In her third career, Sally Duplantier, gerontologist and healthspan educator, founded her mission-driven company, Zing, to help older adults live as long as possible without chronic disease and disability. Through Zing, Sally offers Wellness Wednesdays, free educational webinars featuring experts on relevant topics. She is guest faculty with the Be Well program at Stanford University. Sally has added a research component to her mission--toincrease diversity in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s patients.Connect with Sally:Email: sally@myzinglife.comWebsite: https://myzinglife.com/

Annie Korzen’s career dreams finally came true in her 80’s. Atage 83, she is a TikTok sensation with young fans who love herwit and wisdom about living life as an older woman. Annie bringsher talents as an actress, writer, storyteller, and teacher toTikTok and other performance venues as she speaks about life’sserious moments. She also takes on ageism for underestimatingand underappreciating what older women have to offer. For thefirst time in her life, Annie is being told that she is beautiful, and shewears her age as a badge of honor.Some people are overnight successes, and some people,like me, just have to keep doing it wrong until they get it right.Now I’m in my third act. -Annie KorzenConnect with Annie KorzenWebsite: www.AnnieKorzen.comEmail: annykorzy@gmail.comwww.TheMoth.orghttps://www.tiktok.com/discover/Annie-Korzen?lang=en

As a queer, biracial woman, Jacqueline Boyd, BA, BS, CGCM,  has advocated for her community by offering services that address specific care needs. She is especially interested in how to provide people with continuing care in their homes. Her company, The-Care-Plan, guides anyone over age 18 to plan and coordinate care needs.Jacqueline’s cool and service-oriented demeanor shows in everything she says. When she talks about quality of life it is evident that it comes from a place deep within her heart. She asks, “What is the role of comfort in care? In only 30 minutes, you will walk away with a wealth of information.Connect with Jacqueline:Email: jacqueline@the-care-plan.comWebsite: https://the-care-plan.comOffice: 877-6WE-PLAN

Mary Isabel Azrael, age 78, from Baltimore MD, is a poet, editor, and teacher. She is the author of four books of poems, and in her 60s, wrote the libretto for an opera, Lost Childhood, which has been performed in Los Angeles, New York, and Tel Aviv Israel. Mary Isabel is publisher and co-editor of Passager Books and Passager, a national literary journal featuring the work of writers aged 50 and older.  When Mary Isabel’s husband left after 40 years of marriage, a collection of poems written during the following years resulted in a book, The House No House (2017). Mary Isabel collaborates on artistic projects with her life partner of 10+ years, John P. Wise, an abstract artist and designer. Ageism still exists in the arts. More than ever, we need the voices of older writers whose life experience offers much that's essential to our survival. - Mary Isabel AzraelConnect with Mary Isabel:Email mpazrael@aol.comhttps://www.passagerbooks.comhttps://www.dogbonearts.com

Bett Martinez has experienced more death-defying accidents than most in her lifetime.An auto accident at 33, and again, later in life caused 2 serious head injuries, badly smashed broken legs and ongoing auto-immune issues. But Bett, who began to advocate for others early on, only dug in harder to find the answers that would help her walk again and manage the pain. Bett’s advocacy has taken many paths. She believes our society would do best if children of different ethnicities could learn to co-exist. Thus began years of working to bring Jewish and Arab children together.As a veteran health care insurance agent, specializing in Medicare and long-term care protection, her interest in preparing for death has grown as she ages. She would like it if it were a  requirement for all people to create a thumb drive video that expresses their end of life wishes. She asks: “If you knew the date of your death, what actions would you take?”Staying up to date and helping others keeps my brain straight – straight as can be given my age and complex health history. - Bett martinezResearch has led her to adopt Qigong, Tai Chi, acupuncture and herbs as a way to maintain her own hard won fitness. And now, she is turning her attention to advocating for relief for Alzheimer patients.Bett finds answers through her unique combination of perseverance, research and purpose. Connect with Bett:Email: well-being@pacbell.netWebsite: http://possiblesociety.org/programs.html Bett’s website: bettmartinez.comSoaking Retreat: Therma Qi-2024 at Palma Hot Springs, Ikaria Islands, south of Greece. Contact Bett directly for informationhttps://www.visitikaria.gr/en/useful/news/ikaria-has-the-secret-of-longevity#.Yzsdu3bMKUk  Author: We’ll Face That When We Have To…P.S. It’s Later Than You Think! The Case for Long Term Care Protection http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UCGCXMK  

As a young adult, Joby Kennedy became fascinated with how different people cope with trauma. This led her into a clinical psychology career during which she worked with adults, some families and school children. She refers to herself as a generalist, serving in many settings with a wide variety of clients.8 years ago, Joby retired. She thought music might be her way forward until she inadvertently set her childhood accordion on fire. Joby believes (as did Jung) that “synchronicity is a meaningful experience”. Still she craved music and soon was invited to sing in a local chorus.“I get busy, then there’s a lull. I wonder what will happen next? Something always presents itself to me. If not, I will go and find it.” - Josephine "Joby" KennedyIt is painting, however, that has her heart singing. She is currently working on a presentation entitled “One Heart, Many Paths”. Combining music and her own art, she inspires engagement by asking people to share the paths of their hearts.And, she loves to dance.CONNECT: Email: docjoby@aol.comFine Art America: Josephine Joby Kennedy@FineArtAmerica

Originally from the West Indies, Cynthia Barnett, Ph.D., from Norwalk CT,retired at age 59 to pursue the question--Why Are There So Few Women in theSciences? Cynthia became CEO and founder of a non-profit program--AmazingGirls Science-- whose goal is to ignite the spark in girls for STEAM (science,technology, art, engineering and math). As a STEAM champion, Cynthia won theInaugural AARP Purpose Award and the Community Innovation and LeadershipAward for the Connecticut Technology Council. At age 79, Dr. Barnett says she“leads a vibrant, purpose-driven life” with many new initiatives underway,including intergenerational programs and robotics. She lives her life as a “thankyou.”We need to catch girls at a young age to bring them into the sciences. - Cynthia Barnett PhDConnect with Cynthiawebsite: www.amazinggirlsscience.comEmail: drcynthiabarnett@gmail.com

Susan Reed, PhD, age 70, has led a life of social-political actionsince her teens. She campaigned for McGovern and later forObama; interned with the Chicago Women’s Liberation Union;protested the Vietnam War; worked on social policy for equities inaging and health; and continues to teach adult college studentsabout ways to be civically engaged. Susan is a person who feels“responsible for problems” facing our city (Chicago) and country.She finds other people to be activists with her--for example, theGirlfriend Group, because “for me, political activism is social;social action can be fun.” On the home front, Susan continues tolearn how best to support her two adult daughters and, with herhusband, plan for how to ‘age in place.’" My goal is to help people be active citizens, especiallyduring really difficult times." Connect with Susan:sreed@depaul.edu

Born in Poland, Sara​ Levinson, 75,​ migrated to the United States in 1963 when she was 16. She traveled by ocean liner to Montreal and later moved to Chicago. She practices an open-ended thought process and has learned to go for any opportunity that comes her way.As a young mother raising children, Sara picked up a Nikon camera that she had used earlier and began photographing images while her children were at school. She realized her skills needed upgrading and began attending workshops and taking courses on her own. Her specialty is portraits and as her children grew, she became more and more serious about her craft, learning how to process, develop and print her film. In the beginning, it was strictly black & white. She ​soon moved to color and digital photography and ​continues to edit and manage all aspects of the creative process.Save the easiest places to travel for when you get older so you will never have to stop having amazing experiences. - Sara LevinsonSara takes exotic trips to unknown remote locations. She uses her lens to witness diverse spiritual ceremonies and customs. She has also been touched by the plight of discarded widows. Especially moved by their circumstances, she plans to return so she can hug every woman she meets, a forbidden action in many areas.A new project is called Beauty Past Its Prime and Sara is currently working out just how to bring it to fruition.

Diane Deaderick DeMartra, a professional who has worked in corporations, non-profits, and higher education, devotes her passions and talents to “enlighten,educate, and empower inner-city teen girls and young women, especially teenand young, single mothers at risk of continuing the intergenerational cycle ofpoverty and complex trauma that are rampant among women and children in theBlack community.” This is the mission of Just For You Girlfriend, the nonprofitorganization that Diane founded in 2017 and continues to lead. Having lived herpre-teen and teen years in ‘the projects’ in Chicago, Diane understands theenvironment where, without access to resources and support, many people “liveand die like they did in the projects--in abject poverty.” In 2022, Diane wrote abook to pass on crucial life lessons and wonderful witticisms learned from herown momma--Momma Wit: Words of wisdom, encouragement, inspiration, andlove. Diane lives each day with energy, enjoyment, and gratitude. "Connect with DianeEmail: dddemartra@gmail.comWebsite: https://www.justforyougirlfriend.orgBook: Momma Wit (available on website)