AALNA’s Advisory Council
The mission of the advisory council is to help guide AALNA Board of Directors on new trends, technology, educational needs in Assisted Living and other issues in the Assisted Living industry that we should be working on for our membership. The advisory council will attend Advisory Council calls quarterly.
Advisory Council Members
Stan Szpytek
Fire and Life Safety, Assisted Living Incident Command
firemashal10@aol.com
Stan Szpytek is the president of Fire and Life Safety, Inc. (FLS) and a consultant working with AALNA for over a decade. FLS is a consulting firm that provides fire, life safety and emergency preparedness consultative services to occupancies of all types with special focus on assisted living communities. Stan is a former deputy fire chief and fire marshal with a Chicago-area fire department having served the community for 26 years and honorably retired in 2003. He is also the Life Safety / Disaster Planning Consultant for the Arizona Health Care Association, Utah Health Care Association / Utah Center for Assisted Living, California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF) and works with several other assisted living / healthcare associations and senior living providers around the country.
Burton Korer
Korman Healthcare
Bkorer@kormanhealthcare.com
Burton Korer is a Registered Nurse with more than 30 years of experience in nursing and healthcare administration. He has a Master of Science in Nursing, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) from The George Washington University. He currently holds a certification in Healthcare Quality from the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), a Board Certification in Nursing Case Management from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and is a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer from the Nation Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP). Burton is currently earning a PhD in Nursing at The George Washington University with an area of research on systems theory in healthcare. Burton is also the founder of Korman Healthcare a provider of pharmacy and durable medical equipment and has been professionally employed as a Nurse Case Manager at Honor Health since 2009.
Victor Lane Rose, MBA, NHA, FCCP, CPASRM
Executive Director, Aging and Ambulatory Care
ECRI Institute
vrose@ecri.org
Victor Rose has worked in the healthcare and non-profit sector for 30 years, serving in various executive and leadership roles. Currently, he serves as ECRI’s Executive Director of Aging and Ambulatory Care, coordinating business development and consulting in safety, risk management, and quality improvement to providers nationwide and across the aging care continuum. Before joining ECRI, he served as COO for 17 years with a not-for-profit continuing care retirement community leading direct care, support service delivery, and administration.
Victor holds a BS in Management (healthcare concentration) from the University of North Carolina – Asheville, an MBA from DeSales University, is a Fellow at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia and is a licensed nursing home administrator in Pennsylvania. He has taught management at DeSales University, served on LeadingAge PA’s Public Policy Committee, and authored numerous healthcare management and aging services articles and white papers. Topics include state survey preparedness, budgeting, healthcare risk management, building design, staffing and scheduling, legal discovery and QAPI, scope of service, and postincident investigations, postincident notifications and emergency preparedness/response, and most recently diagnostic excellence in dementia care.
Ashley Guido, RN, MSN, MBA
Chief Clinical Officer
Ciel Senior Living
Ashley.Guido@cielseniorliving.com
Ashley Guido attended Savannah Georgia’s Armstrong Atlantic State University and earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. Landing in Colorado Springs in 2011, she was honored to be coined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for her exceptional nursing care in the ICU at a military hospital. She now has 14 years of nursing experience. Ashley also served in skilled nursing, home health, and hospice before landing in senior living as a Regional Vice President of Wellness, Senior Vice President and eventually Chief Clinical Officer.
In the midst of her career progression, Ashley also pursued graduate studies and became a Certified Dementia Practitioner Trainer. In 2019, she earned both a Master’s in Nursing Leadership and a Master’s in Business Administration from Grand Canyon University. Ashley’s skillset is vast, overseeing clinical services, engagement and programming, regulatory compliance and risk management.
Maria D. Moen
Senior Vice President, Innovation and External Affairs
MyDirectives
mmoen@mydirectives.com
Maria is a highly innovative Healthcare IT Strategist, Operations Executive and Industry Trailblazer with 20+ years of leadership experience crafting project and strategy roadmaps that fully incorporate business drivers, growth and expansion targets, and regulatory pressures. She has solid experience in opportunity identification, solution strategy creation, and successful implementation of initiatives affecting positive operational transformation and change management to deliver successful outcomes.
Maria has been recognized as a meticulous, exacting, dedicated, and reliable professional with passion for healthcare and a proven track record of exceeding expectations. Respected leader, skilled in building empowered, highly cohesive and productive teams, fostering positive work environments, and motivating individuals to reach their potential.
Lindsay Schwartz, PhD, FGSA
Principal and Founder
Workforce and Quality Innovations, LLC
Lindsay@wqinnovations.com
Dr. Schwartz has spent over two decades in long-term care serving several roles including direct care, care management, health services researcher, and policy analyst. Her mission is to ensure research is translated into policy and practice. Dr. Schwartz is a nationally recognized expert on quality in assisted living and workforce issues in long-term care. In 2022, she launched her advisory, research, and consulting firm, Workforce & Quality Innovations (WQI). In this role, Dr. Schwartz works with states and organizations to implement workforce initiatives including recruitment activities, education, and retention of staff. She works with states and other organizations to implement quality improvement programs and measures. Dr. Schwartz serves as a consultant on numerous federally funded research grants, is the Immediate Past Chair of the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living (CEAL) at the University of North Carolina (CEAL@UNC), and has authored a number of peer-reviewed journal articles.
Prior to starting WQI, Dr. Schwartz was an Associate Vice President of Workforce and Quality Improvement for the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL). During her tenure she developed and implemented quality improvement initiatives, including quality measurement development and data collection. She oversaw workforce initiatives for the association including leading workforce support on the COVID-19 response team. Dr. Schwartz earned her Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of Health Policy and Management. She earned her B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Business from Indiana University.
Pamela Truscott
Director of Quality Improvement
NCAL
ptruscott@ncal.org
Pamela Truscott is the Director of Quality Improvement with the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL). She joined the NCAL family in October 2022 and prior to that worked with the American Health Care Association (AHCA) as the Director of Quality and Regulatory Services. Pam has been actively involved with a variety of educations, tools, and resources since joining the AHCA/NCAL family.
Pam has over 25 years of long-term care experience and shares a passion for growing education and cultivating new leaders in long-term care. She received a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with a focus on Healthcare Systems Leadership in August 2022 from Chamberlain University and a Master of Science in Nursing degree with a focus in nursing education from Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2014.
Pam is a Registered Nurse and is certified in multiple areas related to long term care and is passionate about sharing the importance of data collection in assisted living. Pam has served as a Silver Examiner and has conducted multiple Bronze and Silver workshops.
Tiara Stingley, DPT
Vice President of Operations, Rehab Services
Synchrony Rehab
Tiara.Stingley@synchronyhs.com
Tiara Stingley earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Belmont University in Nashville, TN, in 2008. Beginning her career in outpatient orthopedics, Tiara discovered her passion for serving seniors in Skilled Nursing, Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care settings in 2010. Since then, she has overseen multi-state regions, helping clinicians provide exceptional care for the residents they serve. In 2021, Tiara was honored as the State Advocate of the Year (Geriatrics Section) by the APTA. She currently serves as the Chair for the Colorado State Veterans Living Centers and sits on the Board of the American Assisted Living Nurses Association (AALNA).
Angie Fleenor, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC
Executive VP of Risk and Clinical Operations
Sinceri Senior Living
Dr. Angie Fleenor, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, is a seasoned and versatile chief nurse executive with over 18 years of healthcare executive experience in leading and directing organizations in a variety of healthcare settings. Angie graduated from Texas Tech University, earning her Bachelor’s and Masters in Nursing, and earned her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership from Baylor University. She has extensive experience using actionable skills and techniques to lead her teams to great success, including those with high expectations for quality care, compliance, and safety. As Sinceri’s Executive Vice President of Risk & Clinical Operations, Angie brings an innovative vision, energy, enthusiasm, and passion for creating exceptional staff and resident experiences. Her innovative approach to redefining the healthcare experience has led her to become a trusted leader who, more often than not, finds new and better ways to serve others. As a nurse practitioner and chief nurse executive, she understands all aspects of healthcare and has the ability to understand what needs to be done, from the front-line workers to the corporate environment.
Allen Buchta, RN, JD, CPASRM
Risk Management Analyst
Caring Communities
abuchta@caringcom.org
Al Buchta, RN, JD, CPASRM, is a Risk Management Analyst with Caring Communities reciprocal Risk Retention Group. He holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Theory from Northeastern Illinois University as well as an Associates in Applied Science – Nursing degree from Oakton.
Al has over 27 years’ experience as a registered nurse including 23 years in critical care as both a charge and a staff nurse. During his nursing career he has been an intensive care clinical preceptor and a member of the hospital wide Clinical Ethics Committee which assists and advises patients, families and caregivers on complex issues from end-of-life care to ethical medical decision making. He is also a licensed attorney with 16 years’ experience as a commercial and medical malpractice litigator. For the last 3 years, In his current position as an aging services Risk Management Analyst, he advises senior housing organizations across the country on a variety of risk related topics and issues.
Elizabeth Sibson-Tuan, DNP, RN
ABSN Director
Samuel Merritt University
esibson-tuan@samuelmerritt.edu
At Samuel Merritt University, our team is dedicated to advancing nursing practice with a keen focus on healthy aging and the well-being of the chronically unhoused. With over two decades at the institution, my dual role as ABSN Director and Assistant Professor marries academic rigor with a heartfelt mission to improve health outcomes in marginalized populations.
Leading by example, we emphasize project planning, academic advising, and fostering higher education excellence. My research and teaching reflect a deep commitment to nurturing the next generation of nursing professionals, ensuring they are well-equipped to make a meaningful impact in the community, particularly among our aging society’s most vulnerable members.
Steve Wilder, BA, CHSP, STS
Senior Consultant and CEO
swilder@swa4safety.com
Steve Wilder has spent over 40 years in healthcare safety, security, and risk management. He has provided consultation services, security and vulnerability assessments, mock OSHA audits and safety training to hundreds of clients, including hospitals and senior care. Steve spent 15 years as a hospital risk manager and five years as a senior care corporate risk manager before starting his private consulting practice in 2001. Steve is one of very few professional safety and security consultants in the nation specializing in senior care.
Steve and his partner, Chris Sorensen, are co-authors of The Essentials of Aggression Management in Healthcare: From Talkdown to Takedown.
Steve earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Governor’s State University in University Park, Illinois. He is a board Certified Healthcare Safety Professional and holds certifications in C-FATS and HSEEP with the United States Department of Homeland Security. In 2019, Steve was the recipient of the Illinois Security Professionals Association Emergency Preparedness Leadership award for his leadership activities at a senior care community after two residents of that facility were gunned down in their room.
Rebecca Adelman
Attorney
Rebecca@adelmanfirm.com
Rebecca Adelman is an entrepreneur, influencer, thought leader and founder of Adelman Law Firm and Claims Management, established in 2001. The firm is a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and Tennessee Certified Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE). For over 30 years, Rebecca has concentrated her practice in healthcare and insurance defense and business litigation. The firm provides claims management services to senior living insurance companies and created the PRISM proactive claims model focused on offensive strategies for claims and risk mitigation. In 2021, Ms. Adelman founded Guide Path, LLC, an Expectations and Risk Management Certification Program created for resident, family and provider engagement to mitigate risk, improve quality of care and regulatory compliance. Guide Path, the new standard of excellence for senior living certification, delivers a paradigm shift in the way senior living care providers understand, establish, and manage resident and family expectations in assisted living and skilled nursing communities along the continuum of care. Rebecca is involved in state and national legislative matters on behalf of the healthcare industry and serves as Legal Advisor for the American Assisted Living Nurses Association and the National Association of Health Care Assistants. She hosts a monthly webinar, The Senior Living Empower Hour, and is a regular contributor to other publications. Rebecca was a finalist for CLM Professional of the Year – Outside Counsel, was honored with the inaugural Ethel Mitty Heart Award and recognized as a Super Women in Business by the Memphis Business Journal and named an “MBQ Power Player” in the area of defense litigation by Memphis Business Quarterly. She was included in the “Women to Watch” issues of Memphis Woman Magazine and selected as Executive of the Year by the Memphis Business Journal.
John Schulte
Vice President, Quality Improvement
Argentum
jschulte@argentum.org
John Schulte currently serves as Vice President of Quality Improvement for Argentum, where he manages the Quality in Assisted Living Collaborative (QALC) – a partnership between Argentum, the American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA), LeadingAge, the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL), and the National Association for Regulatory Administration (NARA). John leads QALC’s development of voluntary guidelines for critical areas of interest, including Infection Prevention and Control and Emergency Preparedness.
John has managed not-for-profit trade associations for 30 years, helping businesses address industry challenges by promulgating voluntary standards, establishing training and certification programs, and engaging stakeholders through conferences and expositions. He has worked with the senior living sector since 2018.
John is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana and holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from the University of New Orleans.
Ara Sayabalian, Ed.D
Chief Clinical Officer
Total Incontinence Management
drara@sayabalian.com
Dr. Ara Sayabalian is a dedicated advocate not only for all incontinent individuals but also for the caregivers and families that care for them.
Dr. Sayabalian holds a doctorate in incontinence education and is acknowledged as a thought leader in the field. Ara’s background spans a variety of areas of healthcare including manufacturing, design and education. He has developed education curriculums for both licensed and unlicensed caregivers and also has worked in all areas of the manufacturing process with a focus on design and comfort for the incontinent individual.
Ara has spoken at numerous conferences educating the attendees on the benefits of good incontinence practice and protocol for both caregivers and individuals. He has published numerous peer reviewed journal articles on the subject of incontinence. He has long highlighted incontinence as being a root cause of many other conditions and symptoms and has been instrumental in proposing solutions to address this. Ara has started and led the dialog with all stakeholders on how a strong incontinence management program can lead to risk reduction and superior clinical outcomes.
Ara holds a Bachelor of Science from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), an MBA and Ed.D. from University of Southern California (USC), and a Masters In Clinical Services and Operations from Harvard Medical School.
Liz Jensen, PhD, MSN, RN-BC
Clinical Director
Direct Supply
ljensen@directs.com>
Liz Jensen, PhD, MSN, RN-BC is the Clinical Director at Direct Supply Innovation & Technology Center @MSOE. In her practice she collaborates with leaders in tech, business, academia, and senior care providers on the use of technology to improve caregiving in senior care settings. She developed the SPARK Clinical Collective, bringing clinicians, technology developers, engineers, and product designers together to build, test and pilot innovative solutions that impact the lives of aging people and those caring for them. Dr. Jensen draws from her prior experience as a senior care nurse executive, educator, and direct care nurse to inform her education and advocacy efforts with policy makers, researchers, and investors in senior care. She holds a BSN from Creighton University, MSN from Cardinal Stritch University and PhD in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning & Service from Cardinal Stritch University researching future technology development and investment priorities of nursing executives in long term care.
Melissa Batchelor, Ph.D., RN-BC, FNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN
Director, Center for Aging, Health and Humanities
George Washington University School of Nursing
MelissaBPhD@gwu.edu
Melissa Batchelor is a tenured associate professor of nursing and geriatric nursing researcher. She is the director of GW’s interdisciplinary Center for Aging, Health and Humanities. Dr. Batchelor has worked as an administrative nurse in skilled nursing homes and practiced as a family nurse practitioner (FNP) across long-term care settings. Her research, focusing on patients with dementia, has been supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nurse Faculty Scholars program, and the National Institute of Health/National Institute for Nursing Research.
Dr. Batchelor was previously an associate professor at Duke University and is board-certified as a gerontological registered nurse and FNP. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and a 2017-2018 Health and Aging Policy Fellow serving the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging in the office of Senator Susan Collins.
Scott Augenbaum
Author, Speaker, Cybersecurity Trainer
Cybersecure Mindset
scott@cybersecuremindset.com
After joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the New York Field Office in 1988 as a support employee, Scott Augenbaum became a Special Agent in 1994 and was assigned to the Syracuse, New York Office, where he worked domestic terrorism, white collar and hate crimes, and all computer crime investigations.
In October 2003, Agent Scott Augenbaum was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent at FBI Headquarters, Washington D.C in the Cyber Division, Cyber Crime Fraud Unit and was responsible for managing the FBI’s Cyber Task Force Program and Intellectual Property Rights Program. In 2006, Mr. Augenbaum transferred to Nashville, TN and managed the FBI Memphis Division Computer Intrusion/Counterintelligence Squad in Nashville, TN.
Over the past ten years, Retired Special Agent Scott Augenbaum has had the opportunity to provide hundreds of computer intrusion threat briefings with the goal of educating the community on emerging computer intrusion threats and how to not to be the victim of a data breach.
Scott Augenbaum earned an MBA at American Sentinel University in Information Technology and a Masters Certificate in Information Security Management from Villanova University in addition to holding numerous General Information Assurance Certifications.
Nick Schmitt
Associate Vice President, Sales
Senior Living at Pharmerica
Nicholas.Schmitt@pharmerica.com
Dr. Schekesia Meadough
Owner, Consultant
Superior Inclusive Nurse Consulting, LLC
sincllc@outlook.com
Dr. Schekesia Meadough is a highly accomplished nursing leader with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, specializing in senior living and assisted living. She began her career as an ER/trauma nurse at Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center and has since held executive roles, including Chief Nursing Officer, VP of Clinical Operations, and Nurse Regulatory Surveyor for Texas Health & Human Services. Dr. Meadough’s leadership has been instrumental in building high-quality memory care programs and launching comprehensive dementia-related education, directly impacting the care and quality of life for residents.
As the owner of Superior Inclusive Nurse Consulting, LLC, Dr. Meadough provides consulting services to senior living organizations, offering expertise in clinical compliance, regulatory standards, and program development. Her contributions as a Nursing Professor and Advisory Board Member of AALNA further underscore her dedication to advancing education and care within the assisted living industry. Dr. Meadough’s work continues to shape the future of assisted living through her strategic initiatives and unwavering commitment to excellence.
Daniel David, PhD, MS, RN
Nurse Researcher, Assistant Professor
NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing
dd119@nyu.edu
Dr. Daniel David is a nurse researcher and assistant professor at New York University Rory Meyer’s College of Nursing. He specializes in research related to Medicaid-supported assisted living facilities in New York City, focusing on resident-centered outcomes, healthcare access, and quality care. He also serves as the Assistant Director of Community Linkage and Housing at the Hartford Institute of Geriatric Nursing at NYU and is on the editorial board of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Dr. David’s research investigates how assisted living residents cope with aging challenges, such as serious illness, financial constraints, and resource scarcity. He develops interventions to support independence, enhance late-life meaning, and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations. Additionally, he is an expert in quality improvement and teaches DNP students about system problem-solving in complex healthcare settings. He has received career development awards to better understand the needs of assisted living residents as a Kornfeld Scholar through the National Palliative Care Research Center and as a Sojourns Scholar through the Cambia Foundation.
Shelly Halleck, RN
Director of Operations
Allen Flores Consulting Group
shalleck@allenflores.com
Founded in the late 1980s by Sandi Flores, RN, Allen Flores Consulting Group has been a pioneer in senior living, shaping the industry’s standards with a commitment to resident care, integrity, and team wellbeing.
In 2019, Josh Allen, RN, C-AL, took over as leader, bringing over 25 years of expertise in resident care, staff development, and regulatory compliance. Josh builds on Sandi’s legacy, ensuring the health and wellbeing of residents remain our top priority. A trusted advisor on risk management and legal cases, Josh is also certified in assisted living nursing and serves on the California Assisted Living Association board of directors.
With Josh at the helm, Allen Flores Consulting Group continues to offer unparalleled clinical services, backed by a dedicated team focused on excellence in senior living.
Committees
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- Certification Committee: Revise our AL certification exam and consider updating self-paced webinar. Board Member Liaisons – Shari Easton Garrett and Margo Kunze
- Membership Committee: work on recruiting state leaders, chapters news and update board on issues in state or news for members. Board Member Liaison – Deb Choma
- Marketing Committee Conference: work on marketing ideas for AALNA news, membership and conference. Board Member Liaisons – Calvin Groeneweg, Mandy Curtis
- Nurse Competency/Education Committee: work on education for members from conference to webinars and providing ideas on nurse competency updates to members. Board Member Liaisons – JoAnne Carlin
- Media Committee: work on keeping updates on website, linked-in and other social media. Board Member Liaison– Margo Kunze
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Deb Choma will seek additional support from State Leaders on each committee and we can ask our members via e-blast to help support these committees contact Deb or Calvin Calvin@alnursing.org