Policy Roundtable

Kimelyn Knight, Director of Aging Services, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

Adam Suomala, Executive Director

MN Leadership Council on Aging

2026-2027 Contributors

Jane Pederson, Chief Medical Quality Officer, Stratis Health

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

Kristin Knudsen, Social Worker, Caregiver Support & Service Coordination, DARTS

Dawn Simonson, President and CEO Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging (MN Association of Area Agencies on Aging)

Shelli Bakken, Director of Housing Policy and Expert Support, LeadingAge Minnesota

Amy Gavanda, Director of Aging

and Disability Services, Catholic Charities Twin Cities

Cathy McLeer, State Director

AARP Minnesota

Thomas Elness, Associate State Director - Advocacy, AARP Minnesota

Adrián Rafael Magaña, Director of Public Policy and Community Relations

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation 

Amanda Vickstrom, Executive Director, Minnesota Elder Justice Center

Sean Burke, Senior Consultant

O'Connell Consulting LLC and

Consultant, Minnesota Elder Justice Center

Patrick Rowan, Executive Director Metro Meals on Wheels

Anjuli Cameron, Executive Director

SEWA-AIFW

Jarrod Peterson, Public Policy Chair

Minneapolis Area Senior Workers Association

and St. Paul Senior Workers Association

George Schoephoerster,

Past President, MN Association of Geriatrics Inspired Clinicians

Joy DesMarais-Lanz, Executive Director, Minnesota Home Care Association

Anni Simons, Senior Government Affairs Specialist, Fredrikson and

Consultant, MN Home Care Association

Mikayla Smith, Public Policy and Community Relations Manager

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

Molly Carmody, MN State Government Relations Director, Alzheimer's Association - Minnesota and North Dakota Chapter

Erin Sutton, Senior Director of Public Policy, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Nate Danielson, Associate Vice President of Older Adults, Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Toby Pearson, President and CEO

 Care Providers of Minnesota

Kari Thurlow, President and CEO

LeadingAge Minnesota

Erin Huppert, Vice President

of Advocacy, LeadingAge Minnesota