Is a co-founder and CEO of Plans4Care, Inc. and an Associate Professor in the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. He has over 100 peer-reviewed publications, and his work focuses on designing, evaluating, and implementing programs and policies to support people who need long-term care and their caregivers. In 2022, he co-founded Plans4Care with the goal of scaling access to evidence-based dementia care to reach beyond the walls of the university.

She is the Chief Operating Officer of Plans4Care, Inc. where she leads the development of best practices in software solutions for dementia care interventions. She has a diverse background in marketing, public health, and a recently earned doctorate in health science. She brings over 15 years of experience commercializing online training programs that equip healthcare providers with evidence-based dementia care skills.

Laura N. Gitlin,  an intervention scientist, is Dean Emerita and Distinguished University Professor, College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University. Gitlin is nationally and internationally recognized for her research on developing, evaluating, and implementing novel home- and community-based interventions that improve quality of life of older adults and their family caregivers, enhance daily function of older adults with functional challenges, and address mental health disparities. She is a well-funded researcher, having received continuous research and training grants from federal agencies and private foundations for over 35 years. 

Cathy Piersol is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Rehabilitation Sciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Piersol has been an occupational therapist for 40 years. As a practitioner, educator, and researcher, she is dedicated to the implementation of person-environment approaches that promote activity engagement and quality of life for elders and caregivers. Her work centers on optimizing performance and participation in people living with dementia and building skills in those who provide care and support. In addition, Dr. Piersol’s work focuses on translating research to practice and ensuring fidelity of evidence-based interventions. 

Lori Eckert, MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with 18 years of experience specializing in dementia care, neurorehabilitation, and clinical education. She has experience leading clinical training initiatives and delivering home-based interventions for individuals living with dementia. Since 2023, she has contributed to Plans4Care's platform development, designing caregiver resources and cognitive evaluation tools. With extensive experience in clinical leadership, education, and research, Lori advances occupational therapy practice through evidence-based interventions and innovative care solutions. She is the clinical specialist of Plans4Care.

Taylor Sivori, OTD, OTR/L is a Research Project Manager II  under the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Drexel University with a clinical background as an Occupational Therapist. For the Plans4Care study, Dr. Sivori serves as a Care Advisor and is also involved in recruitment, interviewing, data analysis, and other administrative needs of the study. Dr. Sivori is also involved in the advancement and coordination of evidence-based programs including the Tailored Activity Program (TAP) and Care of Older People in their Environment (COPE) within her role at Drexel. Prior to joining the research team, she was a Clinical Research Coordinator at Thomas Jefferson University’s Department of Occupational Therapy in the Autism Center of Excellence and has overseen multiple projects from ideation and development through implementation and dissemination.

Melinda Webster is a Research Project Manager II for the AgeWell Collaboratory at Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions and serves as Project Manager and Care Advisor for the Plans4Care study. Prior to joining the AgeWell Collaboratory, she was a clinical research coordinator for the Department of Neurology in Drexel University’s College of Medicine. She brings a wealth of experience in working directly with people with dementia, their caregivers, and families in a clinical setting—particularly in managing industry-sponsored clinical trials and conducting neuropsychological batteries for studies—and in the management of clinical research. During this time, she gained firsthand insight into the daily struggles and questions people with dementia and their families experience in attempting to navigate education, resources, and healthcare while acclimating to their new “normal.” Within AgeWell, she was also previously lead Project Manager for the WeCareAdvisor study, testing nonpharmacological strategies delivered by a web-based tool for caregivers of people with dementia experiencing behavioral symptoms. On Plans4Care she hopes to continue this work while co-managing the incredible Plans4Care study team at Drexel University.

Rachel Barnett serves as Project Manager II at Drexel University's College of Nursing and Health Professions. She has worked at Drexel for nine years, progressing through roles including Administrative Assistant, Program Coordinator, and Executive Assistant to the Dean before moving into project management in 2022.
In her current role, Rachel oversees various projects, drawing on her extensive institutional knowledge and experience across multiple departments, to assist with the advancement and implementation of evidence-based programs. Her career progression at Drexel has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of academic operations, research activities, and administrative processes.
Rachel holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Chestnut Hill College and has recently completed her master's degree in Environmental Policy with a focus on environmental science at Drexel University. 

Magdalene Adotey is an interviewer for the Plans4Care study within Drexel University’s College of Nursing and Health Professions. In this role, she conducts structured interviews with caregivers to document their experiences, challenges, and needs in dementia care. Prior to joining the Plans4Care team, she worked as a research assistant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Biomedical Informatics. During this time, she supported studies on body image and obesity among Black women as well as rare diseases in children, gaining valuable experience in participant recruitment, focus group moderation, data collection and analysis, and protocol implementation. These experiences strengthened her skills in engaging with diverse patient populations and conducting sensitive, participant-centered research. On Plans4Care, she hopes to continue amplifying caregiver voices and contribute to advancing evidence-based resources for caregivers navigating dementia care.

Kamryn is currently a Clinical Research Coordinator at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. She graduated from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, where she worked as a Research Assistant on the WeCareAdvisor Study. Passionate about advancing healthcare through innovation and patient-centered studies, Kamryn combines her background in research with her commitment to improving outcomes in the medical field.

Olivia Lotito brings over five years of research experience, including work at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and previous projects with Drexel University. She is excited to rejoin Drexel’s research community and contribute her expertise once again. Alongside her research background, Olivia has extensive experience in customer service and sales, where she developed strong communication, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills that complement her analytical work. She combines technical expertise with a client-focused approach, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and impact in every project she supports.

Dr. Marx is a Research Associate Scientist, Principal Faculty, and the Director of Operations at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing’s Center for Equity in Aging. She has been involved in research with older adults for almost 25 years. She has managed research studies from the pilot to RCT level. Her current research studies include examining innovative solutions for helping caregivers of persons with dementia in the community and in long-term care settings manage everyday care challenges, with a particular interest in the use of meaningful and tailored activities. Prior studies have focused on older men’s health and health promotion and aging in the continuing care setting. Her research interests include caregiving, health promotion, and senior housing.

Deborah Moore is an Interviewer for the Plans4Care study testing an online digital application for caregivers to use to enhance dementia care. She has worked in research for many years. Her experiences include working as an Interviewer and Project Coordinator II for the WeCareAdvisor study to help primary caregivers manage behavioral symptoms of persons living with Dementia. She conducted a study and report on the effects of gentrification in certain neighborhoods of Portland called the 2015 Alberta Street Project in Portland, Oregon. She worked on a study called G.A.L.S (Girls Active Lifestyle Study) where she measured and compared physical activity of youth and people of color throughout the Portland Metropolitan area. She worked for the I-CONECT study where she conducted video conversations with senior participants living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) to determine whether increased social activity results in improved brain health. Deborah received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Communications from the University of Oregon.

Krista Schmidt, MS, LPC-A, NCC (she/her) serves as a research interviewer for the Plans4Care study. She has a background in psychology and community and trauma counseling. Krista is currently a Health Science Specialist at the US Department of Veterans Affairs, working with veterans who experience chronic pain as well as those who have traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Krista has been involved in research teams throughout her career, both interviewing and coordinating, for studies focusing on veteran depression post-TBI, in-home rehabilitation for chronic TBI symptoms, caregiver burden, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP). Krista also has a background in health systems quality improvement and patient safety, having served as a National Center for Patient Safety Advanced Fellow at the Philadelphia VA in 2021. 

LaBreshia (Bre) Taylor, MPH, earned her Master of Public Health degree from Arcadia University and currently serves as an Adjunct Instructor in the university's Department of Public Health, teaching courses in Health Equity and Practicum Planning. Bre is also a Project Manager for the Community-Led Research Project (CRP) Initiative at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health. Additionally, Bre is a member of Scholarship Committee for Sisters in Public Health (SiPH), a national organization dedicated to supporting women in the public health field. Bre’s experience in caregiving stems from personal experience on her grandfather’s care team after a stroke and additional experience as a patient/participant coordinator for labs and practical exams at Arcadia University’s Department of Physical Therapy. Bre holds a B.S. in Biopsychology from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA, and has extensive experience in civic engagement. She has coordinated and supported service-learning programs for students in diverse locations, including New Orleans, Tallahassee, Charlotte, Bolivia, and Guatemala. Bre is a proud native of Memphis, TN, but is grateful to call Philadelphia home.

Dr. Salzman is originally from the Philadelphia area and attended college at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. She attended medical school at Jefferson, where she stayed for residency in Family Medicine and Geriatric Fellowship. She started as faculty here at Jefferson in 2005.

Dr. Parks’ academic interests include developing clinical and academic programs, academic leadership and improving care for older adults. She helped develop the outpatient practice, Jefferson Center for Healthy Aging, which opened in January 2016. Dr. Parks was recently elected to the Board of the American Geriatrics Society.
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Dr. Parks is the Director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine at Jefferson in the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She is originally from Haddonfield, NJ. She went to medical school in Newark, NJ at UMD New Jersey Medical School. She matched at Jefferson in Family Medicine in 1994 and has remained here since. She did a two-year fellowship in Geriatric Medicine. She is currently the Medical Director of the Jefferson Center for Healthy Aging and is serving as the director of the Division of Geriatric Medicine.