🌿 PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY:I'm a strategic-minded and compassionate leader in senior living with a proven track record of enhancing the quality of life for older adults and people who are living with dementia. Leveraging expertise in gerontology, and the mental health of older adults and adept at developing innovative programs, fostering collaboration, and ensuring compliance. I'm an empathetic advisor, known for driving operational excellence while prioritizing resident care, safety, strengths, and family engagement. Passionate about empowering teams and advancing best practices in memory care communities.Having extensive experience in senior care, I am a passionate gerontologist, art therapist, and dementia consultant. I hold a Ph.D. in Gerontology Leadership, as well as credentials in art therapy, Memory care programming consulting, Montessori dementia care, and forest and nature therapy. My mission is to disrupt the status quo, stereotypes, and stigmas associated with aging and dementia care. I promote and foster meaningful connections, well-being, and dignity for older adults and their care partners.🌿 LEADERSHIP IMPACT: • Applied Learning: Outlined and introduced a 16-week curriculum for Vassar College students, interns, and community volunteers to gain hands-on experience working with people with dementia; harvested a community garden, created art for the garden gallery, developed memory care programs within five senior living communities and selected to be assimilated into Vassar’s Human Physiology course in 2024• Corporate Director of Recreation: For a continuum of care; Introduced and established the art therapy program in three care communities in collaboration with the CEO at a nursing and rehabilitation center; Quality Assurance Team leader; developed innovative programs and events to raise funds for the organization• Author: Selected to be a contributing author: Dementia Care: Issues, Responses, and International Perspectives: Springer, 2021🌿 CERTIFICATIONS:• Licensed Creative Arts Therapist from the New York State Education Department Office of Professions• Board Certified and Registered Art Therapist from The American Art Therapy Association & Art Therapy Credentials Board• Activity Consultant with Specialization in Memory Care from the National Certification Council of Activity Professionals (N.C.C.A.P)• Montessori Dementia Care Professional from the International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (ICCDP)• Nature and Forest Therapy Guide from The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) Guides and Programs