Dionne Polite is AARP Florida’s Director of State Operations for AARP. Previously, she was Associate State Director for Multicultural Outreach at AARP New York and interim manager of state operations in Pennsylvania and New York. With a background in diversity outreach at the American Diabetes Association and fundraising for the ADA and March of Dimes, Dionne has earned the Health Advocate Award and Business Visionary Award. She is married with two adult children – and she is the resident expert for today’s conversation on Brain Health in the Sunshine State.

Dr. Gregory Cardinal DPM, MS, FACPM. Board certified podiatrist, providing house calls throughout the DC metro area including Northern VA and MD for over 8 years. BS at the Univ. of Minnesota Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine MS in Healthcare admin and mgmt. Rosalind Franklin Univ of Med and Science Board certified American Board of Podiatric Medicine Fellow of ACPM 

We empower health equity by offering a wide variety of medically tailored meals, guaranteeing choice of every meal to support a healthy lifestyle and ensure food security.

We have a 98% taste satisfaction rate!
We offer 35 meal options and continuously refine and update our menu to cater to our member’s preferences.

Joel Holley is a current occupational therapist, assistant and CPR instructor and has been in the healthcare industry since 2015. He has devoted his life to helping local communities by educating others or on simple safety measures that can be used in and out of the home. As the owner of Holly Safety Group, with locations in Florida and in South Carolina, their mission is to empower people to be their own lifesavers. 

Leigh Purvis is the prescription drug policy principal in AARP’s Public Policy Institute (PPI), where she heads PPI’s work on prescription drug issues and is a recognized expert on prescription drug pricing and coverage. Her work focuses on improving prescription drug affordability and accessibility for older adults.

Purvis has testified before Congress and state legislatures on behalf of AARP and speaks frequently on a wide variety of prescription drug-related issues. She is also the co-author of the AARP PPI Rx Price Watch reports, which have been tracking the prices of prescription drugs widely used by older Americans since 2004. She is currently Chairman of the Governance Board of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review.

Purvis joined AARP in 2005 as a senior policy research analyst. Prior to her tenure at AARP, she worked for the American Psychological Association.

Lisa Johnson is the corporate dietitian and menu manager for Homestyle Direct. Homestyle Direct is a fabulous company, sourcing remotely delivered meals throughout the United States based on the guidelines from the Older Americans act. One thing I love about Lisa is she loves cooking and is always looking for new ways to advance the art of eating, which I think is becoming like a thing now. The art of eating. She lives in Idaho, where fall is one of her favorite seasons, as it is one of mine, although I don't get those fall colors in the state of Florida. Hence, we're going to talk about a delicious, delightfully delicious topic today, embracing fall flavors and a guide to improving your nutrition this season. 

Michelle, an expert with Travel Advisors Unlimited, shares essential advice on preventing bag theft, staying healthy on the go, and effectively navigating international travel challenges. 

Ray Arce is a Family Nurse Practitioner with over 20 years of experience in multiple therapeutic areas including primary care, wellness & research. Ray is a graduate of Florida International University (FIU) & certified through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Currently, Ray is a Medical Science Liaison (MSL) with Exact Sciences’ Medical Affairs Division covering Florida, the Gulf Coast & Puerto Rico. He is passionate about impacting patient lives, with a focus on raising cancer awareness through education, leading to higher screening rates & promoting early cancer detection. 

Russ Bell has served as the Executive Director of Finlay House for 22 years.  Finlay House is a not-for-profit provider of HUD Section 8 housing for the elderly.

Russ is a volunteer Financial Empowerment Coach at the Cooperative Ministries of Columbia, coaching seniors toward financial security.

He is a past board chair of Leading Age South Carolina. He has worked with other boards of not-for-profit organizations with an emphasis on serving seniors.  

Russ is a member of the Rotary Club of Columbia.

Tom Moreland is the senior vice president of hospice operations at Traditions Health.

He has over 25 years of home health and hospice experience. Before joining Traditions Health, Tom held a variety of senior leadership positions with companies like Aveanna Healthcare, Nextaff, and Saint Jude Hospice & Spirit Homecare.

With a wealth of experience and a long track record in the post-acute care industry, Tom plays a crucial role in strengthening hospice operations at Traditions Health.