A |B |C |D |E | F |G |H |I |J |K |L |M |N |O |P |Q |R |S |T |U |V |W |X |Y |Z
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Maria Alvarez
Maria Alvarez is the Executive Director of NY StateWide Senior Action Council. As the authorized organizational representative of New York SMP, she oversees the integration of New York SMP into the grassroots model, which StateWide utilizes to reach seniors and families living in New York State with the objective of helping to inform and empower them regarding their rights as patients and consumers.
Carmen S. Artis
Carmencita S. Artis (Carmen) is a Program Officer/Analyst at ACL's OHIC within the management of SHIP/SMP/MIPPA grants and supporting OHIC contract administration efforts with a focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). Leveraging 15 years of federal experience, mostly within the financial/program management sector of biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, Carmen continues to apply transferable skills in general program management and DEIA. Since joining OHIC in 2022, she continues fostering partnerships, promoting inclusion in the advancement of ACL's mission. Carmen holds dual master’s degrees, one in contracts and procurement (supply chain management) and an MBA from the University of Maryland GC-College Park. She is also an NIAD Mid-Leadership Program graduate and has completed certifications in EEO compliance, disability/accessibility compliance, and diversity, equity, and inclusion through NIAID’s DEIA Board.
Derek Ayeh
As Senior Coordinator of Education and Policy, Derek Ayeh helps develop educational materials, including many resources on integrated care for both New York and national audiences. He also writes a quarterly policy newsletter for New York advocates and beneficiaries. Much of his work is concerned with researching and understanding the various integrated care options available to dually eligible individuals.
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Angela Bell
Angela Bell, SHIP TA Center Communications and Technology Manager, has over 15 years of experience in brand marketing, publication layout, website design, and social media development. Angela enjoys the challenge of translating complicated Medicare information into easy-to-digest visual imagery and short text.
Ben Belton
Ben F. Belton is a Senior Advisor to the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA). He serves as a member of the agency’s Senior Executive Service and leads a range of agency initiatives. Currently, he represents SSA on the Federal Elder Justice Coordinating Council and the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age Friendly Communities. Mr. Belton has extensive experience in public policy and strategic partner engagement, serving in government agencies and non-governmental organizations. Immediately prior to returning to SSA, he was the Director of Global Partner Engagement in AARP’s Office of International Affairs. In that role, he led key international outreach and policy initiatives, and managed a body of research highlighting aging policy innovations from around the world. Mr. Belton has also served on numerous boards and councils and completed his studies in sociology at Bowie State University in Maryland.
Georgia Burke
Georgia joined the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office (MMCO) in 2023. Prior to joining MMCO, she was Directing Attorney for Medicare Advocacy at Justice in Aging, where she had worked on healthcare policy for almost two decades.
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Jocelyn Clogston
Jocelyn Clogston, MPH, RN, is a Health Insurance Specialist with the Division of Payment Analysis and Policy, Medicare Plan Payment Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). At CMS, Jocelyn works on a variety of Medicare Part D policy topics, including the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Prior to joining CMS, Jocelyn spent 15 years working in clinical and public health program implementation.
Mike Cohen
As a Headquarters Operations Officer with the HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Investigations, Dr. Michael Cohen is responsible for fraud trends analysis and pharmaceutical fraud law-enforcement program oversight in Washington, D.C. He has been at OIG headquarters for the past 14 years. He previously worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami, Florida, in the healthcare fraud division. Dr. Cohen also has 40 years’ experience in clinical health care. He received undergraduate degrees in biology and chemistry from the University of Richmond, physician assistant training from The George Washington University, a law degree with a specialty in health law, and a Doctor of Health Sciences from A.T. Still University.
Yuvonne Cook-Shinal
Yuvonne Cook, Medicare Senior Caseworker. Yuvonne began her career with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in Dallas in September 1991 with the Division of Quality Improvement (DQI), where she worked until joining the Division of Medicare Health Plan Operations a few years ago. Yuvonne has held a variety of positions on the Medicare team, including serving as the Lead Caseworker for Cigna, Kelsey Seybold, Inter Valley, and Renown Health plans, where she provided technical assistance to the plans and acted as the casework subject matter expert for the AM teams. Other technical areas include IRMAA D case processing and congressional and high-level correspondence. She currently serves as the Senior Caseworker for the National Casework Team. She enjoys volunteering with the youth at her church, and she is an avid Dallas Cowboys fan!
Shea Corti
Shea is an Education Coordinator at the Medicare Rights Center, where she helps the SHIP TA Center develop training materials like the Medicare Minute and online courses. She also manages the email inbox where SHIP staff around the country submit the complex Medicare questions that have them stuck. Shea lives in New York City with her husband, cat, and many books.
Kelly Cronin
Kelly Cronin is Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Innovation and Partnership at ACL and has been with HHS since 2003, most of it in various roles within the Office of the National Coordinator for the Health Information Technology, which she helped establish as its first employee. She has also worked directly for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality administrators as a Senior Advisor and Executive Director of an interagency council to coordinate health IT initiatives.
A great deal of her work has complemented the work we do to expand community living opportunities. She is finishing a detail with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in their Office of Connected Care, where she has been working on a strategy to implement virtual healthcare options for veterans throughout the VHA.
Kelly has worked with ACL and CMS on person-centered planning and integration of long-term services and supports into health care for older adults and people with disabilities. She has led several efforts to advance Federal policies that fostered a connected healthcare system, including integrating social services as a part of value-based care. She has also led multi-stakeholder collaboration to align private sector, state, and Federal efforts to advance IT-enabled health care. For the last several years, she has served as a mentor for Health and Aging Policy Fellows and is a regular speaker at Health and Aging Leadership events.
Her experience prior to HHS includes ten years in the pharmaceutical and medical technology industries and several years as a health services researcher. She earned a Bachelor of Science in nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Science in health policy with a concentration in epidemiology and biostatistics and a Master of Science in health policy from the School of Public Health at The George Washington University.
Claire Cruse
Claire Cruse is a Director in ATI's Complex Care Program, Policy, and Research Practice. She brings more than a decade of experience in health services and health policy research to the ATI team. Cruse has subject matter expertise in health equity and the drivers of health, Medicare and Medicare Advantage, aging and aging services, and health care innovation.
Most recently, Cruse led policy research and program development for the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation (NEHI). Before NEHI, she served in a variety of roles at the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, a health policy and health services research think tank aligned to Deloitte's commercial healthcare practice. She also helped launch the Deloitte Health Equity Institute. Prior to Deloitte, she worked in the nonprofit sector, working to advance policies and services focused on older adults. This remains an area of passion in both her professional and personal life. Cruse serves on the board of the Colorado Center for Aging and is a former member of Colorado's Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging. Cruse earned her Master of Public Health at The George Washington University; a graduate certificate in gerontology at the University of Georgia; and bachelor's degrees in psychology and sociology at the University of Georgia.
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Trisha D'Antonio
Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP, is the Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs for the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and a board-certified geriatric pharmacist. She directs GSA’s policy initiatives, develops relationships with organizations in the aging sector, and serves on various policy coalitions, including as co-chair for the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition. Additionally, Ms. D’Antonio is the Executive Director for the National Center to Reframe Aging and serves on the leadership team of the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research National Coordinating Center.
Chris DeYoung
Chris DeYoung is a Health Insurance Specialist in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office. Prior to joining CMS in 2023, Chris was the Director of the Health Insurance Counseling Project (D.C. SHIP) since 2008.
Akia Dieuseul
Akia U. Dieuseul joined ACL in April 2019 as a Program Analyst in the Office of Healthcare Information and Counseling.
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Lonnie Ervin
Priority Casework Analyst in the Division of Medicare Inquiries & Customer Support. Serves as the Lead Trainer and Lead for casework enhancement and support in the division.
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Heather Flory
Heather Flory has worked as the Training Manager at the SMP National Resource Center since 2009. In this role, she coordinates and hosts Center-sponsored web events, including training for SIRS (the SMP Information and Reporting System) and other national initiatives. She also coordinates development and updates of volunteer training manuals, kits, and other resources.
Maggie Flowers
As a Program Manager at ACL, Maggie Flowers manages two national grant programs that provide education and assistance for older adults and people with disabilities related to Medicare and low-income benefit programs. She is responsible for the day-to-day oversight and administration of SHIP and the MIPPA program. She has extensive experience in program management, evaluation, and grants administration for programs serving older adults who are struggling financially. Prior positions include Associate Director of Economic Security at the National Council on Aging, Interim Director of the Elder Economic Security Initiative at Wider Opportunities for Women, and IAHSA Services Manager at LeadingAge. She received her Master of Public Service and Administration from Texas A&M University and her Bachelor of Arts in government from the University of Texas at Austin.
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Kim Glaun
Kim Glaun works for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Medicaid-Medicare Coordination Office as a Senior Technical Director. Prior to joining CMS, Kim worked in the nonprofit sector, first serving as a Coordinator of Legal Services to the Elderly Program in Baltimore, then as a Policy Attorney at the National Senior Citizens Law Center (now Justice in Aging), and finally as the Senior Education and Policy Counsel at the Medicare Rights Center.
Katie Glendening
Katie Glendening serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative working with the OHIC Data System and the Beneficiary Survey contract and a Project Officer for SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA grants in five states. Prior to joining ACL (then the Administration on Aging) in 2010, Katie was the Aging and Disability Resource Center Grant Project Coordinator at the Kansas Department on Aging and Disability Services. She began her career in aging services at a nonprofit senior center in Lawrence, Kansas, where she was the SHIP Coordinator for Douglas County, managed the Friendly Visitor and Cell Phones for Seniors projects, and provided information, outreach, and assistance. Katie is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a degree in health information and has a Master of Business degree from Baker University.
Kerry Glova
Kerry is the Associate Director for Research and Evaluation at the National Council on Aging (NCOA). At NCOA, Kerry supports the execution of NCOA’s research and evaluation agenda, focused on building evidence used to advocate for programs and policies that serve older adults, especially those most in need. Kerry works collaboratively across NCOA to design research methodologies, produce meaningful measures, and analyze the organization’s social impact progress toward impacting 40 million older adults by 2030.
Laura Griffin
Laura Griffin has 31 years of experience working in Federal health and social service programs for low-income people. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Laura earned a Master of Health Science degree from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in public health degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
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Kathy Holt
Kathleen Holt, MBA, JD, is Associate Director and Attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy, a national nonprofit, nonpartisan law organization based in Connecticut and Washington, D.C., that helps beneficiaries obtain access to comprehensive Medicare coverage, health equity, and quality health care. Kathy concentrates her legal practice on Medicare home health and durable medical equipment. She has previous experience as a Social Security disability attorney and a hospital administrator. She serves on a hospital, housing, patient advocacy, and teacher retirement boards.
Doshon Hunley
Doshon is the MIPPA Co-Director with Missouri Family to Family. She assists individuals and families with both developmental and physical disabilities connect with appropriate resources that may benefit them and their loved ones. Her career started in service to children with developmental disabilities while working at the Missouri Division of Youth Services. She held roles in the justice system as a Probation Officer, Court Liaison, and Academy Teacher, and then worked in a Center for Independent Living leading to her current role. She proudly graduated debt-free from Drury College.
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Trina Isidro
Catherina serves as the Executive Director for California Health Advocates and the Statewide Director for the California SMP. Before these roles, she was the Executive Director for the Forensic Mental Health Association of California and the Deputy Executive Director for the California Independent Oil Marketers Association, where she enhanced organizational infrastructure to support association growth.
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Juan Jimenez
Priority Casework Analyst in the Division of Medicare Inquiries & Customer Support. Serves as the Project Manager for the Document Processing Unit (DPU) contract.
Joseph June
Joseph June is an Analyst at ATI in the Complex Care Programs, Policy & Research Practice department. At ATI, Joseph leads data analytics on many projects, including Medicare Advantage, PACE programs, and long-term care providers. Prior to ATI, June worked at Benefytt Technologies as a Market Research Analyst, where he analyzed federal health policies and proposals, researched the Medicare population, and analyzed Medicare Advantage plan coverage and benefits. In addition, he worked as a Research Analyst at the University of South Florida, where he managed research projects focused on disaster preparedness and response of long-term care settings in Florida and other Gulf States. June received his doctorate in aging studies at the University of South Florida, his Master of Public Health in health policy at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and his bachelor's degree in international studies at the University of South Florida.
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Markell Kelly
Deputy Director for Division of Medicare Systems Exceptions and Interfaces and has extensive experience at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including working in the Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office and a detail experience at the Health Resources and Services Administration. She oversees the work of the division in resolving casework issues for state buy-in and systems issues primarily related to certain types of refunds.
Maureen Kerrigan
Maureen Kerrigan leads the team of SHIP/SMP/MIPPA liaisons in the ten regional offices and the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands field office in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Office of Program Operations and Local Engagement (OPOLE). As Program Advisor to the OPOLE Deputy Director for Local Engagement and Administration, she also heads the team of National Training Program leads and Congressional liaisons. Prior to a regional office reorganization in 2020, Maureen led the team of SMP liaisons in the Consortium of Medicare Health Plan Operations and was the SMP liaison for the Boston regional office.
Rebecca Kinney
Rebecca Kinney is the Director for ACL’s OHIC. In this role, Rebecca is responsible for the administration of the programs that reside within OHIC (SHIP, the MIPPA program, and the SMP program) as well as the support of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Duals Demonstration Ombudsman Technical Assistance program. She provides oversight and direction to OHIC’s project officers, the state grantees, various administrative contracts used to support state grantee work, and the three primary programs’ national resource centers. Rebecca has worked as Program Manager for all three OHIC programs since 2011, when her tenure at ACL began. Prior to coming to Washington DC, Rebecca worked with the Michigan SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA grantees as the Statewide Trainer. In this role she was responsible for the education and certification of the volunteers statewide and became known for her expertise on both Medicare and Michigan Medicaid.
Rebecca has spent her entire professional career working on these Medicare beneficiary-focused programs at all levels (from local AAA to her current Federal position). Throughout it all she has persistently advocated for Medicare beneficiaries, constantly worked to strengthen partner relationships at all levels, and actively supported the program networks by providing training and technical assistance whenever possible. Rebecca acquired her Master of Social Work with a focus in aging and management in 2006 from the University of Michigan, where she was also a Geriatric Fellow. She also holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus in drawing and painting from Alma College.
Norma Kop
SMP Hawaii Director Norma Kop first served as the program’s Hawaii Volunteer Coordinator since December 2019 before being named Director in February 2021. Prior to joining the Hawaii Department of Health’s (DOH) Executive Office on Aging, which administers SMP Hawaii, she was Program Specialist with DOH’s Developmental Disabilities Division–Housing and Employment Options for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Norma brings her work experience in health care administration, post-secondary education, and marketing communications to advance the SMP mission.
Theresa Kyser
Theresa Kyser has been with the state of New Mexico's Aging & Long-Term Services Department serving as the SMP Volunteer Coordinator since April 2023. For close to thirty years, Theresa has been a dedicated public servant working in a variety of roles, including child advocacy and welfare, the Federal and state judicial systems, and most recently, the senior population. Interpersonal skills are the hallmark of Theresa's work, and she is committed to the lifelong learning that being an emotionally intelligent, thoughtful, attentive, and present leader requires.
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Renee Labrie-Shanks
Renee Labrie-Shanks has been employed at Missoula Aging Services since 2001 and has run the statewide Montana SMP program since 2006. She has served on the board of the Montana Gerontology Society, the State Health Insurance Assistance Program Advisory Council, the State Information & Assistance Planning Committee and the Chamber Health Committee and has a CC and ACB with Toastmasters International. She is also an LM 32 graduate and was selected as Chair of Leadership Missoula 35. She currently serves on the American Association of Retired Persons Executive Council. Renee lives in Missoula with her husband and two sons and enjoys skiing, playing hockey, hiking, and gardening.
Nicole Liebau
Nicole Liebau has worked in non-profit agencies for 16 years, with an emphasis in program and grant management. In her career, Ms. Liebau has worked in the SMP Resource Center since October 2015, and for the first 3 years, she was the Center’s Assistant Director. In her current role as Director, she is responsible for the Center’s coordinating efforts with ACL, grant and contract management, technical assistance in developing written materials, webinars, and other Center products.
Kierra Lloyde
A Casework Analyst in the Division of Medicare Systems Exceptions and Interfaces. She is our lead point of contact for states in Region 3, assisting states with buy-in questions and problems. She coordinates our monthly and quarterly calls with state staff, and she also resolves systems generated exceptions for beneficiary records—primarily related to certain refund and entitlement issues. Kierra also has experience at the county level in processing Medicaid cases in Maryland.
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Linda Madsen
Ms. Linda Madsen has been the Project Director for North Dakota SMP since 2006. North Dakota SMP is housed at North Dakota Center for Persons with Disabilities at Minot State University (MSU). Linda holds a master’s degree in speech and language disorders. Prior to working at MSU, she provided support to adults with intellectual and developmental disorders in their vocational and residential settings.
Steve McCurley
Steve McCurley has worked as a Consultant for over 30 years for practically every major government and nonprofit volunteer program in the United States. For the past 15 years, he has worked with SMP and SHIP programs to develop strategies for effectively recruiting and involving volunteers.
Mary McGeary
Mary is Director of the SHIP in the New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Aging Services. She has worked with SHIP since 2005 and has been Director since 2010. She manages 350 counselors and 21 grantee agencies. Mary is a graduate of Rutgers, the state university of New Jerseys, with a master’s degree in social work. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Scott Miniea
Scott Miniea has led Missouri's SHIP and related programs since 2019, serving as the Executive Director of Missouri Connections for Health, an independent nonprofit. His varied background includes ample experience in nonprofit leadership, K-12 and higher education, entrepreneurship, and extensive volunteer work.
Nancy Moore
Nancy Gilmer Moore is the Program Director for Indiana’s SMP at Indiana Association of Area Agencies on Aging. SMP is a Federally funded, statewide program that educates Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and the professionals that serve them on how to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud. In her role as Program Director, Ms. Moore founded and chairs the Indiana Council Against Senior Exploitation, a coalition of professionals whose goal is to end abuse and exploitation of older adults and people with disabilities in the state.
Previously she was on the management team for a nonprofit that served families who had children with disabilities. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University.
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Maria Najlis
Maria Najlis is a Program Manager on AARP Foundation’s Health Essentials team. In this role, her efforts include outreach efforts and increasing the Foundation’s understanding of how best to inform older adults with low incomes about public benefit programs that they could be eligible for. She has over a decade of experience in serving older adults with much of that time focused on increasing use of SNAP and other public benefits. Maria holds a master’s degree in gerontology from Georgia State University.
Vonetta Norman
In 2022, Vonetta Norman joined the OHIC team at ACL. As a Project Officer/Program Analyst, Vonetta provides administrative support to Florida, Guam, Maine, Nebraska, and New Hampshire. She is responsible for overseeing the SMP program, SHIP, and MIPPA grants in these states. Additionally, Vonetta serves as the liaison for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Region 7, coordinates incoming correspondence, and is a member of the Medicare Policy Review team. Prior to her role at OHIC, Vonetta gained extensive experience in health care administration at the Department of Defense and dedicated over 20 years to patient care in the medical field on active duty in the United States Air Force.
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Chiquita O'Cain
Chiquita O’Cain is a Project Manager/Analyst for the ACL SHIP, MIPPA, and SMP programs in Delaware, Kansas, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. She has a key role in day-to-day oversight and administration, providing technical assistance, helping to build partnerships and collaborations, and advancing OHIC’s vision. Chiquita holds a Master of Science in systems management from St. Mary’s University and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from the United States Air Force Academy.
Alisya Oetoyo
Alisya “Allie” Oetoyo is a Program Analyst at OHIC and oversees OHIC's SMP/SHIP/MIPPA program grants implementation. Alisya has a master’s degree in IT systems engineering and is Federal Program and Project Management Level I certified.
Allyson Owens
Allyson comes to the National Council on Aging from Evolent Health Care, where she worked as a Customer Care Coordinator. While there she was responsible for handling customer service requests, communicating with physicians’ offices to verify authorization information, developing relationships with provider groups, and making triage decisions not requiring clinical judgement. Allyson also worked as a Senior Care Coordinator and a Senior Customer Service Advisor for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, a Care Coordinator for AmeriHealth Caritas, and a Case Specialist for INTotal Health. Allyson brings a wealth of practical knowledge about benefits and has experience implementing regulations/policies in the insurance industry and working with Medicaid offices in DC and Virginia.
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Ginny Paulson
Ginny Paulson directs the SHIP TA Center, a role she has held since its inception in 2014. Ginny has worked in the aging network since 1997. Prior roles include directing the SMP Resource Center, managing the statewide Iowa Family Caregiver Program, and coordinating local and regional Area Agency on Aging outreach and education programs.
Katie Perez
Katie Perez, MA, is a Health Insurance Specialist with the Division of Payment Analysis and Policy, Medicare Plan Payment Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). At CMS, Katie works on Medicare Part D policy, most recently focusing on program guidance for the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan. Before CMS, Katie worked in healthcare consulting and in global health policy at the National Academy of Sciences.
Lucilia Prates
Lucília Prates-Ramos has been the Director for the Massachusetts SMP since 2002. Prates-Ramos has over 40 years of experience serving and advocating for immigrants and refugees, and other vulnerable and under-resourced communities. An immigrant herself, Lucília has worked with non-English speaking and limited English proficient populations from all corners of the world. As the Statewide Director of the Massachusetts SMP, she has made consumer engagement the cornerstone of the Massachusetts SMP. Engaged healthcare consumers are the first line of defense to protect, detect, and report healthcare errors, fraud, and abuse, which have financial implications on each one of us and can have devastating health-related outcomes.
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Catherine Rippey
Catherine Rippey has been with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 18 years. Prior to her role as the CMS Medicare Beneficiary Ombudsman, Catherine addressed beneficiary and customer inquiries as a Senior Caseworker in CMS Kansas City. She played an integral role in the implementation of both Medicare Part D and the Health Insurance Marketplace and was actively involved in outreach and education efforts for both initiatives.
John Robinson
John Robinson has provided 35 years of nonprofit/social service work over the course of his career. He has served as District Director of Boy Scouts of America and Executive Director of 100 Black Men of Jackson Inc.’s youth mentoring program. He has additionally served as a Consultant for AARP Foundation’s/USDA’s Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive grants as a Community Developer. John currently holds the position of Community Program Specialist with the Mississippi Department of Human Services, Division of Aging & Adult Services’ SHIP and the MIPPA program.
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Jennifer Salazar
Jennifer Salazar is the Executive Director of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Greater Houston’s Education Foundation and Program Director of the Texas SMP. She has 19 years’ experience in social services, preparing and monitoring government-funded contracts.
Jennifer is a native Southeast Texan who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in sociology from Lamar University. Upon graduation, she was accepted into the Area Agency on Aging of Southeast Texas as the Lead Benefits Counselor and Staff Nursing Home Ombudsman. Jennifer later worked for a national corporate office in The Woodlands, Texas, for 5 years, starting in human resources and working her way up to Information Technology Coordinator. During this time, she was responsible for multimillion-dollar contracts and negotiations.
In 2016, she became the Texas SMP program director housed at the BBB Education Foundation. In 2021, Jennifer was promoted to executive director and vice president of the BBB Education Foundation.
Yimar Santos
Yimar graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Yimar worked for the SHIP in Puerto Rico, assisting with the program management of Medicare counseling from 2005 to 2020. Yimar moved to Missouri and started working for the Missouri SHIP in 2021 as a Regional Liaison, Trainer, and Assistant Director. Yimar enjoys meeting new people, singing, and caring for their family.
Casey Schwarz
Casey Schwarz joined the Medicare Rights Center in 2011 as Client Services Counsel. Today, as Senior Counsel for Education and Federal Policy, she helps deliver accessible and accurate education materials to Medicare beneficiaries and the professionals who serve them. She also advances Medicare Rights Center’s policy goals through the administrative rule-making process and supports Medicare Rights Center’s close working relationship with legislators and their staff.
Shefy Simon
Shefy Simon joined ACL in 2018 and works on SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA grants in her role as a Project Officer. She also works on contracts and other aging-specific projects within ACL. Prior to joining ACL, Ms. Simon worked at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and is a former Director of Social Services at SNF. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Benedictine University and a master’s degree in social service administration from the University of Chicago, where she also holds a certificate in older adult studies.
Melissa Simpson
Melissa Simpson is the Assistant Director of the ACL OHIC. In this position, she supports the overall management of the office, staff, and program projects and activities (SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA). She joined OHIC in December 2016. She has extensive experience building partnerships to support grantees and working directly with Medicare beneficiaries at the state and national levels. She worked as a Senior Program Manager in the Center for Benefits Access at the National Council on Aging, as the SHIP Director in Arkansas, and in fundraising, marketing, and volunteer management with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas and the Heart of Arkansas United Way. She holds a Master of Public Administration, a Bachelor of Science in business administration, and a volunteer program management certificate.
Gabriel Smith
Gabriel Smith is a Program Associate at the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and oversees the Midwest region of NCOA's national network of Benefits Enrollment Centers. Gabriel coordinates and provides technical assistance to a portfolio of 27 Benefits Enrollment Centers, serving a diverse population of older adults, which also includes webinars such as “What’s New in Medicare in 2023?” and “Outreach to Beneficiaries with Limited English Proficiency.” Gabriel has received both an MPH and an MHA from The George Washington University.
Shawn Smith
Shawn Smith is the State Director of the Virginia SMP. Before joining the Virginia SMP, Shawn served in various roles including Director of Workforce Development and Vocational Services at Goodwill of Central and Coastal Virginia, Vice President of Operations at ECDA Acquisitions, and Pastor of Mission and Outreach at Destiny Baptist Church. Since joining the SMP, Shawn has created and delivered numerous presentations and has authored 101 Fraud Tips For Protecting Your Money, Your Credit & Your Identity from Thieves, Hackers and Scammers. Shawn volunteers as a Board Member for Virginia Ability and the Virginia SALT Council, and in 2021 he was appointed by Governor Northam to the Board of Visitors for his alma mater, Longwood University. Shawn holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology. His background includes corporate sales and marketing, business operations, and nonprofit development. In addition, he holds a certificate in business coaching from the University of Richmond. Shawn is certified in life and executive coaching. Shawn lives in Richmond, Virginia, and is the father of two grown sons, Shawn II and Vaughn.
Dennis Smithe
Dennis Smithe has worked at the SHIP TA Center for 7 years as the Client Services Manager, providing one-on-one technical assistance for the SHIP Tracking and Reporting System. He came to the SHIP TA Center with over 30 years of experience working in child welfare. Dennis has a master’s degree in mental health counseling.
Tim Smolen
Tim started as the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) Program Manager in January 2021. SHIBA is celebrating their 45th anniversary this year; they were a SHIP before there were SHIP programs. The program is part of the Consumer Protection Division of the Washington State Office of Insurance Commissioner. The program is also the ACL grantee for the SMP project and the MIPPA project: all three priority areas. Tim is grateful for the opportunity to be of service and eager to learn more about how he can help people to take care of themselves in the ways that matter most to them. Current priorities for the SHIBA program are recruit and train more diverse volunteer advisors, enhance outreach to traditionally underserved communities, and improve partnerships with organizations that support people with the greatest social and economic needs. Tim lives with his beloved wife, Stephanie, in Olympia with their pets, Reuben James Sandwich, Arlo, and Tucker. His hobbies include reading, walking, movies, and cooking for friends.
CG Strategy
CG Strategy (CGS) is a woman-owned small business dedicated to helping government and non-profit organizations deliver on their public promise for over 35 years. Our team of organization development and public policy practitioners has supported clients across dozens of federal organizations in program evaluation, equity assessment, strategic planning and alignment, meeting facilitation, stakeholder engagement, program design, performance management, and process improvement. CGS has supported ACL since 2012, including program evaluations and equity assessments for SMP, SHIP, and MIPPA.
Kyle Stokes
Kyle B. Stokes is a Program Analyst at OHIC ACL, where she oversees OHIC’s SMP/SHIP/MIPPA program grants implementation and manages various contract administrations. Kyle has played a key role in building partnerships and promoting inclusive collaboration to advance the ACL mission. She has a bachelor’s degree in business with a concentration in finance and a master’s degree in organizational management.
Teja Stokes
Teja is the Deputy Executive Director for the National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services. In addition to serving in a leadership capacity for the organization, she provides a broad range of technical assistance to states on issues related to Medicaid structure and quality, organizational success strategies, and effective service modalities. She has nearly 30 years of experience in change management, including quality improvement, process mapping, strategic planning, process improvement, and group facilitation. Ms. Stokes holds a master’s degree in business leadership/quality management from Upper Iowa University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mary Washington College.
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Jen Teague
Jen Teague is the Associate Director for Health Coverage and Benefits at NCOA. She has over 15 years of experience working on behalf of older adults and their families. Jen states her passion is ensuring that older adults can access services and supports that allow them to age with dignity and choice.
James Terrell
James Terrell is a Program Analyst at the OHIC ACL, where he oversees OHIC’s SMP/SHIP/MIPPA program grants implementation and manages various contract administrations. James has played a key role in building partnerships and promoting inclusive collaboration to advance the ACL mission. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in management.
Jenny Trussell
Jennifer Trussell retired from a 35-year career with the Federal government in December 2018. Her previous positions with HHS’s Office of Inspector General include Senior Advisor to the Deputy Inspector General for Investigations; Special Agent in Charge of the Investigations Branch; and Chief Investigator of the Office of Counsel to the Inspector General. She began her law enforcement career in 1989 as an Active-Duty Special Agent with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and later served as a Civilian Criminal Investigator for the U.S. Department of the Navy. Jennifer has an undergraduate degree in criminal justice from Park University and a graduate degree in policy management from Georgetown University. She previously served on the Board of Directors for the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association and served on detail to the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. She is currently a Fraud Prevention Consultant for the SMP program and is a frequent guest presenter at national conferences.
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Sara Vogler
Sara R. Vogler has joined the Office of American Indian, Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian Programs as a Program Manager this week, bringing a wealth of experience in partnership building and program administration. Vogler recently transitioned from her role as a Program Analyst at OHIC ACL, where she oversaw OHIC’s SHIP/SMP/MIPPA program grants implementation and managed various contract administrations. Vogler has played a pivotal role in fostering partnerships and promoting inclusive collaboration to advance the agency’s mission and vision.
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Marissa Whitehouse
As SMP Program Manager within the ACL’s OHIC, Marissa Whitehouse leads a Federal grant program to prevent, detect, and report healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse. Her areas of expertise include healthcare fraud, home and community-based services for older adults and people with disabilities, business acumen, conflict of interest, and healthy aging. She holds a graduate certificate in gerontology from University of Southern California, a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Clemson University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mississippi State University.
Kris Winterowd
Kris Winterowd, SHIP, SMP, and MIPPA Director, is a former teacher-turned-Medicare Specialist. She has a master’s degree in education and now applies her skills at the other end of the spectrum. She is passionate about empowering New Mexico's diverse elders with compassion and creativity.
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Emberly Zellars
Emberly Zellars is a Program Analyst/Project Officer in OHIC. She joined OHIC in August of 2020. Emberly provides administrative oversight and technical assistance to state SHIP, MIPPA, and SMP grantees. Additionally, she provides oversight for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Unique ID Attestation verification. She aids in producing the annual SHIP Report to Congress, and she is the team lead for submitting SMP cases to the Office of Inspector General for fraud investigation. Emberly began her career in 2012 as a Vocational Development Specialist for D.C.’s Department of Human Services (DHS). From 2012 to 2016, she provided management and oversight to low-income D.C. resident Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients toward efforts in obtaining education and employment, with the overall goal of obtaining financial self-sufficiency. She also provided oversight to DHS’s scholarship program (Tuition Assistance Program Initiative) for D.C. TANF recipients and managed weekly work activity documentation and verification of D.C. TANF recipients for DHS’s Office of Work Opportunity. From 2016 onward, Ms. Zellars provided administrative oversite for DHS regarding the caseload capacity contractual agreements of awarded grantee organizations throughout the District of Columbia that were responsible for providing case management and supplemental assistance to low-income residents. She has also provided extensive leadership in special initiatives geared toward enhancing utilized database systems as well as ensuring that D.C. residents were receiving an accurate amount of monthly TANF benefits. Ms. Zellars has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Spelman College.