President
Byron Cordes, MSW, LCSW, C-ASWCM, CMC
Sage Care Management
San Antonio, TX
Byron is recognized as one of the nation’s leading experts in Aging Life Care, derived from over 30 years in the social work field. His writings and interviews on geriatrics, dementia and caregiving have been published nationally. He received his Masters in Social Work from the Worden School of Social Services at Our Lady of the Lake University and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Oklahoma State University. Byron is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Texas and holds certifications in Social Work Case Management as well as Care Management. He served as an Assistant Professor at Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio, is a Fellow of the Leadership Academy of the Aging Life Care Association and is a member of the National Association of Social Workers. He served as the 2012 President of the Aging Life Care Association™ and is a Past-President for the South Central Chapter. In 2018, Byron was appointed to a five-year term on the Texas Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders by the Texas Speaker of the House. He currently serves as the President of the Board for the National Academy of Certified Care Managers; Chair of the Board of Directors for the South Texas Adult Protective Services Community Board, and Chair of the Board of Directors for the San Antonio & South Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Byron enjoys traveling and watching movies with his wife and their daughter.
Secretary/Treasurer
Bonnie Castonguay, RN, MBA, CMC
Co-Founder and CEO of Ho’okele Health Navigators, LLC with 30+ years of experience in nursing, hospital quality, and care coordination. She also is the co-founder for Ho’okele Home Care agencies and Vivia. Bonnie received her Care Manager Certified certification in 2009 and is an Advanced Professional Member of the Aging Life Care Association®. Prior to founding Ho’okele, Bonnie served as the Vice President of Quality at Hawaii Pacific Health a major health system in Hawaii. Bonnie is an innovator in the field of complex care management, leading a team of nurses under a federal grant that helped the most complex patients navigate care in their own homes and saved the payer more than $1M in less that a year. With more that 15 years of experience leading care navigation and home care operations, she is passionate about coordinated care for seniors.
Directors
Venus Allen, MS, MSW, LCASA, CMC
Community Provider Coalition
Charlotte, NC
Venus Allen is a macro social worker with twenty-five years of behavioral health experience. Venus founded Community Provider Coalition (a 501c3 non-profit) in 2013 that provides coaching, counseling, and consulting to small businesses. Her organization’s network helps healthcare agencies access community support and resources necessary to deliver great healthcare outcomes for patients served. Venus has a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology from The University of West Alabama and a Master Social Work degree from The University of North Carolina in Charlotte. Venus is also a licensed addiction professional and Certified Care Manager through NACCM.
Nancy Avitabile, LMSW, CMC
Urban Eldercare, LLC
New York, NY
Nancy is the owner of the Aging Life Care™ management practice, Urban Eldercare, LLC, and a founding partner of Home Care Match, LLC, a boutique home care registry. With 25 years industry experience in the age space, she has been featured in Thomson Reuters, “The Business of Managing Old Age”, has written for the Aging Life Care Association® publications, “Inside ALCA” and “The Journal of Aging Life Care™” and has been quoted in Consumer Reports, US News and World Reports, caring.com, AARP, and seniorhomes.com. In 2004 Nancy she earned the Care Manager Certified designation from the National Academy of Certified Care Managers. In 2014, she became a Fellow of the Leadership Academy of the Aging Life Care Association and served as President in 2018. Nancy has presented widely about Aging Life Care management and developed curriculum for the Hunter College Brookdale Center on Healthy Aging, where she was an instructor for over 10 years.
Julie E. Bolt, MS Gerontology, CMC
Aging Optimist, LLC
Charlotte, NC
Joe Braley | Public Consumer Member
Senior Vice President, National Head of Public Sector
Employer Direct Healthcare
Dallas, TX
Joe has spent over three decades in the employee benefits industry in business development and executive leadership roles. His career combines over twenty-five years of experience inside the leading national health and group insurance carriers with over another decade building, merging and selling several start-up/emerging healthcare companies. Currently, as Senior Vice President, National Head of Public Sector for Employer Direct Healthcare, he serves as a member of the management team and contribute significantly to the overall growth and strategic direction of this leading Surgical Center of Excellence organization. He is the executive leader responsible for the development, implementation and oversight of all sales and business development strategies and tactics involved in growing the Public Sector by partnering with the largest employers in the country to transform their access to excellent surgical care for those moments that matter the most.
His family utilized a Certified Care Manager to guide them in the care of their elderly mother, and benefited greatly from their professionalism, expertise and compassion. This experience led him to join the NACCM Board as a Consumer Advocate.
Leisa R. Easom, PhD, RN
Associate Dean of Health Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Georgia Southwestern State University
Americus, GA
Dr. Easom has been a Registered Nurse for over 30 years and devoted much of her nursing practice to addressing the mental and physical health needs of the older adult population. She served as the Executive Director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving (RCI) and Pope Eminent Scholar at Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) from 2010-2018. Dr. Easom was a Professor of Nursing and served as the Chair in the GSW School of Nursing from 2007-2010. Prior to this, she served as the Program Coordinator of the RN-BSN program at Macon State College in Macon, Georgia. She has served as an adjunct professor for the Clinical Nurse Leader graduate program at the Medical College of Georgia.
Dr. Easom has published multiple peer-reviewed publications focusing on translational science and the implementation of evidence-based programs including Reach II, BRI Care Consultation, and Operation Family Caregiver. She completed her doctoral degree in nursing at the Medical College of Georgia in 2003. Post-doctoral education included end-of-life training. Certified in gerontology, Dr. Easom serves as an academic partner with the Aging Life Care Association.
Shantel Garcia, DSW, MPA, CMC
Los Angeles, CA
Dr. Shantel Garcia has over 20 years of experience in disability services. She has spent much of her career promoting advocacy and self-determination for individuals with developmental disabilities. Most recently focusing on how to reduce social isolation for underrepresented individuals with developmental disabilities. Dr. Garcia is a certified Person-Centered Thinking Trainer. She is also certified in Care Management from the National Academy of Certified Care Managers since 2021. Additionally, Dr. Garcia has served as an adjunct professor in the business division at El Camino College in California.
Dr. Garcia is a graduate of the University of Southern California where she received her doctorate in Social Work. She has a master’s degree in public administration from the California State University Dominguez Hills and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Dr. Garcia values her connection to her community and her culture. She has been an active as an alumnus at the various educational institutions she has attended. Additionally, she has volunteered in her community, spearheading events such as a back-to-school backpack giveaway and yearly diamond recognition program for the aged and ailing. Dr. Garcia is currently an alumna member of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, member of the Association of Black Social Workers Los Angeles and currently serves on the board of the Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival.
Deirdre Garrett-Scott, MPA, CDP, CMC
Atria Senior Living
Riverdale, NY
Deirdre is the Assistant Executive Director at Atria Riverdale Senior Living. She is responsible for assisting with the day to day operations and ensuring the residents are provided with the highest quality of service.
She is a graduate of Metropolitan College of New York where she received her Master’s in Public Administration & Public Affairs. She received her Bachelor of Psychology degree from the College of New Rochelle. She is a Certified Dementia Practitioner from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners since 2019. She is also certified in Care Management from the National Academy of Certified Care Managers since 2019.
Deirdre is a Charter Member and Executive Board Member for the National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC), Bronx Chapter since 2022. She is a former board member of the National Association of Local Long Term Care Ombudsmen serving two terms from 2018-2021. She serves as a Panel Member (Advocate) for the New York State Justice Center or the Protection of People with Special Needs since 2021.
Katelyn Meeks, MS, CMC, CHES®
The Health Coach, LLC
Winter Haven, FL
Katelyn Meeks holds a Master of Science in Health Education from the University of Florida. She joined All About Aging as an Aging Life Care Manager in 2019 and received her Care Manager Certification in 2020. Katelyn is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) and obtained a minor in disabilities in society from the University of Florida.
Katelyn is an advanced professional within the Aging Life Care Association®. She serves on the Florida Board of Directors and is the Florida membership chair. Katelyn’s focus is holistic care management and she values professional development.
Chair of the Examination Committee
Jullie Gray, DSW, MSW, LICSW, CMC
Wiser Caring
Bellevue, WA
Dr. Jullie Gray combines over three decades of experience in health care and aging, is an award-winning care manager, and is the Past President of the Aging Life Care Association.
She attended the University of Southern California where she completed her doctorate in social work. She also earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work with a specialization in health care, and a certificate in geriatric mental health at the University of Washington. Dr. Gray is a clinical instructor for the University of Washington’s School of Social Work. She also teaches at Southern New Hampshire University (Human Services) and Walden University (MSW program). She participates in local community advisory groups focused on aging, dementia, and elder abuse.