The 2024 OPEN MINDS Aging In Place Summit

Leanne Clark-Shirley, PhD, is ASA’s President & CEO. Clark-Shirley is a social gerontologist with nearly 20 years of experience working in aging-related nonprofit, consulting and academic environments. Before joining ASA, she was AARP’s Senior Evaluation Advisor, responsible for strategic planning, building internal evaluation research capacity and applying impact measurement expertise at the departmental and enterprise levels. Prior to that, she led the Aging and Disability research practice at IMPAQ International, a think-tank and policy research firm. Clark-Shirley is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, teaches courses on policy and aging and regularly mentors students interested in non-academic careers in aging. She received her doctorate in Gerontology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Julia Alexis is Vice President, Strategic Initiatives and Operations at the AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) where she oversees its business development, management and operations. She leads a team of professionals whose diverse skills ensure PPI’s operational success. Working with the public and private sectors, including foundations, she identifies and creates new opportunities to strengthen and optimize PPI’s impact and performance.

Prior to joining PPI, Alexis served as Vice President, Health Products and Services at AARP Services, Inc., where she created and managed AARP’s health product portfolio, increased membership and revenue, managed major service providers and multimillion dollar budgets, served as media spokesperson, and launched new products and initiatives. Alexis spent 5 years as a senior executive at an academic medical center, where she built physician practice groups and clinical practices and managed Medicare demonstration projects. Earlier in her career, Alexis developed and led significant advertising campaigns for large insurers, pharmaceutical companies, and health advocacy groups as an executive at a full service, award-winning marketing agency.

She has extensive experience in data driven direct to consumer and business to business marketing.

A member of the Society for Women Business Leaders in Health Care, Alexis serves on several volunteer boards including as board chair for a  non-profit focused on young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities. She authors blogs on health and wellness.

Alexis graduated with honors from Georgetown University, Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, with a bachelor’s of science, foreign service (international economics/politics.)

Najja R. Orr assumed the role of PCA’s President & CEO in 2020 as services to Philadelphia’s older adults had to quickly adapt during the COVID-19 pandemic. This included delivering more than 3 million meals to older Philadelphians through home-delivered and community-based meal programs. Prior to coming to PCA, Orr worked for the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging since 2002 and served as that agency’s director until 2011. In 2017, he joined PCA as the chief strategy officer, leading the agency’s planning department.

Orr has served on several boards during his tenure in the aging field and held a number of positions, including chair of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging Cultural Diversity Advisory Council and board secretary and southeast regional representative for the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging. Orr has also served as a member of the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging Cultural Diversity Committee and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey Vision Council.

Orr received his doctorate from Temple University in 2022. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Drexel University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College. Orr was recently selected as one the 2022 nonprofit power 100 honorees by City & State Pennsylvania.  In addition to being a dedicated advocate for older adults, Orr is also a dedicated husband and father of four.

Rigo J. Saborio, MSG, is Vice President of Programs, Equity, and Community Impact at The SCAN Foundation. In this role, Rigo oversees the Foundation’s efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to ensure all older adults receive the services and supports they need to age well. Over the last year, Rigo implemented the Foundation’s community impact plan for strategic grantmaking.

Rigo has over 30 years of experience in the field of aging with an emphasis on public policy, diversity outreach, administration, and direct service. Rigo’s career included 13 years as Chief Executive Officer of St. Barnabas Senior Services in Los Angeles and eight years with AARP, culminating as a Director of Diversity Outreach and Alliances for AARP’s National Office. He also served six years as Director of USC’s Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center and worked as a staffer on the U.S. Select Committee on Aging for the U.S. House of Representatives. Rigo is active with numerous charitable and professional organizations and cofounded and served as Chair of the Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition and is a member of the Equity in Aging Advisory Committee, which advises the governor’s administration on the implementation of the California Master Plan for Aging, as well as Department of Aging on the planning and implementation of aging and disability programs.

Rigo holds a Master of Science in Gerontology from the USC Davis School of Gerontology. He also completed a bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Sciences at the California State University, Los Angeles. Rigo enjoys traveling with his wife, spending meaningful time with his two daughters, catching a ballgame with his dad, and sharing a meal with friends and family.

Dr. Wyant serves as the Vice President of Northeast Care Coordination for The Columbus Organization. In this role she oversees all operations and business development for several states for the Company. She has also been a part of numerous projects within Columbus to advance its capabilities, providing better opportunities for direct service provider engagement. She has also been a part of or championed numerous efforts to improve the service offering for clients, with a focus on holistic and person-centered care. 

Prior to Columbus, Dr. Wyant had a variety of experiences in New York, culminating in working in case management leadership when the state moved to managed care/at risk models. 

Dr. Wyant has also served as an adjunct instructor in Psychology for SUNY.

Elaine Aguirre is a general physician from the University of Colima, Mexico, with over 16 years of managed care experience working in various roles, from Care Coordination to Director of Clinical Operations and Medical Management, and currently VP of Clinical Operations and Business Development under the Columbus Organization. Over the last 9 years, she worked in the implementation and growth of the NJ MLTSS department in WellCare NJ. In 2024, she came to the Columbus Organization as part of the strategic plan to expand its capacity and experience within the population with complex needs, long-term care programs, and programs for the aging, as well as the collaboration with our parent-managed care company, Care Source. She grew up as an only child of immigrant Mexican parents, 1st one in her family to finish college and become a doctor, and she has 3 wonderful kids who are her life’s most valuable achievement, the most supportive husband she could ask for…. and 2 spoiled dogs.

Lisa Bodenheimer, MSW, LCSW, is an Assistant Professor at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine’s New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging (NJISA). Ms. Bodenheimer has 20 years of post-graduate experience in the fields of geriatrics, mental health, and healthcare. In her current role, Ms. Bodenheimer provides clinical social work support to older adults in a primary care setting through the NJISA’s team-based Memory Assessment Program, focusing on assessing and managing cognitive impairment.  She also provides psychotherapy for patients with anxiety/depression and caregiver support for families with a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. As a member of an interprofessional education team working on the federally-funded Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) grant, Ms. Bodenheimer manages projects with the Veterans Administration Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Vineland and the NJ Division of Aging Services, incorporating the 4Ms framework (What Matters, Mentation, Medications, and Mobility) to support age-friendly care and build a healthcare workforce that provides quality care to older individuals.  Ms. Bodenheimer’s clinical and research interests include depression, social isolation and loneliness, the impact of childhood adversity on aging, and advanced care planning.

Jennifer Sinnott is a dynamic leader with over 20 years of dedicated experience in aging services. Currently serving as the Vice President of Health & Social Services at Serving Seniors, she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the integration of essential services such as social work, health education, dental, and wellness programs. Jennifer’s passion for enhancing the lives of seniors extends beyond basic care; she actively fosters collaborative partnerships and initiatives that prioritize a holistic “whole person” approach to well-being.

Jennifer’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Iowa State University and a Master of Social Work from Boston College. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing the field of aging services, working tirelessly within both nonprofit and county government systems to develop innovative solutions that address the diverse needs of older adults.

With her wealth of experience and unwavering dedication to compassionate care, Jennifer Sinnott is a respected authority in the field. She brings invaluable insights and practical strategies to empower others in creating supportive environments that promote aging with dignity and vitality.