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| Dr. Imani Woody, Founder & CEO, Mary’s House for Older Adults, Inc. Dr. Woody is an internationally and nationally recognized thought leader and an advocate of women; people of color; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/same-gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people for more than 25 years. She has spoken out nationally and internationally about the circumstances of elder LGBTQ+/SGL individuals, and the specific jeopardies that LGBTQ+/SGL elders of color face as they age. Dr. Woody brought these perspectives and decades of community praxis to the 2015 White House Summit on LGBT elder housing development, partnered with SAGE as a panelist in the National LGBT Elder Housing Symposium in 2019. Most recently, Dr. Woody was invited to the White House by Vice President Kamala Harris to join a small, intimate group to discuss issues that impact LGBTQ/SGL elders. Dr. Woody retired from AARP to become a pioneer in the building of alternative housing and creating welcoming environments. She is the founder and CEO of Mary’s House for Older Adults, (MHFOA) with the vision and commitment to serve LGBTQ+/SGL elders, experiencing housing insecurity and isolation. Dr. Woody has secured an expert board of advisors and a commitment of $1.2 million from the District of Columbia to begin construction on the first MHFOA dwelling, a 15-room communal residence in WDC and the only one in the country. Dr. Woody has been a three-term Mayoral Commissioner appointee to the DC Office of LGBTQ Affairs and appointed by Mayor Bowser to serve on the Global Age-Friendly Task Force. She was the first Program Officer for the 50+ Ministry of Metropolitan Community Churches and is the President of the Greater Brookland Intergenerational Village. Dr. Woody has a PhD in Public Service Leadership, and a Master of Human Services degree from Lincoln University. She has received many awards including Next Avenue’s 2019 Influencers in Aging, Forbes Business of Pride, and the SAGE Creating Change Advocacy Award. She created a Living Life Like It’s Golden program that empowers people to live their lives more fully through visioning. Dr. Woody lives with her wife of 20 years in Washington, DC. Alan Acosta, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Los Angeles LGBT Center Alan Acosta is responsible for spearheading implementation of key elements of the Center’s strategic plan, which includes supervision of special projects and organizational initiatives. Prior to working at the Center, Acosta served as Associate Vice President and Director of University Communications at Stanford University. As associate vice president, he was the chief university spokesperson and oversaw the Stanford website, news and media relations, external and internal communications and video production. He worked closely with the senior executive staff on a wide array of strategic management and communications issues. Prior to his tenure at Stanford, Acosta was the deputy city editor of the Los Angeles Times; during his tenure at the Times, he shared in two Pulitzer Prizes awarded to the staff for coverage of the Los Angeles riots and the Northridge earthquake. He also worked as an editor and reporter at the Orange County Register, the Dallas Times Herald and the Hartford Courant. Acosta has taught journalism at the University of Southern California and creative nonfiction writing at Stanford. He served on the Center’s board of directors from 1991 to 1996. He co-chaired the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and has served on the executive boards of numerous other organizations, including the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists’ Association and Kitchen Sisters Productions. Acosta earned a bachelor’s degree in politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and received a master’s degree in journalism, with honors, from Columbia University. Kathleen Sullivan, Ph.D., Executive Director, Openhouse Kathleen M. Sullivan, PhD, is an accomplished speaker, author, and trainer on issues related to LGBTQ aging, gender equity, affordable housing, and social environments. She is the recently named Executive Director of Openhouse San Francisco, which develops affordable housing for LGBTQ older adults; provides a suite of programs and services including the nations first LGBTQ specific PACE program in partnership with On Lok; and provides comprehensive training to providers in the greater Bay Area on the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation to create accepting, supportive environments for LGBTQ seniors. Dr. Sullivan holds a Ph.D. from the Nohad Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University where she coauthored Oregon’s first study on transportation issues for older adults. She is past Board President of the Oregon Gerontological Association, is a member of AARP’s Diversity Advisory Committee and held an appointment to the Governor’s Commission on Senior Services in Oregon. She is the author of a book on meditation, and an avid skier; runner and tennis player. Dr. Sullivan and her wife recently relocated to the Bay Area, and look forward to exploring the neighborhoods, outdoor space, and all the region has to offer. |
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