Kay Paksoy Castillo, BSW, Executive Director

Kay joined FOR as Executive Director in March 2023. Prior to this role, Kay served as the Director of Advocacy, Policy, and Legislation for the National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter for 12.5 years where she led the Association’s advocacy efforts, provided leadership to various statewide coalitions, and served on several nonprofit Board of Directors including the Coalition on Aging. Kay received her BSW from Campbell University. Kay currently serves on the Leadership Council for the National Consumer Voice.

M. Benjamin Popkin, JD, MPH - Lobbyist and Public Policy Consultant

Popkin Strategies offers government affairs services to stakeholders in the health, insurance, and legislative affairs areas. Ben is owner of The Law Office of Maurice B. Popkin, Esquire, PLLC, through which he provides related legal services as appropriate to the needs of his clients.

Katy Johnson- (Chair)

Originally from Maryland, Katy transitioned to North Carolina in 2021 after 10 years in the skilled nursing and long-term care industry within both the private and local government public sectors. She continued within the North Carolina LTC/SNF industry until joining ECU's University Advancement team in August 2023 as Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and was just accepted into graduate school. It is both her career and personal experience as a woman with epilepsy that sparks Katy to continue seeking advocacy within the healthcare industry for aging adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers in the community. 

Judi Donovan- (Vice Chair)

Judi started her senior living career in 2003 serving as the director of operations for a full Continuing Care Retirement Community and later transitioned into a regional role supporting the organizations developing communities. With 20 years of senior living experience, Judi served in various leadership roles during this time from vice president of startup operations, regional director as well as executive director. With Judi’s strong operational experience in leading teams, she is well versed in family dynamics, creating a culture of collaboration and understanding, to ensure the best outcome in serving older adults. The importance of being able to listen and provide support to others is a core principle in her approach to service. Judi currently serves as an alternate for the North Carolina Senior Tar Heel Legislature, an advocacy body that promotes education, citizen involvement, by creating awareness and bringing forth concerns regarding the many aging issues seniors face today to the NC General Assembly. Judi has provided community educational sessions about the diverse types of senior living and long-term care options and is enthusiastic about encouraging people to plan for their future healthcare needs. She also serves on the Historic Preservation Commission within her town where she is learning a great deal about the history of the Western NC Mountain region. Judi holds a bachelor’s degree in business and an M.B.A. with a concentration in healthcare.

Bill Lamb- (Treasurer)

Bill’s resume with FOR dates back to the mid-90s when he first began his involvement with the organization, and since then he has served as the Board Chair three times, as well as being the Executive Director from 2015 to 2019. Bill’s impressive history includes serving 30-years with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Division of Aging up onto his retirement in 2000. Transitioning from there, Bill went back to work as the Associate Director for Public Service at the UNC Institute on Aging until retiring again in 2013. Additionally, Bill has served as the President of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and shows no sign of slowing down with his advocacy work. We are all grateful for his amazing commitment and continued service.

Toye Allen- (Secretary)

Toye Allen is from Charlotte. She is a credentialed advocate for victims. She is a North Carolina Peer Support Specialist, a member of the Community Advisory Committee in Mecklenburg County, a North Carolina Notary, a licensed and ordained Pastor, and a counselor with PTSD/Military. Toye is married and has 6 adult children.

Andrea Areskog

Andrea works with Novant Healthcare Systems. She resides in Charlotte, NC.

Joanne Campione

Dr. Joanne Campione has 30 years of experience as a health services researcher with expertise in measuring healthcare quality and conducting aging-related studies. She is the project director of USDHHS ACL’s National Survey of Older American’s Act Participants and she led the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) Outcome Evaluation. She is passionate about health policy and helping our states and nation with innovative solutions, programs, and policies that support the health and wellbeing of older individuals and their family caregivers.

Cindy Deporter

Cindy Deporter recently retired from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, where she was the State Agency Director at the Division of Health Services Regulation until February 2021. She was the federal liaison with CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). In her work with CMS, Cindy was on the national task force to rewrite the Immediate Jeopardy Regulations, as well as the national task force to review and help interpret the Discharge Planning regulations for the federal nursing home regulations. She has lended her expertise to other national level tasks force for CMS representing the state of NC. Cindy has a Master's in Science in Social Work. Her hobby is riding horses and is an international judge and technical delegate for the Federation Equestrian International and for the United States Equestrian Association. She lives on a small farm with my significant other with two horses, two donkeys, a cat, a pig and four dogs.

Chris Fink

Chris Fink is an advocate for adults living in long-term care, especially those whose lives are affected by mental illness and in need of permanent supported housing. Chris serves on the NC DHHS Community Advisory Committee for Nursing and Adult Care Homes for Buncombe County. He also serves on NAMI-North Carolina’s Public Policy Board and Vaya Health’s Human Rights Committee. Chris is the retired President of RetailGrowth, a division of FinkWorks, Inc. Today, Chris supports area economic development initiatives through advisory, investing, and Board leadership services to public and non-profit organizations as a member of VentureSouth, Asheville’s Elevate Accelerator and the Hatch Foundation.

Barbara J Gustinis

BJ is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the tech and software industry, having worked in roles such as enterprise sales, partner transformation, eco-system integrations, and highly visible strategic alliances. Her career has been defined by trust-building, stakeholder alignment, cross-functional collaboration, active listening, inclusivity, and embracing diverse perspectives. BJ’s strengths lie in her adaptability, creativity, empathy, critical thinking, storytelling, and driving change. BJ is on a mission to leverage her corporate skills to effect positive change and contribute to causes near and dear to her heart. She is dedicated to serving the underserved, participating in economic development, and making a difference in people’s lives. BJ’s journey is a testament to her commitment for creating a brighter, more inclusive, and prosperous world.

Amy Johnson

Amy currently works as the Communications Director at the Governor’s Institute (GI), a non-profit in Raleigh that provides education, training and support for addiction medicine and spearheads myriad Veteran initiatives across the state. Before joining the GI, Amy worked for nearly 20 years as a TV news producer. After graduating from Syracuse University, where she was on the school’s first-ever Division 1 softball team, Amy kicked off her career covering her beloved Steelers and Pirates in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She spent 12 years in the Triangle working for ABC11, leaving in 2018 as a senior producer of the 6pm newscast. Long-term care hits close to home for Amy. Her mother, an RN for more than 40 years, spent much of her career working in nursing homes and three of her grandparents received great care at one of those very facilities. Amy has been waiting to find her own way to help and is thrilled for the opportunity to bring her skillset to FOR’s effort to help long-term residents in North Carolina get the care and quality of life they deserve.

Tina Newsham

Tina completed her PhD in Gerontology at the University of Kentucky in 2011. She started a gerontology certificate program at Indiana State University and now coordinates the gerontology program at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where she is a professor. Through a community engagement lens, Dr. Newsham teaches a variety of courses focused on facilitating student understanding of the variety of aging experiences and the global implications of aging. Dr. Newsham is active in the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and serves on the American Society on Aging’s Ageism & Culture Advisory Council. Dr. Newsham is passionate about promoting well-being for all and views access to and appropriate use of finite resources as a human rights issue.

Melissa Pecoraro

Melissa’s experience with residents in long-term care spans a 25-year career working in nursing homes; initially as a physical therapist assistant (PTA), then as a social worker. As a social worker, her interest was on policy analysis, advocating for aging in place with community based services. Melissa currently takes part in NC Executive Order 280, All Ages, All Stages Multi Sector Plan on Aging’s subgroup Long Term Care Costs and Medicare.

Roger Regelbrugge

Roger currently works in the financial services industry in Charlotte, NC where he was born and raised. Since graduating from Belmont University in Nashville, TN in 2014, he has held positions in the investment banking and asset management industries, and has gained extensive experience in research, portfolio management, and risk management. Because Roger's father was a resident of a nursing home facility, Roger was introduced to Friends of Residents in 2020 due to his concern over the negative impact of certain COVID restrictions on nursing home residents in North Carolina. He looks forward to making a positive impact on the mission of Friends of Residents. 

CLICK HERE for a message from Roger Regelbrugge about how he first got started with FOR.

Cheryll Schramm

Cheryll received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska in 1966 and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, in 1968. She worked in the field of aging a majority of her work life starting with establishing Older Americans Act programs for older adults living in public housing in Marietta, Georgia. After five years, she left this position to work for the Atlanta Regional Commission as the Director of the Area Agency of Aging for the ten county Atlanta region. During this period of time, she served on the Board of the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging and served as President of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging in the early 1990s. Within the State of Georgia, she served as President of the Georgia Gerontology Association and was also a longtime member of the Georgia Council on Aging, a twenty- member body created by the legislature to advise elected officials regarding issues affecting older adults. Cheryll lives in Wilmington, NC.

Lorraine Snyder

Lorraine was born and raised in Western North Carolina where she had two grandmother's model caring for older adults and persons with disabilities. Her paternal grandmother built the first long-term care facility in Caldwell County after having the experience of caring for her mother with dementia. She spent her summers helping at the home with chores and resident support. While retired now, her personal and professional abilities in assisting, educating and protecting older adults shone throughout her career with the State of North Carolina. Lorraine worked with organizations including AARP, the North Carolina Division of Aging, State Ombudsman Office, the North Carolina Division of Adult Protective Services, the North Carolina Division for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the North Carolina Division of Services for the Blind, North Carolina Medicaid Investigators Office, the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office, Alzheimer’s Association, Dementia Alliance, and numerous state and local law-enforcement agencies across North Carolina and throughout the United States.

Dorian Sylvester

Dorian joined the Guidance Carolina (formerly Corporation of Guardianship) team in May 2014. As Executive Director, Dorian ensures all operations within the organization are consistent with Guidance Carolina’s values, mission, goals and policies. Dorian received a BA in Political Science and a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Gerontology from University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Dorian earned her Master of Social Work with a concentration in Aging from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She has a background in geriatric mental health and community-based social work practice with older adults. She has also served as an adjunct instructor teaching Elder Law at Guilford Technical Community College and at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro teaching Social Services for the Aging. Prior to Guidance Carolina, Dorian served for 11 years as Long-Term Care Program Manager and Senior Regional Long-Term Care Ombudsman at the Piedmont Triad Regional Council Area Agency on Aging. Dorian is active in numerous local, state, and national advocacy organizations. She is a passionate advocate for elder justice and is a champion for the rights of older adults and individuals with disabilities, especially those who are vulnerable or who have been victimized.

Dwain Teague

Dwain’s career spans 25-years in philanthropy/fundraising as well as serving as an academic librarian. Currently, Dwain serves as the Executive Director of the Johnston Community College Foundation, where he manages all operations of the Foundation and all fundraising activities, including managing a personal portfolio of major gift level donors/prospects and planned giving. He also manages the Foundation Board and coordinates meetings. Dwain has a BS in Communications, an MA in English, and an MLS (Master of Library Science). He holds a State of NC Certification in Public Librarianship. Dwain has been a caregiver since his childhood. He also took care of his mother while she was in long-term care.

Brenda Tremoulet

Brenda is an Advance Practice Registered Nurse, a Certified Social Worker, a certified diabetes educator and has extensive experience in public health, nursing, and social work. Brenda is a member of the Community Care Advisory Committee for Nursing Homes in Buncombe County and a resident of a Continuing Care Retirement Community.