PRESIDENT
Janice Wassel, Ph.D. Term: 2008-2010
Director, UNCGG Gerontology Program
Univ. of North Caroline at Greensboro
124 McIver Bldg, PO Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170
(336)256-1020 (Office)
Janice I. Wassel, Ph.D. is Director of The UNCG Gerontology Program and a member of the Department of Sociology faculty at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She holds dual degrees from Pennsylvania State University in demography and sociology with a minor in Gerontology. She is a Registered Financial Gerontologist (RFG) and is Associate Dean of the American Institute of Financial Gerontology. Wassel received both pre- and post-doctoral NIA training grants and completed an NIA internship. Her gerontology research focuses on the “Senior Sandwich”, how couples make decisions about retirement timing, post-retirement, pension wealth, the relationship of family caregiving and depression, and family structures and decision-making in caregiving relationships. She’s involved in a number of professional associations, including the Population Association of America, Gerontological Society of America, Association for Gerontology in Higher Education, Southern Gerontological Society, American Society on Aging, and is advisor to the Delta Gama chapter of SPO at UNCG.
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Rona Karasik, Ph.D. Term: 2009-2010
Director, Gerontology Program
Professor, Community Studies
Stewart Hall 363
St. Cloud State University
720 4th Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498
Ph: (320) 308-5224
Rona Karasik, Ph.D. is a Professor of Community Studies at St. Cloud State University, where she directs the SCSU Gerontology Program and is co-advisor to the Beta Zeta chapter of Sigma Phi Omega. Karasik joined SPO as life member in 1993 and has served on the national SPO executive board -- first as Member at Large (2002-2005), then as Treasurer (2005-2007; 2007-2009). Karasik has a B.A (Psychology), M.A. (Family Studies/Aging), and Graduate Certificate (Gerontology) from the University of Connecticut, and a Ph.D.(Individual and Family Studies/Aging) from the University of Delaware. Her research interests and publications include work in the areas of intergenerational service-learning, dementia, aging in the community, housing for older adults, and later life family caregiving.
SECRETARY
Dawn Carr, MSG Term: 2009-2011
Doctoral Associate
Miami University
Scripps Gerontology Center
396 Upham Hall
Oxford, OH 45056
Ph: 513-258-7343
Dawn Carr, MSG is currently a doctoral candidate in the department of Sociology and Gerontology at Miami University. She will be defending her dissertation and graduating in the Spring of 2009 and plans to remain in the academic field. In the past, she has served as student representative for SPO between 2005 and 2008. She has also been strongly engaged in serving the gerontology community in other ways, especially with regard to AGHE’s mission. She has been an abstract reviewer, a member of the student committee, served on the Higher Education Committee, and is currently serving on the Coordinating Committee.
TREASURER
(Brenda) Burgin Ross, MSG, RD, Term: 2009-2011
3100 Kinnamon Road
Winston Salem, NC 27104
Ph: (336) 760-9947
Burgin Ross, MSG, RD, is a registered dietician who earned her Master of Science in Gerontology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where she currently teaches as a part-time lecturer in nutrition. She is the owner of her own conslting firm which offers expertise in clinical and management skills applied to specialty hospitals, retirement communities, skilled nursing, rehabilitation, and hospice settings. She has previously worked as an account executive in nutrition services and as a regional manager/dietician. She is an active member of the Delta Gamma SPO chapter at UNC-Greensboro and is a member of the Southern Gerontological Society. She serves on the North Carolina Board of Dietetics/Nutrition, and has been active with both the North Carolina Dietetic Association and the American Dietetic Association, holding a variety of offices.
STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE
Pamela Pitman Brown, MSG Term: 2009-2010 (1 year)
Doctoral Associate
Miami University
Scripps Gerontology Center
396 Upham Hall
Oxford, OH 45056
Ph: 513-529-2914
Pamela Pitman Brown, MSG is currently a doctoral associate at Miami University/Scripps Gerontology Center. She graduated from the University of South Alabama in 2008 with a Master’s of Sociology and a graduate certificate in Gerontology. She was the 2008-2009 Student Representative on the Sigma Phi Omega Board and has served as the intern for the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE). Pamela is the past president of the Alpha Zeta Chapter of SPO at South Alabama. Brown is a member of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), Southern Gerontological Society (SGS), Southern Sociological Association, Mid-South Sociological Association (MSSA) and the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapist (AASECT). She serves on the K-12 Task Force and the Student Committee of AGHE.
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Candace Brown, M.Ed., MAG
PO Box 2343
Parker, CO 80134
Candace Brown, M.Ed., MAG, is a recent graduate of the
Master of Arts program with the Leonard Davis School at the
University of Southern California. She has a B.S.
(HDFS- Gerontology) and dual minors (Spanish and Sociology) from
The Pennsylvania State University and a M.Ed. (Adult Education) from Cleveland State University. In addition to her current SPO position, Candace also serves on committees of AGHE and ASA. Locally, she volunteers as a board member of the Colorado State University Arapahoe County Extension Board and is a member of the Colorado Gerontological Society. Her passion in gerontology surrounds health and wellness. She is the owner of, Seasons of Life ™, which is dedicated to enhancing the lives of older adults through fitness training
MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Scott D. Wright, Ph.D., Term: 2009-2010 (1 year)
University of Utah
Gerontology Program
10 South 2000 East Front
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5880
Ph: (801)585-9542 (Office)
Scott D. Wright, Ph.D. is currently Director of the Gerontology Interdisciplinary program at the University of Utah. He has been an active teacher and scholar in the field of aging for over 30 years. His research interests include environmental issues (impact and vulnerability) and aging, and he uses GIS technology to conduct spatial mapping and analyses of hazards and hot spots for older adults, primarily in the Intermountain West. Wright has served as President of the Society for Human Ecology (10/1997-1/2000) and as Editor for the journal Human Ecology Review. He is a member of the Gerontological Society of America and serves as the institutional representation of the University of Utah for the Association of Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE). Wright was elected as Fellow in AGHE in 2007. He has been a member of Sigma Phi Omega for many years and now serves as the Alpha Chi chapter of SPO at the University of Utah.
Kelly Fitzgerald, Ph.D., Term: 2009-2011 (2 year)
Swansea University
Older People & Ageing Research & Development Network (OPAN)
Cymru
Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP Wales UK
Kelly Fitzgerald, Ph.D. is the Network Coordinator for OPAN
(Older People & Ageing Research & Development Network) Cymru at
Swansea University in Wales. Her responsibilities include developing and supporting aging research across Wales. She works closely with the Welsh Assembly Government and other aging organizations to promote the integration of research into practice and policy. Fitzgerald is also a Research Portfolio Development Fellow for the Centre for Innovative Aging at Swansea University in which she is specifically responsible for developing research on older people and disasters. She has served on several GSA, AGHE, and BSG (British Society of Gerontology) committees and is committed to the promotion of gerontological education internationally.
Mary Ligon, Ph.D., Term: 2009-2011 (3 years)
Assistant Professor
Behavioral Sciences Department
York College of Pennsylvania
Country Club Rd.
York, PA 17405-7199
Phone: (717) 815-6646
FAX: (717) 849-1649
Mary Ligon, Ph.D. is a Gerontologist who specializes in psychosocial development in late life and intergenerational programming. She has conducted research investigating the benefits of oral history to older adults and to college students and has presented research findings at both regional and national conferences. Ligon has worked extensively in health care settings with elders. She currently teaches gerontology and human services courses at York College of Pennsylvania.
Since 1980, SPO has grown under the leadership and commitments of its board and presidents. We thank the following past presidents for their commitment to SPO:
1980-82 Dr. Milledge Murphy University of Northern Colorado
1982-85 Dr. Jane Myers Ohio University
1985-86 Dr. Harvey Sterns University of Akron
1986-87 Dr. Gary Lesnoff-Caravalgia Univ.of Mass. Medical Center, Worcester
1987-89 Dr. Novella Perrin Central Missouri State University
1989-91 Dr. William Lane State University of NY-Cortland
1991-93 Dr. Jean Coyle New Mexico State University & Fort Hays State University
1993-94 Dr. Anthony Traxler Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville
1994-95 Dr. Ruth Weg University of Southern California
1995-96 Dr. Jeffrey Chesky University of Illinois, Springfield
1996-97 Dr. Pauline Abbott University of Southern California
1997-98 Dr. Evelyn Mahairas VAMC, Coatesville, PA
1998-99 Dr. Wiley Mangum University of South Florida
1999-00 Dr. W. Edward Folts Appalachian State University
2000-01 Dr. Terry Tirrito University of South Carolina
2001-02 Dr. Graham Rowles University of Kentucky
2002-03 Dr. W. Edward Folts Appalachian State University
2003-04 Dr. Joseph Weber, III California State University, Fullerton
2004-05 Dr. James Peacock Appalachian State University
2005-06 Dr. Jennifer Kinney Miami University
2006-08 Dr. Debra Sheets California State University, Northridge.
NOTE: Dr. Robert Famighetti, dean of the College of New Jersey, was elected as President-Elect of SPO, to become President in 1987-88. Dr. Famighetti died while President-Elect.
