-
Aging Life Care Professionals®
Our Care Manager Certified team have earned the respected designation of Aging Life Care Professionals® which is critical to the growing aging populations' continuity of care.
Genevieve Faulk is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with an undergraduate degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Georgia. She earned a graduate Certification in Gerontology from the Gerontology Center at the University of Georgia and a Certification in Geriatric Care Management through the University of Florida. Genevieve also is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and is a current member of the following organizations: Aging Life Care Association (ALCA) (formerly called the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers), Aging Life Care Association Florida Chapter, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Florida Health Care Social Workers Association (FHCSWA), and Society of Certified Senior Advisors (CSA).
Genevieve is a Certified Family Mediator with the Supreme Court of Florida and received a Certificate in Elder Care Mediation Training from the Conflict Resolution Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. Genevieve works with seniors and their families in conflict centered around reaching a resolution with regards to the care needs of the senior.
In addition to her education, Genevieve's experiences in the field of aging have been very diverse. They include the following: nursing homes, hospital based geriatric case management programs, community councils on aging, grant proposals for aging issues, ombudsman programs and abuse investigations, Alzheimer's adult day care programs, home based services, and caregiver support groups. Education, experience, compassion and sincere care for the elderly and aging issues enable Genevieve to establish a trusting and respectful relationship with the older adult and their family members, as well as, other professionals in the aging field.
Genevieve opened her private geriatric care management practice in 2002 after seeing seniors "fall through the cracks" within the health care system. Genevieve's goal at Aging Care Advocates is to improve the quality of life of older adults and their entire family system. Soon after opening her practice, Genevieve discovered that there was a great need for this type of service so much so that Genevieve's business has grown over the years from a sole practice to a team of expert geriatric care managers all having diverse backgrounds in the aging field.
Genevieve manages and oversees all care management cases with her primary goal being to provide the best quality of care to clients of Aging Care Advocates.
Katie Colwell Williams has been with Aging Care Advocates since 2006. She is a Care Manager Certified (CMC) and is the Directory of Advocacy Services for all the clients served by Aging Care Advocates. In Katie's role as Director of Advocacy Services she reaches out to clients, families, and providers to make sure their service questions are answered and that we are providing the highest quality care management services possible. Katie also supports our care management team as well whenever needed. Prior to working with Aging Care Advocates, Katie graduated Cum Laude from the University of Florida with a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology and a minor, as well as, a Certification in Gerontology. Katie also served as a research assistant at the University of Florida during a pain study, which examined behavioral pain indicators of cognitively impaired older adults.
Katie completed an extensive amount of volunteer work in assisted living facilities in Gainesville while completing her undergraduate degree. It was through her volunteer work that Katie discovered her passion for working with older adults. Thus, Katie went on to receive her Master's in Gerontology from the University of South Florida. Her graduate focus was in the area of Case Management. Following her Master's degree, Katie worked with the West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging as a Medicaid Waiver Specialist. This experience allowed Katie not only to learn about the many of the resources available to older adults in the Tampa Bay Area, but helped her to gain expertise of the Medicaid Waiver Program, as well as, extensive knowledge of the participating facilities throughout the Tampa Bay area.
Katie is a very compassionate, caring and dedicated care manager. She gives her all in everything she does, which allows her to not only gain the trust and faith of our clients, but their family members as well. Katie strives to make certain that all her clients have the best quality of life possible.
Marsha, a 3rd generation native of Tampa, joined Aging Care Advocates as our Director of Operations in January, 2021. In her role, Marsha serves as the point person between our Aging Life Care Professionals, clients, families and business partners in the community. When a prospective family is needing assistance with their loved one, Marsha steps in to identify the physical, emotional, medical and financial needs, then works closely with our owner to best match one of our Aging Life Care Professionals to the unique needs for that client's situation.
Prior to joining our team, Marsha had a successful financial services career. She held numerous leadership & operational roles, for Barnett Bank, SunTrust and Regions Wealth Management, spanning over 25 years, in West Florida. Beyond Marsha's professional experience, is her valuable first-hand insight as the primary caregiver for her mother, with Alzheimer's disease, where she had to navigate her mother's care needs alone for over 7 years.
Marsha has served on the Finance Committee for United Way, as well as several religious organizations. She has volunteered with Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Hillsborough County Schools, and is an active with the Walk to End Alzheimer's annually.
Marsha is married, with a daughter finishing her nursing degree at UCF and twin boys - a custom welder and the other who serves in the US Coast Guard. When asked what she loves most about her role, she would say "it is a blessing to help families navigate what she walked through and more importantly, offer them reassurance, they are not alone and we will be right by their side".
Michelle Abdel-Aziz has been with Aging Care Advocates since 2013 and serves Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco counties. Michelle earned her Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Indiana University. As an undergrad, she worked for various social service agencies and participated in volunteer work. She gained experience with domestic violence crisis prevention, homelessness prevention and the psycho-social needs of those residing in nursing facilities.
After graduation, Michelle worked at the local Area Agency on Aging as a case manager. She helped elders gain access to Medicaid waiver services. These services assisted her clients in securing independence in their own homes. In addition to this position, Michelle was also appointed as a board member on the South Central Community Action Program.
She went on to earn her Master's degree in Social Work with a specialization in Geriatrics at the University of Louisville. While obtaining her Master's degree, Michelle was accepted into the Foundation Practicums Partnership Program. The partnership program consisted of two rotating practicums. The first was working with a non-profit guardianship agency as a case manager. The second was as a social worker of an interdisciplinary team administering various cognitive testing at the University of Louisville Geriatric Treatment Evaluation Center.
After graduation, Michelle worked full time at the guardianship agency as a case manager where she continually educated families and those under her agency's care on issues such as: dementia care, disease process, safety assessments, and living options.
Prior to joining Aging Care Advocates, Michelle worked as the Social Service Director at a rehabilitation center in the Tampa Bay area and as a social worker for a local home health care agency. These experiences extended her continuing commitment and understanding of the care needs and desires of our aging population, their families, and the services available to them both. Michelle ensures that each individual is treated with dignity and respect while maintaining their optimum quality of life.
Michelle is a Certified Family Mediator with the Supreme Court of Florida. In this capacity, Michelle works with seniors and their families in conflict centered around reaching a resolution with regards to the care needs of the senior. Michelle is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). She is a Care Manager Certified (CMC) and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
Jamie Cooney has been with Aging Care Advocates since 2014 and serves clients in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Her passion for the aging population grew early on while visiting her grandparents each summer at a retirement community. She sought out an education that would give her the tools to improve the quality of life for older adults.
Jamie graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Gerontology from Towson University in Towson, MD. As an undergrad, she interned and volunteered at a senior center where she planned and implemented activities for seniors. Jamie then went on to get her Master's degree in Social Work at SUNY Albany in Albany, NY. As an "Internships in Aging Project" Scholarship recipient, she had the opportunity to have both her classes and fieldwork focused in aging. As a graduate student, she interned at a senior services office and a nursing home, where she learned about the services, and benefits available to help older adults age in place.
After completing her education Jamie moved to Florida to pursue a career working with the aging population. Prior to working with Aging Care Advocates, Jamie was the Director of Social Services at a continuing care retirement community in Lakeland, FL. As Director of Social Services, Jamie coordinated the resident discharge planning process, connected seniors to the appropriate home care services, and provided social support and counseling to both the residents and their families. She also assisted residents and families in applying for Medicaid benefits. Through this position Jamie learned the significance of being a resident advocate, and providing support to residents and families as they transition through different levels of care.
Jamie is dedicated to improving the quality of life of older adults both in the community, and facilities. She is an advocate for seniors aging in place safely with dignity, and providing the support older adults and their families need to navigate through the healthcare system. Jamie is a Care Manager Certified (CMC).
Paige Griffin has been with Aging Care Advocates since 2018 and serves Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. Her passion for Gerontology began at a young age while spending time with her grandparents and their friends. One of her fondest memories serving seniors at a young age was volunteering for Meals on Wheels in Bradenton, FL alongside her grandfather.
Paige received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology with a Minor in Gerontology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL. Paige then went on to study clinical social work and received her Master's degree in Social Work from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. During her graduate program, Paige served as an intern at Morse Life Skilled Nursing Facility, where she learned about the services available in the community for adults recovering from illness, injury, and surgical procedures. Paige also completed an 8 month internship with Hospice of Palm Beach County where she served as an integral part of the interdisciplinary team for clients at the end stage of life. Her time at hospice allowed Paige to gain knowledge in grief counseling, Medicaid services/enrollment, and community resources. Her caseload allowed her to work closely with the homeless population, as well as, many different cultures that look at end of life issues differently. Her experience helping those with terminal illness strengthened her passion to help others.
Upon the completion of her degree, Paige accepted a position as a Recovery Care Coordinator for a skilled nursing facility in Wellington, FL. In this position, Paige served as the face of the interdisciplinary team to provide clients with a comprehensive look into their care, as well as, ongoing support and advocacy. Through this role, Paige was able to facilitate care for clients during their rehabilitation and prepare for their transition home. Paige assisted with access to care for her clients and ensured that he needs of these individuals were met.
Paige is devoted to providing compassionate care to older adults and strives to help improve the quality of life for her clients. Paige is overjoyed to be working with a group of professionals that share her passion for enriching the lives of seniors. Paige is a Care Manager Certified (CMC).
Ashley L'Huillier joined Aging Care Advocates in 2019 shortly after obtaining her Master's in Gerontology. Prior to that, Ashley obtained her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of South Florida. Ashley was the recipient of the USF Harold L. Sheppard Endowed Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is presented each year to the student in the M.A. program in Gerontology who has demonstrated the highest level of academic performance and promise as a gerontologist.
During her time in both these academic programs, Ashley worked in various academic research labs. Her most rewarding research experiences were working in the EEG lab studying event-related potentials (ERPs) and neural motivation systems and in the cognitive aging and neurophysiology of an aging lab where Ashley focused on the cultural and individual differences that contribute to cognitive impairment. Ashley also volunteered with the University of South Florida's Technology Assistance Group (TAG). In this role, Ashley traveled to assisted living facilities monthly to help older adult residents resolve technology concerns.
Prior to finishing her M.A. degree, Ashley worked for a CPA firm, where she assisted older clients with VA applications, IRS documents, bill paying, among various other tasks.
Ashley loves her role as an advocate for older adults and their families, and takes this role very seriously. Ashley loves being a part of the Aging Care Advocates team and has a strong passion for helping to improve the quality of lives for our clients and their families.
Alli Maginot joined Aging Care Advocates in 2021. She received Bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Spanish from Miami University in Oxford, OH. Her interest in working with older adults began in undergrad when she had the opportunity to participate in a weekly program that assisted residents with dementia to complete art projects at a local long-term care facility. This peaked her interest on the subject and she went on to take electives in Gerontology to broaden her knowledge on the population. She ultimately decided to pursue a Master's degree in Gerontology from the University of South Florida.
During her graduate program, she was able to complete an internship and later work part-time for Aging Care Advocates. She also completed an internship at a local skilled nursing facility, where she was able to gain experience in both rehab and long-term care settings. After graduation, she began working as the Social Services Assistant at another local skilled nursing facility. Within a few months of working at that facility, Alli was promoted to Social Services Director. In that role, she played an integral role in assisting the interdisciplinary team with the plan of care for each resident. During her time as the Social Services Director and in the same position elsewhere, she assisted residents from admission to discharge and worked to connect them with resources to ensure that their transition back to the community would be successful.
Alli is happy to be a part of the Aging Care Advocates team and serve the aging population.
Ramey Sola has been with Aging Care Advocates in 2021. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Services, from Millikin University in 2016, then continued her education at the University of Illinois, where she graduated with her Master's Degree in Social Work in 2017. Her personal commitment to excel was widely recognized & rewarded, when she received both a Behavioral Sciences Award, followed by a Social Work Merit Scholarship in 2016.
After graduation, Ramey began her career as an Inpatient Rehabilitation Social Worker where she performed psychosocial assessments for new inpatient rehabilitation admissions, reviewed clinical information from interdisciplinary team conferences with patients and families, and was responsible for coordinating the safe discharge plans. In 2018, Ramey accepted a new opportunity as a Social Worker / Case Manager position, where she managed high risk patients to establish and implement health care goals, coordinating services and working directly with national, state, and local agencies to serve patients, as well as to report abuse and neglect. Additionally, she met with patients throughout the hospital to mediate complex social situations, while offering both support and guidance. As both Ramey's passion to serve and the depth of her experience broadened, she accepted a new opportunity a Medical Social Worker, with a large hospice organization where she focused on meeting the needs of her terminally ill patients and their families.
Ramey's commitment to our clients is evident, by the feedback we consistently hear from the families she serves. Ramey is kind, thorough, and sensitive to their needs and requests of our loved ones.
Hannah Schaffer joined Aging Care Advocates in 2023 and serves primarily Hillsborough County. Her passion for older adults started when she was in middle school and would visit nursing facilities to provide socialization and companionship to the residents, and continued into high school where she worked in a dining room at an Assisted Living Facility.
Hannah received her Bachelor's degree in Social Work with a minor in Bible at Cedarville University in Ohio. She went on to complete her Master's degree in Social Work with a specialization in Gerontology at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. She received the Gerontology Award at the University of Louisville for her commitment to the field of aging and potential to become a leader in the field. Throughout her Bachelor's and Master's degree programs, Hannah completed a total of three internships, working with older adults in probate court, a VA Medical Center hospice unit, and a primary care office setting. In between her degree programs, Hannah worked full-time for a year as a care manager. In this role, Hannah worked with older adults in Columbus, Ohio, helping those with complex medical conditions maintain their goal of safely remaining in their homes. Following completion of her graduate program, Hannah and her husband moved to Florida where she began working full-time as a hospice social worker. In this role, Hannah visited with end of life patients in their homes and long-term care facilities. While continuing to work in hospice, Hannah went on to work in a 12-bed inpatient care center as the primary social worker, in additional to advocating for hospice patients in the hospital setting. Hannah is experienced in discharge planning, crisis intervention, end of life care, care management, and facilitating difficult conversations with empathy.
Hannah has a passion to help older adults maintain quality of life and dignity in care as they age. Hannah is thrilled to be a part of Aging Care Advocates to continue advocating for older adults and assist their families in navigating their care. Hannah passed her Clinical Social Work exam and is actively working toward licensure to be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of Florida.
Ashley Zeck, originally a native of the Chicagoland area, joined Aging Care Advocates as a Geriatric Care Manager in 2019 after moving to the Tampa area. Ashley earned her Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. While in her undergrad studies, Ashley worked for the Arlington Police Department's Victim Services Unit, where she primarily assisted victims of domestic violence. This experience helped teach her how to empathize and assist people from a variety of different backgrounds, while also challenging her to adapt to a wide array of complex situations.
Ashley returned to Illinois upon graduating and went on to earn her Master's degree in Social Work at Aurora University in Aurora, IL. Ashley completed dual specialization in gerontology and healthcare, while also serving as an intern with Elmhurst Hospital's case management department. This experience exposed Ashley to the process of discharging patients, setting up home care services, and working on a personal level with patients and their families.
Ashley used that experience to go on to work in-house at a skilled nursing facility as the Director of Social Work. Her primary duties included managing a team of master-level social workers and interns, who helped ensure patients were receiving specialized plans of care that were appropriate on a patient-by-patient basis. She also worked as part of the interdisciplinary team, which required her to communicate regularly with doctors, nurses, and therapists throughout the course of a patient's care. Everything a patient needed, Ashley was there to assist with, so that patients and families could focus on their healing and rehabilitation.
Ashley is thrilled to now be advocating for the care of the geriatric population in the Tampa Bay Area. Ashley is a Care Manager Certified (CMC).
Lauren is a Registered Nurse, who obtained her Bachelor's degree from Loyola Marymount and BSN from Rasmussen. Her past experience working as a service representative for a medical company lead Lauren to pursue a career in nursing. While pursing her BSN, Lauren became an EMT which gave her a unique perspective of the patient experience from home to hospital. After obtaining her BSN and becoming a Registered Nurse, Lauren's experience at a local hospital's OBS unit has been invaluable in her knowledge of medically complex cases and patient care.
Lauren is passionate about making lives better through patient advocacy. That coupled with her wonderful ability to build rapport quickly with the clients and their families makes Lauren a true asset for all she serves.
Lauren is currently enrolled at the University of Tampa in the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner Program.
Kelly Hvizdzak began her career working in a skilled nursing facility as a receptionist, shortly after taking this position she was promoted to Director of Social Services. Through this role, she realized her passion for working with the elderly population. Kelly, therefore, went on to obtain her Associates Degree in Social Work in 2009 and her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology in 2011. Today, Kelly remains in the role of Social Services Director at a local skilled nursing facility, which has provided her with extensive experience working with patients who suffer from memory impairment, as well as, psychiatric diagnoses.
Kelly has a passion for her path working with the vulnerable older adult population by meeting their needs and being the advocate most may not have. Kelly is currently working towards becoming a Care Manager Certified (CMC).
Jennifer Chucran has been the Staff Accountant for Aging Care Advocates since 2014. She is involved in all areas of the billing cycle and helps make behind-the-scenes processes run smoothly, to maximize the efficiency of each geriatric care manager. Her mission to serve every family through accurate and timely billing is a priority at Aging Care Advocates.
Jennifer earned Bachelor's degrees in Accounting and Marketing from the University of South Florida in 1997. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in California and is currently working on transferring her license to Florida.
As a Navy spouse, she has lived and worked in many states as well as overseas. She is thrilled to be a part of the Aging Care Advocates family.
Kristine Dahlin joined Aging Care Advocates in 2021 and serves as an Administrative Assistant. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Kristine directly assists the Director of Operations and the Geriatric Care Managers. She is responsible for onboarding new clients; coordinating Geriatric Care Manager schedules, to include client visits and doctors appointments; assists the Director with the coordination of various projects and is the primary contact for external offices.
Kristine has served in multiple managerial roles in addition to being a full-time mom and military spouse. Early in her career, she was a Clinic Manager and then Patient Services Director for a women's health care clinic. While her husband was on active duty, she managed non-profit fundraising endeavors for local Air Force Spouses Clubs raising money for college scholarships and multiple charities. She won four individual base-level Air Force volunteer awards for her work through spouses clubs. An experienced bookkeeper, Kristine was responsible for managing the finances for two military base thrift shops and later the band program at the local high school where her children attended. It was during her time managing the thrift shops that Kristine developed a soft spot for the elderly as most of her staff were older adults. Since 2013, she has volunteered with the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs preparing taxes for the elderly, as well as, military members and their families. Kristine is excited to be a part of the mission of Aging Care Advocates.
Stacey Johnson has been the Data Manager for Aging Care Advocates since 2016. Stacey maintains client records, enters data, and performs many other tasks in support of the team.
She graduated from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, earning a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. While married to a Navy officer and raising a family, she has acquired over 10 years of experience working in various positions as a customer service representative and administrative staff in the financial, service, and higher education sectors.
She is excited to be part of a group of professionals whose primary objective is advocating for our aging population.
Sydney is a student at the University of Florida pursuing a degree in Health Science on the pre-occupational therapy track. She plans to earn her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
She is connected to her college community though her participation in the Student Occupational Therapy Association and a member of Greek life. She regularly volunteers at the Veterans Affairs Hospital and looks forward to more time with our Veterans when facilities resume regular operations.
After graduation, she will work with the geriatric population, since she has always enjoyed listening to the stories of older adults. She is dedicated to finding alternative therapy activities that can improve their quality of life. During her job shadowing of both pediatric and geriatric Occupational Therapists, she learned how activities can be modified to help our seniors with both gross and fine motor skills.
Being a part of a military family, she has lived all over the world, but spent most of her life in Tampa, Florida with her parents, sister, and dog. In her free time, she enjoys hanging out with friends, traveling, and working out.
Avery is a student at Florida State University, pursing a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and in the future plans to obtain her Nurse Practitioner License. At Florida State, Avery is involved with the National Student Nursing Association, as well as, a member of Greek Life on executive council. She volunteers frequently with Prevent Child Abuse America, Children's Holmes Society and at Sun Towers Assisted Living and Rehabilitation Center in Sun City, Florida.
After graduating nursing school, she plans to continue her education and to works in a hospital setting with various age groups including the geriatric population. Avery grew up in Tampa, Florida and plans on returning here after college to continue her medical career.
Breanna Young is a student attending the University of South Florida studying Health Science with a concentration of Biological Health. She has plans to obtain her Master's degree in Athletic Training and then her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Breanna was raised in Tampa and attended Middleton High School, where she took upper level and extra classes to graduate a year early. She is a part of the National Society of Leadership and a volunteer for Best Buddies.
In Breanna's free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends and many siblings, trying new foods, traveling, and reading.