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Institute of Gerontology

Boards and Committees

Members of the Institute of Gerontology's boards and committees come from a broad range of backgrounds, professions, and experiences. They volunteer to help guide IOG research initiatives and outreach programs, connect us with community partners, assist with events, share their perspectives, and become our ambassadors to the broader community. 

  • IOG Board of Visitors
    The IOG depends on the members of its Board of Visitors to connect our research and education with the community and to help us raise funds and awareness so our work can continue.
     
    IOG Board of Visitors

    Sandy Adams, CHAIRPERSON, CFP, Center for Financial Planning
    Barbara Kopasz, Associate Vice President, Health Alliance Plan (Retired)
    Arun Anand, President/CEO, Millennium Software, Inc. (Retired)
    Tim Batdorf, Attorney, Tim Batdorf, PC
    Pierre Boutros, President, OneCare RX
    Jonathan Colman, Attorney & counselor, Barron, Rossenberg, Mayoras and Mayoras
    Elisabeth Dery, Attorney, Yun, Dery & Morgan, PC
    Carol Edwards, Chairperson Emeritus, Oakland County Schools, Retired
    Robert W. Gillette, CEO, Baldwin House Senior Living, Chairman of the Board, Baldwin Society Supporting Older Adults
    Brian Jenney, Attorney, Kemp Klein Law Firm
    Anne Karlow, Financial Advisor, Founders Financial Securities, LLC
    Maria A. Marcantonio, Senior Account Manager & Political Specialist, Crain's Detroit Business
    Kathleen Newell, Independent Elder Law Attorney (Retired)
    Erin Ottenbreit, Senior VP Operations, Cedarbrook Senior Living
    Marcia Relyea, LBSW, Geriatric Social Worker, Macomb County CARE
    David Sengstock, MD, Program Director, Geriatric Medicine Fellowship, Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center
    Pat Simasko, Certified Elder Law Attorney
    James Speir, Speir Financial Services, LLC
    Steven Tyshka, Director of Operations, Waltonwood Senior Living
    Emeritus BOV Members

    Lynn Alexander, Vice President of Public Affairs (retired), Presbyterian Villages of Michigan
    Michael J. Damone, President, Damone Construction
    Karl Gregory, Ph.D. Distinguished Professor Emeritus, Oakland University
    Roger Myers, Chief Executive Officer, Presbyterian Villages of Michigan
    Terri Murphy, President, Certified Senior Solutions
    Frances Shani Parker, Eldercare Author and Consultant, Detroit Public School Principal (Retired)
    Tom Trainer, Attorney, Kemp Klein Law Firm (Retired)
    Jean Villa, Community Volunteer
  • Elder Advisors to Research (EAR)
    This committee is an innovative, group of older adults who plan and execute our annual Art of Aging Successfully conference. They help guide and develope relevant programing for metrot Detroit. Most members are over age 60, retired or semi-retired, with a deep interest in improving the well-being of older adults.
     
    Donna MacDonald (In-House Chair), IOG, Director of Community Outreach and Professional Development
    Pat Baldwin, Director of Beyond U and volunteers services at the Hannan Center for Lifelong Learning, DetroitV
    Angela Berges, Senior Adult Coordinator, City of Southfield
    Pam Byrnes
    Cheryl Deep, IOG, Relations and Publications Manager
    Carol Edwards, IOG Board of Visitors member and IOG volunteer since 2012
    Dorothy Jackson, Detroit Public Schools, retired Teacher
    Barbara Kopasz, IOG Board of Visitors member, retired associate vice president for Health Alliance Plan
    Mildred Matlock, retired healthcare executive for the Detroit Medical Center
    Susan McEwan, retired Registered Nurse with Beaumont Health System.
    Kanu Mehta, retired Engineer
    Gloria Myers, retired from the financial services industry
    Laura Sutherland
    Deborah L. Vinson, retired from the Federal Reserve Bank
  • HBEC Community Advisory Board
    The HBEC Community Advisory Board (CAB) members have a desire to improve the well-being of Detroit's older adults impacted by health disparities. CAB members attend quarterly meetings to contribute to planning the HBEC Lunch & Learn series and bi-annual HBEC newsletter. They promote HBEC programs throughout the community, recruit for the research registry and review all research studies asking to use the registry for recruitment.
     
    Dr. Deborah Adolphus
    James Bridgforth
    Adelia Cooley
    Brenda Evans
    Alice Feurtado, Emeritus
    Freddie Hawkins
    Dr. Shirley McRea, Emeritus
    Patricia Mullin
    Eugene Odom
    Joesephine Reed
    Dr. Sandra Richardson
    Roland Samaroo
    JoAnn Smith
    Fannie Spears
    Wilma Stringer
    Gwendolyn Swain
    Henry Swift
    Atty Adrienne Watts
  • Internal Advisory Board

    The Internal Advisory Board consists of key faculty and administrators at Wayne State from an array of departments corollary to gerontology. Members work to oversee the integration of the IOG into the university's broader academic mission.

    Scott Bowen, Ph.D. (Chair)
    Chair and Professor, Department of Psychology, CLAS
    scott.bowen@wayne.edu

    Khari Brown, Ph.D.
    Professor, Department of Sociology, CLAS
    kharib@wayne.edu

    Sara Maher, PT, Ph.D., DScPT, OMPT
    Associate Dean for Health Sciences, EACPHS
    Clinical Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, EACPHS
    sara.maher@wayne.edu

    Stella Resko, Ph.D.
    Ph.D. Director, CADAS Coordinator, and Professor
    School of Social Work stella@wayne.edu

    Krysta Ryzewski, Ph.D.
    Chair and Professor of Archaeology, Department of Anthropology, CLAS
    krysta.ryzewski@wayne.edu

    Hayley Thompson, Ph.D.
    Director, Center for Health Equity and Community Knowledge in Urban Populations (CHECK-UP)
    Associate Director, Community Outreach Engagement, Department of Oncology, School of Medicine
    Professor of Population Science, Department of Oncology, School of Medicine
    hayley.thompson@wayne.edu

    Patricia Wren, Ph.D.
    Chair and Professor, Department of Public Health, CLAS
    pwren@wayne.edu

  • WSU Age-Friendly University Committee

    Faith Hopp, PhD, Co-chair – Associate Professor, School of Social Work
    Jessica Robbins, PhD, Co-chair – Associate Professor, Institute of Gerontology & Department of Anthropology

    Boris Baltes, PhD – Senior Assoc.Provost for Faculty Affairs and Assoc. VPof Academic Personnel
    Alex Boesch, PhD – Director of Educational and Strategic Initiatives, VP Academic Affairs
    Scott Bowen, PhD – Chair, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
    Deborah Charbonneau, PhD – Assoc. Professor, School of Information Sciences   
    Mariane Fahlman, PhD – Professor, Kinesiology Health and Sports Studies
    Loraleigh Keashly, PhD – Assoc. Dean of Curriculum & Student Affairs, College of Fine, Performing & Communication Arts
    Carrie Leach, PhD – Asst. Professor (Research), Institute of Gerontology
    Cathy Lysack, PhD – Professor, Occupational Therapy, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
    Peter A. Lichtenberg, PhD – Director, Institute of Gerontology & Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute
    Charles Manke, PhD – Assoc. Dean for Faculty Affairs, College of Engineering
    Arthur F. Marotti, PhD – Director, Emeritus Academy
    Cynthera McNeill, DNP – Director, Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Program
    Annessa Morely – Sr. Director, Alumni Relations, Executive Director of the Alumni Association
    Karen Mourtzikos, MD – Assoc. VP of WSU Health Affairs, School of Medicine
    Donyale Padgett, PhD – Assoc. Professor of Commuication and WSU Chief Diversity Officer
    Kevin Rashid – Academic Services Officer, Irvin D. Reid Honors College
    Wassim Tarraf, PhD – Assoc.Professor, Institute of Gerontology and Department of Healthcare Sciences
    Thomas Walker, PhD – Assoc. Dean, School of Information Sciences
    Jane Warkentin – Clinical Programs Manager, Dean's Office, Law School
    Tamarie Willis – Project Manager, Center for Behavioral Health and Justice

  • National Steering Committee

    Then Institute of Gerontology Steering Committee members make on-site visits to review the IOG's accomplishments and help to set the direction for the coming years. Their strategic recommendations are released in a full report to IOG faculty and staff.
     
    Michael Rugg, Ph.D., Chair
    University of Texas at Dallas
    Distinguished Chair in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
    Director, Center for Vital Longevity
     
    Kristine Ajrouch, Ph.D.
    Eastern Michigan University
    Professor Anthropology Sociology & Criminology
     
    Tamara Baker, Ph.D.
    University of North Carolina
    Professor of Psychiatry
     
    Marcia Ory, Ph.D.
    Texas A&M University
    Regents & Distinguished Professor, School of Public Health
     
    Patricia Rueter-Lorenz, Ph.D.
    University of Michigan
    Michael Posner Collegiate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
     
    Ronald Taylor
    President, CEO, Detroit Area, Agency on Aging
     
    Pamela Teaster, Ph.D.
    Virginia Tech University
    Director, Center for Gerontology
     
    Roland Thorpe, Ph.D.
    Johns Hopkins University
    Professor Bloomberg School of Public Health
     
    Vincent Tilford
    Executive Director, Hanna Foundation