Vanessa Convard is the Director of Policy & Strategic Initiatives at the Indiana Bureau of Better Aging, where she leads the Age Forward Together MultiSector Plan on Aging.

With 25 years of experience serving the Hoosier community, she specializes in

advancing strategic, community-centered solutions across complex human services

systems. Vanessa is recognized for her leadership in developing policies that

strengthen statewide aging initiatives. She is strongly committed to using

trauma-informed practices in her work within communities and systems. She applies that lens daily through policy development and work across the state to strengthen initiatives that serve older Hoosiers.

Dr. Diane Healey is a fellowship-trained geriatrician who retired from the Ascension St. Vincent Center for Healthy Aging at the end of 2022 after a clinical career spanning decades.

She earned her undergraduate degree from Purdue University before attending Indiana University School of Medicine, where she met her husband and lifelong practice partner, Patrick. She completed her internal medicine residency at St. Vincent Hospital and spent a year in Nottingham, England, completing a geriatric fellowship at Queen's Medical Centre.

Dr. Diane served as the Medical Director for the Ascension St. Vincent Hospital Center for Healthy Aging (formerly the Institute on Aging). Her extensive practice spanned inpatient hospital care, nursing home care, and outpatient services, including comprehensive geriatric assessments. Beyond clinical care, she has been an ardent educator of students and health professionals and a leader in program development.

Today, she is the co-founder of Healeys on Aging Consulting, LLC, which provides education and program development on geriatric care, focusing heavily on the "4Ms" of age-friendly care. 

Dr. Patrick (Pat) Healey is a fellowship-trained geriatrician who retired from the Ascension St. Vincent Center for Healthy Aging at the end of 2022 following a long, dedicated clinical career.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Wabash College and a Master’s in Education from Indiana University before obtaining his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency at St. Vincent Hospital and traveled to Nottingham, England, to complete his geriatric fellowship year at Queen's Medical Centre.

Dr. Pat served as the Fellowship Director for the Ascension St. Vincent Hospital Center for Healthy Aging geriatric fellowship program. His clinical practice covered inpatient care, nursing home care, and thriving outpatient services. A passionate educator and program developer, he spent decades training healthcare professionals in older adult care.

Currently, he co-leads Healeys on Aging Consulting, LLC, delivering education and strategic program development on aging topics and the framework of "4Ms" age-friendly care. He has been married to his wife and partner, Diane, for over 40 years. 

Stephanie Kelly has worked in higher education for more than 30 years and currently serves as the Associate Provost at the University of Indianapolis (UIndy), overseeing university-level curriculum and institutional accreditation. Prior to assuming the role of Associate Provost, Dr. Kelly had a long-standing record of service within the College of Health Sciences, where she served as dean from 2011-2024. The College of Health Sciences includes several health disciplines, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nursing, as well as UIndy's Aging Studies programs, which offer a master's degree and both undergraduate and graduate certificates. Throughout her career, she has been heavily engaged in supporting experiential learning through internships, service learning, and other opportunities for student learning within and with the community. 

Gregory W. Porter is serving his 17th term as the state representative for Indiana House District 96 in  Indianapolis. He is a leading voice on fiscal policy, serving as the ranking minority member of the House Ways and Means Committee and as a voting member of the State Budget Committee. Porter also serves on the Public Health and Insurance Committees.

Porter is a native of Indianapolis, graduating from Shortridge High School in 1974. He continued his studies at Earlham College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts. Porter is also a graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Executive Program, and he holds an honorary doctorate from Martin University. He is a member of the Shortridge High School Hall of Fame, the Indianapolis Public School Hall of Fame, and he received Earlham’s Outstanding Alumni Award.

During his three decades of public service, Porter has been a tireless advocate for affordability, public schools, affordable health care, public safety, and Indiana’s most vulnerable – our seniors and children. The legislation he has authored includes: bullying prevention in K-12 education, property tax relief for seniors, lower prescription costs, and additional support for Hoosiers with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. He and his legislative colleagues also authored Resolution No. 56,  renaming a  stretch of I-65  the “Tuskegee Airmen Highway.

Porter has held several board positions and other leadership roles at the state and national levels. He is a past president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL), a coalition of nearly 700 Black state legislators across 46 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Porter serves on numerous community organizations, including, but not limited to, the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, Independent Colleges of Indiana, Indiana Sports Corporation Board of Directors, Indianapolis Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Kennedy/King Memorial Initiative (Chairperson), Mapleton Fall Creek Community Development Corporation, and the National Black Nurses Association. 

Outside of the Statehouse, Porter is the Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Health and Hospital Corporations of Marion County. He is a faithful member of Phillips Temple C.M.E. church, where he serves as trustee and is on the usher board. He and his wife, Yvette, have three children.

Carlisa Richards holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Administration from Indiana University and brings a unique blend of clinical rigor and community care to her work, serving as a Clinical and Pharmaceutical Project Manager by trade and a Qualified Memory Care Professional (QMCP). Currently serving as the Senior Life Enrichment Coordinator at CICOA Aging & In Home Solutions, Carlisa is deeply committed to creating meaningful opportunities that enhance quality of life, foster a genuine sense of belonging, and promote independence for older adults across Indiana.

A dedicated advocate for cognitive health education, Carlisa also serves as a certified Dementia Friends Champion. In this role, she leads impactful awareness sessions and community initiatives that expand public understanding of dementia while building supportive, inclusive environments for individuals living with memory loss and their care partners. Her designation as a QMCP further underscores her passion for raising care standards; she routinely educates family caregivers, local businesses, and organizational partners on cognitive impairment and best practices in memory care. By bridging public health administration, project management precision, and compassionate advocacy, Carlisa continues to play a vital role in building a more age-friendly, understanding community.

Faraz Yousuf is a robotics engineer with years of experience in deploying robots in the manufacturing industry. In his free time he focuses on building robots and AI for the aging community, starting with people living with dementia.   He has experience creating AI systems that interact with older adults and understands some of the challenges involved in building such technologies.