Meaning & Hope Institute

Aaron Blight, Ed.D., is an international speaker and consultant on caregiving, aging, and healthcare. He is the Founder of Caregiving Kinetics and has been recognized as a “Top 100 Healthcare Leader” by the International Forum on Advancements in Healthcare. Dr. Blight works with providers that serve aging and disabled populations to deliver workforce consulting, training for front-line caregivers, focus group research, and leadership advisory services. He also serves general employers that wish to support their employees with caregiving responsibilities at home.
His career leading healthcare organizations spans more than two decades and includes the successful creation, development, and sale of a large home care company; a series of policy leadership positions at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and the study of caregiving as a phenomenon of social science. Dr. Blight speaks with groups all over the world about caregiving. In workshops and conference talks, he invites participants to think deeply about the meaning and significance of their individual caregiving experiences. His book, When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative, received a 2020 Best Indie Book Award a 2021 IPPY Award, and a 2022 Mom’s Choice Award.
Dr. Blight holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree from the University of Baltimore, and a doctorate degree from The George Washington University. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at Shenandoah University, an honorary board member of the Well Spouse Association, and an advisory board member of the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging.
Aaron and his wife, Jessica, live outside of Washington, D.C., in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. They have four children and four grandchildren. Aaron enjoys exercise, music, travel, cats, and ice cream.

Pauline Boss, Ph.D., is Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota; a Fellow in the American Psychological Association and American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy; a former president of the National Council on Family Relations; and a family therapist in private practice.
With her groundbreaking work as a scientist-practitioner, Dr. Boss is the principal theorist in the study of ambiguous loss, a term she coined in the 1970s. Since then, she has researched various types of ambiguous loss, summarizing her work in the widely acclaimed book, Ambiguous Loss: Learning to Live with Unresolved Grief (Harvard University Press, 1999). In addition, Loss, Trauma, and Resilience (Norton, 2006), presents six therapeutic guidelines for treatment when loss is complicated by ambiguity. These guidelines are based on her years of work with families of the physically missing during the Vietnam War; after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack in New York City; in Kosovo; and in Japan after the tsunami of 2011, as well as in clinical work with families with loved ones who are missing psychologically—from Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, as well as from traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Boss’s book, Loving Someone Who Has Dementia (Jossey-Bass, 2011), outlines proven strategies for managing the ongoing stress and grief while caring for someone who has dementia and offers hope for dealing with the ambiguous loss of dementia—having a loved one both here and not here, physically present but psychologically absent. For more information, see her website: www.ambiguousloss.com.

Cheryl Goodwin is the Chief Strategy Officer at Covenant Health Network, a multi-state post-acute/long term care network. She leads their initiatives in:

• Technology application
• Home and Community Based Service expansion
• Comprehensive support system bringing together all providers around our seniors, etc.
• Workforce Development
• Grant development
• Partnerships with significant industry leaders and organizations

Cheryl has held positions of leadership in non-profits and community boards/groups throughout her career. She served as CEO of a large multiservice Human Service Organization in Iowa/Illinois.
Cheryl serves as a consultant to senior healthcare providers in areas such as: strategic planning, organizational development, and board governance. She is committed to giving back to the community, currently in a leadership position with Phoenix West Rotary.

Dr. Patricio F. Reyes is a board certified and highly regarded neurologist and neuropathologist. He is currently Director, Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease & Cognitive Disorders Clinics at the Phoenix VA Medical Center. Pat’s experience includes 30 years of clinical expertise, translational (e.g. in vivo models, neuropathology and CSF testing) research, and drug development (e.g. Cognex, Exelon and Exelon Patch) experience in Alzheimer’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Reyes is former Professor of Neurology, Pathology & Psychiatry at Creighton University in Omaha & Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia (Bernard Alpers Professor), Director and founder of the Center for Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Brain Bank in both institutions, and Karsten Solheim Chair for Dementia at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. He also helped establish the Center for Dementia Care at HealthPartners in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Dr. Reyes was one of the first to establish rapid autopsy brain banking in the United States and the first to build Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia Centers in Texas, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska. He and his associates described the smell changes in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders and was the principal investigator of numerous clinical trials that led to the FDA approval of new drugs for Alzheimer’s disease. Similar olfactory deficits may exist in individuals with concussion and brain trauma.
Most importantly, Dr. Reyes has also been an advocate for identifying as well as improving the health care needs of all ethnic groups and high-risk populations. He was a volunteer physician for Golden Gloves, and board member, 2009 distinguished educator of the year, and education committee chair of the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians. He has worked extensively with the Retired Players Association to improve health care for retired NFL players as well as improving health care awareness for the boxing profession in his native Philippines.
His accomplishments as a teacher, clinician, scientist and community leader have been affirmed by his selection as “Best Doctors of American in 2003-2004, Scientist of the 21st Century, the Republican Party’s Ronald Reagan Gold Medal recipient in 2004, Physician of the Year for 2005, 2007 Arizona’s Asian American Association for Community Service and Physician of the Day by the Arizona House of Representatives. In 2009, he was named Top Doctor, in Who’s Who Global Medical Directory. He is a member of several medical and scientific organizations. He is currently involved in assessing the medical, cognitive, neurologic and neuropathologic aspects of sports and non-sport related traumatic brain injury symptoms with the hope of developing newer and more effective treatment.

Bob Roth is Managing Partner of Cypress HomeCare Solutions. Bob hosts the radio show “Health Futures, Taking Stock in You.”  and is a monthly columnist for Lovin Life after 50 newspapers and the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix. Bob’s involvement on Boards and Commissions has included:

• Board Member of the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA)
• Board Member of Duet Partners in Health and Aging
• Advisory Board for ASU Health Entrepreneurship Accelerator Lab (HEALab)
• Arizona Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging (GACA)
• Board Member of Duet Partners in Health and Aging
• Board Member of the Elderly and Physically Disabled Provider Alliance (EPDPA)
• Co-founder of the Safe Home Care Coalition (SHCC)
• Arizona Attorney General’s Task Force Against Senior Abuse (TASA)
• Former Board Member for Banner Alzheimer’s Foundation
• Former Board Member for the Arizona Geriatrics Society
• Former Board Member of the Private Duty Home Care Association (PDHCA)

Connie Steward has provided consulting services to a broad range of corporations, non-profit organizations, and country governments throughout a career that has spanned four decades. As a member of executive teams, Connie developed strategies and the capabilities required to achieve intended results, guide organizations through transitions and adapt to changing conditions that affect our lives at work.
Connie has led teams for major initiatives in Africa, Europe, the Americas and Asia. As Senior Vice President for Habitat for Humanity International, she led global learning and development and human resources. As CEO and co-founder of The Crossland Group, Connie worked with a diverse group of clients, leading projects focused on addressing complex problems and building capacity to implement solutions that were sustained over time. Connie leveraged her extensive experience in education, technology, research and business processes to achieve long-term results. Before starting the Crossland Group, she was Executive Vice President of the Forum Corporation, a training, research and consulting firm. During her years at Forum, Connie led various functions including product development, consulting resources and the largest sales and delivery office serving US and global clients.
Helping people learn how to create better lives has been a primary focus throughout her career. At the start of her career, Connie worked at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN where she served as Associate Director of Patient and Health Education. After receiving her graduate degree from the Graziadio Business School at Pepperdine University, she extended her professional work beyond medical settings, but continued to include health and wellness projects in her consulting practice.
In recent years, Connie has focused on supporting individuals and families who are coping with changes and significant challenges in later stages of life. As a senior advisor to the Lifespan Research Foundation, she was the project leader for Road Maps for Life Transitions and Next Chapter in My Life programs that draw upon the findings of the Harvard Study of Adult Development and other research and provide guidance for creating meaning and fulfillment in life.

Dr. Emma Viera, originally from Puerto Rico, is a mother of three and a wife. Dr. Viera has a master’s degree in Public Health and a doctorate degree in Health Administration. During her 30 years as a public health professional, she has worked internationally (South America and Africa), along with state and local levels with an emphasis on chronic disease and maternal and child issues. As a health administrator her emphasis has been integrating public health and mental health to primary care services as well as integrating primary care and public health messages to clinics for individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness.
Presently as the executive director for Unlimited Potential, her work is dedicated to help community members understand and to address the social determinants of health. Under the leadership of Dr. Viera, individuals, families and neighborhoods can and want to be part of the transformation they desire and deserve. Dr. Viera brings her expertise as Epidemiologist, Biostatistician and Health Administrator to the ongoing work evaluation of the effectiveness of health services related to improving community health outcomes. Unlimited Potential has four interconnected pillars of service:

• Adult Education Programs: English as a second language, General Education Development Classes
  (GED), Community, Health Worker training, computer classes
• Environmental Justice: Heat awareness, energy insecurity, water conservation, waste
  management, reducing green gas emissions
• Disease Control and Prevention: Diabetes education, hypertension, lupus, cancer, circulatory
  diseases, Alzheimer and dementia illness
• Healthy Living: Tobacco cessation education, alcohol and substance use prevention, oral heal,
  mental health, community garden, healing garden, health start.
• Dr. Viera combines her 30 years of experience to ensure Unlimited Potential provides the highest quality of programs in a progressive way while embracing culture. She works with over 200 Community Health Workers across Maricopa County who serve as educators and navigators. Collectively the team organizes and empowers communities so they actively participate in the transformation to health equity and improve quality of life.