Welcoming Remarks

Roberto Muñiz, Chair of the Board of Directors, LeadingAge
David Urso, Chair of the Board of Directors, LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire
Lisa Henderson, Executive Director, LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire

Standing Ovation Awards

Honoring LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire members whose programs, team members and residents embody excellence in leadership, care and service innovation. 

Keynote: Thinking Like a Futurist

Garry Golden, Forward Elements, Inc. – Brooklyn, NY

In a time of rapid and complex change, the future can feel abstract. Fear not! Once you understand the art and science of thinking like a futurist, you’ll develop the power of foresight and begin shaping the future to your advantage.

This year’s keynote speaker is Garry Golden, an academically trained futurist. Garry brings structure and discipline (as well as a sense of humor) to the exploration of how long-term change shapes society and business.

Learn how you can spot signals of change and turn these signals into stories and strategies to help your team and organization better anticipate and shape the future. 

Speed Introductions: 2025 Business Partners

LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire Business Partners make this conference possible! In just 30-seconds, each will impart how they can help YOU achieve greater success in your work.  

Designed as a fast-paced way to share data and insights, you’ll rotate between table discussions hosted by LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire’s trusted Business Partners. These informative, solutions-driven conversations will span such topics as workforce solutions, cost-saving strategies, and technology innovations.

A1. The Gen Z Shift: Redefining Workplace Culture, Collaboration, and Leadership

Ricky Blydenburgh-Cote, Director of Operations, RiverMead – Peterborough, NH

As Gen Z'ers are entering the workforce in greater numbers, they bring with them a very specific set of values, expectations, and insights. This panel discussion, featuring Gen Z team members working in a variety of roles at RiverMead, will highlight progressive strategies to effectively engage this generation of workers. Topics will include work preferences, leadership expectations and learning styles, and how to integrate these perspectives into your organization to advance growth and innovation.

A2. AI in Aging Services: Elevate Care, Enhance Resident Well-Being and Optimize Efficiencies

David Lafferty, CIO, The Riverwoods Group – Exeter, NH

AI holds the promise of improving resident care and staff efficiency, but how? Come away with a grounding in the economic impact of AI and its opportunities and pitfalls. Hear how Riverwoods is benefiting from this technology today, while envisioning applications for tomorrow. 

A3. Aligning Strategy, People, Process & Systems to Accelerate Improvement

Adam Berman, President & CEO and Betsy Mullen, Chief Operating Officer,
Legacy Lifecare – Peabody, MA

Senior care leaders today face unprecedented challenges to providing high quality care while maintaining financial viability. During ​this interactive session, participants will learn about the Deep Dive process, a continuous improvement approach that Legacy Lifecare uses to ​connect mission, values, and strategy to daily operations. This process involves a 4-phase cycle – Assess, Analyze, Plan, and Execute. It ​has allowed Legacy affiliates to critically analyze how they do their work, find new ways to collaborate, and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. Come away with specific tips and guidelines on how to engage different stakeholders to tackle problems and accelerate improvement.

A4: Senior Living Marketing: Educate Them and They Will Come

Derek Dunham, President, Varsity – Hershey, PA

Generating quality leads is crucial for every community, whether you are experiencing  occupancy challenges or building your waitlist. With so many strategies to choose from, what makes for a successful outreach campaign?

In this session, we’ll unpack a case study of ClarkLindsey a 44-year-old community in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois that embarked on a repositioning project. The community refreshed its brand identity, embarked on an expression of interest campaign and put tools in place to sell an expansion and convert priority members to depositors. Learn how taking an educational approach to marketing was vital to their success. 

EXCLUSIVE OFFERING - C-Suite Workshop  [by invitation only]

Thriving in Change: Leading Organizations Through Strategic Transformation

B1. Cannabis in Geriatric Medicine and Dementia Support

Dr. Dustin Sulak, Co-Founder, Healer, Inc. and Medical Director, Integr8 Health – Falmouth, ME

Cannabis is a versatile, and when used appropriately, safe intervention for common conditions in geriatric medicine including pain, insomnia, and behavioral symptoms of dementia. Furthermore, cannabis is often effective when other treatments fail and can even replace medications known to be dangerous in older adults. This presentation will summarize the clinical evidence on how and why cannabis works so well in geriatric medicine, provide an overview of clinical results, and answer your questions about medical dosing.

B2. Meet the Moment: How Technology Will Redefine the Resident Experience in the Next Decade

Matt Reiners, Chief Growth Officer, Parasol Alliance - Lindenhurst, IL

The senior living industry stands at a transformative crossroads, driven by evolving resident expectations and the rapid advancement of technology. Over the next decade, stand-out providers will embrace innovation, build strong infrastructures, and foster communities that truly enhance the lives of residents and their families. 

• Explore how new technology can bring people closer, make life easier to navigate, and create care experiences that feel truly personal to each resident. 
• Learn how to build and optimize your IT and people infrastructure to support the seamless integration of advanced technologies and programs. 
• Discover strategies to design and implement programs that transform residents’ passions into meaningful and fulfilling experiences.

B3. The Three Pillars of Employee Engagement and Satisfaction

B4: How to Leverage Automation and AI to Improve Your Sales and Marketing Results

Jamie Ross, VP of Account Services, Creating Results – Woodbridge, VA

Step into ​the future of marketing automation and AI! Backed by comprehensive consumer research, marketing ​automation is a proven strategy to help sales teams become more efficient and effective when communicating with prospects. Learn practical strategies for implementing marketing automation, ensuring the content is relevant and applicable to a broad ​audience in order to generate the most leads.

C-Suite Workshop, Cont. [by invitation only]

Thriving in Change: Leading Organizations Through Strategic  Transformation 

Fire Up the Fun at Our Backyard BBQ-themed Expo!

Conference attendees RAVED about last year’s 1980’s-themed Expo that embraced an upbeat, casual vibe and featured interactive games and giveaways. This year’s 'Backyard BBQ' theme will deliver more fun and surprises as you connect with 30 exhibitors.  

From classic BBQ games like cornhole, Solo Cup pong and relay races to creative giveaways that capture the spirit of summer, you're sure to share a lot of laughs (and business cards) in our Expo hall!  

BONUS attraction! Get ready for a sizzling showdown as three outstanding chefs from member communities showcase their culinary prowess in a live cooking contest! Guest judges will include 2024 American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame™ Inductee Will Beriau.

Resident Panel: Authentic Resident Engagement

In this session, residents will share their perspectives on resident engagement and offer insights into how organizations can better connect ​with and involve their residents. Panelists will discuss what truly matters to them and how organizations can create environments that foster ​active participation and fulfillment. 

WORKFORCE WORKSHOP!

Elevating Accountability: Unlocking the Hidden Treasure to Experiencing Team Greatness

WORKFORCE WORKSHOP, Cont.

Elevating Accountability: Unlocking the Hidden Treasure to Experiencing Team Greatness

Innovation Exchange - a conference favorite returns! 

In this fast-paced, highly interactive session, participants will travel from table to table to learn about innovative concepts and programs developed by LeadingAge Maine & New Hampshire members. Each table will feature a presenter who will explain their organization’s innovation, then follow with Q & A. Participants will move to a new table every 15 minutes for four rounds. Think of it as “speed dating for good ideas!”