Speakers and Performers for the 2011 Conference:

Full Descriptions and Registration Information is Available in the
Conference Brochure

JoAnn Damron-Rodriguez, LCSW, PhD

Opening Keynote Address on Wednesday, June 8th, 9:30am
Beatrice Ruth Burgess Memorial Lecture

Aging Wellness: What Works for Older Persons in the Community

Dr. Damron-Rodriguez is faculty at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Public Affairs, Department of Social Welfare. In 2007 she was awarded a UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award. She is appointed to the Department of Veteran Affairs Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee, which reports to Congress. She is an evaluator of the Hartford Partnership Program in Aging Education (HPPAE) and has worked to establish geriatric social work competencies nationally. She is on multiple editorial boards and has published extensively on community-based care and geriatric education.

Jennifer Antkowiak

Lunch Presentation on Wednesday, June 8th, 12:30pm

Take Care Tips: How to Take Care of Yourself While You're Taking Care of Others

Jennifer Antkowiak is a mom of five, author, caregiver coach, award-winning TV News Anchor, and entrepreneur on a passionate mission to make life easier for the world's caregivers. Jen has an 18-year career as a beloved, award-winning television news anchor, most of which has been spent at Pittsburgh's historic KDKA-TV. Jennifer brings her unique brand of warmth, wit, and wisdom to her talks and workshops, as well as incredible life experience, which fuels her passionate mission to make life easier for women, families, and especially caregivers. Jen learned about caregiving, and the effects of long-term illness on a family at a young age when her mom was diagnosed with post-partum depression and later died of a heart attack. Years later, Jennifer was the primary caregiver for her mother-in-law, and father-in-law, who both died of cancer. Those unique, life-changing experiences opened Jennifer's eyes to the struggles that the 50-million family caregivers in this country face, and she's written books, and started her own company to offer information and products that caregivers can use to make their lives easier.

Bernard G. Schreurs, PhD

Keynote Address on Thursday, June 9th, 10:45am

Living Well, Aging Well, Staying Well or Alzheimer's Disease

Born in the Netherlands and raised in Australia, Dr. Schreurs graduated from the University of Iowa with a Ph.D. in psychology and spent more than twelve years at the National Institutes of Health studying the biology of learning and memory. He joined the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute in 2000 and is currently working on models of Alzheimer's Disease and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr Schreurs is also a Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and in the Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry at West Virginia University where he continues the university's tradition of scholarship, teaching and service. Dr Schreurs is the author of more than eighty scholarly research articles and teaches advanced graduate classes and medical pharmacology. In addition to research and teaching, Dr. Schreurs is the Director of the West Virginia Alzheimer's Disease Registry and the Program Director of the Alzheimer's Outreach Program – a program designed to help physicians help those with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

The String of Pearls

Performance on Thursday, June 9th, 12:30pm

The String of Pearls is a local tap dancing group of “young” Senior ladies between the ages of 52 and 79. They are under the direction of instructor, choreographer, Donna Sanders and are sponsored by the Senior Monongalians Inc. of Morgantown, WV. The membership includes: Dorothy Moore, Aida Everhart, Kathy Mayer, Deloris Fetty, Kathy Martin, Stephanie Stovash, Debbie Copen, Angela Caudill, Dee Dee Newlon, Kathy Lopez, Linda Stewart, Debbie West, Donna Sanders, Cindy Heiskell, and Jeanne Stoughton.

In addition to performing for the WVU Summer Institute on Aging, the ladies have performed at numerous other venues including: The Festival of Dance at the Metropolitan Theater, the pre-show for WV Public Theater summer productions, WV Teaming to Win Conference, Morgantown Christmas Parade, Mt. Morris Memorial Day Parade, Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater with the Mon River Big Band, numerous nursing homes and hospitals, Senior Centers and Senior Housing complexes. Typically the Pearls perform between 30 and 40 venues a year.

These dedicated and talented ladies dance to a variety of tunes including marches, classics, popular music of today and music from the Big Band Era of Glen Miller.

Some members have danced and performed in their younger days; some haven’t and are new to tap dancing; some are retired and are now grandmothers and great grandmothers; some are continuing to work. But all are finding time to achieve their dreams and secret ambitions – to dance, to perform and have fun as they kick up their heels and shuffle into your heart and soul.

The String of Pearls are Dy-no-mite!!!

For booking performances and/or information on becoming a member of The String of Pearls, contact Donna Sanders at 304-599-4286, Cindy Heiskell at 304-292-7259 or e-mail at dejasander@aol.com.

See a performance by The String of Pearls at the Creative Arts Center in June 2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixfvXQCXpfY

The Songcatchers

Evening Performance on Thursday, June 9th, 6pm

Bluegrass Music: Across Generations and Cultures

Dr. Everett Alan Lilly is the son of Everett Lilly of the famed Lilly Brothers. He has played and/or recorded with Bill Monroe, Bill Keith and Jim Rooney, The Charles River Valley Boys (recorded “Beatle Country on Elektra and Rounder), Joe Val, and of course The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover with whom he made the groundbreaking Japan tours.

The Songcatchers were created several years ago at Mountain State University in Beckley, West Virginia where Everett was teaching bluegrass music and other traditional music classes. Everett and former students, Tiffany Underwood and Bill Atkinson, began singing as a trio and soon were joined by other students as well as younger people from the community and The Songcatchers were born.

The Songcatchers are featured on two recordings. They contributed one song to the CD, “Always Lift Him Up: A Tribute to Blind Alfred Reed” which includes such notables as Tim O’Brien and Kathy Mattea. The Songcatchers also have their own CD titled “High on a Mountaintop.”

The Songcatchers perform in the Carter Family tradition with a bluegrass flavor. They are joined by some capable young people including 12 year old banjoist, Blaine Johnson, and 17 year old Jordan Young on mandolin. Everett’s young daughter, Ashley Lilly, is the newest addition on vocals. The Songcatchers have performed on Mountain Stage, The Vandalia Festival, The International Bluegrass Music Association Fanfest in Nashville, professional conferences, and a variety of other venues. For more information about The Songcatchers visit their website at thesongcatchers.com or contact Dr. Everett Lilly at evrlilly@mountainstate.edu Tele: 304-673-1389.

Robert Blancato

Lunch Presentation on Friday, June 10th, 12:00pm

Changes to Healthcare and Seniors: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Going

Bob Blancato is President of Matz, Blancato, & Associates. Bob is the National Coordinator of the Elder Justice Coalition, a non-partisan, 680 member organization. From 2000-2006, Bob served as President of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. He currently serves as the Executive Director of NANASP, the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs. Bob is a former House of Representatives staff member and spent 17 years on the House Select Committee on Aging. He also served as Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging (WHCOA) appointed by President Clinton. He was on the Policy Committee for the 2005 WHCOA appointed by Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Bob most recently became Chairman of the Commonwealth Council on Aging in Virginia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Georgetown University and a Masters of Public Administration from American University.

Aila Accad, RN, MSN

Closing Keynote Presentation on Friday, June 10th, 3:15pm

Instant Stress-Busters for Caring Professionals

Aila Accad, RN, MSN, is an award winning speaker, best selling author and certified well being coach with Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in nursing, who specializes in quick ways to release stress and reclaim that energy to live your fullest life and achieve your highest purpose. As president founder of LifeQuest International, LLC, she is an innovator in wellness training and coaching. Aila creates uniquely simple, down to earth experiences that help people get results quickly. Thousands of people have reclaimed healthy freedom in their lives through the application of her groundbreaking process, 'Breaking the Perfection Myth'. As an innovator and futurist, she is a popular keynote speaker and radio and television guest Aila is a member of the National Speakers Association, a Distinguished Toastmaster and recipient of Business Woman of the Year Award and WVU School of Nursing Golden Graduate Award. Her biography appears in Who's Who in American Nursing and Who's Who of Women Executives.