2025 National Mature Media Awards Judges
We would like to thank our 2025 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 2026 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.
Eileen Alkabes is a seasoned communications strategist and event management professional with more than two decades of experience spanning both corporate and agency settings. She has led strategic communications across a wide range of industries—including senior living, luxury retail, arts & culture, innovation sectors, and mission-driven nonprofits. Known for her keen ability to build brand awareness through third-party endorsements, thoughtful content, and community-centered campaigns, Alkabes brings both strategy and heart to every client engagement.
Throughout her career, she has had the opportunity to collaborate with some of the nation's most respected leaders, helping organizations craft narratives that resonate and inspire action. Alkabes holds a business degree from Florida Atlantic University and credits her entrepreneurial spirit, work ethic, and integrity as the keys to her success. She lives by the belief that “how you do anything is how you do everything”—a mindset that continues to guide her work and reputation.
Carole Appleton has been a long-time advocate for older Americans and the disabled. After a 25-year career in professional sports and non-profits, she shifted to working on the COVID-19 response and Medicare Fraud. Carole's life took a turn when she uncovered that her grandmother had been a victim of elder financial fraud. That journey took 10+ years as she navigated through the various phases of the civil court system without prior experience. She is publishing her first book this fall, which is based on her elder financial fraud journey, and hopes to spark conversations about how to protect and prevent elder financial fraud of a loved one.
Jeff Berney is an experienced creative leader with a demonstrated history of developing digital and traditional campaigns that stand out and deliver real results. In his more than 28 years in the industry, Jeff has worked with clients on local, national and global marketing programs, and his work has garnered numerous awards and earned creative recognition. But while awards are nice, he prefers to focus on the real end goal: sales. A strong storyteller, Jeff loves bringing brand goals to life in a way that resonates with consumers on an emotional level — because all purchases are made for emotional reasons, and building a relationship turns buyers into long-term advocates.
Beth Carey is the Corporate Director for Brand Management & Development at Acts Retirement-Life Communities. In her role, she leads efforts to advance brand expression through internal communications, photography, events, publications, and advertising, while also crafting meaningful brand narratives that highlight resident and team member success stories. Her work involves collaborating with various departments within the organization to align marketing strategies. With extensive experience in marketing and communications, Beth specializes in creating and managing campaigns that enhance brand visibility and engagement. As a skilled creative director, she brings a thoughtful approach to storytelling, combining strong writing skills with impactful visuals to develop content for publications, websites, social media, and other communication channels.
Beth joined Acts Retirement-Life Communities in 2016 after spending a decade as Marketing Director at Kelsh Wilson Design, a strategic communications firm. She previously held leadership positions in marketing, admissions, and fundraising in higher education. Beth earned her undergraduate degree in English and American Studies from Franklin and Marshall College and pursued graduate studies at West Chester University.
Vicki Dar is a respected media leader and veteran publisher with a distinguished career dedicated to elevating senior voices. As the driving force behind Eagle Publishing, she launched South Dakota Senior, a dynamic online network that fosters community, connection, and engagement among older adults. Through her vision, seniors across the state gain access to meaningful content, trusted information, and a vibrant peer community.
Jeff Doggett, Creative Director, Doggett Advertising
Derek Dunham, VP Client Services, Varsity Branding
Janis R. Ehlers, MBA, heads The Ehlers Group, a national strategic marketing and communications company she started 25 years ago. Senior living communities are the company’s specialty. The Ehlers Group has received numerous awards for creativity and unique strategies geared to their clients’ needs. Prior to forming the company, Janis was a vice president marketing-public relations for two major real estate development corporations who were forerunners in active adult communities. She holds a B.S. degree in Journalism from the University of Florida and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University. She also is certified by The Riva Training Institute in focus group moderating. Ehlers authored three books including the award-winning book Marketing Senior Housing, Second Edition in 2010 and Successful Senior Housing Marketing Events in 2019. In her free time she’s an avid photographer.
Denise Graab is Director of Reviews and Marketing at Caring.com, a leader in senior living referrals and reviews. Denise has three decades of marketing communications experience, with a focus on social media and online reviews for the past 17 years. Since joining Caring in 2010, she’s helped establish and manage the longest-running, highest-integrity senior care reviews program on the web, and oversees the annual Caring Stars service excellence award.
David Hodge is the Chief Creative Officer at Anstey Hodge Advertising Group, and he has won over 250 awards for his creative from the American Advertising Federation (AAF), as well as awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and the League of Communications Professionals. David is a recipient of the AAF’s Silver Medal Award, a lifetime achievement award and one of the organization’s highest honors. In addition, he serves as an AAF ADDY awards judge and has judged competitions in markets nationwide, including Buffalo, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Houston and Spokane. David holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Radford University.
Meghan Longley, VP Sales, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
Dave Martino, President, Martino & Partners
Lauren Messmer has 20 years of experience in strategic marketing management in the senior living industry. As the President of Solutions Advisors, she specializes in marketing planning and strategy for new developments, and repositioning and expansion of senior living communities. She conducts assessments of existing communities' marketing and sales efforts to provide recommendations regarding opportunities for improvement and increased return on investment. Lauren also oversees the creative and digital team at Solutions Advisors to ensure lead generation and advancement tactics are appealing, effective and on-brand.
Eric Minehart, VP Strategy and Innovation, PRS. Eric, a licensed Nursing Home Administrator, oversees marketing and brand strategy for the entire Pacific Retirement Services family of communities. He is passionate about challenging the commonly held perception that aging in the home is preferable to moving to a senior living community.
Karen Reasoner is the Creative Director at Porter One Design in Farmington Hills, Michigan, where she has led a talented team for over a decade. Under her direction, the company has developed marketing and educational materials for hundreds of post-acute, assisted living, and independent living communities across the country. A lifelong visual thinker who has always dreamed in color, Karen naturally sees the spatial relationships that bring design projects to life. Outside the office, she explores her passion for fine art through various mediums including waterbrush, oil pastels, and photography. Much of her creative inspiration comes from time spent outdoors hiking, running, and camping with her husband and their dogs.
Tim Rinehart (he/him) has been working in health communications for over 10 years, spanning a range of organizations, from non-profits to large medical publishers. He holds a Master of Science in Science Communication from Drexel University as well as a Health Literacy Specialist certificate from the IHA. He lives in Philadelphia.
Loren A. Roberts is a storyteller at heart — a creative director and brand strategist who helps organizations discover and share what makes them truly unforgettable. Through his firm, Hearken Creative Services, he’s spent over two decades helping causes, companies, and creatives craft visual identities and marketing strategies that move people to action. Whether designing a logo, launching a campaign, or shaping a film, Loren’s work is rooted in curiosity, clarity, and a deep respect for the power of story to change minds — and build relationships that last.
Stuart Rosenthal has been publisher and editor of the Beacon newspapers since he and his wife, Judy (the CEO), established the company in 1989. More than 300,000 people read the three free editions of the Beacon published monthly for the Greater Washington, Greater Baltimore and Howard County areas.
Stuart is a graduate of Michigan State University, Yale Law School, and Oxford University, which he attended on a Marshall Fellowship. He is also a past president of the North American Mature Publishers Association, the association representing newspapers for older adults throughout the country.
Patti Scheck brings over 21 years of experience as an art director and creative director for both regional and national clients. For the past decade, her work has focused exclusively on the senior living industry. As creative director at Solutions Advisors, she leads the development of thoughtful, strategic creative—and is proud to be part of a team that has earned more than 50 National Mature Media Awards.
Rob Siedenburg, PrimeLife Times copyeditor, grew up on a hill farm in northwestern Illinois. He has degrees from Shimer College and Western Illinois University. He teaches advanced academic writing at the University of Illinois and has authored several books. His background includes a career as a military intelligence linguist, with duty in numerous countries. He has been a dairy farmer, mechanic, park ranger, translator, and editing manager. His hobbies include woodcarving, table-making, bicycling, hiking, reading, and writing.
Bonnie Sisson is the Community Relations-Fundraising Manager at AgeSpan and charged with the responsibility of fund/friend raising, public relations and marketing. She enjoys what she refers to as a 46-year adventure at the non-profit agency in a variety of different departments, but always with a sincere commitment to help older adults, caregivers and people with disabilities remain safe and independent at home. She has also experienced caregiving first-hand for many years - first for her mother who suffered from Alzheimer's Disease, her uncle and finally her father.
Rob Smith, Executive Creative Director, Varsity Branding
Michael Stakem, Director of Creative Service, Creating Results
Christina Taylor, Director Communications, Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America
Katie Walters, Event Manager, Bonita Bay Community Association |
