2019 National Mature Media Awards Judges

We would like to thank our 2019 judges for their time and expertise in reviewing this year’s entries. Please note: Judges were not permitted to review any entries submitted by their organizations.

Interested in serving as a judge for the 2020 competition? Please complete our judging application form or contact Pat Henze, executive director, of the National Mature Media Awards program: phenze@seniorawards.com or 800-828-8225.

Susan Donley, Publisher and CEO, Stria – Stria is a digital news platform for the longevity market. Launched in 2018, strianews.com provides subscribers information, experiences and content that inspire cross-sector solutions for our aging society. Previously Ms. Donley served as Publisher and Managing Director of Next Avenue, public media’s first and only national service for America’s booming older population. Under Ms. Donley’s leadership, Next Avenue served over 45 million people at nextavenue.org. In 2015, she founded Next Avenue’s Influencers in Aging, an annual list of people changing aging in America. She was recognized for her leadership with the 2017 What’s Next Boomer Business Innovation Award for media. And she was named to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Age-Friendly DC Task Force, serving a term that lasts from 2018-2023.

Charlotte Doyle is a graduate of Trocaire College and Southern Illinois University Carbondale with degrees in Nursing and Healthcare Management respectively. She has completed post graduate work in workforce management at SIUC. As a Registered Nurse, Ms. Doyle focused on working with children and adults with special needs prior to relocating to the Chicago area. Since 1992, her emphasis has been on long term care, serving as a Clinical Care Coordinator, Clinical Analyst, and most recently, Director of Clinical Operations for a national Continuing Care Retirement Community. Now retired, Ms. Doyle continues to focus on needs of seniors serving on the Board of the Senior Council of Libertyville.

Jeff Felton is the Vice President of Interactive Innovation and he brings 24 years of offline and online marketing agency experience to Solutions Advisors. His experience spans several different industry vertical markets including healthcare, financial, retail, family entertainment and travel. Prior to joining Solutions Advisors, Jeff led production teams in the development and implementation of traditional and cross-channel direct marketing campaigns. At Solutions Advisors, Jeff serves as Vice President of Interactive Innovation. In his role, Jeff manages a team of digital specialists, including digital strategists, website designers, website developers, social media specialists and SEO/PPC experts. His primary focus is on strategic development and implementation of client digital initiatives to drive brand awareness, prospect engagement and lead conversion.

Mindi Kocurek is the Corporate Director of Marketing for HRA Senior Living. She is an accomplished, senior marketing professional with broad marketing experience, encompassing strategic planning, interactive marketing, qualitative & quantitative research, creative development, media planning, direct-marketing, public relations, and sales promotion; with the ability and skill set to provide creative, innovative, enthusiastic and forward-thinking leadership in a team environment. Mindi is focused on achieving continuous, improved business performance.

Jonathan Lavin served from 1978 to 2018 as the Chief Executive Officer of AgeOptions – formerly the Suburban Cook County Area Agency on Aging, a non-profit corporation designated by the Illinois Department on Aging under the U. S. Older Americans Act and State Act on Aging. Mr. Lavin has a Master Degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s Degree in Government from the American University, Washington D.C. Prior to working at AgeOptions, he served the City of Chicago Department on Aging for five years. He lives in Skokie, Illinois with his wife Robin, and has two grown children and grandchildren.

Di Patterson, MSG, CPG is a Media Gerontologist, founder and author at Success in Aging Centers®, Season of Life® Conferences, and Season of Life® Family Aging Consulting. Most days, Di works at her development company, Success in Aging Centers®, designing new types of social day programs for seniors. Currently, Di is co-authoring her second book with fellow-Gerontologist, Judy Good Close, CPG. Her very best lifetime work has been with and for her most incredible family!

Amy Selle is Managing Director for corecubed. She acts as a strategic marketing partner to corecubed clients, helping them achieve results in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. She believes that in a competitive market where all businesses have services to sell, it is a company’s brand and the ways it communicates with its constituents that set it apart from the pack. Amy earned a Master of Arts degree in Media and Organizational Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, both from Northern Illinois University, where she was also a graduate teaching assistant for the department of Communication Studies. Amy resides in the Chicago area with her husband and children.

Continuing his career in the field of senior programming, David Shamrock, Manager of The Patty Turner Center, has now been his role for nearly eight years. Opening its doors in 2003, The Patty Turner Center is a customer-service driven entity of the Deerfield Park District with a membership base of well-over 850 active senior adults. Members and guests can select from a wide variety of programming offered throughout the week. From excursions to lectures to theme-dinner events, the Patty Turner Center strives to provide all its patrons with abundant social and recreational opportunities! The Center also offers a complete menu of social service programs, including monthly support groups, resource assistance and a medical lending closet. The Patty Turner Center is the result of a community partnership involving the Deerfield Park District, the Village of Deerfield and the family and friends of Fred L. Turner.

Debra Sheridan is founder and President of IVY Marketing Group since 1990. IVY is an award-winning Chicago based public relations and advertising agency that specializes in senior housing and services. Under Debra’s leadership, IVY has undertaken assignments from some of the biggest, and many of the smallest senior service providers. Her firm has worked with for-profit, not-for-profit organizations, CCRC’s, nursing homes, assisted living communities, home health agencies and even with senior move manager companies. Debra has been a speaker at numerous national meetings and co-author of articles and books about marketing, public relations and advertising.

Jacqueline Trost serves as the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at REDICO and American House Senior Living Communities, a REDICO affiliated company. She leads the branding, marketing, communications, social media and public relations strategy and execution for both organizations. Prior to joining REDICO, Jacqueline served in senior marketing and communications roles for both non-profit and for-profit companies, including Village Green, Detroit Medical Center, Detroit Regional Chamber and Trinity Senior Living Communities, the long-term care and senior housing division of Trinity Health.

Kelly Walker serves as the President of the Indiana Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations Society and is the Assistant Director of Union Health Foundation in Terre Haute, IN. She has more than 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry and 20 years in marketing and public and media relations. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and a Master of Business Administration.