President Dawn Butler MSW, JD, AGSF Dawn Butler received her Bachelor of Social Work from Indiana State University and Master of Social Work from Indiana University. Ms. Butler received her law degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law. After beginning her social work career in long term care, Ms. Butler was one of the first social workers to join the original GRACE program at Eskenazi Health (formerly Wishard Health Services) and served in this capacity for seven years, a span that included the research trial. Upon completing her Juris Doctorate, Ms. Butler worked for a general practice firm before returning to IU Geriatrics in 2012 to serve as the Director of the newly established GRACE Training and Resource Center. In addition to serving as the Director of the GRACE Center, she provides program management and co-direction to a portfolio of projects including a HRSA funded Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program. Ms. Butler has been a long time member of AGS and IGS, serving at the national level as the Section leaders for the Social Worker Section of AGS. Ms. Butler has just completed a four-year term serving as co-leader of the Program Planning Committee at IGS.
Past President Todd James, MD, FACP, AGSF Todd James is a Professor of Medicine at UCSF Division of Geriatrics (https://profiles.ucsf.edu/todd.james). He received his medical degree and clinical training at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. He completed a Geriatrics Academic Career Award program at Indiana University. He provides inpatient care at University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Medical Center at 1) The Acute Care for Elders Program and 2) The Geriatrics-Orthopedics Co-Management Program. Dr. James teaches health professionals about geriatric syndromes and principles of care for older adults, including functional assessments, prognosis, caregiver support and coordination of care. He is co-leading a Geriatric Emergency Medicine Program at UCSF: he Age-Friendly Emergency Department Program. He is an educator in the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Project called Optimizing Aging. Dr. James has extensive experience in new models of care and house calls medicine. He was previously a medical director for IU GRACE Team Care (http://graceteamcare.indiana.edu/home.html). Dr. James serves as the Treasurer of the Indiana Geriatrics Society
Education Committee Chair Tamara Wolske, MS, MPhil, CPG, CSA Academic Program Director and Assistant Professor in Aging Studies. Affiliation: University of Indianapolis, College of Health Sciences, Interprofessional Health & Aging Studies, Indianapolis, Indiana. Tamara Wolske is the Academic Program Director for Aging Studies Programs, an Assistant Professor in Aging Studies, and an affiliated faculty member of the Center for Aging & Community, University of Indianapolis. She is a credentialed professional gerontologist (CPG) through the National Association for Professional Gerontologists and a Certified Senior Advisor®. Wolske's areas of focus include global ageing, end-of-life issues, cultural awareness, economics and aging, as well as workforce issues and culture change in long-term care settings. She holds an A.A. in Psychology and a B.A. in Sociology from Marian University, a Master of Science in Gerontology from the University of Indianapolis, and a Master of Philosophy from the International School of Management in Paris, France. Ms. Wolske serves as a member on the Workforce Committee for Indiana Health Care Association (IHCA/INCAL), a member of the Public Policy Committee for LeadingAge Indiana, Lead for the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) COSAR Sub-Committee: Member Insights, Institutional Representative for UIndy with the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education, Chapter Representative for the Delta Mu Chapter of the Sigma Phi Omega (SPO) National Honor & Professional Society for Gerontology, Secretary on the board for the Indiana Inter-College Council on Aging, and President-elect for the Indiana Geriatrics Society (IGS).
Treasurer Kathy Frank, RN, PhD, AGSF Kathy Frank, RN, PhD, AGSF is the Program Administrator for IU Geriatrics at Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine; one of only 25 designated Hartford Foundation Centers of Excellence in Geriatric Medicine. Dr. Frank provides assistance and support to the Director of Geriatrics in the coordination, development, and strengthening of clinical care services, education, and research in geriatrics. Dr. Frank currently works on the HRSA GWEP grant as a Co-Director, the Indiana's Nursing Home COVID-19 Action Network (NHCAN) ECHO as a Cohort Leader, and is the Project Manager for the Indiana Alzheimer's Disease Programs Initiative funded by the Administration on Aging and Administration for Community Living US Department of Health and Human Services.Dr. Frank has been active with the American Geriatrics Society for several years, including the Co-Chair of the Committee of the State Affiliates, was on the AGS board for several years, and received the designation of the American Geriatrics Society Fellow in 2015. In 2006 she initiated the creation of the Indiana Geriatrics Society and facilitates their continuing education programs. She is currently the IGS Education Committee Chair. Her doctorate degree is in Community Health Nursing and Public Policy with a Certificate in Non-Profit Management. She was awarded the Individual Recognition for Exceptional Contribution to Geriatrics and Gerontology in 2010 from the Indiana Public Health Foundation, Incs.
Program Planning Committee Chairperson Teresa DeLellis, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP, AGSF Teresa DeLellis is assistant professor of pharmacy practice in transitions of care at Manchester University in Fort Wayne, IN and an active member with leadership experience in several local and national organizations including the American Geriatrics Society (AGS), the Indiana Pharmacists Association (IPA), and the American Academy of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). Over the last 5 years in these organizations she has chaired several programming committees in AACP, served on the board of directors for IPA, and formed several research collaboration groups. Dr. DeLellis’s consistent involvement in the AACP Geriatric Special Interest Group (SIG) through committees, leadership roles, and scholarly and service contributions have earned her the Leadership Appreciation (2019) and Outstanding Service Awards (2020) from the SIG. As a board-certified geriatric pharmacist and pharmacotherapy specialist, she leads development of geriatric programs at Dupont hospital that have resulted in accreditation as a Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and designation as a Level 3: Senior Friendly NICHE facility.Dr. DeLellis is the longest tenured member of the interprofessional leadership team for the region’s Care Transition Coalition, whose successful transitions of care pilot programs have earned national recognition by CMS-contracted Quality Improvement Networks and Organizations. She was recently elected board president of her county’s TRIAD organization, also nationally renowned for distinct success in medication take-back programs. Teresa’s program of scholarship intersects across geriatrics, transitions of care, deprescribing, and pharmacogenomics and includes two grant-funded endeavors in their final stages of completion. Teresa earned her PharmD degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI followed by a 2-year Geriatrics residency and Faculty Development Fellowship at UPMC St. Margaret in Pittsburgh, PA.
Engagement & Collaboration Committee Chairperson Michael Lamkin, MBA Michael Lamkin is an Experienced Business Development manager, with a proven record of revenue growth, market expansion, and development of new referral relationships. Currently working for CarePatrol of North Indianapolis, Michael has worked in the senior services industry for 8 years. A strong sales professional with in-depth knowledge of consumer behavior and market research, Michael attended Purdue University for his undergraduate degree, and Butler University for his Master's degree in Business Administration. Michael is currently married with two children, and enjoys exploring the outdoors with them in his free time.
COSAR Representative
Regina Smith, MSA Regina Smith has over 35 years’ experience working with individuals, families, and older adults as a medical assistant. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Social Work from Indiana University Purdue University. Regina is a skilled Social Worker with demonstrated success in the areas of geriatric care, dementia, grief and end of life counseling, and facility operation, leadership, marketing, and people management. Regina currently serves the older population as a medical social worker in long term care. She also serves as a board member for Meals on Wheels and Indiana Geriatric Society as a Committee member. Regina will be graduating with her doctorate degree (DSW) from Simmons University in 2024.