Trudy Atkins has a BA from UNC-CH and an MFA from UNC-G. She has a foreign and domestic journalism career of more than forty years interrupted between 1983 and 1986 when she served as Assistant to UNC President, William Friday. Recently she is involved with development of a new senior publication in the Greensboro area, “Triad Retirement Resource Guide.” She is a recent member of AARP’s state level legislative advocacy committee. Her focus project involves development of an intergenerational, cross-cultural program, Culture Keepers, through the Center for Creative Retirement in Greensboro.
Janet Harrison brings over 20 years experience in a variety of roles including organization development, coaching, engineering, information technology, human resources and project management. She has a BS degree from NCSU and a Master of Science in Organization Development from American University/NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Sciences. She currently works for Resources for Seniors, Inc. in Wake County. She assists clients with accessing home and community based supportive services so they can maximize their independence, staying home as long as possible. Her focus project involves looking at environmentally friendly options for home maintenance and repair.
Margie Rose has a long history in public health in North Carolina from 1968 to 1996 when she retired as head of the Women’s Preventive Health Branch, Women’s Health Section. She has a BA from Duke University, an MPH from UNC CH and she received a JD from NC Central. Since retirement from government employment, Margie has been a practicing attorney and partner in her law firm. She is also a very active volunteer and advocate particularly in public health issues. Her focus project involves examination of guardianship reform efforts and options in North Carolina.
John Wasson served over 30 years in county departments of social services in North Carolina; as assistant director in New Hanover County and as Director in Stokes and Cleveland. He has a BA from Guilford College, an MSW from UNC CH and has done doctoral work in public health at Chapel Hill. He has a longtime interest in addressing the needs of persons residing in institutional care and in 2007 received the Sharon Wilder Advocacy Award from Friends of Residents in Long Term Care. He is currently retired and is an active Hospice volunteer in Caldwell County. His focus project involves examining the barriers to recruiting and retaining male volunteers in the hospice program.
Shirley Wiggins is a lifelong resident of Gaston County. She attended Gardner Webb and Gaston County Community College and received a tailoring degree from NC Vocational Textile School. Now retired, she was the owner of Gaston Monogram and vice-president and joint owner of Eastern Security Services, Inc. She is active in state and local Democratic Party functions. She has been a citizen appointee to the NC Study Commission on Aging. She is currently an AARP volunteer lobbyist and is the Gaston County delegate to the NC Senior Tar Heel Legislature. Shirley’s focus project is to study policy options to change the state’s homestead exemption act for seniors.
Jim Wikle of Lexington, NC has a career of almost 40 years in the private sector in large corporations and with new business startups. He has a BA from Mars Hill College and an MBA from the Babcock School of Business at Wake Forest University. He worked briefly for the federal government and spent most of his career in the private sector as an employee, business owner and as an investor. Through recent work as a volunteer for NCSHIIP, the Davidson County Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee and the Senior Planning Committee he has developed an interest in the grant funding process for the many senior related services in Davidson County. The focus of his work with the Senior Leadership Program will be to develop senior services grant funding flow charts to be used to educate citizens, and public/private aging professionals.
