About Me

I blend my 12 years of experience as a corporate and volunteer educator, trainer, and coach with my knowledge of gerontology and dementia to partner with all clients.

In particular, my experience as a Dale Carnegie Training Facilitator and Coach has given me the mindset and skills to collaborate with families and staff for them to achieve success.

I find the peer-reviewed studies, the lectures, presentations, books, and resources that are hard to find- or just time consuming to digest - and boil them down to concepts that are easy to understand.

I am dedicated to improving the lives of persons with dementia, their families, and professionals serving them. I do this through five ways:

• Educating opens the mind to the idea that a person with dementia is still a whole person, worthy of your best effort and attention, to be present in mind, body, and spirit.
• Training offers techniques, strategies, and tips to create Peace with Dementia.
• Coaching provides personal advice, goal-setting, encouragement, accountability & follow-up, and a life-line when you have questions.
• Facilitating of Care Partner support groups, as well as the TimeSlips Storytelling activity for persons with dementia
• Consulting, very similar to coaching, looks at specific issues and projects.

Summary

Care Partner Mentoring, LLC
President, Consultant and Trainer in Covington, LA (2014-present)

• Facilitator, Care Partner support groups and education, contracted by (COAST).
• Facilitator, TimeSlips storytelling activity for persons with dementia. (timeslips.org)
• Trainer, Dementia sensitivity, presented to Jefferson Council on Aging

Dale Carnegie Course
Coach and Facilitator, The Dale Carnegie Course in Metairie, LA (2005 - present)

• Course in helping adults improve their personal and professional lives by building self-confidence, enhancing communications, strengthening people skills, developing leadership and reducing stress.

Hospital System Supervisor of (Research) Grants Development in New Orleans, LA (2011 - present)

• Research Employee of the Year (2013)
• Connecting researchers with project funding

Previous roles

Louisiana Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs

• Louisiana State Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force (2009)
• Program Manager of Community Living Program, including Alzheimer’s Disease Support Services Program (2008-2011)
• Program Manager and Master Trainer, Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (2010-2011)
• Master Trainer, Matter of Balance program, Louisiana Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs in Baton Rouge, LA (2010-2011)

Alzheimer’s Association (New Orleans Area)

• Chair, Alzheimer’s Association Advisory Board in New Orleans, LA (2008)

Delgado Community College
Adjunct instructor in Management and Personal Finance (2011-2013)

Other Education

National Association of Home Builders
Certified Aging in Place Specialist designation (2015) CAPS

Johns Hopkins School of Nursing
Verified Coursera Certificate of Achievement: Living with Dementia: Impact on Individuals, Caregivers, Communities and Societies (2015)

Professional Societies

Gerontological Society of America (2015 - present)

Honors & Awards

Gambit Weekly's 40 under 40 (2015)

Co-Presentations at Conferences

Men As Caregivers, Louisiana Geriatric Society Conference, New Orleans, LA December 2007

Your Life Your Health!, International Journal of Health, Wellness & Society Conference March 2013

Volunteering and Service

Boy Scouts of America

• Cub Scout Leader in Pack 611 (2010 - present)
• Boy Scout Leader in Troop 611 (2015 - present)
• Eagle Scout Award (1992)

St. Tammany SALT Council (Senior and Law Enforcement Together)

• Professional Volunteer

Village Friends, Village Values, Auburn, AL. (Aging Village)

Interests and Hobbies

Public speaking, Science of learning, Mutual aid and Voluntaryism, Camping, First aid, Preparedness, Music.