Advisory Board Members
Name: Karen Alexander
Title: Professor of Medicine/Cardiology
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: As a physician caring for older adults, a daughter with aging parents, and a parent of youth in our community, I am aware of the importance of supporting families across generations. I also know the health context of aging determines caregiving needs, just as social context can determine health outcomes. Broadening the scope to identify, engage, and support those with caregiving needs will require a village.
Name: Crystal Wiley Cene
Title: Internal Medicine physician and health services researcher
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: I have 3 main areas of interest: 1) understanding how youth caregiving contributes to social and educational disparities in for the youth; 2) understanding how physicians and other clinicians of the adult care recipients can better recognize and support young caregivers; 3) designing interventions to support young caregivers
Name: Mary Fraser
Title: Aging Transitions Administrator, Orange County Department on Aging
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: In my professional role, I am committed to supporting caregivers of all kinds so that families can stay together as long as they desire. I am Intrigued to know more about how to identify youth carers and how to provide relevant support when we do.
Name: Martin Hunicutt, Co-PI
Title: Assistant Director, Business Development, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Cardiovascular/Metabolic & Hematologic/Oncologic diseases
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: To provide strategic advice, effort and time towards developing a solid foundation for fund raising and effective program implementation that will significantly improve the lives of caregiving youth and their care receivers. This includes the development of a prevalence study within North Carolina, as well as the evaluation of interventional measures.
Name: Ellison Jones
Title: Family Caregiver Program Coordinator
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: My work aims to support adults caring for seniors and grandparents raising grandchildren. I hope to expand this by finding ways also to help youth caregivers with their care.
Name: Twanna Monds
Title: Guidance Counselor, East Chapel Hill High, CHCCS district
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: I am interested in Bookend Caregiving because of the population I serve. I work with students that are directly caring for family members without any additional support and resources for them.
Name: Elizabeth Olson, Co-PI
Title: Associate Professor of Geography and Global Studies at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: She is a founding member and co-director of the Caregiving Youth Research Collaborative, a network of researchers, practitioners and youth caregiving advocates. Her research focuses on young people, inequality, and ethics.
Name: Cherie Rosemond
Title: Director of UNC Partnerships in Aging Program
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: For 25 years, Cherie has provided leadership to community-based research, education, and practice in geriatrics and gerontology. Bookend caregiving speaks directly to Cherie’s great interest in intergenerational dialog and the social and health effects of giving and receiving care.
Name: Gwen Roulhac
Title: Student Services Coordinator, K-12 Counseling in Durham Public Schools
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: I am interested in heightening awareness about bookend caregiving and strengthening the in-school support available to caregiving youth enrolled in Durham Public Schools.
Name: Connie Siskowski
Title: Director of the American Association for Caregiving Youth
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: Connie Siskowski’s broad background in healthcare and dedication to diminishing caregiver isolation and struggles led to the 1998 establishment of what is now the American Association for Caregiving Youth. It includes the Caregiving Youth Project, the first US program to support the hidden population of child caregivers.
Name: Laura Kathryn Smith
Title: Senior at UNC-CH, Women and Gender Studies and Psychology double major
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: I am interested in bookend caregiving because I have been raised by parents with disabilities. I know how it feels to be a parent to your parents. I often felt isolated, ignored, and helpless. I want to help ensure that no one else feels that way by building networks within my community and giving caregivers the opportunity to be heard and design change based on their experiences.
Name: Michael Steiner
Title: Pediatrician at UNC
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: I work with children and young adults who have important physical and health challenges. I am interested in the systems of supports for them including their parents, siblings and communities.
Name: Ashley Sutton
Title: Pediatric Hospitalist, UNC
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: Ashley works in the area of pediatric and adolescent medicine, and is especially interested in the ways that youth caregivers might be supported through clinical settings.
Name: Janice Tyler
Title: Director, Orange County Department on Aging
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: I grew up with my grandmother living with our family. I never really thought about this being unusual or being a burden. It was a joy for her to be there and that is the reason I am in the field of aging today. The tradition continued with my family. My mother came to live with my family when my son was 12 years old. He is now 24 and has returned home from college. Unfortunately my mother passed away three years ago while he was in college. There is hardly a day that passes that we don’t mention her name. He was not a caregiver for her in the sense that he did personal care, but he often would take care of “chores,” such as bringing in her groceries or picking up the newspaper. I guess in both of these situation we were bookend caregivers, but it was never viewed as a burden. It just seemed more like it was the “right” thing to do.
Name: Mary Warren
Title: Area Agency on Aging Director for Triangle J Council of Governments
Interests in Bookend Caregiving: Interested in the needs and well-being of aging adults, including those being cared for by family and by youth caregivers.