Speaker Bios

Surabhi Aggarwal, MPH, RDN, LDN

Surabhi Aggarwal is passionate about helping people live a healthy life. She has 13 years of experience in public health working on a variety of health promotion programs. Currently, she serves as the manager for Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes and Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less programs. Both programs are a collaborative effort of NC State University and the NC Division of Public Health. Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes is a 12-month diabetes prevention program with CDC recognition. Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less is a 15-week weight management program that uses strategies proven to work for weight loss and maintenance. Both programs are delivered in an interactive, online format using synchronous distance technology allowing a live instructor to lead sessions in real-time. Surabhi graduated in December 2004 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Master’s in Public Health in Nutrition. She also holds a Master’s and a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Nutrition from universities in India.

Kirsten R. Ambrose, MS, CCRC

Kirsten Ambrose is Program Manager for the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA) at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Thurston Arthritis Research Center. She has a Masters of Science in Exercise Science and more than 15 years of experience as a Clinical Research Coordinator managing clinical research, grant proposal development and strategic planning for several multidisciplinary research teams including the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center at the University of Michigan, the Center for Pain Research and Innovation at the UNC School of Dentistry, and the UNC Center for Functional GI and Motility Disorders. When the OAAA moved to UNC’s Thurston Arthritis Research Center in 2014, Ms. Ambrose joined the team to shift her focus from research to public health. She has been committed to expanding the reach and breadth of coalition membership, resources, and messaging to bring greater awareness to the public, policymakers, healthcare providers, and community organizations about prevention and management strategies to address the growing impact of osteoarthritis.

Heather Black, BS

Heather Black joined United Way of North Carolina as the NC 2-1-1 Statewide Strategy Director in August 2015. In her role with NC 2-1-1, Heather oversees the work and planning for the statewide 2-1-1 information and referral system supported by United Ways across the State. As the Statewide Strategy Director, Heather focuses on building partnerships with state and local government agencies, non-profit organizations, healthcare organizations, and others seeking to improve the lives of North Carolina citizens through access to information. Heather is a graduate of Meredith College in Raleigh with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. She has spent her career in public service working both in the non-profit sector in Washington, D.C. and in state government in North Carolina.

Cristine Clarke, EdD

Dr. Clarke is celebrating six years as the Program Manager of the Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Center (CGWEP) under the Center for Aging and Health, Division of Geriatrics in the UNC School of Medicine. The mission of the CGWEP is to provide evidence-based and culturally competent geriatrics education and training to enable health professionals to better serve the state’s increasingly diverse older adult populations. Dr. Clarke holds a doctorate in Distance Education and Instructional Design from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale. She is the author of 12 online courses in geriatrics including three concerned with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. In 2010 she was recognized by the US Distance Learning Association (USDLA) as the Gold level recipient for excellence in online teaching. Dr. Clarke started her career in Gerontology at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA and received a Masters of Professional Studies in Health Care Administration from The New School for Social Research New York, NY. She has more than 25 years of professional experience in the health care arena serving in senior management capacities for federal demonstration projects in managed care and primary care. Prior to finding her niche at Carolina, Dr. Clarke enjoyed a 10-year teaching tenure at The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics where she taught Psychology and Ethical Thinking via interactive compressed video to High School students across the state of North Carolina.

Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH

Dr. Cohen is an internal medicine physician and has experience leading complex health organizations. Before coming to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services she was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). She brings a deep understanding of health care to the state and has been responsible for implementing policies for Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Federal Marketplace. A graduate of Cornell University, she received her medical degree from Yale School of Medicine, a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health and trained in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Annette Demeny, AAS

Annette Demeny is an Aging Specialist at Centralina Area Agency on Aging and serves as the Regional Coordinator for the Evidence-Based Health Programs in Centralina’s 9-county region. Annette is a certified Master Trainer in the Chronic Disease Self-Management (CDSMP), Diabetes Self-Management (DSMP) and Chronic Pain Self-Management Programs. She is also a Master Trainer in A Matter of Balance program and plans to be trained as a national Lead Trainer in December 2017. Annette holds an AAS in Dietetics and is currently pursuing her BS in Nutrition at Appalachian State University. Her areas of interest are diabetes education and health improvement/empowerment of older adults.

Pamela W. Duncan, PhD, PT, FAPTA, FAHA

Pamela Duncan is a nationally and internationally renowned expert in health policy, outcomes research and clinical epidemiology. Her expertise is in post-acute management of the elderly and individuals with stroke and falls management and prevention. She is Professor of Neurology and Senior Policy Advisor for Transitional Outcomes for Wake Forest Baptist Health. Her secondary appointments are in the Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology, Division of Public Health Sciences, and the Translational Sciences Institute. Dr. Duncan’s has led or co-led multiple studies related to falls in the elderly and stroke survivors, she has developed measures of balance and stroke outcomes, analyzed the physical determinants for falls in the elderly, evaluated the benefits of strength training to reduce falls, and developed international trials to evaluate home based exercise for those who suffered an injurious fall. She is an investigator for the PCORI Falls Prevention Grant (STRIDE). Her role in the STRIDE project is to support implementation of best practices for physical interventions to reduce falls as well as collaborate with home health agencies to implement evidence based falls prevention programs in collaboration with primary care. She is the principle investigator of a 2015 PCORI funded large pragmatic trial to implement and evaluate an evidenced-based COMprehensive Post-Acute Stroke Services (COMPASS) model. This model of care combines CMS transitional care services provided by advanced practice providers (APP) and early supported discharge services coordinated by the APPs to develop with patients and families actionable care plans. Care plans will be individualized to manage blood pressure and diabetes, manage medications, increase physical activity, reduce falls risk, optimize functional recovery and optimize access to primary care and community based services. The cluster randomized trial will include over 40 North Carolina Hospitals and over 6000 patients.

Katherine Harmon, MPH

Katherine (Katie) Harmon is a PhD student with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Department of Epidemiology. She received a BS degree in Environmental Health Science from The University of Georgia and an MPH from Saint Louis University. She also spent two years employed at the NC Division of Public Health as a Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) Applied Epidemiology Fellow. The current focus of Katie Harmon's research is injury epidemiology and surveillance methods

Cindy Haynes, MSA-PA, CHES

Ms. Haynes has over 20 years of experience in public health, community engagement, and working in State Government, which has given her the opportunity to serve some of our states most vulnerable populations in various public health focus areas using theoretical frameworks and evidence-based models to effectively engage communities in improving health outcomes. Cindy is the Population Health Coordinator in the Duke Population Health Management Office, Northern Piedmont Community Care (NPCC) serving six counties: Durham, Granville, Franklin, Person, Vance, and Warren. She works within the Duke Health System and the community to address issues around chronic pain self management, opioid overdose prevention, provider education, treatment resources, diversion control, harm reduction strategies, and naloxone policies, education, outreach, administration, and distribution. In collaboration with NPCC’s Medical Director, Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt and the Duke University Health Systems (DUHS) Opioid Safety Tasks Force, Cindy support efforts on safe opioid prescribing and the NC Medical Guidelines for managing chronic pain patients. The premise of her work is based on the evidence-based Project Lazarus Model with goals of reducing the number of unintentional overdoses, decreasing inappropriate Emergency Department utilization, optimizing treatment for chronic pain, and managing substance abuse issues related to opioids.

Mark Hensley, MA

Mark Hensley is the Dementia Services Coordinator for the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services where he leads efforts to implement NC’s first Alzheimer’ State Plan including the development of Dementia-Capable Communities across the state. Prior to this post, he served as state director for Project C.A.R.E which is a statewide program offering counseling, care management services and Respite Care to caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias. He has over 20 years of experience with home and community based services for older adults, state policy and legislation development, compliance monitoring and grants administration. He has served as the Aging Program Specialist in two Area Agencies on Aging in NC prior to his role with DAAS. Personally, he was the caregiver for both of his parents who had dementia. He holds a Master of Arts degree from Appalachian State University.

Nicole Hiegl, BS

Nicole Hiegl is the Aging Services Coordinator for the High Country Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and oversees the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention initiatives for the High Country region. Nicole’s unique professional background includes outdoor experiential education, substance abuse prevention, business management, and international sales. Since joining the Area Agency on Aging in September 2014, Nicole has become a strong advocate for the Tai Chi for Arthritis & Falls Prevention program through her roles as Instructor and Senior Trainer (in training) for the Tai Chi for Health Institute. Nicole is also A Matter of Balance and Building Better Balance Master Trainer.

Stacy Hurley, MEd

Stacy Hurley is the No Wrong Door State Coordinator with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Aging and Adult Services. She provides leadership in the development, implementation, and sustainability of the No Wrong Door system that streamlines access to long term services and supports for older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers so they can remain independent, healthy, and safe within the communities of their choice. She is partnering with United Way NC 2-1-1 and stakeholders across the state to raise public awareness and visibility of NC 2-1-1 as a single statewide portal for long term services and supports, information, and assistance. She has been working for the Division of Aging and Adult Services since 2008 assisting with the implementation and evaluation of new housing policy initiatives targeted to permanent affordable housing assistance for persons with disabilities, the homeless and other low income households. Her background is in counseling and social science research and evaluation.

Sharon Jackson, MPA

Sharon Jackson serves as the Diabetes Prevention Coordinator with Community and Clinical Connections for Prevention and Health Branch within the North Carolina Division of Public Health. Her role is to provide guidance and technical assistance for Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) initiatives statewide. She attended North Carolina Central University, where she obtained her undergraduate degree in Community Health Education. In 2011, she completed her Masters of Public Administration at Strayer University. She is passionate about policy and systems changes, as well as, bringing focus to the social determinates of heath to address and reduce health disparities among minority populations.

Michael McGregor, PT, DPT, CEEAA

Michael McGregor, is a Regional Clinical Director and Clinical Specialist of Education and Staff Development with Genesis Rehab Services. The Regional Clinical Director drives the region’s clinical practice in promoting consistent and evidence-based practice in order to achieve targeted clinical outcomes. The Clinical Specialist and Staff Development directs and promotes a cross disciplinary approach to the provision of student program and staff development, in a designated territory. He received his Master of Physical Therapy from Rutgers University and UMDNJ and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Marymount University in 2009. He has over 17 years of experience in geriatric physical therapy, is a Master Trainer for Balance in Action and is a Balance in Action Champion for GRS. Balance in Action is a GRS evidence-based fall risk management care delivery which is a standardized approach that applies to individuals at risk for falls in all care settings and across all levels of function. Michael is currently collaborating with NC Healthy Aging to facilitate successful patient outcomes across the continuum as it relates to falls prevention.

Nicolle Miller, MS, MPH, RD, LDN

Nicolle Miller is the Director of State and Community Collaborations at the North Carolina Center for Health & Wellness at UNC Asheville. In this role, Nicolle facilitates partnership development among multi-sector organizations to build a culture of health, advance health equity, and improve community conditions that impact health outcomes in North Carolina. Two initiatives Nicolle manages include the Healthy Aging NC Resource Center and Culture of Results. The Healthy Aging NC Resource Center serves as a single point of entry for evidence-based health promotion programs offered in community sites. These include programs such as: A Matter of Balance, Tai Chi for Arthritis, YMCA Moving for Better Balance, the Otago Exercise Program, and the Stanford University Chronic Disease Self-Management Education suite of programs. Through the Culture of Results work, Nicolle is able to share the impact these, and other programs have on the communities served in common sense terms. In her free time, Nicolle enjoys playing soccer competitively and being active outdoors with her family.

Stacey Millett, MBA

Stacey Millett is the Executive Director of Community Engagement and the N.C. Center for Health & Wellness at UNC Asheville. Prior to joining the NCCHW Stacey worked for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation as a Senior Program Officer. During her time in Minnesota, Stacey focused her work around a variety of health equity projects. Stacey has held a number of leadership roles in the nonprofit, advocacy, and community development sectors. Her previous employers include Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, the Northwest Area Foundation and the Selby Area Community Development Corporation. Her mission while in Minnesota aimed to ensure that all Minnesotans have the opportunity to lead the healthiest lives possible. An accomplished runner who has completed more than 50 marathons, Stacey also enjoys bike riding, travel and creative writing. By mayoral proclamation, Saint Paul celebrated “Stacey Millett Day” on June 17, 2004. A leader in community development, a skilled communicator, and health enthusiast in her own life as well as her work, Stacey intends to deepen partnerships on campus, in the city and county and across the state around building healthy communities.

Katelyn Owensby, PharmD

Katelyn Owensby graduated from UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy in 2014 and started working as the clinical services coordinator at an independent pharmacy in western North Carolina. There, she implemented a medication synchronization program and spent most of her time working directly with patients conducting comprehensive medication reviews for high risk patients in collaboration with Community Care of North Carolina’s CPESN program. Katelyn moved to Montana with her husband for a year to explore the wild west and took an opportunity with a long-term care pharmacy. They developed a relationship with the center for mental health and implemented an adherence program for that patient population. Katelyn came back to North Carolina in 2016 to take a clinical pharmacist position with Mission Health Partners and spends her time working with the Medicare population in North Carolina’s 18 western most counties.

Mary Lynn Piven, PhD, PMHCNS/NP-BC

Mary Lynn Piven is an AACN certified Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with almost 38 years of psychiatric nursing experience across health care settings, including senior center programs and nursing homes. Formerly an Associate Professor of Nursing at UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. Piven taught in the graduate nursing program. Published peer-reviewed scholarship can be found in journals such as the Journal of Aging Studies, the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, and the Journal of Gerontological Nursing. With the support of HRSA and the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, Dr. Piven recently led the dissemination of Healthy IDEAS for Depression in 16 NC counties. Healthy IDEAS for Depression is an evidence-based training program that trains community based case-managers to detect depressive symptoms and engage the older adult in self-management of these symptoms. Dr. Piven is a Randolph County native and currently living in Chatham County with her husband Joe, and a new puppy.

Laura Plunkett, MPH, CHES, CHC

Laura Plunkett is the Health Promotion Coordinator at Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency on Aging in Kernersville, North Carolina. She received her BA in Psychology and Bachelors of Social Work from North Carolina State University and a Master's in Public Health from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her educational background and experience have provided her the insight to explore the connection between community-based services and the ever-changing health care arena. She is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified Health Coach (CHC) with a special interest in chronic disease self-management, physician-patient communication, and fall prevention.

Ellen Schneider, MBA

Ellen Schneider is a Research Fellow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Her areas of focus include healthy aging, behavioral health, and falls prevention. She has been a consultant with the National Council on Aging since 2005, focusing on falls prevention and the national dissemination of evidence-based health promotion programs. Ellen is a co-founder of the North Carolina Mental Health, Substance Use, and Aging Coalition and has worked extensively with State Health Departments and the aging services network to build infrastructure and implement healthy aging policy and programming. Ms. Schneider also is a dissemination leader with the Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program to support efforts to link clinical practice with community-based services in addressing falls prevention, behavioral health, and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Ellen received her undergraduate degree and MBA from Penn State University and graduate-level Certificate in Aging from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Penny S. Shelton, PharmD, BCGP, FASCP

Penny Shelton, Executive Director for the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists, earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Campbell University and completed a two-year, post-doctoral fellowship in geriatrics with the University of North Carolina and Glaxo, Inc. Dr. Shelton is a Board Certified Geriatric Pharmacist and Fellow with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. Dr. Shelton has served as a pharmacist in community, rural hospital, long-term care, and academic settings. In 1998, Dr. Shelton established the first in the nation, community-based, senior care practice as part of an aging agency based in Wake County, North Carolina. Dr. Shelton has spent most of her career in academia, researching and teaching in the areas of geriatrics, geropsychiatry, medication therapy management and policy & advocacy. Prior to her current position she served as Professor & Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for The Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University. In her current role with NCAP, she collaborates with pharmacists and other stakeholders to address pharmacy and public health initiatives in an effort to foster the advancement of pharmacy practice and the improvement of health care across North Carolina.

Stephanie Stewart, BS

Stephanie Stewart has a B.S. in Health and Wellness Promotion from UNC at Asheville and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology through Appalachian State University. In her current role as an Aging Program Specialist with the Area Agency on Aging at Land of Sky Regional Council, Stephanie facilitates evidence-based program expansion across Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania counties. She holds Master Trainer level certificates in A Matter of Balance, Chronic Disease Self-Management, Chronic Pain Self-Management and Diabetes Self-Management programs. She is also a Laughter Yoga Leader, the Chair of the LGBT Elder Advocates and a subcommittee co-chair for the NC Community Health Worker Initiative. Stephanie’s background, prior to working in the field of aging, is in community-based mental health services.

Jen Teague, MA

Jen Teague has an MA degree in Community Counseling from Appalachian State University. She has over 10 years of experience working in aging services. She is currently the Title III-D evidence-based health promotion coordinator for the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS). In her current position, she oversees III-D funding and works to expand evidence-based health promotion classes across the state. Before coming to work at DAAS, Jen was the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center Director in Watauga County and has had experience working in assisted living and as a bereavement coordinator for Hospice.

Vicki Tilley, PT, GCS

Vicki Tilley PT, GCS is the founder and president of ElderFit Physical Therapy & Consulting, Inc., a rehabilitation private practice in North Carolina providing home based physical and occupational therapy and wellness consultation services in Durham, Orange, Alamance, Wake and Guilford counties. She is a board certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist. With her skilled team of therapists, ElderFit has developed partnerships with government agencies, local universities, and other community partners to promote quality care of seniors in their communities. Tilley is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association (NCPTA). Tilley has recently joined the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (CGWEP) in the UNC Center for Aging and Health as a Project Facilitator. Her role is to work with the CGWEP team in partnership with NC AHECS and rural medical practices to implement changes in process and care to enhance the care of older adults in NC rural counties. In 2006, Tilley was honored by the North Carolina Physical Therapy Association with the Olive V. Wortman Service award for her years of service and commitment to her patients and component. In 2013, she was awarded the Lucy Blair Service Award by the American Physical Therapy Association, its highest award for service and commitment to the profession of physical therapy.

Serena E. Weisner, MS

Serena Weisner is a Gerontologist dedicated to helping communities and organizations support healthy aging through evidence-based programs and services. Ms. Weisner has spent nearly 20 years building a career that combines two of her passions – health and aging. She has had the opportunity to work as a Senior Program Associate for the National Council on Aging, a Project Director for the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services, and the Principal Program Specialist for Health and Aging at the Atlanta Regional Commission. Each position has allowed her to learn more about what makes programs and services successful, especially with regard to evidence-based programs. Along the way, she has secured and managed millions of dollars in federal and private funding, as well as established processes, procedures and strategic plans that have continued to be used by her successors. Ms. Weisner is currently a freelance consultant working with select clients to increase the reach of evidence-based programs.

Christen Linke Young. JD

Christen Linke Young is the Deputy Secretary for Policy and Operations for the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services where she provides leadership across the agency, with a focus on cross-cutting agency initiatives and implementing innovative policy solutions. Prior to joining the team in North Carolina, she served as Principal Deputy Director of the federal Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, the agency within the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services that oversees private health insurance initiatives. She previously served as Senior Policy Advisor for Health at the White House and as Director of Coverage Policy in the federal Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Health Reform. She began her career in government as a policy analyst with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Christen holds a B.S. degree from Stanford University and a J.D. degree from Yale Law School.