Meet the Guests!

Mildred J. Mills was born in Wetumpka, Alabama. She grew up picking cotton in this small town twenty-five miles northeast of Montgomery. She attended Southern New Hampshire University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing nonfiction and English. She also earned a Master of Arts in creative writing from Wilkes University’s Maslow Family Graduate Program. She is a retired IT Executive. Mills published her first book, "Daddy’s House: A Daughter’s Memoir of Setbacks, Triumphs & Growing New Roots," in December 2023. Her essay, “Daddy’s House: A Place to Run Away From,” won the 2022 Etruscan Prize and was published in The Etruscan Press. “Amazing Grace,” an essay, is published in the anthology A Journey into Art. She is the solo host of "My Cotton Patch Moment," a motivational podcast about never settling for less than one’s best by working hard to accomplish your goals—available on major streaming services. When she isn’t writing, Mildred enjoys tennis, traveling, …

For over twenty years, Mimi captivated audiences from the Fortune 100 to the just plain fortunate. She's won acclaim for her rousing keynote speeches, compelling workshops, and in-house training programs. She has shared the keynote platform with Colin Powell, Katie Couric and Suze Orman. Mimi has created speeches for TED Talkers, executives, celebrities, entrepreneurs, and sales staffs. To date, she has coached 22 speakers to the TEDx stage. She has a Bachelors Degree in Speech and Dramatic Arts from the University of Iowa, and a Masters Degree in Education from Columbia University. For 10 years, she was a staff Human Resources Specialist with Walt Disney Company, Northrop Aircraft, and Rockwell International. Mimi has been a visiting professor at Harvard University’s Center for Public Leadership at the Kennedy School of Government. Mimi Donaldson is co-author of Negotiating for Dummies, published in six languages and sold almost 2 million copies worldwide. She also co-…

Nancy A Shenker is the founder of theONswitch, a marketing and AI strategy consultancy, and the creator behind NANCYAF, where she goes by the Robot Overlady. Over a corporate and entrepreneurial career spanning decades, she's built brands, run marketing organizations, and produced content across nearly every format and platform, and she's been hands-on with AI long before it was mainstream, having written a book on embracing the technology back in 2017. At 70, she's living proof that reinvention has no age limit. Her recent work includes a 90-minute AI-assisted digital magazine that pulled in thousands of views, a social media presence that grew engagement by nearly 300% in a single season, and a serialized memoir, YOUR NERVE, that's converting readers into paid subscribers. She writes BODIES & BOTS on Substack and hosts the Age Blind podcast. Sharp, funny, and allergic to corporate jargon, Nancy proves that smart and sexy were never mutually exclusive... at any age.

Nancy Shear's remarkable background includes 20 years as an orchestra librarian for the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Curtis Institute, as well as private work for Leopold Stokowski, Lorin Maazel, and others. Her articles have appeared in major outlets, and she has written two books, The Three Tenors and I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms. Ms. Shear has lectured for the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and Caramoor Festival; has hosted broadcasts of the New York Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony, Frick Collection, and Naumburg Foundation; had her own interview programs on WNYC; and served as commentator for the American Public Media. She has taught at New York University’s School of Continuing Education and the Lillian Vernon Center for International Affairs at New York University, and has lectured at The Juilliard School, the Manhattan School, and the Mannes School of Music at The New School. She is the founder and president of Nancy Shear Arts Services, a public relations a…

Nina Hart is the founder of "Writing from the Top of Your Head" workshops. She offers writing workshops and 1:1 first draft book coaching, and is a certified KaizenMuse Creativity Coach and Gateless Method writing facilitator. Her workshops have also been inspired by the work of Paulo Freire and his philosophy of education for liberation and the work of Brene Brown, among others. Her first collection of surreal short fictions called “Somewhere in a Town You Never Knew Existed Somewhere” was a finalist in Foreword Reviews’ IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. Nina spends her time as a right-brained, highly sensitive, creative entrepreneur. She is passionate about helping writers find their voice and reclaim the hooligan kid spirit that most people have buried under an “adult” veneer. Nina considers herself to be an improvisational writer – she was a blocked writer until she rediscovered the curious part of herself who could play, experiment, and explore. She offers live and online worksho…

Patti Comeau-Simonson's life journey took a professional turn after the loss of her beloved husband, David, in his courageous battle with colon cancer. The care and support her family received while he was in hospice care left a lasting impact on her, motivating her to give back and make a difference in the lives of others facing similar challenges. Her path began as a volunteer for hospice, which led her to become a bereavement assistant at the Bertolon Center for Grief and Healing in 2007. She wanted to enhance her skills and expertise in grief and loss and understand and support those grieving the loss of a loved one, so she pursued and received her thanatology certificate from the National Center of Death Education at Mount Ida College in 2011. During her time at the bereavement center, Patti developed and implemented a peer training program that empowered individual who had experienced loss to become skilled in grief and loss. She trained twenty facilitators, who then went on t…

“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.

For most of his life, Steve didn’t think he had a creative bone in his body. He spent 40 years advising individuals and organizations through change, meaning, and transition. Then Covid hit, and something unexpected happened. In his early 50s, he started learning piano. That spark eventually led to composing, recording, and releasing two albums of original healing piano music, Sweet Dreams and Calmer Days More Peaceful Nights. It didn’t stop there. Now 75+, Steve recently completed a near-future novel, Renaissance 2040, about what it means to be human when machines do most of our work, along with a screenplay adaptation now sitting on an LA producer’s desk. He’s also the author of Languishing or Blossoming: Living a Meaningful Life at Any Age and Finding the Upside: Practical Wisdom During Challenging Times. He speaks on the topics of “Elderly or Eldering” and “Blossoming at Any Age,” and has created a robust self-assessment tool and curriculum to support the art of becomi…

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…