowed Persons Service (WPS) with over 230 program sites across the United States. Later he served as a legisla-tive representative where he organized AARP’s federal advocacy activities and developed grassroots volunteer activities in six states.

In addition to his AARP responsibilities, Bill serves as a member of the board of directors for the Virginia Coalition for the Aging, the Virginia Health Quality Center, and the Futures Board of the Center on Aging at Virginia Tech.

Prior to coming to AARP, he was the Ex-ecutive Director of a Washington-based national religious coalition addressing social policy issues in the United States, South Africa and Central America. Earlier in his career he was the associate director of a multi-service urban agency in Grand Rapids, MI.

Bill Kallio completed his undergraduate

work in Political Science and holds mas-ter’s degrees in Public Administration and Theological Studies.

HUGH KEOGH, MSHugh Keogh has served as president of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce since 1992. The Virginia Chamber is the state’s largest and broadest-based statewide business advocacy organization and is charged with preserving Virginia’s posi-tive business climate and improving its competitiveness for business activity.

Mr. Keogh came to the Chamber follow-ing a 20-year career in economic devel-opment, culminating in the position of Director of the Virginia Department of Economic Development from 1987-1992. A former naval officer, he served with distinction in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam and the Persian Gulf.

Mr. Keogh holds a BA from the University of Virginia and a MS from Virginia Com-monwealth University.

BOB KROLLMANBob Krollman holds an undergraduate degree in Community Health Counseling and a graduate degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the State University of New York at Buffalo. As a certified reha-bilitation counselor he has worked with persons with disabilities for over 35 years. Much of his career has been working with the vocational rehabilitation of persons with traumatic brain injury and with improving access to assistive technol-ogy devices and services at local, state and national levels. For the last 15 years

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he has worked with the federal Tech Act project in Virginia as the Senior Assistive Technology Specialist for the Virginia Assistive Technology System. He also is an adjunct faculty member at the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development where he has taught courses on Assistive Technology and Disability and Job De-velopment/Job Placement and Supported Employment.

ANN BATTLE MACHERAS, PhDAnn Battle Macheras joined the Fed-eral Reserve Bank of Richmond as Vice President of the Regional Division of the Research Department in February 2009. Ann oversees a professional staff engaged in research and analysis of regional eco-nomic conditions, and advises internal Bank leadership in this area as well. In addition, Ann supports regional outreach efforts to share economic analyses and insights across the Fifth Federal Reserve District, which includes North and South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Mary-land, and the District of Columbia.

Prior to joining the Federal Reserve Bank, Ann served as senior economist for the Virginia Economic Development Partner-ship, managing the economic research group in analyzing regional economic trends and labor market information in support of VEDP’s marketing efforts for the commercial lending area. Ann com-pleted her PhD in economics at the Uni-versity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1992.

JAMES E. (JIM) NAGGLES, JDJames E. “Jim” Naggles is the housing at-torney at the Virginia Poverty Law Center, Inc. Formerly the director of Fair Housing and Administration at Housing Oppor-tunities Made Equal, Inc., Jim has also worked as Virginia’s first Fair Housing Administrator, Virginia’s Condominium and Cooperatives Administrator, as an assistant attorney general (where he was one of the staff that advised the Virginia Housing Study Commission), and as an associate director of the Division of Hous-ing of the Virginia Department of Hous-ing and Community Development. Early in his career, Jim was a project planner at the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Jim is a graduate of the Univer-sity of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia School of Law.

TINH DUC PHANTinh duc Phan is founder/chairman of the Virginia Asian Chamber of Com-merce and Virginia Asian Foundation. A civil engineer by trade and graduate of the Phu Tho Institute of Technology, Saigon, South Vietnam, Tinh monitored contractors for the US government dur-ing the Vietnam War. After relocating to Virginia he became a state modernization program manager, responsible for reno-vating public housing for the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority. He started his own business in 1984 and is currently chairman/CEO of four com-panies: PNC Corporation, PNC Industries, Inc., PNC International, and the PNC Group. He was president of the Vietnam-ese Volunteers of Virginia and has board


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leadership positions with Venture Rich-mond, Minority Business Consortium, and the Capital Region Workforce Invest-ment Board. He won the 2005 Princetta Cannon Good Neighbor Award by the City of Richmond’s Human Relations Commission, the 2006 Richmond History Makers in “Fostering Regional Coopera-tion” category by the Valentine Richmond History Center, the 2007 Vision of Excel-lence Award by the Metropolitan Busi-ness League, and the 2009 Minority Small Business Champion of the Year by Small Business Administration (SBA) for Virgin-ia and SVA Region III (Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, Delaware, West Virginia and Pennsylvania).

THERESA PREDATheresa Preda has been director of In-dependent Living for the Department of Rehabilitative Services for over 22 years. During that time the number of grass-roots, consumer-driven Centers for In-dependent Living have doubled, making Virginia the envy of other larger states. Theresa also leads her department’s ef-forts in compliance with the Olmstead Decision. She recently worked closely with the State Board of Elections and the Centers for Independent Living to ensure that over 2,300 polling places were made accessible to persons with disabilities.

In both her public and private life she has been an activist for disability rights, blocking public buses not equipped for people who use wheelchairs and advo-cating for laws that ensure the rights of people with disabilities. She has been a founding member of several national

advocacy groups and has participated in several leadership groups, including the National Educational Leadership Policy Fellowship, Leadership Denver, and Leadership Metropolitan Richmond.

MICHAEL O. ROYSTER, M.D., MPHMichael O. Royster, M.D., MPH is the director of the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Minority Health and Public Health Policy (OMHPHP). OMH-PHP’s mission is to advance health equity by identifying health inequi-ties, assessing their root causes, and addressing them by promoting social justice, influencing policy, establishing partnerships, providing resources, and educating the public. OMHPHP serves as Virginia’s state office of minority health, rural health, and primary care. The of-fice focuses on advancing health equity by designating medically underserved areas, improving access to quality health care, addressing barriers to rural health, focusing on community-based participa-tory efforts to promote health equity, and facilitating strategies to target the social determinants of health and advance so-cial justice.

Prior to this position, Dr. Royster was the director of the Crater Health District headquartered in Petersburg, Virginia. The Health District serves five rural counties and three small cities with a combined population of 150,000.

Dr. Royster completed his undergraduate training at the University of Virginia with a degree in Biology. He obtained his med-ical degree from Duke University School


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of Medicine and completed a residency in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

PAULA SHERMANPaula Sherman is lending protection co-ordinator at Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) in Richmond, Virginia. In this capacity, she effectively coordinates HOME’s predatory lending initiatives, including consumer outreach, education, and advocacy as well as oversees and administers default, credit and HECM counseling programs. By holding fast to HOME’s mission of “ensuring equal access to housing for all people,” Paula is successful in managing a department that helps Virginians stay in their homes. She is in high demand both as a trainer and as a successful provider of individual mortgage default and predatory lending counseling. Paula’s professional presen-tations are numerous and have reached wide and diverse audiences nationwide. Paula is a certified professional housing counselor and was named Counselor of the Year by the Virginia Association of Housing Counselors in 2003. She holds a BBA in Finance from Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee.

OLIVER R. SINGLETONOliver R. Singleton is currently the presi-dent of the Metropolitan Business League. A former stockbroker, Mr. Singleton also has served as deputy director for Virgin-ia’s minority business development agen-cy, chaired Richmond’s housing authority and served briefly on City Council. Before he joined the Metropolitan Business

League, Mr. Singleton served as deputy of the state Department of Minority Busi-ness Enterprise for nearly three years, first under Gov. James S. Gilmore III and then under Gov. Mark Warner. A Norfolk native and a graduate of the University of Virginia, Mr. Singleton has spent much of his career in securities and investments. He is a former vice president for Smith Barney and for Prudential Securities. He also held executive posts with Wall Street Investment Corp. and Pryor, McC1endon, Counts & Co. Since 1996, he has operated his own consulting firm, Navy Hill Busi-ness Associates.

E. PERCIL STANFORD, PhDDr. E. Percil Stanford became interested in the field of aging very early in life. As an undergraduate student in sociology and demography, he was involved in the first White House Conference of Aging, held in Washington, DC That experience left him enamored with the possibility of an older population that would be the foundation of society. He has set up gerontology programs for academic institutions, worked on long-term care, pension and retirement issues, and exposed members of the media to aging issues. Dr. Stanford is widely recognized for his expertise on issues associated with minority aging. Professional involvement includes working in the U.S. Administra-tion on Aging, the Office of the Secretary at the U.S. Department of Health, Educa-tion & Welfare and both Houses of the U.S. Congress.

For many years Dr. Stanford was asso-ciated with San Diego State University


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where he continues to serve as professor emeritus. He was professor and charter director for the University’s Center on Aging and Department of Gerontology. He also served as the director for the National Institute on Minority Aging, which he founded and directed several other national programs under the um-brella of the University Center on Aging.

As the field of gerontology has evolved, Dr. Stanford has played a leadership role in the development of several gerontological and geriatric focused organizations. His leadership in the field of aging extends to the role he played in the development of the American Society on Aging (ASA), for which he served as president. He also had a significant role in the establishment of ASA’s New Ventures in Leadership pro-gram for minority leaders. He served as AARP’s regional director for the West Re-gion and as interim director of the State Affairs Department before being named chief diversity officer in 2005.

wARREN STEwART, EdDA recognized volunteer leader through-out Virginia, Dr. Stewart has served in 26 volunteer positions for community service in the Hampton Roads area and across the Commonwealth. Dr. Stewart has served his community as a board member for the Norfolk City Library, Big Brother/Big Sisters, Ida Barbour Learning Center, and J. Frank Sellew Scholarship Campaign, Norfolk Crime Line, Virginia Retired Teachers Association, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Kiwanis of Ocean View and Ocean

View Lions Club. He was appointed presi-dent of AARP Virginia in January 2007. He was state volunteer advocacy coordina-tor for four years before being appointed state president. Dr. Stewart’s background is in business, the military and education. He earned his EdD in Curriculum from the University of Virginia. He has been recognized with awards from numerous organizations across Virginia, including the prestigious Andrus Award for Com-munity Service in Virginia by AARP.

MY LAN TRAN My Lan Tran currently serves the City of Richmond Office of Minority Business Development. She is administrator of the Virginia Asian Foundation and executive director of the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce. Before joining the City of Richmond, My Lan served the Virginia Economic Development Partnership in global trade management and Massa-chusetts in workforce development. My Lan holds an MA in International Policy Studies and advanced graduate studies in Asian Affairs and international business from the Monterey Institute Of Interna-tional Studies, California, and Thunder-bird, the Garvin School of International Management, in Arizona. She holds Economic Development Certification from the Virginia Economic Development Institute at Virginia Tech; the University of California at Berkeley; and the U.S. Vet-erans Training Institute at the University of Colorado in Denver. My Lan has held leadership positions with the AARP Di-versity Committee, Virginia International Business Alliance; Richmond Association


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for Business Economics, and Chair of the Richmond Sister Cities Commission, US-China People’s Friendship Association.

JOSEPH wALLACE, PhDDr. Joey Wallace is the executive director of Virginia’s New Well Fund, an organiza-tion that provides low interest loans to individuals with disabilities in need of assistive technology. He worked for the Virginia Assistive Technology System for 15 years as a policy analyst and fund-ing specialist. He has expert knowledge of policy and funding issues across the disability field and has assisted in the creation of over two dozen assistive tech-nology loan financing programs. He pro-vides training and technical assistance on assistive technology to organizations and individuals both locally and nation-ally. Joey is the author of multiple journal articles, textbook chapters, and topic papers on a variety of disability-related areas. He is dedicated to improving the economic stability of folks with disabili-ties. Joey has spent 30 years working for systems change and personal advocacy for all persons with disabilities and their families.

MICHEL ZAJURMichel Zajur is the founder and presi-dent/CEO of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (VAHCC). He was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and later moved to Richmond, Virginia, with his family. Michael attended Virginia Com-

monwealth University, studying Business Administration. In 1972 Michel intro-duced many Richmond locals to their first taste of Mexican cuisine and Latino culture at his family’s award-winning restaurant. Michel began offering cultur-al programs to motivate students to learn Spanish and experience the Hispanic culture. This program, known as Siesta Town, has served over 75,000 school students in central Virginia. Today Siesta Town is known as the Spanish Academy & Cultural Institute, which helps corpo-rations and organizations serving the growing Hispanic population by helping them establish a Spanish-friendly envi-ronment.

Michel founded the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (VAHCC) in May of 2000 to serve as a bridge linking the Hispanic community to the community-at-large in the Greater Richmond Area and in Virginia as a whole. The VAHCC aims to help Hispanics and non- Hispanics work with each other on programs both within and outside of the business world to foster a more diverse community.

In addition to his involvement in the VAHCC, Michel has served on many boards throughout Virginia, helping other organizations extend their reach into the Hispanic community.

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James Naggles and My Lan Tran, Co-Chairpersons

AARP VIRGINIAPatrick Johnson, Associate State Director, Community Outreach

Patricia Jones-Jackson, Community Coordinator

DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATIVE SERVICESTheresa Preda, Director of Independent Living

EqUALITY VIRGINIAJon Blair, Executive Director

LEAGUE OF wOMEN VOTERS GREATER RICHMOND AREA CHAPTERMary Payne

NORTHERN VIRGINIA URBAN LEAGUELavern Chatman, President and CEO

SENIOR CONNECTIONS THE CAPITAL AREA AGENCY ON AGINGHarris Spindle, Community Relations Manager

Marilyn Branch-Mitchell, Human Resources Manager

URBAN LEAGUE OF GREATER RICHMONDThomas Victory, President and CEO

URBAN LEAGUE OF HAMPTON ROADSEdith White, President and CEO

VIRGINIA ASIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE VIRGINIAMy Lan Tran, Executive Director

VIRGINIA HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCEMichel Zajur, President and CEO

VIRGINIA INTERFAITH CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICYDr. Charles Baugham, Chairman

VIRGINIA POVERTY LAw CENTERKathy Pryor, Esq.

James (Jim) Naggles, Esq.

a a r p v i r g i n i a D i v e r s i t y a D v i s o r y c o m m i t t e e

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AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization

that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways

that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.

AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make

contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce

AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the

world’s largest-circulation magazine with over 35.5 million readers;

AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP’s 40 million members

and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S.

publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and

our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that

provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in

need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors,

and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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