Michigan Health Policy Forum
A Non-Partisan Venue to Discuss Health Policy
Hosted by Michigan State University
The Michigan Health Policy Forum is Pleased to Present the Fall 2024 Forum
"Social Isolation and Loneliness: Creating Connections that Improve Lives"
Dr. Jeremy Holloway, PhD, is formerly a Geriatric Professor and Director of Geriatric Education at the University of North Dakota, and now assistant professor focused on Health Equity, Resiliency, and Social Connection at New Mexico Highlands University. His research is concentrated on the social determinants of health, particularly self-efficacy, connectedness, and resiliency in older adults. Dr. Holloway developed a curriculum centered on intergenerational programs, incorporating growth mindset, reminiscence therapy, mindfulness, guided imagery, and S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting practices to enhance the internal qualities and self-agency of older adults. These best practices for wellness and health promotion address the critical needs related to loneliness and social isolation. Dr. Holloway is also a strong advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly concerning Social Determinants of Health for all peoples.
Barbra Link is a senior quality consultant at iMPROve Health where she worked on spreading best practices and developing quality improvement interventions for the Addressing Social Isolation in Older Adults through Pharmacies Project and care transitions projects in the state of Michigan. Ms. Link is a Licensed Masters Level Social Worker and has over 30 years of experience in the field of aging and disabilities. She has worked as a social worker in a variety of health care settings from geriatric primary care to providing in-home care management to people living with dementia and their family members. Before coming to iMPROve Health, Ms. Link was the Director of Care Transitions with the Area Agency on Aging 1B in Southfield Michigan.
Dawn is the Director of the Division of Maternal & Infant Health and the Title V Maternal Child Health Director for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. She has over thirty years’ experience in maternal and child health in the non-profit sector and local and state government levels. Dawn possesses undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Nursing from Saginaw Valley State University and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Michigan. She is commitment to assuring that the voices of families are heard and has spent her entire professional career fighting for social justice and health equity.
Lauren Kazee received her BSW in 1993 and her MSW in 1994 both from University of Illinois in Chicago, Jane Addams College of Social Work. As a licensed professional, she worked in inner city Chicago as a therapist for children in foster care. Then, while living in Ohio and later in Michigan she worked as a school social worker and continued as an outpatient therapist part-time. Her work in the school system, lead her to a contractual position as the Mental Health Consultant for both the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). She established and conducted mental health and trauma trainings for educators statewide. She led the team at MDE in the creation of Michigan’s Birth through Grade 12 Social and Emotional Learning Competencies, along with companion resources to support SEL implementation. She co-developed nine SEL online modules for educators housed at Michigan Virtual. In addition to Lauren’s expertise in the student mental health and SEL arena, she has expanded her career to include a focus on educator well-being. She launched her Living S.L.O.W. LLC in 2018 and has since provided keynote, breakout sessions, and consultation to hundreds of educators around self-care. Currently, she maintains various contracts while also working part-time for the TRAILS school mental health program.
Jileesa Irwin is a woman with a disability, a mother, and a member of the LGBTQ+ community. She is passionate about advocating for disability rights and accessibility and enjoys spending time with her family. She is constantly seeking to learn and grow in all areas of her life.
Jileesa has a passion for the outdoors, and enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, and rock hunting. Jileesa combines her passions and her experiences and informs the disability community about assistive technology for outdoor recreation as an Outdoor Recreation AT Specialist for the Michigan assistive technology program (MATP).
In addition to her role with MATP, Jileesa has been involved with Her Power! (a camp for teen girls with disabilities) since 2010. She has been a camp counselor, introduced participants to accessible outdoor recreation opportunities, has helped campers by acting as a personal assistant, and has been involved with the recruitment and registration process.
Abby is a proud neurodivergent woman with a passion for assistive technology (AT) and spreading the word about disability pride! Abby began her involvement with MDRC in 2010 as part of Her Power! Her Pride! which is a yearly four-day event where girls across Michigan challenge media stereotypes and shatter myths about what it means to be a teen girl with a disability and develop/strengthen their disability pride. In 2018, Abby began working part-time at MDRC as an administrative assistant. From there she started working on various programs including LDO, YELL and AT. Then in 2021, went full-time on the AT program. Abby has many special interests including: being in nature, entomology, photography, crafting, video games and reading. Most of all she is passionate about making gaming more accessible. She is very excited to help expand the AT program by heading up AT for gaming. She believes that it is not only a great way to have fun and/or de-stress, but also an important part in battling social isolation by creating a way to connect with others virtually.
Rose Goyings is the Supervisor of Community Outreach at Meridian, a Michigan Medicaid health plan, where she leverages over 10 years of experience in social work and as a community health worker to lead the community engagement team. A proud member of the MDHHS' SDOH Community Influencer Program, Rose is passionate about public health and is dedicated to ensuring that all Michiganders have equitable access to healthcare and social supports. Skilled in fostering connections, she is excited to discuss strategies for combating social isolation and loneliness at today’s forum.