Coleen T. Murphy, Ph.D is Director, Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics,   James A. Elkins, Jr. Professor in the Life Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology, and LSI Genomics, Princeton University. She is also Director, Paul F. Glenn Center for Aging Research at Princeton and Director of Simons Collaboration on Plasticity and the Aging Brain.  As a researcher, Coleen studies aging and the quantitation of “quality of life with age,” including the decline of cognitive and reproductive capacities with age. She is author of How We Age: The Science of Longevity ..read more

Dr. Tracey Gendron is an internationally recognized gerontologist with almost 30 years of experience as a grant-funded researcher. She speaks to audiences globally about the real world impact of age bias. She is determined to change people’s negative views about aging. “Ageism, she says, is complicated - more nuanced than most people think it is. Anytime we discriminate against a person based on age, it is ageism. And, since we are all aging all the time, it can be a younger or older person who is being discriminated against.” Tracey serves as Chair for the Virginia Commonwealth University De ..read more

Carol Stitzer, 80, lives life in the moment. All you have to do is listen to her and you immediately understand that she is positive, talented, energetic and happy. From early childhood education to development professional, fundraiser, artist and volunteer, Carol never lacks for the next big thing. She fine-tuned her skills at the Center for American Archeology and learned early on that planning travel for the Board of Directors offered her unique opportunities to tag along. This applied to her work at the Chicago History Museum,The Admiral at the Lake, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Along the w ..read more

A life of social service requires a deep commitment to reaching out, helping out and finding those paths that have meaning to you. Throughout Nancy Hanson’s entire life, she has been doing just that. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Nancy knows no other way of being. Early on, she joined the League of Women Voters and in each of the cities in which she lived, when she and her husband moved multiple times, Nancy found causes she could learn about, study  and advocate for through the League. Growing up in the 60s, Nancy believes her story is no different from others in her generat ..read more

Catherine (Kate) Saccany was born to run. She took up jogging and ran barefoot for her first 30 months because there were no running shoes for women. A career banker, Kate joined LaSalle Bank. Coincidentally, LaSalle sponsored the Chicago marathon. She bought her first pair of running shoes, qualified for the marathon and has not stopped since. Yes, long covid has cramped her style. And, she is now 72. Kate believes it's never too late to become a runner. With the proper coaching and the right pair of shoes, anyone can learn. There is now a group for marathon runners over 100. QUOTE: Just get ..read more

Joy, love, compassion - the foundation of Eme’s life and her stories. Eme McAnam was a singer-songwriter who charted in the top 100 in Country Music. Her career has taken many turns: Singer/songwriter, novelist, art photographer. Her newest novel, Freefalling: A Novel of Senior Romance, is based on a topic she knows well from her 91/2 years serving at an assisted living facility. Lewy Body Dementia is the central theme. Seniors, she says, are “us”. She wants her legacy to be seen as understanding that no matter what comes down our path, it is our job to find joy. Change and loss is part of ..read more

Educational equity, intercultural communication, and teacher education are the threads of Dr. Gretchen Wilbur’s 30+-year career as an educational leader. Upon retiring from DePaul University in 2019, Gretchen traded an urban lifestyle in Chicago for the rural mountains in Jamaica where she lives with the Maroon people. As the only resident who is White, female, and highly educated, Gretchen is adapting to living in a culture that tests many of her western world views, including identity, community, relationships, land, money, and time. Her love of the Maroon people inspired Gretchen to apply h ..read more

[spp-player] Carol Marin, age 75, is an award-winning television and print journalist renowned for her nearly 50 years of investigative stories on politics, public corruption, and organized crime. In 2016, Carol co-founded and directs DePaul University’s Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence where she teaches a two-quarter long course in Advanced Reporting for graduate students “ready to jump into the profession.” Ethical problem-solving is a cornerstone of the Center, guided by key principles such as “no great story is worth doing damage to a human being.” The social impact of Carol ..read more

Sex educator, Joan Price, is the voice for ‘ageless sexuality.’ In her books, webinars, presentations, newsletter, and blog, Joan talks frankly about spicy and satisfying sex for seniors, whether partnered or solo. She is the first to address sex and grief in her recent book, Sex After Grief: Navigating Your Sexuality After Losing Your Beloved. Joan advises that sexuality is always a journey, regardless of age and circumstance. She encourages older adults to see themselves as sexual beings and to care for their sexual health.  "Sexual pleasures have no expiration date." - Joan Price Con ..read more

We love all our interviews. However, meeting Betty Werrenrath in person, and interviewing her in her apartment at the Presbyterian Homes in Evanston, IL was a unique experience that we would not have traded. Betty is inspiring, positive, upbeat and interesting. She was born January 28, 1914 in Harrisburg, PA. The daughter of a progressive preacher’s kid, she says, “I had to act decently because he was so well-known”. "“Be more interested in others than you are in yourself. Listen.” - Betty Werrenrath An athlete, she played field hockey, soccer, lacrosse, tennis and golf in high school and co ..read more