2025 Conference Session Details

8:45AM – 10:15AM

Building Bridges: The Power of Intergenerational Connections

Speakers: Derenda Shubert
Speaker Title: Author, Executive Director
Company/Organization: Bridge Meadows

Session Description:
Leaders of Senior Living Communities face the complex challenges of creating vibrant, connected communities while at the same time, ensuring both residents and staff feel valued, supported, and engaged. With a growing demand for meaningful senior living experiences and managing a multigenerational workforce, embracing an intergenerational lens is no longer an innovative idea – it is a strategic imperative. This keynote will explore how senior living leaders can leverage intergenerational approaches to build stronger internal communities, enhance workforce retention, and position intergenerational engagement as a defining amenity for residents.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the Value of an Intergenerational Approach
Explore Workforce Solutions for a Multigenerational Staff
Identify Intergenerational Programs that Enhance Resident Well-Being
Understand Key Elements for a Plan to Strengthen Community Connections
Overcome Barriers to Implementation
Position Intergenerational Engagement as a Competitive Advantage

11:00AM – 12:00PM

Cutting Edge Dining Programs: how to stay ahead of the curve

Speakers: Steven Brustein
Speaker Title: Director of Growth and Retention
Company/Organization: Glendale Dining Services

Session Description:
Is your dining program supporting your mission? This session will help you identify the key indicators of a progressive and successful dining program, and give insight into how you can adjust to the changing times both on your own, and with a food service management partner.

Learning Objectives:

Checklist of key performance indicators for a successful dining program
Utilizing resources effectively and overcoming challenges
Pros and cons of contract management

Unlocking Team Potential with The Working Genius Model

Speakers: Kim Gaskell
Speaker Title: Vice President, Operations
Company/Organization: The RiverWoods Group

Session Description:
This session introduces the six types of Working Genius and offers leaders a framework for understanding team dynamics. Featuring RiverWoods’ company-wide implementation, it shows how to use the model to foster efficiency, collaboration, and job satisfaction.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the six types of Working Genius
Recognize and fix inefficiencies in leadership teams
Differentiate between genius, competency, and frustration
Improve team alignment and productivity with actionable steps

Maximizing Rent Levels by Enhancing Services and Amenities at Properties with Project-Based Rental Subsidy

Speakers: Mark Oswanski
Speaker Title: Vice President
Company/Organization: Hampden Park Capital & Consulting

Session Description:
Explore ways to increase rent potential on Section 8 and PRAC properties through service-enriched programming and amenities. Learn about Option 1 renewals, Rent Comparability Studies, and RAD for PRAC Conversion funding.

Learning Objectives:

Understand eligibility for Option 1 and RAD for PRAC rent increases
Learn how services and amenities influence appraiser rent conclusions
Evaluate the operational and financing impact of increased rental revenue

A PeopleFirst Workforce

Speakers: Brenna Schneider
Speaker Title: Chief Innovation Officer
Company/Organization: Ascentria Care Alliance

Session Description:

PeopleFirst Pathways is designed to help organizations create and sustain a productive, engaged, and healthy workforce. This session will delve into how PeopleFirst Pathways serves as a critical linchpin for healthcare and human services employers striving to recruit and retain workers. By offering comprehensive resources to employees, Ascentria is making a significant investment in its workforce. Recognizing the shifting demographics and needs of the workforce—particularly the influx of individuals from under-resourced communities and new Americans seeking employment—the program presents a trailblazing solution to the ongoing workforce crisis.

Participants will gain insights into the program's core components, its impact on staff satisfaction and retention, and how it can be adapted to meet the evolving needs of mission-driven organizations. We'll also discuss our long-term vision for scaling PeopleFirst Pathways as a model for strengthening workforce sustainability across the sector.

Learning Objectives:

Learn how to apply the core principles of the PeopleFirst Pathways program to support workforce engagement, wellbeing, and retention in your own organization.
Gain insights from Ascentria’s pilot experience, including practical strategies and challenges to consider when launching a similar workforce initiative.
Explore adaptable approaches to workforce development that address the needs of diverse, mission-driven teams—including those from under-resourced and immigrant communities.

Crisis Communications in Aging Services

Speakers: David Ball
Speaker Title: President & Founder
Company/Organization: Ball Consulting Group

Session Description:
Is your organization prepared for a crisis? Too many aging services organizations realize that they are not prepared at the worst possible moment: when they amidst one. Many challenges can occur in the business of serving and caring for older adults, from cybercrime to abuse and neglect to serious regulatory issues. This session will equip participants with the skills needed to prepare for and manage crises, including managing communications with those you serve, their families, the broader community, the media, and the public.

Learning Objectives:

Understand the key steps for preparing your organization for a crisis;
Learn how to identify a crisis before it happens – and how to prevent it; and
Learn how the news media and social media can impact and exacerbate a crisis and how to manage them in that instance.

Imagining 2040: A Day in the Life of a Resident

Speakers: Matt Reiners
Speaker Title: Chief Growth Officer
Company/Organization: Parasol Alliance

Session Description:
Envision a future day in the life of a resident. Personalized lighting and music aid in waking up, a robot companion informs them of the day's food menu and dispenses morning medication. Passive sensors and wearables in their room actively monitor movement to assist in fall prevention. The possibilities are endless, but how can we reach this future? What existing technology can pave the way for us?

Learning Objectives:

Discover innovative technology solutions your communities should be considering as we look to the future of senior living.
Learn what baseline technology infrastructure is needed to set your community up for innovative success.
Find out how to build a proactive roadmap & budget using an internal steering committee at your communities for optimal buy-in, efficiency & effectiveness.

1:30PM – 2:30PM

Benchmarking Retirement Plans in Senior Living: How Organizations Can Improve Employee Outcomes

Speakers: Michaela Scott
Speaker Title: Strategic Benefits Consultant
Company/Organization: Borislow Insurance

Session Description:
They say comparison is the thief of joy—except when you’re benchmarking your retirement plan and finding easy, low-hanging fruit for improvement. In this session, we’ll show HR and CFO leaders how to use industry data to identify gaps, enhance employee outcomes, and boost financial wellness. Because when it comes to retirement plans, a little smart comparison can lead to big wins for your workforce.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how your plan compares to peers and best-in-class employers
Track key metrics like participation rates, match effectiveness, and wellness scores
Identify improvement opportunities in plan design and fee structure
Learn how HR and finance leaders can align for retirement success
Explore trends in financial wellness and emergency savings programs

How Resident Technology Support Programs Benefit Both Residents and Staff

Speakers: Anna Verbuk and Ahad Suleymanli
Speaker Title: Director of the Resident Technology Program; Resident Technology Instructor
Company/Organization: 2Life Communities

Session Description:
As society becomes more digital, older adults need increasing tech support. Learn how 2Life Communities’ Resident Technology Program saves staff time and bridges the digital divide with a holistic, multilingual approach. Discover how this model can be adapted for other senior communities.

Learning Objectives:

Understand older adults’ tech support and training needs
Define optimal collaboration between tech support staff and general staff
Build an adaptable in-house tech support model
Explore outsourcing options and AI integration

Navigating Recent Presidential Executive Orders and Federal Guidance

Speakers: Jill Brenner Meixel and Bettina Toner
Speaker Title: Partner; Partner
Company/Organization: Krokidas & Bluestein LLP

Session Description:
Stay ahead of federal changes impacting employment law, DEI initiatives, immigration, and First Amendment rights. This session offers best practices and up-to-date legal guidance for senior living organizations.

Learning Objectives:

Understand federal guidance on DEI and compliant implementation
Balance employee rights in areas of speech and religious accommodation
Navigate immigration issues including ICE policies and I-9 compliance

Resident Retention: The Vital Importance of Therapy in Skilled Nursing and Senior Living Occupancy

Speakers: Rachael Percoco
Speaker Title: Director of Outpatient Services
Company/Organization: Preferred Therapy Solutions

Session Description:
Therapy plays a crucial role in retaining residents and improving their quality of life. Learn how therapy programs can support aging in place, prevent hospitalizations, and boost both operational and financial outcomes.

Learning Objectives:

Improve quality metrics and reduce hospitalizations with therapy
Understand the value of onsite therapy in senior living
Learn how therapy supports aging in place
Explore the benefits of wellness programs
Evaluate therapy’s financial impact

Navigating Digital Marketing Trends: What’s In, What’s Out, and What’s Next for Senior Living Providers

Speakers: Katie Beaver and Avery Lamphere
Speaker Title: VP, Business Development
Company/Organization: Creating Results

Session Description:
This session explores today’s evolving digital marketing landscape, including AI tools and changing consumer behavior. Discover how to stay competitive and convert leads more effectively.

Learning Objectives:

Identify key digital marketing trends
Analyze shifting consumer behavior in the digital space
Implement AI-driven strategies and tools to increase conversions

2:45PM – 3:45PM

"The Wisdom on Wheels” Journey: A Nationwide 5-Year Quest to Capture the Hearts and Minds of the Greatest Generation

Speakers: Jack York
Speaker Title: Chief Story Teller
Company/Organization: TaleGate

Session Description:
This heartfelt session chronicles a 5-year journey of interviewing residents across the country, capturing their wisdom and life stories. It’s a reminder of why senior living professionals do what they do—and how to keep the resident experience at the center.

Learning Objectives:

Hear life stories that highlight the spirit of senior living
Learn what matters most to long-lived residents
Take away practical tips for enhancing resident experience