Keynote and Plenary Session Speakers
2025 National Lifespan Respite Conference
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Kristin Scroggin
Managing Partner and Lead Trainer
genWHY Communication Strategies
Huntsville, AL
Meet Kristin Scroggin – A huge fan of Generational Diversity armed with a Communication Studies master's degree from the University of Alabama and a bachelor's from Montevallo in decoding GenZ slang and millennial emojis. Kristin embarked on her research endeavors during her almost 20-year tenure as a professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville before giving birth to her company, genWHY Communications in 2017.
Kristin has a passion for decoding the generational enigma and is known for her straight-talk speaking style and wicked twist of humor. Kristin has been on stages in 42 states, left her mark in 3 countries, and sprinkled her wisdom across more than 160 conferences for 350+ diverse organizations. From Fortune 500 giants to pint-sized non-profits, she's been there, done that, and left an indelible impression.
Published in magazines, guest on multiple podcasts, and the workhorse behind groundbreaking research, Kristin isn't just about speaking – she's about making waves in the world of succession planning and leadership program development. Need someone to referee the battle of Boomers and Millennials on your teams? Look no further; Kristin consults on attracting, developing, and retaining the brightest minds.
But wait, there's more! Fueled by an unrelenting wanderlust, Kristin and her partner-in-travel (husband) are on a quest to explore every nook and cranny of the globe. Amidst their jet-setting adventures, they somehow manage to keep their sanity while raising four humans who never stop eating.
To learn more and get resources visit www.genwhy.com.
Kari Benson (invited)
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging
Administration on Aging
Administration for Community Living
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, D.C.
As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging, Kari Benson leads the Administration on Aging in advocating on behalf of older Americans. In this capacity, she guides and promotes the development of home and community-based long-term care programs, policies, and services designed to afford older people and their caregivers the ability to age with dignity and independence and to have a broad array of options available for an enhanced quality of life. This includes the promotion and implementation of evidence-based prevention interventions proven effective in avoiding or delaying the onset of chronic disease and illness.
Kari's entire career has been in the aging network, most recently serving as the director of the Aging and Adult Services Division of the Minnesota Department of Human Services and as the executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging. Through these dual roles, she oversaw the full range of federal- and state-funded HCBS for older adults, their families, and the friends, neighbors, and others who provide informal caregiving support. Prioritizing collaboration with the 11 tribal nations that share geography with Minnesota, as well as organizations reaching rural and underserved communities, was a hallmark of her leadership at the state level. She also partnered with the state's Disability Services Division to coordinate quality assurance and improvement strategies for the Medicaid waiver programs, strengthen maltreatment and critical incident remediation efforts for older adults and people with disabilities, and launch the state's universal LTSS assessment tool.
Kari holds a bachelor's degree in human ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's degree in public policy from the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs from the University of Minnesota.
Jonathan Cottor, MBA, MPH
Co-Chair, RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council
CEO and Founder
National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes
Jonathan Cottor is a devoted father whose journey with his son Ryan, diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at 9 months old, profoundly shaped his life. Ryan defied expectations, living an extraordinary 17 years until his death in December 2018. Inspired by their experience, Jonathan and his wife co-founded Ryan House, a pioneering children’s respite, palliative, and hospice care home in Phoenix, Arizona.
After a 30-year career in corporate marketing and leadership, Ryan’s death became the catalyst for Jonathan to align his work with his passion. He earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, specializing in policy and advocacy, along with a certificate in Maternal and Child Health.
Jonathan is now a recognized national thought leader in pediatric palliative care. He has been instrumental in building a coalition of community-based pediatric palliative care home models, culminating in the creation of the National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes and its flagship initiative, Children’s Respite Homes of America.
April 2 LUNCHEON PLENARY SESSION - PBS Documentary, Caregiving
Discussion Panel following the Screening of PBS Documentary Caregiving.Â
This session will be moderated by:
Rani Snyder, MPA
Vice President, Program
The John A. Hartford Foundation
Rani E. Snyder, MPA, is a national leader and collaborator, serving as Vice President, Program at The John A. Hartford Foundation. Ms. Snyder has over 25 years of experience working with preeminent health care institutions across the nation improving the care of older adults, identifying and guiding health care programs that have set the standard for medical best practices, increased medical education opportunities, and maximizing resources to improve health care broadly. She brings that experience to The John A. Hartford Foundation where she coordinates initiatives that foster collaboration among academic institutions, health systems and community-based organizations to build Age-Friendly Health Systems, support family caregivers, and improve serious illness and end-of-life care. She serves as a board member for the American Society on Aging, a nonprofit leading the largest, most diverse community of professionals working in aging in America; is on the Elder and Home Care Committee of Mid Coast Hospital in rural Maine; and has been appointed by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to serve on the National Advisory Committee on Rural HHS. In addition she is the past Board Chair of the Board of Grantmakers in Aging, a membership organization comprised of all types of philanthropies with a common dedication to improving the experience of aging, is as a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, and she previously served as a Volunteer Long-Term Care Ombudsman for the State of Nevada Aging and Disability Services Division.
Christopher Durrance
Producer, Writer, Director
Ark Media
Director & Senior Producer of Caregiving
Chris Durrance is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, who is director of the forthcoming PBS series, "Caregiving." Durrance worked on more than a dozen films for FRONTLINE, three presidential biographies and an independent documentary on gerrymandering – Slay the Dragon – which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. He is the winner of a Peabody, two Emmys, a duPont-Columbia silver baton and an Overseas Press Club award. Recently, Durrance directed two major PBS series on science and medicine – Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies and The Gene. He is the founder of Seven One Eight Studios.
Tom Chiodo
Executive Producer of Caregiving & Special Projects
National Productions, WETA/PBS
Tom Chiodo is the Executive producer of Special Projects in National Productions at WETA, the flagship PBS station in Washington, DC. Documentaries to his credit include: Ken Burns’ Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness; Emmy-nominated The Gene: An Intimate History; DuPont Columbia Award & Emmy-nominated Cancer: Emperor of All Maladies.
He is currently the executive producer of the upcoming projects: Caregiving (June 2025), Remote Chance: Health Care in Rural America, Defeating Dementia, Climate Kitchen. Mr. Chiodo has held senior positions at Entertainment Industry Foundation, Rubenstein Association, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
He is the co-author of “Home Care for Respirator Dependent Children” published in the New England Journal of Medicine, and is a contributing writer at Forbes.com.
Lynnette Canedy
Family Caregiver
2023 Elizabeth Dole Fellow
Kentucky
Lynnette Canedy is the proud daughter of former Drill Sergeant Mr. Thomas J. Canedy, Sr. and Mrs. Penny Canedy, a former military wife, PTA President, and community leader. While her primary role today is as a devoted caregiver to her Veteran father, Lynnette has had a distinguished career. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Advertising from the University of Kentucky and holds a PMP certification in Project Management.
With over 20 years of professional experience, Lynnette made her mark in the Los Angeles market, serving as a Digital Sales Manager for the Los Angeles Times Media Group and holding director-level positions at both the Orange County Register and La OpiniĂłn newspapers. For the past 9 years, while caring for her father, she has transitioned to remote government-sector roles, including serving as an IT Project Manager for the U.S. Army and as a Strategic Communications Specialist for the Department of Homeland Security.
In 2023, Lynnette was selected by the Elizabeth Dole Foundation to join the Dole Fellowship Program. As a Dole Fellow, she works alongside other fellows and the foundation to raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by spouses, parents, family members, and loved ones who care for wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans.
Lynnette is married to Kenneth Durham and is the proud sister to 6 siblings and aunt to 16 nieces and nephews. She is deeply grateful for the opportunity to care for her father and draws strength from her faith as she continues navigating her caregiving journey.
CLOSING PLENARY SESSION PANELISTS
Amplifying Family Caregiver Voices
This session will be moderated by:
Nick Nyberg
Programs and Planning Division Chief
Alabama Department of Senior Services
Nick Nyberg has served as the Programs and Planning Division Chief at the Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS) for more than 5 years where his responsibilities include grant writing and managing the development and coordination of the statewide Older Americans Act (OAA) and other grant programs for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers in the state.
Prior to joining ADSS, Nick served in many capacities at the South Central Alabama Development Commission (SCADC) Area Agency on Aging for more almost two decades. In 2005, he was chosen to pilot the new Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) federal grant program. Today the ADRCs are the backbone of all 13 AAAs as this valuable service is the entry point access to aging resources and benefits counseling.
Throughout his 20+ years working in the field of aging, Nick has received certifications in Case Management, Long Term Care Ombudsman, Person-Centered Counseling, and the Alliance of Information and Referral Services (AIRS) international Certification for Community Resource Specialist in Aging and Disabilities (CRS-A/D). He serves on numerous boards and advisory councils and will continue to serve in any capacity he can to help Alabama make strides in helping older adults and people with disabilities live with dignity and independence in their own homes and communities. Nick is a graduate of Troy University. He has been married for 20 years and has 3 children ages 15, 12, and 10 and outside of his full-time career he also works as an artist.
Feylyn Mercedes Lewis, PhD
Young Caregiver Advocate
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
A native of Nashville, Tennessee and a Vanderbilt University alumna, Dr. Lewis grew up as a youth caregiver for her disabled mother. Her experience with caregiving, disability, and living life on the margins led her on a path of global research and advocacy. She has a Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a PhD in Social Work. Her research focuses on mental health and resiliency in youth and young adult caregivers, and she conducts research in the US, Europe, UK, and Australia. Dr. Lewis currently works as the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, where she is responsible for providing vision, leadership and strategic planning for student affairs programming that delivers holistic wellness formal support services, student life and community engagement.
She currently resides in Nashville where she continues to provide care for her mother.
Maria Gutierrez
Family Caregiver
Family Navigator, Auburn University Regional Autism Network
MarĂa Gutierrez works as the Family Navigator for the Auburn University Regional Autism Network IV (AU-RAN). Maria is the parent of a young adult with an autism spectrum disorder. Maria was a founding member of a local non-profit organization Lee County Autism Resource and Advocacy which provided resources, workshops and support for families with a family member with an autism spectrum disorder.
In addition, Maria has served in various committees in Alabama and California. Currently, Maria is a community member of the Alabama Early Intervention Best Practices Working Group , the Alabama Lifespan Respite Coalition , and the Auburn Citizens' Public Safety Academy. Previously, Gutierrez has been a member of the Alabama Medicaid Working Group-Governor Appointed, and ADAP’s Protection & Advocacy for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities (PADD) Advisory Council. From 2021-2023 , Maria Gutierrez worked on the implementation of a grant awarded by the Alabama Council on Developmental Disabilities for Hispanic Outreach Grant for families impacted by intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). She is also part of the state parent/professional group Partners in Policymaking sponsored by the Alabama Council for Developmental Disabilities, The SOLACE Respite Program at St. Michael’s The Archangel Catholic Church in Auburn and is involved in a Project to Improve the Health of Hispanic Women.
Prior moving to Alabama, Maria worked as a Parent Mentor in California under The Family Focus Resource and Empowerment Center and was appointed Board of Directors of Santa Clarita Autism Asperger Network, a non- profit organization for support, information, networking and social events for families in the Santa Clarita Valley. Â
In her spare time, she volunteers at community events, enjoys outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and spending time with her family. Â
Theresa Vollor, MSW, LICSW
VA Caregiver Support Program Manager
Birmingham VA Healthcare System
Ms. Theresa Vollor, MSW, LICSW is the VA Caregiver Support Program Manager for the Birmingham VA Health Care System (BVAHCS). Ms. Vollor joined the VA Health Care System in 2007 and has served in various areas of the VA Healthcare System to include Primary Care, In-patient Care, Home-Based Primary Care, and Contract Nursing Homes. In February 2011, she was chosen to implement the VA Caregiver Program. Since the inception of the VA Caregiver Support Program, Ms. Vollor has worked to grow and develop the program at a local level and has also served on two National Caregiver Support Committees and intermittently served as the Caregiver Support Lead for the VA Integrated Service Network (VISN) in the absence of a full-time lead.
Jonathan Cottor, MBA, MPH
Parent Caregiver
Founder and CEO of National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes
Jonathan Cottor will be joining this panel to share his perspective on the need for respite as the father of Ryan, diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at 9 months old. Ryan defied expectations, living an extraordinary 17 years until his death in December 2018. Inspired by their experience, Jonathan and his wife co-founded Ryan House, a pioneering children’s respite, palliative, and hospice care home in Phoenix, Arizona. Ryan House has been recognized by ARCH as an Innovative and Exemplary Respite Service.
Read more about Jonathan in his bio above.Â
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