News Release

IOA Senior Leadership Initiative Candidates Selected for 2005-2006

June 9, 2005

The Institute on Aging is pleased to announce that this year's class of Senior Leaders has been selected and includes 4 individuals with diverse and rich backgrounds.

John Suddath of Raleigh has experience as a caregiver, volunteer board member of a non-profit aging service provider, and has written a book about his experiences as a caregiver.

Barbara Gravelle of Asheville has already attended UNC Asheville's Leadership Training for Older Persons at the Center for Creative Retirement. She has been a Senior Community Worker with the Land of Sky Regional Council of Government, and she and Land of Sky received a NADO (National association of Development Organizations) 2004 Innovation Award for developing a short-term entrepreneurial project called "Children Weigh Less."

Anne Rendleman Daniel of Greensboro continues to operate a business, which focuses on insurance issues, and teaches in the Gerontology Program at UNC-Greensboro. She volunteers with Senior Resources of Guilford, the Area Agency on Aging.

Myles Walburn of Chapel Hill is president of the Continuing Care Community Residents of North Carolina and has been a member of the Continuing Care Advisory Committee of the NC Department of Insurance. He has worked with the NC Association of Non-Profit Homes for the Aging and the American Association of Homes and services for the Aging.

The Senior Leadership Enhancement Initiative is a program sponsored by the Institute on Aging. This initiative recognizes the importance of older adult leadership in addressing issues affecting citizens and provides the support necessary to complement the skills and experiences brought by the participants to the program. The program is open to any person (60+) currently residing in North Carolina. Participants in the Senior Leadership Initiative engage in a year-long program that includes a series of seminars, tutorials, and networking opportunities related to emerging aging issues in North Carolina and the development of an individualized personal leadership development plan tailored to the unique needs of each participant. Participants receive a stipend of $2000 to assist in the implementation of the personal leadership development plan.