Meet the Guests!

“Fitness has always been a part of my life,” according to Pauline Adeleke and she would go so far as to say that it has credited her with being not only physically fit but mentally sharp as well at the youthful age of 71. “I’ve always had an active lifestyle,” according to Ms. Adeleke yet, after the sudden death of her husband she found herself falling into a pit of depression & despair. She was left with two small children ages 4 and 5 to raise alone. “Besides my God, my Christian faith, and my two little boys, fitness was my saving grace.” In moving my body I was able to have “moving meditations” as I talked to God & held tightly to my anchor of faith. After the children grew into adulthood, that’s when Ms. Adeleke really buckled down, became a personal trainer & shared her passion for fitness with people, especially women of all ages. Her brand: Ageless Fitness Lifestyle inspires and motivates people to step out of their comfort zones and cherish their temples (bodies) thro…

short: Our guest today brings her work as a professional theater and improv actor to create spaces and teach skills for human connection and emotional intelligence. She’s also a radio broadcaster (formerly with STAR 99.9 and now with WSHU, a local NPR affiliate), corporate trainer, podcast host, voiceover talent, audiobook narrator and author of two bestselling books, Happier Made Simple and Ben Behind His Voices. She’s currently working on a solo show tentatively titled, “Cracks and All” by studying with comic Lisa Lampanelli. longer version: Randye’s love of performing began in summer camp, where sports seemed like torture and the “drama building” was a magical place. It was cemented by her parents’ collection of Broadway Cast albums, and she still knows all the words to Professor Harold Hill’s rap, “You Got Trouble.” She worked her way through college with her guitar, singing original and cover songs in eclectic coffee houses, then returned to her theatre roots for a decad…

Ray Martin, aka The Daily Explorer, is an entrepreneur and award-winning business leader. As a coach, mentor, facilitator, speaker, writer, and mindfulness teacher, he is a torchbearer for greater human consciousness. Ray is also a marathon runner and fundraiser. He’s on a mission to empower people to live authentically and to bring more joy and happiness into the world.

In February 2023, Raymond A. Jetson launched Aging While Black, a movement designed to amplify the value and experiences of Black elders by exploring the intersection of aging and race. The movement is being advanced through community building around three essential pillars: Recalibrating the Village, Embracing Innovation and Rapid Change, and Leaning into Sankofa. These pillars center the wellbeing of Black elders by promoting the overhaul of the systems that support Black life, adapting new technologies and their potential, and embedding the wisdom of the elders into the fabric of the culture. A serial social innovator, he is the catalytic force that has powered the evolution of the Baton Rouge based social enterprise MetroMorphosis, a community centered change model that seeks to transform inner city neighborhoods through racial, social and economic equity. He has a rich history of public service and impacting people. Previously he served as CEO for the Louisiana Family Reco…

Ray Toole is a Massachusetts-based musician, lifelong music lover, and the creative force behind The Yellow Room, a musical community that brings together talented musicians from multiple generations to perform, collaborate, and share their passion for music. Although music was always an important part of Ray's life, he spent more than 30 years working as a train conductor while playing guitar and other instruments primarily for his own enjoyment. During the COVID pandemic, Ray picked up his guitar again and began a remarkable new chapter—one that would eventually inspire thousands through live performances and social media. Known for his belief that "life's too short for someday," Ray is proof that it's never too late to pursue a passion, develop new skills, and create meaningful connections through creativity. Today, he continues to bring people together through music, mentorship, and the joy of collaboration. When he's not making music, Ray can be found inspiring others to…

Dr. Regina Koepp is a Stanford-trained, board-certified clinical psychologist and nationally recognized geropsychologist. She’s the founder and CEO of the Center for Mental Health & Aging—the go-to place for mental health education focused on older adults. Her insights have been featured in the New York Times, NPR, AARP, and other national media, where she’s become a trusted voice on mental health, aging, and the power of healing at every stage of life.

Richard Eisenberg "unretired" from his job as Managing Editor and Money/Work Editor at the PBS site for people 50+, Next Avenue, in 2022. He now writes The View From Unretirement column for MarketWatch, freelances for Next Avenue, Fortune.com, Fodors.com, AARP and elsewhere. He teaches an NYU MasterClass in Unretirement and co-hosts the Friends Talk Money podcast. He is the former Executive Editor of Money, Front Page Finance Editor at Yahoo! and Special Projects Director/Money Editor at Good Housekeeping and ran the NYU Summer Publishing Institute's Digital Media Strategies program.

Robert has been a passionate supporter of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout his 40 plus year consulting career. He now runs his own company, focussing on delivering keynotes, workshops and coaching for business executives to help them develop their inclusive leadership skills and so build diverse and inclusive workplaces. Robert works with global organisations and some of the key projects he has delivered in the last twelve months include: • Allyship workshops and key notes • Executive coaching for male leaders on gender balance and inclusion • Unconscious bias workshops and training • Inclusive culture and leadership workshops and keynotes. Robert has also moderated and spoken at many prestigious conferences and is a renowned keynote speaker. Robert is a Board member and Vice Chair of European Women on Boards, and is Disrupter in Residence in DE&I on the Global MBA Program at EDHEC Business School. He is also a visiting lecturer on Male Allyship at the Univer…

Robert W. Norris is a 75-year-old Northern California native. He was a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War and served time in a military prison for refusing his order to fight. In his twenties, he roamed across the United States, went to Europe twice, and made one journey around the world. In 1983, he landed in Japan, where he eventually became a university professor and retired as a professor emeritus. Norris is the author of three novels, a novella, two memoirs (written in his seventies), and over 20 research papers on teaching. His first memoir, “The Good Lord Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise: Pentimento Memories of Mom and Me,” was a tribute to his mother and covered both her life and his own. His second memoir, “All That We Are: A Vietnam War Conscientious Objector’s Reflections on His Years (1992-2016) of Peace Education Activities and Relationships in Japan,” tells the story of his years of teaching at a Japanese university, engaging in peace education lessons and act…

67 year-old Robin Kencel is a founding real estate broker in Greenwich, Connecticut for Compass and ranked in the top 1.5% of all agents in the United States. As the reigning Ms. Connecticut Senior America and a United States Pro-Am Ballroom Champion, Robin draws on her leadership skills, creativity and spirituality to offer a rare blend of strategic expertise, refined service, and intuitive guidance to everything she undertakes.

Sadiya Abjani is SAGE's Director of Training and Instructional Design as well as a queer Muslim activist. She studied Islamic Studies and English at the University of Texas at Austin, where she spent time learning curriculum development and gaining expertise in training development and delivery. Previously, Sadiya worked as the Corporate Training Coordinator at the Equal Rights Center, where she delivered trainings on Fair Housing, Disability Rights, and Sensitivity and Diversity.

Since growing up in the sixties, Sandra has been passionate about motivating positive societal change. She majored in Journalism in college intending on becoming a news writer, but the 1973-1975 recession sidetracked those goals. She landed in nonprofit management and continued to work for social justice from a different path. After retiring at 58, Sandra discovered ageism in hiring. Unsure why she was unable to land an interview, she joined a top resume writing firm to discover what she was doing wrong. There, she discovered the role technology plays in modern hiring practices. Sandra spent the following years learning the rules of ATS (applicant tracking software) and its pitfalls of unintentional and intentional bias. She studied how hiring managers read resumes and the “tells” that candidates fall into that reveal information about themselves that can’t be legally asked and how to avoid them. Now an advocate against ageism in hiring, in 2016, at the age of 63, Sandra founded…

Dr. Sara Hart is a lifelong advocate for social change and an inspirational, motivating speaker. She is passionate about Prime Spark, an idea that became a movement to change the way our culture sees and treats senior women. As a speaker, she provides controversial, cutting-edge ideas in an interactive setting. Having gone through her own major midlife transition, Sara is uniquely qualified to help other women wondering “what’s next?” do the same. She lives in Los Altos, CA with her cat, Mr. Bu.

Sara Freeman Smith is a seasoned Former HR/Recruiting leader, author, speaker, and Disability Advocate who has defied the odds with her resilience and inspiration with her personal story. It was midway through her professional life 20 years ago; she suddenly began losing her vision. A major roadblock occurred a few years later when her condition was diagnosed incurable and would lead to blindness! She went from a ‘Pity Party’ to a ‘Propel Party’ to regain her career growth through faith, passion and perseverance! She shares tools and steps in her inspirational self-help book, “Turning Stones into Gems – Learn how to find purpose in your life & career”, for others to reignite their passion & career growth. Her mission remains clear: to encourage, equip, and empower individuals in their personal and professional pursuits regardless of their circumstances! She also is dispelling the myths about employment of individuals with visual impairments and other disabilities.

How Hooping changed my life... I'm often asked how did I start Hula Hooping. It all started with high blood pressure & my doctor telling me I needed to change my "lifestyle". I had enjoyed a lengthy career selling real estate but the long hours and stress had started to impact my health. Although I worked out, I easily got bored with traditional exercise. The same week I saw the doctor, I happen to see a Hoop Dancing Video. The video inspired me to try Hula Hooping. The rest is history. I instantly fell in love with this new form of exercise. My blood pressure improved. I also had high cholesterol and the Hooping completely eliminated the problem. In addition, without intending to, I lost 40 pounds and toned up! But the unexpected benefit was the JOY that Hooping offered. I felt I had discovered a fun form of exercise that was being totally overlooked and that held incredible health benefits. And this inspired me to want to share it with others.

In 2020, Stefano Selorio launched Carevocacy, a learning platform that helps lifelong learners be tech-savvy. Carevocacy offers three interventions: private tech tutoring, group classes, and their latest product, Apo, a text-based digital health literacy coach powered by AI. Carevocacy has served over 23,000 Learners across 30 learning locations and has worked with Medicare Advantage plans like Humana, senior living communities, and value-based care clinics. He is also a caregiver to his grandma, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and recently became one of Forbes' 30 Under 30. At 24 years old, Stefano is an avid community builder, a pragmatic optimist, and passionate about creating solutions that meet people where they're at.

STEVE ROBINSON Steve started his professional career in 1967 at WBUR and produced six, two-hour classical music programs per week. He also created a Saturday morning live call-in program about high fidelity called Shop Talk, which became the model for Car Talk. After WBUR, Steve held positions at WGBH and WCRB/Boston and KPFA/Berkeley. In 1976 he was appointed the first development director of Vermont Public Radio (VPR). In 1980 he became the first development director for the newly created Jazz station, WBGO in Newark. At WBGO, Steve helped establish the station as the pre-eminent Jazz radio station in the U.S. In August, 2000 Steve became manager of WFMT and the WFMT Radio Network in Chicago. His successful 16 year stewardship of the station and Network was notable for the new programs he created including a pioneering cross cultural relationship with classical music stations in China and the audience and fiscal growth that occurred under his leadership. Steve h…

Susan Douglas grew up in New Jersey, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Elmira college and then earned her MA and Ph.D. in American Civilization at Brown University. After a brief stint as an historian at the Smithsonian, she began teaching media studies at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA. In 1996 she joined the faculty of Communication and Media at the University of Michigan. Her research has focused on two broad areas, the history of broadcasting with an emphasis on radio, and the representation of women in the media. She is the author of seven books, including Where the Girls Are, which was named one of the top ten books of 1994 by Entertainment Weekly and NPR, her prize-winning Listening In: Radio and the American Imagination, Enlightened Sexism and In Our Prime. She has appeared on mutiple radio and television shows including Fresh Air, All Things Considered, the Today Show, and the Oprah Winfrey Show, among others. She served on the Board of the George Foster Peabody Awards …

I’m Australian by birth and have lived in NYC since 2004. I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Professional Portrait Photographer. Turning 60 in 2017, I noticed a great sense of invisibility amongst older women —both in society and within myself. This experience inspired my ongoing work, @women.60.plus, which focuses on amplifying and empowering, the presence and voices of older women in a culture that too often overlooks them. Through photography and storytelling, I’ve captured the essence, inner-beauty, and wisdom of extraordinary women—sharing their personal journeys through aging, loneliness, freedom, resilience, and joy. It’s in these honest, heartfelt connections that I’ve found purpose, healing, and inspiration.
I specialize in working with older women (and across generations), offering photographic experiences rooted in self-awareness, personal empowerment, and mutual respect. I believe that through genuine connection, self-trust and inner validation naturally emer…

Born in the Midwest in the 50's. I escaped to discover the world at age 17. Traveling to Texas for college was the spring board for my life. I tried out for the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in 1977 and had no idea what was to come. I'm a confirmed, confessed and proud Gypsy. I haven't let fear stop me when my soul wants to explore. The Universe has given me the gift of adventure, and I'm extremely grateful that I had parents who helped me believe I could do anything I put my mind to. I believe age is something to brag about. Especially after 65!!

Victoria Tomlinson FRSA is 68, founded her second business Next-Up five years ago and has developed an online platform to help employees coming up to unretirement, as well as running workshops for pre-retirement partners in professional firms. Victoria’s TEDx talk on a Generation of Wasted Talent has had 20k views. A former director of EY on the London leadership team, she ran an award-winning comms and digital business for 30 years. She was founding chair of Women in Leeds Digital, now rebranded to WILD Digital, increasing the diversity of digital teams. She chaired the management division advisory board for University of Leeds and sat on Northern Ballet’s board for eight years. She is on HMP Askham Grange employment advisory board to help ex-offenders, is a Teaching Fellow of Lancaster University and a Fellow of the RSA. Victoria is an Amazon bestselling author, blogger and BBC expert woman commenting on news. She has coached chief executives and directors, mentors start start…

Walt Hampton, J.D. is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Summit Success International, a global personal & professional development firm; and the Acquisitions Director at Summit Press Publishers, a premier publisher of expert positioning books. Walt is a business coach, management consultant, leadership trainer, motivational speaker & ordained interfaith minister. He is the bestselling author of Journeys on the Edge: Living a Life That Matters, named a Top 10 Non-Fiction Book and a two-time recipient of the North American Book Awards; as well as the author of The Power Principles of Time Mastery: Do Less, Make More, Have Fun. A 1984 graduate of The Cornell Law School, Walt was managing partner of a law firm for nearly 30 years with a practice focused on commercial litigation and criminal defense. He was trained as a Results Coach by Robbins Research International and worked directly for Tony Robbins as one of Tony’s elite-level certified business coaches. W…

Wendi Knox is an author, artist and uplifter. In her past life, she was the only female Senior Vice-President/ Creative Director at one of the largest advertising agencies in Los Angeles, creating and supervising multimedia ad campaigns for brands like Honda and Acura. At 50, she lost her “Don Draper-esque” job and found a new purpose thanks to a miraculous encounter with hundreds of red dragonflies. Now, this award-winning brand storyteller is helping women change the stories they tell themselves. Especially about age. Through her “Breaking Out of the Age Cage” illustrated talk and transformational workshops, Wendi’s on a mission to “rebrand aging” as a process of becoming More of Who We Are. Not Less of What We Were.” Like the dragonfly, she has grown new wings later in life, having her first book, “From Muck To Magic” published and her first solo art show at 65. Now at 70, she’s working on her second book, “The Way of The Dragonfly: A Process For Transforming Mu…

Wendy Leggett is a Professional Certified Coach and owner of Conflux Retirement Coaching, specializing in non-financial retirement life planning. With 25 years of corporate sales leadership experience, she guides clients through a fulfilling retirement transition, focusing on well-being, identity, feelings of purpose, connectedness, and positive aging. Wendy holds advanced credentials from the Retirement Project, Retirement Life Plan, and Positive Intelligence and co-authored the book “The Retirement Collective”.