Aging with Passion & Purpose Conference

Jeffrey L. Ahl is founder and principal of arCUREtecture architects. He has enjoyed a 35-year career as an architect with a focus on housing for aging individuals and he has worked on more than 110 such projects. Jeff’s expertise in project planning, community repositioning, budgeting, facility operations and extensive experience in senior living has made him a valuable resource for providers, planners and community leaders seeking to sustain or develop senior living options. Jeff’s unique passion for seniors led him on a year-long journey of research that involved living in numerous nursing homes across the county to experience life as an elder. This experience is the inspiration behind the name of his firm and how they provide services.

Ashton Applewhite is an Anti-Ageism Activists and Author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism

In 2022, Ashton appeared on HelpAgeUSA’s inaugural 60 Over 60 list of Americans “who are making significant contributions to society at the local, national or international level”; Fe:maleOneZero’s first international edition of 40 over 40 – The World’s Most Inspiring Women (referenced above), a group of “extraordinary women who have one thing in common: they change the world for the better”; and received the prestigious Maggie Kuhn Award for being a “visionary leader, author and advocate in combating ageism.” She has written for Harper’s, the New York Times, The Guardian, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, and has spoken at venues that range from community centers and universities to the TED main stage and the United Nations.

Shannon Guzman is the director of housing and livable communities with the AARP Public Policy Institute. She is also the deputy of the AARP enterprise Housing Issue Area, and works on housing and livable communities policy as well as building innovative partnerships in the Housing space. She provides policy analysis and guidance and develops resources to inform community members and assist local decision makers in their efforts to support residents who want to age in place. Shannon has presented on livable communities and housing policy solutions to various audiences across the country and has been quoted in local and national media. She has co-authored publications on housing, community livability, and transportation.

Anthony Warrior- is a Chef and Owner of Warriors’ Palate Catering and Consultation.During his career he has had the opportunity to work for 15 Tribal nations in healthcare, a residential home for children, and Casino/Resorts. In his teenage years he traveled and spoke on behalf of the United National Indian Tribal Youth program.

His experiences working for tribal nations has included studying and acquiring local traditional recipes, stories, and historical methods in food preparation and preservation. His approach to cultural nutrition is interconnected with feeding the mental, spiritual, and holistic balance necessary to differentiate the total health needs of each individual tribal group. His lifelong quest for education fuels his passion for learning and preparing traditional sustenance that stimulates cultural retention and community healing.

In recent years he has earned AAs in Business/Entrepreneurship from Nebraska Indian Community College, He has also received dual bachelor degrees in business management and HR Management from Wayne State College. His goals include continued research in Tribal food systems, developing an updated reference guide for tribal historians to document and preserve foraging, medicinal, and recipe analysis.