2024 Summit


EMPOWER
verb / imˈpouər 
to promote self-actualization or give power to do something
Welcome to the Summit! 
Each year, the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging opens its doors to host this high-powered gathering of policy leaders from across the aging sector. All are welcome to register for this special statewide convening. This year, we held an amazing lineup of both virtual and in-person networking, learning, and empowering experiences.

EMPOWER

VIRTUAL DAY - December 10, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

via Zoom


IN-PERSON DAY - December 12, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Plymouth Community Center 

14800 34th Ave N, Plymouth MN 55447

Nearly 300 Summit attendees enjoyed active learning and sharing across an unparalleled network of leaders in the sector, building on the collective power of our members and allies by:
  • engaging with a diverse community of leaders
  • mobilizing for action in the 2025 Session
  • shaping statewide efforts to elevate aging

Platinum Sponsors

DECEMBER 10

AGENDA

9:00 - Call to Order + Welcome

Learn how your work is helping shared efforts to build momentum across Minnesota's aging sector, including an inside look at what you can expect from our network in the years ahead.

  • DEB TAYLOR, CEO, Senior Community Services/MN Leadership Council on Aging Events Committee Chair and JULIE MANWORREN, President and CEO, Volunteers of America - Minnesota and Wisconsin/MN Leadership Council on Aging Chair


9:15 - Call to Action: A Minnesota Free of Ageism 

  • Hosts: RAJEAN MOONE, Faculty Director, LTC Administration/Associate Director of Policy, Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, University of Minnesota and ADAM SUOMALA, Executive Director, MN Leadership Council on Aging
  • Guests: ANDY BROWN, Vice President of Communications and Engagement, Trellis, MIMI STENDER, Founder, Duluth Aging Support, and MELISSA LYON, Community Development Specialist, Central Minnesota Council on Aging


10:00 - A Fireside Chat: Diverse Perspectives on Caregiving

  • Host: XAVIER VAZQUEZ, Executive Director, Centro Tyrone Guzman
  • Guests: Caregivers and Nurses TERRI HARVATH, Caregiver and Nurse and MAZEL "MAY" MCCOY-ANDERSON

11:00 - Rural Aging: Insights and Ingenuity

  • Hosts: KRISTIN RIGG, Executive Director, Living at Home Network and PAULA WOISCHKE, Director, Whitney Senior Center 
  • Guests: CHRISTIN LINDBERG, Research Associate, Wilder Research, LORI VROLSON, Executive Director, Central Minnesota Council on Aging, and DEBI BRANDT, Executive Director, United Community Action Partnership


12:00 - Adjourn for the Day



DECEMBER 12

AGENDA

8:30 - Registration and Networking

Enjoy coffee and conversations with leaders from across Minnesota's aging community


9:00 - Call to Order + Welcome

Get a look at shared efforts to empower the aging field, including a first-look at new organizing strategies and opportunities to work together as a stronger aging sector going forward.

  • DEB TAYLOR, CEO, Senior Community Services/MN Leadership Council on Aging Events Committee Chair and JULIE MANWORREN, President and CEO, Volunteers of America - Minnesota and Wisconsin/MN Leadership Council on Aging Chair


9:30 - A Framers Challenge: Reframing Aging Minnesota

  • MEGHAN REDMOND, Associate State Director - Community Engagement, AARP Minnesota, GEORGIA LANE, Aging Services Planner, Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging, TANYA RAND, Clinical Faculty and Coordinator of Aging Services, University of St. Thomas, and RAJEAN MOONE, Faculty Director, LTC Administration/Associate Director of Policy, Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, University of Minnesota


10:00 - Does Division Have to Lead to Disfunction: A Look at Politics Entering the 2025 Legislative Session

  • TODD RAPP, President and CEO, Rapp Strategies


11:00 - Policy Panel: Minnesota's Priorities for Aging

  • Hosts: JARROD PETERSON, Policy Chair, St. Paul Senior Workers Association/Minneapolis Area Senior Workers Association and AMANDA VICKSTROM, Executive Director, Minnesota Elder Justice Center 
  • Guests: MAUREEN SCHNEIDER, Chair, Minnesota Board on Aging, ERIN HUPPERT, Vice President of Advocacy, LeadingAge Minnesota, and ERIN SUTTON, Senior Director of Advocacy, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota


12:00 - Networking Luncheon

Join a round of discussions with leaders from around Minnesota over a delicious healthy meal.


12:45 - RELEASE: Minnesota's Multisector Blueprint for Aging

KIRSTEN OLSON, Former Interim Director, Age-Friendly Minnesota Council, MICHAEL SAINDON Interim Director, Age-Friendly Minnesota Council, FARAH BAIG, Age-Friendly Consultant, Baig Aging Insights Group, and LYDIA MORKEN, Principal, Morken Consulting


2:00 - Adjourn


CEUs

Registered participants can earn up to seven (7) CEUs by attending the full event.


This program has been approved by the Minnesota Board of Executives for Long Term Services and Supports (BELTSS)

for three (3) hours on December 10 (MN25-00047) and four (4) hours on December 12 (MN25-00049). This program is designed to meet the CEU approval criteria for the Minnesota Board of Nursing. Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging is also an approved provider of continuing education by the Minnesota Board of Social Work (CEP-885).


Please download one or both certificates of attendance for your records and submit to your respective licensing board(s).

December 10 Learning Objectives


  • Understand the many ways ageism shows up in systems and our lives, and the proven strategies leaders can use to address it.
  • Appreciate the unique experiences of caregivers across a variety of cultural communities, including how current services and systems interact with different cultural norms, values and traditions.
  • Explore how rural communities are rethinking approaches to aging, with leaders replacing outdated practices and approaches with innovative age-friendly strategies that are key to our future.  

December 12 Learning Objectives


  • Practice applying core concepts from Reframe Aging Minnesota to begin effectively shifting the public's understanding of aging. 
  • Evaluate Minnesota's post-election landscape and what it means for shared policy and advocacy efforts for the aging sector.
  • Understand the key policy issues expected to be advanced in the 2025 Legislative Session and how you can make a difference.
  • Analyze the Multisector Blueprint for Aging and engage in shaping the next steps for implementing the 10-year statewide plan.

Gold Sponsors

Featured Voices

Julie Manworren, President and CEO

Volunteers of America MN and WI

MN Leadership Council on Aging Chair

Kristin Rigg, Executive Director

Living at Home Network

MN Leadership Council on Aging Vice Chair

Deb Taylor, Chief Executive Officer

Senior Community Services

MN Leadership Council on Aging Events Committee Chair

Maureen Schneider, Chair

Minnesota Board on Aging

Todd Rapp, President and CEO

Rapp Strategies

Debi Brandt, Executive Director,

United Community Action Partnership

Mazel "May" McCoy-Anderson Caregiver and Nurse

Adam Suomala, Executive Director

MN Leadership Council on Aging

Terri Harvath Caregiver and Nurse

Kate Seng, Co-Convener,

Finish Strong Funders Network in Aging

Paula Woischke, Director

Whitney Senior Center

Minnesota Association of Senior Services

Jarrod Peterson, Policy Chair,

Minneapolis Area Senior Wokers Association and St. Paul Senior Workers Association

Xavier Vazquez, Executive Director

Centro Tyrone Guzman


Amanda Vickstrom, Executive Director Minnesota Elder Justice Center

Melissa Lyon, Community Development Specialist

Central Minnesota Council on Aging

Meghan Redmond, Associate

State Director - Community Engagement

AARP Minnesota

Andy Brown, Vice President of Communications and Engagement

Trellis

Chao Yang, Director of Equity

and Engagement

MN Leadership Council on Aging

Lori Vrolson, Executive Director

Central Minnesota Council on Aging

Erin Huppert, Vice President

of Advocacy, LeadingAge Minnesota

Erin Sutton, Senior Director of Advocacy

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Mimi Stender, Founder

Duluth Aging Support

Tanya Rand, Clinical Faculty and Coordinator of Aging Services

University of St. Thomas

Georgia Lane, Aging Services Planner

Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging

Farah Baig, Age-Friendly Consultant

Baig Aging Insights Group

Kirsten Olson, Former Iterim Director

Age-Friendly Minnesota Council

Michael Saindon, Interim Director

Age-Friendly Minnesota Council

Lydia Morken, Principal

Morken Consulting

Christin Lindberg, Research Associate

Wilder Research

Rajean Moone, Faculty Director, LTC Administration and Associate Director of Policy, Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, University of Minnesota

Silver Sponsors

Fees

Registration is value-priced to allow all interested leaders to attend for $99 per person on the virtual day, $125 on the in-person day or attend both dynamic sessions for just $199. See sponsorship packages for group registration pricing. Scholarships for all events are always available by contacting adam@mnlcoa.org. There are no parking, meal or other fees associated with this event.


Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations for all Leadership Council events are available by contacting adam@mnlcoa.org.


Cancellations

All cancellations needed to be made via email to adam@mnlcoa.org and are subject to a $20 processing fee. No refunds will be available for cancellations made after November 29, 2024 or for no-shows. Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging reserves the right to cancel this event.

 

Attire

You're an adult, so dress in whatever way makes you comfortable. Business casual is our general vibe.


Recording

Recordings of the 2024 Summit will not be available.


Health and Safety

Masking is not required at this event. Stay home if you are sick or are experiencing symptoms. People who are immunocompromised or at higher risk of severe illness and those around them should wear a mask. We welcome people to mask regardless of your individual risk.

Bronze Sponsors