Meet the OutAging Committee
Arnold Aprill, born in 1952, is the Community Connections coordinator for the Aging Services team at Howard Brown Health, where he draws on his background as a community organizer in the areas of education reform, prison reform, and advocacy for the arts. He has been honored with the Community Service Award from the Chicago Community Trust, the Leadership for a Changing Word Award from the Ford Foundation, and a Fulbright Scholarship for his international work. He is an author and an award-winning theater director, and co-produced the production of The AIDS SHOW that raised money for the Chicago AIDS Foundation early in CAF`s history.
Becky Salazar has been the Executive Director of the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging for almost 4 years. She worked at Shawnee Alliance as a Care Coordinator Supervisor for 12 years prior to moving to Egyptian. Her earlier career was in mental health, working as a Case Manager, Counselor, and Manager of a day treatment and homeless program. She serves on various statewide committees, as well as remains active in local groups with a focus on aging and services to help the most vulnerable.
She teaches online classes for Shawnee Community College in Sociology. Her hobbies include running, biking, swimming, and reading
Billy Rogers (he/him) is retired and lives in Du Quoin Illinois with his spouse of 33 years. As an activist/advocate, Billy is co-chair of
GRIS, Golden Rainbows of Illinois South, serving 50 + LGBTQ elders and those aging with HIV in Southern Illinois.
Billy is also active with the group OUTAging, an organization under the
umbrella of Pride Action Tank. Billy’s proudest achievements are traveling the United States with his husband, spending winters on an island in Mexico for the past 23 years, previously owning an LGBTQ campground for 20 years, and having the privilege, to continue his activism and advocacy as an aging member of the LGBTQ 50+ community.
Britta Larson is the Senior Services Director at Center on
Halsted, the Midwest’s most comprehensive community center for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community. She is responsible for overseeing the older adult programs at Center on Halsted and the provision of case management services provided the residents of Town Hall apartments, Chicago’s first LGBT-friendly senior housing. Prior to coming to Center on Halsted Britta worked at a senior living community in the areas of social services and marketing. She is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and holds a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from North Park University. .
Carolyn Austin is the Chief Executive Officer for AgeLinc/Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland located in Springfield Illinois.
She obtained her MBA in Non-Profit Management from Hope International
University in Fullerton California and has worked for various non-profit
organizations including Illinois Ventures for Community Action, the Illinois
Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs, the Illinois Press Association, and the
American Lung Association in Illinois. She is passionate about providing
programs and services to both racial and ethnic minorities, and the LGBTQ community, and has implemented new programs to better serve these communities in her program and service area. Carolyn is a member of the Coalition of Rainbow Alliances in Springfield, and the Illinois Public Health Association’s HIV & Aging Policy Corps.
Don is a native Chicagoan with a deep commitment to social justice. Don spent his professional career in higher education administration/student affairs at the University of Illinois, Governors State University, Joliet Junior College, and IIT. He is a founding member and past president of the Association of Campus Activities Administrators. Don provided serial long-term care for his two parents while raising two sons as a single custodial parent and now has six beautiful grandchildren. Don is a member of the first “out” generation of LGBT+ seniors and finds solidarity in the commitment of the Village to active aging and diversity.
Jacqueline Boyd brings passion and expertise to the field of
aging and LGBTQ+ advocacy. A dynamic speaker, facilitator and entrepreneur, Jacqueline is the owner of The Care Plan. The Care Plan (www.the-care-plan.com) is the country’s first LGBTQ+ centered care management company. The Care Plan’s innovative model of client directed care provides advocacy, care navigation and advance planning for successful aging experiences. As part of The Care Plan’s leadership,
Jacqueline has consulted with national and local organizations such as AARP, SAGE, Howard Brown Health Centers, and AIDS Foundation Chicago to enhance services offered to LGBTQ+ older adults.
Jacqueline is a sought after speaker and author, having presented at the American Society on Aging National Conference, Creating Change
Conference, the Los Angeles County Older Adult Summit, and University of Chicago among others. She recently contributed chapters to the Life Care Management Handbook, Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Health and Aging, and authored the guide Create Your Care Plan: An LGBT Person’s Guide To Preparing For Medical Procedures.
Dr. Katie Fasullo is a board certified gerontological nurse focused on the health and wellness of older adults. She has over 14 years of experience throughout the healthcare continuum as a nurse leader and clinician. She obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Advanced Public Health Nursing from Rush University where she developed an innovative program to provide visibility for LGBTQ older adults through storytelling. Dr. Fasullo has been recognized for exploring best practices in the care of LGBTQ older adults in long-term care settings through her publication in the Clinical Gerontologist titled, “LGBTQ Older Adults in Long-Term Care Settings: An Integrative Review to Inform Best Practices.” She now serves as the Corporate Director of Population Health and Health Equity at Chicago Methodist Senior Services where she continues this work by ensuring that older adults age in a system that recognizes their whole selves. Dr. Fasullo is passionate about creating an environment for older adults where inclusion and support of LGBTQ individuals is the gold standard.
Mary Anderson, Chicago Director for AARP Illinois As the Director of Advocacy & Outreach for AARP Illinois, Mary directs AARP’s strategy for the Northern Illinois region and is responsible for overseeing AARP’s Illinois advocacy and initiatives particularly in the Chicagoland area.
AARP is the leading advocate for the 50+ generation and fights for the
issues that matter most to families — such as health care, employment and income security.
Mary brings considerable experience and talents to the position as an accomplished executive. In her most recent role as Managing
Director with Mission + Strategy Consulting in Chicago, she provided strategic consulting to nonprofit organizations with budgets ranging from $500k to $150M. There she worked directly with foundation and nonprofit executive-level clients. As Executive Director for Stand for Children in Chicago, she led the establishment of a 501c3 and c4 public education reform organization as well as a Political Action Committee.
Mary holds a Juris Doctorate from New York University School of Law, Master of Public Affairs, Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning from Princeton University, and a Bachelor of Arts with High Honors in Political Science and Economics from Swarthmore College
Michael Stone is the Legal Director for the Center for Disability & Elder Law (CDEL). As Legal Director, Michael ensures the high quality of CDEL’s legal services, supervises the work of staff attorneys, interns and volunteer attorneys. He partners with the Executive Director on the development of legal strategies for CDEL. Michael also represents clients in certain matters.
Michael began his legal career at the law firm of Kirkland & Ellis as an associate attorney in the firm’s corporate department. He later served as General Counsel for the Cook County Assessor’s Office and Chief Deputy Assessor of the Cook County Assessor. He has also served as Chief of Staff to the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Prior to joining CDEL, Michael was an attorney in private practice.
Michael has served as a Keystone Leader for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Preservation Compact, a MacArthur Foundation and Urban Land Institute led task force on preserving affordable
housing. He was also a member of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s Task Force
on Property Tax Reform.
Michael attended Harvard University as an undergraduate and earned a degree as a double major in Government and Economics with cum laude distinction. He earned his Juris Doctorate from The University of Chicago Law School.
Mike Ziri Mike spearheads an aggressive legislative agenda in Springfield, builds and strengthens relationships with officials and political leaders throughout the state and in Washington, D.C., and develops policy initiatives. He also staffs the election-related activities of the Equality Illinois Political Action Committee.
Joining Equality Illinois in January 2015, Mike brought to the organization seven years of experience working for Illinois state government, capped by a position as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. His previous positions included legislative liaison for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, legislative analyst in Gov. Pat Quinn’s office, and legal assistant for the EPA.
He also served two terms as Trustee of the Springfield Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority, making Mike the first openly gay elected official in Sangamon County.
A native of Springfield, Mike earned his bachelor’s degree at Illinois College in Jacksonville and his master’s degree at the University of Illinois Springfield. He lives in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago.
Nic M. Weststrate (PhD, University of Toronto) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Psychology and member of the Center for Research on Health and Aging in the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois Chicago. Nic is a lifespan developmental psychologist who specializes in positive aging and intergenerational relationships in LGBTQ+ communities. Specifically, Nic studies narrative ecologies of development, with a focus on the potential for intergenerational storytelling to disrupt disparities and promote health and well-being among LGBTQ+ elders and youth, while also sustaining the LGBTQ+ communities’ rich cultures and histories. His research is funded by the Spencer Foundation and RRF Foundation for Aging. Nic teaches courses on adult development and aging in contemporary society, sexuality development across the lifespan, and the psychological science of wisdom.
Phyllis spent most of her career teaching at Columbia College Chicago in the Business and Entrepreneurship Department. She currently serves as a literacy tutor through AARP’s Experience Corp. She is Co-Peer Lead for Affinity Community Services 60+ group, Trailblazers. Phyllis recently joined the board of Affinity Committee Services. She serves on the OutAging Advisory Committee at Pride Action Tank. She is a past board member of the West Chesterfield Community Association. In 1993 she co-founded Woman of All Colors Together (WACT). In 2016 she was honored with the Community Advocate Award by SAGE, Advocacy and Services for LGBT Elders. She seeks empowerment through participation and engagement.
Terri Worman (she/her/hers) is a longtime feminist, pro-choice, LGBTQ+ aging issues activist from Chicago who loves working with the OUTAging Committee! Owner of Virtual Community Hub, LLC, Terri is an educator, trainer, and consultant on aging as well as a curriculum developer both in-person and online. She is the President of the Board for the Women in the Arts/National Women’s Music Festival, Inc. and a co-producer and Onsite Workshop Coordinator for the Festival, held annually in Middleton, WI! She loves playing violin (baroque and musicals are her fav), writing and traveling with her wife, Paula Basta.
