Featured Experts
What does “Featured Expert” mean? The people listed below have contributed to one or more major creative aging resources accessible via this resource site, and may also be affiliated with organizations who work in and adjacent to the creative aging field. This list is not exhaustive, nor will it ever be complete. If you would like to share information with us, please use the site’s Feedback form. Thank you.
Mary Catherine Bateson
Mary Catherine Bateson is a Visiting Scholar at the Center on Aging and Work/Workplace Flexibility at Boston College. In 2010, Mary authored the book, “Composing a Further Life: The Age of Active Wisdom,” on the …
Beth Bienvenu
Beth Bienvenu is the director of the Office of Accessibility at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), devoted to making the arts accessible to people with disabilities, older adults, veterans, and people in institutional …
Teresa Bonner
Teresa Bonner brings more than 30 years of professional experience in philanthropy, foundation and nonprofit leadership to her role as Executive Director for E.A. Michelson Philanthropy. She is a frequent presenter on philanthropy as well …
Eric Booth
Artist, Author, Consultant, Director, Educator, Founder, Speaker, Teacher, Teaching Artist, Writer
From ericbooth.net: “…In arts learning, [Eric Booth] taught at Juilliard (12 years), Stanford University, NYU, Tanglewood and Lincoln Center Education (for 40 years, where he is now a co-Founder of the Teaching Artist Development Labs), …
Emily Bradfield
Dr. Emily Bradfield is Director at Arts & Minds (part-time) and also works as a Freelance Arts Consultant (with a particular interest in creative evaluation). She has conducted Independent Evaluation for a variety of creative …
Robert Butler
The late Robert Butler, MD was a world-renowned gerontologist and psychiatrist. He was a Pulitzer Prize-winning activist and aging pioneer who coined the terms “ageism” and “longevity revolution.” He was the founding director of the …
Dominic Campbell
Dominic Campbell is a co-founder of Creative Aging International and an Atlantic Fellow for Equity and Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute. He was named a 2018 Influencer in Aging by Next Avenue. …
Tim Carpenter
Tim Carpenter is the founder and CEO of EngAGE and a catalyst for the creation of the Burbank Senior Artists Colony. As a presenter and collaborator of several arts and aging conferences, he has been …
Laura L. Carstensen
Laura L. Carstensen is a Professor of Psychology and the Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy at Stanford University where she serves as founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity. Her research …
Gene D. Cohen
Advocate, Author, Gerontologist, Researcher, Scholar, Writer
The late Gene D. Cohen, MD, PhD, founded the GW Center for Aging, Health and Humanities in 1994 and served as its director as well as held professional positions in Health Care Sciences, Psychiatry and …
Mary Erickson
Mary Erickson is a professor at Arizona State University. Her research has been supported through numerous grants from the National Art Education Foundation. She is collaborating with museum educators at the Phoenix Art Museum, Heard …
Ruth Finkelstein
Ruth Finkelstein, ScD, is the Rose Dobrof Executive Director of the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging at Hunter College as well as a professor at Hunter College’s School of Urban Public Health. In 2018, she …
Mary Davis Fournier
Mary Davis Fournier is Deputy Director of the American Library Association’s Public Programs Office where she specializes in national partnerships, new project development, and programs support for public, school and academic libraries.
Marc Freedman
Marc Freedman, the President, CEO and Founder of Encore.org, is a renowned social entrepreneur, thought leader and writer. Marc’s leadership at Encore.org has pioneered innovative programs and sparked a growing movement in the United States …
Linda Fried
Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, Dean of Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health since 2008, is a leader in the fields of epidemiology and geriatric medicine. Since 2006, Dr. Fried has served as a …
Ed Friedman
Ed Friedman is a Co-Founder and former Executive Director of Lifetime Arts. He is instrumental in the coordination and implementation of multiple national initiatives for Lifetime Arts and speaks about the organization’s work at conferences …
Naomi Goldberg-Haas
Naomi Goldberg Haas is a dancer, master teacher, choreographer and founding artistic director of Dances For A Variable Population (DVP). She also leads DVP’s educational programs, including the organization’s free community-based dance workshops that have …
Julene Johnson
Julene Johnson, PhD, is both the Associate Dean of Research for the University of California Sane Francisco (UCSF) School of Nursing and the Associate Director at the UCSF Institute for Health & Aging. She is …
Stuart Kandell
Stuart Kandell has been called a “global pioneer in the field of creative aging” and is nationally known for his leadership of Stagebridge, which he founded in 1978 and ran until 2013. He currently travels …
Bea Kelleher
Bea Kelleher is an Executive Producer and marketer. She has been working in arts and communications for over 25 years. As the Executive Producer, she helped set up Spiegelworld LLP in the USA, and her …
Margie Lachman
From Lachman’s Profile: Margie E. Lachman is the Minnie and Harold Fierman Professor of Psychology at Brandeis University. Professor Lachman’s research is in the area of lifespan development with a focus on midlife and later …
John Leland
John Leland is a reporter and award-winning journalist at The New York Times, where he wrote a yearlong series that became the basis for his book, “Happiness Is a Choice You Make,” published in 2018. …
Liz Lerman
Liz Lerman is a choreographer, performer, writer, teacher, and speaker. She founded Liz Lerman Dance Exchange in 1976 and cultivated the company’s unique multi-generational ensemble into a leading force in contemporary dance until 2011. Her, …
Nathan Majaros
As Deputy Director, Nathan is responsible for the day-to-day supervision and coordination of Lifetime Arts’ multiple projects. He provides expert technical assistance to both teaching artists and community organizations, and he routinely presents information about …
Elizabeth Merritt
Elizabeth is American Alliance of Museums’ Vice President for Strategic Foresight, and Founding Director of the Center for the Future of Museums. She is the author of the Alliance’s annual report, “TrendsWatch,” and writes and …
Ellen Michelson
Ellen’s philanthropic work has been a part of her life since 1994. During 20-plus years of directed foundation grants, she has supported non-profit work related to children’s literacy, college access, K-12 arts education, residential mental …
Annie Montgomery
Annie Meek Montgomery is a master teaching artist and trainer. As Education Director, Annie leads the design and delivery of Lifetime Arts many professional development and education efforts. She facilitates trainings for a wide range …
Maura O’Malley
Maura O’Malley, Co-Founder and CEO of Lifetime Arts, leads the development of Lifetime Arts’ national programming models, training programs and resources for Creative Aging stakeholders including teaching artists. Named a 2017 Influencer in Aging by …
Nell Irvin Painter
“Nell Irvin Painter is a leading historian of the United States. She is currently the Edwards Professor of American History at Princeton University.” (Ref: https://history.princeton.edu/people/nell-irvin-painter) As a scholar, she has published numerous books, articles, reviews, …
Susan Perlstein
Susan Perlstein is considered the “grandmother” of the creative aging movement. She founded and directed the National Center for Creative Aging (2001- 2007) and Elders Share the Arts ESTA (1979- 2003). Currently she is a …
Francesca Rosenberg
Francesca Rosenberg is the Director of Community, Access, and School Programs. She has played a key role in implementing programs that serve people living with dementia and their care partners at the Museum of Modern …
Pauline Rothstein
Pauline Rothstein, PhD, is Program Administrator for the LIU/NYU Dual Degree Masters Program at New York University. A long time adjunct faculty member for LIU’s Palmer School, the Institute she developed on lifelong learning for …
Diantha Dow Schull
Diantha Dow Schull is Principal and Founder of DDSchull Associates LLC, providing advisory and training services for museums, libraries, foundations and nonprofits. She is also a cultural organization program specialist and has led the development …
Sonnet Takahisa
Sonnet Takahisa, Director of Education at the Brooklyn Historical Society, consults with museums, cultural institutions and schools and has served on national and local task forces for museums, arts, Pre-K through higher education, government funding …
Elaine Wethington
Elaine Wethington is Professor Emeritus of Human Development. She is also adjunct Research Professor at the Survey Research Center, University of Michigan. As part of her research, Elaine collaborates with colleagues at Weill Cornell Medical …