Since 1994…
We’ve been committed to helping elders take their lives back by:- Reframing how we see aging
- Reimagining care as we know it
- Eliminating loneliness, helplessness, and boredom
- Revolutionizing how we support people living with changing abilities
- Delivering transformative education and consultation
To improve the well-being of Elders and their care partners by transforming the communities in which they live and work.
Then.
Founded by award-winning geriatrician Dr. Bill Thomas and his partner Jude Thomas, The Eden Alternative® began as a grant-funded project in a single nursing home.
Now.
Today, we are a global, 501c3 non-profit organization that impacts hundreds of thousands of people across 22 countries and transforms caring relationships throughout all care settings and services.
We get results.
Greater well-being
Lower employee turnover
Higher performance
Greater reduction in harmful drug use
Significant positive impact
and overall well-being.
Our Team
Emily joined the Eden Alternative Home Office Team in July 2023 as a Community Builder. She has her bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from York College of PA and her master’s degree in Long Term Care Administration from the University of Massachusetts in Boston. She is a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and Certified Dementia Practitioner with 25 years of long-term care experience. Emily has been an adjunct faculty member at York College of PA since 2006. She has been committed to culture change since her first exposure to the Eden Alternative philosophy in 1999. Emily lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two children. Her simple pleasures are coffee, Def Leppard, and anything outdoors!
Michelle has worked in the field of long-term care since 1995 and has experience in skilled nursing homes, assisted living centers, and ICF-IDD campuses in Mississippi, Tennessee Louisiana, and Texas. She has a Masters of Health Administration from the University of Memphis.
Michelle joined the Eden Alternative team in October 2023. As a longtime advocate for culture change and The Eden Alternative, Michelle is an Eden Educator and Consultant. As a seasoned presenter, she has shared her expertise in culture change and person-directed care at five Eden Alternative International Conferences, Pioneer Network Conferences, Green House Project Conferences, and many others. She currently serves on the United Methodist Association Board.
Michelle most recently served as a Vice President for Methodist Senior Services. She began in October of 2015 as their Vice President of Philanthropy and Strategic Implementation. Her latest endeavor as Vice President of Leadership Development is the Celebration of Leadership, a masters-level Leadership Academy.
Michelle lives in Pass Christian, Mississippi with her husband, Chris, and two children, Joseph and McKenzie. She serves as Scoutmaster where she teaches young men and women life and leadership skills through Boy Scout Ranks and the Merit Badge Program. She enjoys her free time in the outdoors.
Kristi joined the Eden Alternative Home Office Team in January 2022 as a Community Builder and has been involved with The Eden Alternative since 2018. In her role, she consults with and supports organizations with implementation, creates resources, develops educational tools and materials, and supports networking opportunities between individuals and organizations. As an Eden Educator, she enjoys facilitating change in communities across the country. Kristi loves spending time exploring the outdoors and has a goal to visit every national park. She lives in Denver with her husband, James, and their four-legged family of multiple cats and a dog.
Sue joined The Eden Alternative in September of 2015. She is the Operations Manager and collaborates with every member of the Home Office Team. She provides financial management, human resources support, and the fulfillment of educational materials. Sue lives in the Rochester, NY area and loves spending time with her children and grandchild.
Denise has been involved with The Eden Alternative since 1997 and part of the home office team since 2009. As Community Builder, Denise guides and supports organizations with implementation, creates resources, develops educational tools and materials, and supports networking opportunities between individuals and organizations. She is part of the leadership team for the Nebraska Culture Change Coalition. Denise enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandsons. She is a member of the church bell choir, attends monthly wine club gatherings, and enjoys reading a good romance novel!
Meredith is the Head of Eden Services which includes education, consultation, and learning tools. She first learned about The Eden Alternative as a college student. Inspired by the approach, she set her sights on a career in aging services. She began actively applying The Eden Alternative in 2003 as a leader in an Eden Registry Member Organization.
As an Eden Educator, she taught hundreds of change agents about the impact of loneliness, helplessness, boredom, and the power of person-directed care. In 2009, she joined the Eden Alternative Home Office Team. As Education Coordinator, Meredith manages the coordination of all educational events and the growth and development of Eden Educators, as well as cultivating new, potential educational initiatives and opportunities, such as Eden Alternative LIVE.
Stacy joined the Eden Alternative Home Office Team in December 2023 as the Education Outreach Specialist. She attended York College of Pennsylvania and holds a degree in Recreation and Leisure Administration with an emphasis in Recreation Therapy, and a minor in Applied Youth Development. Stacy worked in Lancaster County, PA at a Continuous Care Retirement
Community for 12 years, first as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist and later as the Supervisor of Volunteer Services. She now looks forward to cultivating partnerships between The Eden Alternative and Communities embracing the Eden Approach.
Stacy lives in her hometown of Cape May, NJ with her husband Conor who is a winemaker, and their son who loves fire trucks, trains, and books. Stacy’s simple pleasures include holding her son, enjoying a glass of wine, and listening to fiction on Audible.
Kimberly joined The Eden Alternative in March of 2019 to provide support for our educational events and grant projects. She lives in The Colony, TX with her husband, Jeffrey, and their dog Stanlee. In her downtime she enjoys a multitude of activities including spending time with their daughters, Morgan and Annsley, listening to all genres of music, choir, playing piano, reading a great book, going on any kind of trip with her husband, hiking, boating, or vacationing anywhere there is a beach or a pool.
Methodist Retirement Communities
Michael is a Licensed Nursing Facility Administrator (LNFA) and the Healthcare Administrator at The Crossings, a Five Star senior living community in the Houston area that joined the Eden Alternative Registry. He has over 12 years of experience in healthcare administration, a business degree from the University of Georgia, and holds certifications in Risk Management and Stephen Ministry. Michael transitioned to senior care and is driven by a passion for enhancing the lives of elders through innovative approaches.
Michael was guided to senior care after years as a commercial insurance underwriter, analyzing corporate risk for senior living communities, fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, contractors and commercial manufacturers. Michael is married, has two adult sons and is blessed to have a wonderful daughter in law and new granddaughter. Michael is ranked in the top 20 in the world in the game of Air Hockey. He loves to sing, is very active in his church and local community.
Anne Hicks Dorantes has contributed to the field of long-term care since 1993 and is the Principal and CEO of The Memory Pros. Her mission is to elevate memory care by building exceptional programs and empowering confident, compassionate care teams. She previously served with Altarum as a Long-Term Services and Supports Specialist, advancing culture change practices in care homes across Kentucky and Tennessee. An award-winning Health Services Executive (HSE), Anne remains as passionate about her calling today as she was thirty years ago, and she continues to share her guiding mantra of “anticipating change” as part of her mission.
As the landscape of long-term services evolves to meet expectations for meaningful support at home, community, and in long term care settings, Anne is dedicated to advancing models that prioritize dignity and quality of life. The Eden Alternative, an internationally recognized leader in creating care cultures that honor elders and care partners, deeply resonates with her vision. After becoming a Certified Eden Associate in 2023, Anne was inspired to explore how the Eden philosophy can transform memory care, enriching the lives of those living with dementia and those who support them. She lives in Ohio with her husband, Abelardo, and enjoys traveling, celebrating life with her family, anything played on an acoustic guitar, and, above all laughing every day.
Dementia Action Alliance
Craig Fowler has focused his career on improving operating performance while simultaneously driving growth. Starting in the automotive industry, he then spent 5 years at McKinsey & Company, and then was a senior member of the founding team at Vistaprint.
Inspired by his mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s disease, Craig founded JoyGage, a technology startup focused on improving the quality of life for individuals living with dementia and for their care partners.
Sally has more than 25 years extensive operational and business development experience within Aged Care sector including Business Development, Operations and Consulting.
In 2009, she joined Eden in Oz & NZ Ltd as the Eden Alternative Regional Coordinator and Executive Director for Australia, New Zealand and now South East Asia. In her time at the helm the organization has grown it’s business base and reputation. Under her stewardship, many edenising homes and community organizations are recognized Nationally and Internationally.
Highlights for her include in 2017, the inaugural CEAT course was been delivered in Singapore. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Nancy Fox Leadership Award.
In 2019 she is studying an Advanced Women in Leadership course to enhance her own personal knowledge and growth in leadership, but that of the client communities in the Region.
Also in 2019 the inaugural CEAT will be delivered in Hong Kong in July 2019. The organization is also holding an International Conference in Brisbane 2019.
She is passionate about making a difference in the lives of older people and has worked tirelessly educating, promoting, mentoring organizations to have a deeper understanding of The Eden Alternative.
Nathan Jones, a former college football coach, stumbled upon the world of aging services by chance when he received an invitation to visit a local senior living community. Since that serendipitous encounter, Nathan has dedicated himself to shedding light on the essence of senior living and advocating for it as a trustworthy option.
Entering the industry in 2016, Nathan embarked on a mission to educate others about senior living. He established a prominent presence in the digital sphere, creating the widely followed Instagram account @seniorlivingstories, which boasts over 180,000 followers. What began as a personal endeavor evolved into a platform for sharing captivating stories, driving sales, facilitating recruitment, nurturing culture, and cultivating a brand within the senior living sector.
In 2022, Nathan founded Dash Media, a venture aimed at empowering senior living organizations to leverage the power of storytelling on social media. Under his leadership, Dash Media has achieved remarkable milestones, reaching over 200 million individuals by the end of 2022 through the compelling narratives of older adults.
Beyond his role as CEO of Dash Media, Nathan resides in Smyrna, GA, where he indulges his passions for sports, following Jesus, and anything that is active & outdoors.
Saint John’s on the Lake
Matthew Loyd began his journey serving older adults 35 years ago as a Dietary Aide in a small nursing home in his rural Kansas hometown. That early experience sparked a lifelong commitment to improving the aging experience—and taught him how to operate a commercial dishwasher.
In the late 1990s, while working at Meadowlark Hills in Manhattan, Kansas as both an administrator and part-time CNA, Matt became an early advocate for small household models of care. Since then, his career has been devoted to not-for-profit, single-site, person-directed Life Plan Communities.
Matt became a Certified Eden Associate in 2003 and has renewed his certification multiple times (2013, 2015, and 2025), a testament to his enduring belief in person-centered care. He still references his well-worn copy of Haleigh’s Almanac, a trusted resource he’s used for over two decades.
In 2021, Matt joined Saint John’s as the organization’s first Chief Operating Officer and was named President & CEO in 2025. Saint John’s has a long-standing legacy of person-directed care and was featured in the 2005 documentary Almost Home, which candidly explored the realities of aging and the urgent need for change—while offering a hopeful vision for the future.
Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in communication sciences and gerontology from Kansas State University’s Center on Aging. He is married and the proud father of one daughter.
Mr. Alexander Lu is an Executive Director in the Asset Management group at HPS Investment Partners. Prior to joining HPS in 2023, Mr. Lu was Director of Research at a fundamental research-oriented hedge fund and an Investment Banker at Merrill Lynch. He is a CFA Charterholder and graduated magna cum laude from New York University’s Stern School of Business with a B.S. in Finance and Accounting.
Angie McAllister, NHA is a culture and community builder, writer, and speaker, and is currently the Spark Performance League Commissioner at Lifespark. Angie has over 27 years of experience in healthcare, proudly having started her career as a Certified Nursing Assistant. Within that time, she led Quality of Life & Culture Change for Signature HealthCARE for over a decade. In this position Angie worked closely with over 100 Signature HealthCARE communities to facilitate cultural transformation, assisting over 40 of them to join the Eden Alternative Registry. Additionally, Angie has been an Eden Alternative Educator & Mentor since 2011. Angie was also named the 2016 recipient of the Nancy J. Fox Leadership Award and the 2018 recipient of the Eden Alternative Champion Award.
Matt Reiners is a two-time tech co-founder that has both led to successful exits. Matt is a Forbes 30U30 award winner and was driven to the help the senior living industry after seeing what his Grandmother struggled with while in a community.
Patricia worked with Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada from 1990-2015 and is a certified Eden Associate. As a member of the Leadership group she led the team that established the iGen intergenerational classroom for grade 6 students (2013) in partnership with the Saskatoon Public School Board and the Open Arts Studio opened in 2007.
In her early health care career, she was the Director of Home Care in Saskatoon. Patricia was a three term (9 years) member of Saskatoon City Council, member of the Saskatoon Police Commission and a member of the fund development committee for the local children’s museum (WonderHub).
Patricia was also President of the Canadian Special Olympic Games, President of the local WYCA and Chair of the Community Liaison Committee for VIDO, (Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization) at the University of Saskatchewan. She received the Governors General’s Medal (2005) and the Queen’s medal for community service and leadership in Saskatchewan and Canada (2023). She is married to William Roe KC, a retired criminal lawyer and law professor at the University of Saskatchewan. They have 2 children and 2 grandchildren.
Dementia Action Alliance Representative
Laurie Scherrer was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s & FTD at the age of 55. Unable to continue a professional career she turned her focus towards helping others through their dementia journey. She is an international speaker and has been featured in many articles and documentaries.
On her website, dementiadaze.com Laurie shares her feelings, challenges, symptoms and adjustments in hopes of encouraging other Persons with Dementia and care partners to explore ways to live beyond dementia. Together with her husband Roy, they work hard trying to identify the obstacles that trigger Laurie’s challenges and symptoms and then figure out what adjustments they can make to overcome the barriers. “We don’t automatically accept that I CAN’T do things anymore, instead we try to figure out HOW I CAN.”
Christian Living Communities and Cappella Living Solutions
Dan is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Christian Living Communities and Cappella Living Solutions. He has worked his entire career in senior care starting out as a social work assistant in a skilled nursing community in Castle Rock, CO in 2001. His background includes social work, dementia care, admissions/marketing, sales and operations. He holds an active Colorado Nursing Home Administrator’s license.
Prior to joining Christian Living Communities, Dan worked for 9.5 years in various roles for a large for profit company. In his last role, he was the National Director of Sales and Marketing, supporting sales and marketing for 43 assisted and independent livings in 20 states. He is an alumnus of the 2022 class of the Leading Age Leadership Academy, this journey was a once in a lifetime professional and personal experience that has better shaped him as a leader and his desire to transform aging services. Dan is an Eden Alternative Certified Eden Associate and Eden Educator. He is passionate about person-directed care and breaking down our long established institutional models of care. He strongly believes these changes are vital to quality of life for residents and team members and to improving public perception of aging services.
In his free time he enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, spending time with his dog Scully, building Legos and is active in his local church. He is also a die hard New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox fan.
As LifeLoop’s SVP, Resident Engagement, Charles brings a wealth of experience in the senior living space. Prior to LifeLoop, Charles was the CEO and co-founder of Linked Senior, a resident engagement solution that touched 50,000+ residents in 600+ senior living communities. During that time, Charles developed and executed long-term strategic plans, identified growth opportunities, aligned organizational goals, and drove innovation, ensuring the company’s successful adaptation to market trends. He believes Old People Are Cool and has trust in #ActivitiesStrong, a concept and program developed to support senior living activity and life enrichment professionals.
Charles holds a Master’s Degree in Communication, Culture, and Technology from Georgetown University and a Master’s Degree in International Management from Dauphine University, Paris. He also sits on the boards of The Validation Training Institute and NCCAP.
Jack York is a well-known and respected leader in improving the quality of life for older adults, by enriching their lives through technology that makes it easier to connect with family and friends. As a co-founder of IN2L, his charismatic, mission-driven approach helped him to build an organization around the idea that it’s never too late to have a fulfilling life. Jack is currently traveling the country in a 42-foot trailer he calls TaleGate, hosting 2 or 3 parties a week, and capturing stories of the most remarkable and cherished people on the planet – older adults.
“Life is a wild, magical, crazy journey. Lean into your dreams, think big, surround yourself with smart people you trust……. and who knows where your own journey might lead.” – Jack York
By The Eden Alternative and dementia action alliance
Person-Directed Living Speakers Bureau
CEO Eden Health Solutions Ltd., Global Partner Eden Alternative Western Canada,
Leadership Coach & Culture Change Expert
Suellen is the CEO Emeritus at Sherbrooke Community Society Inc. in Saskatoon. She has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Masters of Science from the University of Saskatchewan.
In 2001, Suellen received the” Woman of Distinction Award for Management” from the YWCA. In 2004, Suellen was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the Governor General of Canada. In 2014 Suellen was awarded “Distinguished Alumnus” from the University of Saskatchewan, College of Nursing. In 2015 Suellen was the recipient of the Athena Leadership Award. She is a Global Partner for Western Canada for the Eden Alternative™ has trained over 4500 Certified Eden Associates in in-person and online training courses. Suellen consults to organizations and coaches individuals in the areas of leadership, physical environment and culture change.
She is married to husband Tom Archibald and they live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. She is the proud grandmother of 3 beautiful children.
Topics: Small house model and creating a village; Creating a highly engaged, workforce, and staff recruitment and retention; Leadership for excellence, walking the talk; Unlocking the doors: creating inclusive communities; The Sherbrooke journey to healthy community; Using the Eden Alternative Domains of well-being to care plan; Putting the Eden Alternative into practice.
Carmen Bowman is a consultant, trainer, author and owner of Edu-Catering: Catering Education for Compliance and Culture Change, turning her former role of regulator into educator. Carmen was a Colorado state surveyor for nursing homes, assisted livings and adult day programs, a policy analyst with CMS Central Office teaching the national Basic Surveyor Course, and the first certified activity professional to be a surveyor.
Carmen led the Dining Practice Standards task force and first-ever Surplus Safety Symposium. She has a Master’s in Healthcare Systems, a Bachelor’s in Social Work, and a Certificate in Gerontology. Carmen is a Certified Eden Alternative Associate and was invited to be an early Eden Alternative Mentor. She is also a Certified Validation Worker, Group Practitioner and Presenter. Carmen co-founded the Colorado Culture Change Coalition and assisted to start the Wyoming Culture Change Coalition.
Topics: Did you know, CMS Regulations support Deinstitutionalizing Institutional Culture?, Proactive Quality of Life Practices – by All – that Prevent Falls, The Validation Method: Empathetic Trauma-Informed Caring for People with Dementia instead of Lying, Arguing/Convincing and Redirecting/Ignoring – and more!
Culture Change Educator & Consultant
Emily is a Community Builder at The Eden Alternative, with degrees in Therapeutic Recreation and Management of Aging Services from York College of Pennsylvania and the University of Massachusetts Boston. Since 1997, she has dedicated her career to empowering residents through meaningful leisure opportunities and supporting employee care partners in reaching their full potential. Since 2006, Emily has been actively educating care partners and college students about the therapeutic recreation profession, dementia best practices and The Eden Alternative approach to care. Emily advocates for transformative changes in care approaches to better support individual well-being regardless of the care setting.
Topics: Using The Eden Alternative Domains of Well-Being in the APIED Process; The Use of Virtual Reality as a Therapeutic Recreation Intervention; Cultivating an Elder-Driven Activity Calendar; Generation Engagement; Development of a Quality Therapeutic Recreation Internship; Representing Yourself and Your Career in a Professional Manner; Aromatherapy: It’s Use in LTC Therapeutic Recreation Programming
Penny Cook is an impassioned leader, advocate, educator and writer dedicated to making our world a better place to grow older. During her childhood, she watched her empowered and engaged grandmother navigate elderhood. After obtaining degrees in anthropology and social work, Penny realized her grandmother’s experience was very different than the patients, clients and residents with whom she was working.
Through advocacy, education, and connection, Penny has strived to create a society where growing older is normalized, valued, and appreciated. The Denver Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Colorado Culture Change Coalition, Telligen, Pioneer Network and The Center for Innovation are a few of the organizations she’s worked with during her 35 year career. She serves on the Board of the Advancing Excellence in Long-Term Care Collaborative; is an Eden Educator; and she’s currently writing a children’s book about intergenerational relationships.
Topics: Person-directed living, Common sense leadership, Understanding ageism
Advocate for Healthy Aging with Well-Being
Michelle Daniel, NHA, MHA, CFRE is the President and CEO of the Eden Alternative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the well-being of Elders and their care partners by transforming the communities in which they live and work. She has worked in the Long-Term Care field since 1995 and has experience in skilled nursing homes, assisted living centers and ICF-IDD campuses in Mississippi, Texas, Tennessee, and Louisiana. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Health Administration. Michelle is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator.
Michelle has led her peers in Long Term Care in exploring culture change and is an Eden Alternative Educator (2008), Mentor (2014) and Eden Path to Mastery Guide (2020). She has spoken to many groups regarding culture change in healthcare and the person-directed care approach, including six Eden Alternative International Conferences, Pioneer Network Conferences, Green House Project/CFI Conferences, Walk with Me Conference (Canada), Texas Coalition for Culture Change Conferences, Texas Quality in Long Term Care Conference, multiple Mississippi Department of Mental Health/IDD Joint Conferences, multiple Aging and Adult Services Conferences (for Mississippi), National Consumer Voice (Washington, D.C.), IQH, Signature Healthcare, United Methodist Association and many local civic groups. She currently serves on the Methodist Ministries Network Board and on the Sigma Kappa Foundation Finance Committee.
Topics: Ageism, Ableism, Person-directed approaches to Eldercare, Leadership Development, Team Empowerment
Jessica Luh Kim is a global educator, consultant, and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach known for sparking honest conversations and driving practical change in the health and aging services sector.
With over 25 years of experience spanning community support, research, start-ups, long-term care, senior living, and system-level policy, Jessica brings a rare mix of credibility, compassion, and clarity to every stage she steps onto. Her work is deeply informed by lived experience as a family care partner and shaped by leadership roles across Canada’s aging and health care landscape.
What sets Jessica apart is how she leads. Whether delivering a keynote, facilitating a workshop, or joining a panel, her sessions are grounded in real-life experience and shaped by the people in the room. She combines thoughtful preparation with a flexible, responsive approach – ensuring each session feels relevant, respectful, and rooted in what matters most to the audience. Jessica believes the best learning doesn’t happen through lectures – it happens through connection.
She has spoken and facilitated internationally, offering a global perspective informed by the lived realities of direct care teams, older adults, people living with dementia, family care partners, and system leaders. Named a Walk with Me Trailblazer for her leadership in culture change in Canada, Jessica also serves on several boards and advisory committees focused on innovation and inclusion in aging.
Audiences describe her sessions as practical, collaborative, and deeply human – whether they’re seeking big-picture vision or day-to-day tools to build more inclusive, person-centered, and person-directed care and support.
Topics:
Practical Approaches to Improving Service Delivery
Leading with Strengths & Strengths-Based Leadership
High-Functioning & Inclusive Teams
Workplace Culture, Retention & Change
Attracting & Retaining Diverse Talent
Innovation Adoption in Aging Services
Inclusion & Belonging
Adult Learning & Building a Learning Organization
Reframing Care & Support in an Aging World
Wellness Innovator
Angie McAllister, Eden Alternative Board Chair, has over 30 years’ experience transforming skilled nursing homes from institutional settings to vibrant communities. She has had the opportunity to create and launch several innovative approaches that facilitate meaning and purpose in the lives of Elders including Wendy’s Neverland (a groundbreaking arts-based performance project), inter-generational summer camps, vacation experiences for individuals living in skilled nursing homes, working alongside Dr. Bill Thomas to create an athletic league in senior living (Spark Performance League), online art competitions and much more. Additionally, Angie published a 5-year study demonstrating the positive impact of person-centered care on the lives of Elders living in skilled nursing communities. Angie is also a Long-Term Care Administrator, Eden Alternative Educator, TimeSlips Facilitator and Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
Topics: Leading Transformational Change in Senior Living, Inter-generational Reciprocity & Connectedness, Whole Person Engagement, Authentic & Transformational Leadership, Gamification in Senior Living
Kim McRae is a consultant, speaker, educator and a “FCTA” (Family Caregiver Turned Advocate). She has been involved in the national Culture Change Movement since 2006 and co-founded the Culture Change Network of Georgia in 2008. Kim is also an Educator and Mentor for The Eden Alternative®. She comes to person-directed living, person-centered dementia care and culture change through a twelve-year history as a family caregiver and a consumer of aging services and long-term care. Kim is nationally known as a vigilant advocate for people who are living with dementia and family caregivers (“consumers”).
She was a member of the Founding Board of Directors for the national Dementia Action Alliance (DAA). She is a recipient of The Eden Alternative’s Empowered Innovator Award, the Southern Gerontological Society’s Applied Gerontologist Award, and the Georgia Gerontology Society’s The Care Partner Luminary Award. She holds a BA in Journalism with a concentration in French from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Topics: Person-Centered Care, Dementia and Reducing the Misuse of Antipsychotics and Psychotropics; Person-Centered Dementia Care: Why It Matters; How Do You Mobilize Coalitions To Be Catalysts For Culture Change?; A Balanced Approach: Personal, Operational and Physical Transformation to Support Culture Change and Dementia Capability; Culture Change for Person-Directed Care: Why It Matters (presented this as Keynote at the 2025 LEADER Conference); Dementia 101; Young-Onset Dementia; The Unseen Struggles Of Young-Onset Dementia; Young-Onset Dementia: What Health Professionals Need To Know; Language ~ Words Matter; Creating HOME (Home vs Homelessness, etc.); Navigating Aging Services: A Much-Needed Consumer Perspective; Ageism, Ableism & Stigma (includes the Stigma of Dementia); Environments for Dementia; Person-Directed Living and Person-Centered Dementia Care: What Does It Mean To YOU? (presented to the Atlanta Senior Care Network Niche); Person-Centered Care: How To Make It Come To Life In Your Organization (presented at the 2019 GHCA Spring Counsel Tour – 7 towns); Technology Designed for Elders, People with Dementia, and Changing Cognitive Abilities: Best Practices and the Story of a Simple TV Remote Control (presented this at the Southern Gerontological Society); Let’s Talk About Antipsychotics, Psychotropics and Dementia (can do this for all types of audiences); Understanding Dementia and the Future of Long-Term Care (presented for the Atlanta Elder Law Bar Association); How To Advocate Effectively For Person-Centered Care and Culture Change (presented this with Rose Marie Fagan at the GA LTCO Conference); What Is Your WHY For Culture Change? (presented this at the GHCA Conference); Why I Became A FCTA (Family Caregiver Turned Advocate); Breaking Down The Silos To Ignite Culture Change & Person-Centered Care; Dementia Care Crash Course™; Caregiver Crash Course™
Ruth is a registered nurse who spent 30+ years in Long Term Care Leadership positions. She is recognized for her innovative dementia and leadership approach. Ruth is an advocate for supporting dementia experts who are living with dementia. Her dynamic presentations include stories to bridge the gap between clinical expertise and people experiencing daily cognitive changes.
Areas of expertise include effective communication to transform everyday challenges into engagement opportunities. Ruth’s relatable style ensures she connects with audiences ranging from people living with dementia, healthcare workers, families and executives.
Topics: Risk Management starts with Care Partners, Leadership Lessons, Dementia Communication for Everyday Life, Care Plans Worth Reading
Laurie Scherrer was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s & FTD at the age of 55. Unable to continue a professional career she turned her focus towards helping others through their dementia journey. She is an international speaker and has been featured in many articles and documentaries.
On her website, dementiadaze.com Laurie shares her feelings, challenges, symptoms and adjustments in hopes of encouraging other Persons with Dementia and care partners to explore ways to live beyond dementia. Together with her husband Roy, they work hard trying to identify the obstacles that trigger Laurie’s challenges and symptoms and then figure out what adjustments they can make to overcome the barriers. “We don’t automatically accept that I CAN’T do things anymore, instead we try to figure out HOW I CAN.”
Dementia Action Alliance Representative
Mark was 48 when he retired in 2016 after being diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s Disease. A tax accountant for over twenty years, his work focused primarily on trusts, estates, and non-profit entities.In the early 1990s, he led a local chapter of the U.S. Jaycees. He was twice elected President and honored with many awards, including the Granite Statesman Award, the highest award given to a member of the New Hampshire Jaycees.
Today, Mark uses the skills he honed in the Jaycees to work with the Dementia Action Alliance and help eliminate the stigmas associated with a dementia related diagnosis. His own diagnosis has most recently been changed to unspecified dementia.
He enjoys photography, genealogy, and advocates for causes related to dementia, mental health, and homelessness.
TaleGate The Power of Storytelling
Jack York is a well-known and respected leader in improving the quality of life for older adults, by enriching their lives through technology that makes it easier to connect with family and friends. As a co-founder of IN2L, his charismatic, mission-driven approach helped him to build an organization around the idea that it’s never too late to have a fulfilling life. Jack is currently traveling the country in a 42-foot trailer he calls TaleGate, hosting 2 or 3 parties a week, and capturing stories of the most remarkable and cherished people on the planet – older adults.
“Life is a wild, magical, crazy journey. Lean into your dreams, think big, surround yourself with smart people you trust……. and who knows where your own journey might lead.” – Jack York
Eden Members
Eden Members are inspired influencers and innovators that demonstrate exceptional commitment to practicing our unique approach to care.
Eden Educators
Certified Eden Educators are intentional disruptors. Trained to facilitate Eden Alternative training events, they help you create an empowered culture of care.
Global Partners
Our global partners are 23 countries strong. Check out this network of tenacious leaders and learn how you can engage with The Eden Alternative where you live.
