Empowerment Panel | Emotional Intelligence in Aging
November 19 @ 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Empowerment Panel
(Followed by Mid-Month Mingle)
Tuesday, November 19
Empowerment Panel 4:30 – 5:30 pm
Mingle | 5:30 – 7 pm
This month, we explore the impact of emotional intelligence on aging in an enlightening panel discussion. Whether you are a caregiver, adult child, or just preparing for the future, this panel will help as you plan. From empathetic decision-making to isolation and financial fraud, discover how emotional intelligence can and should be a part of aging with grace.
Join us for the mentoring panel and stay for the casual after-hours at our Mid-Month-Mingle. The panel is 4:30-5:30; drop in at your convenience and stay for as long as you like for the mingle. We buy the appetizers; you buy your own beverage. As always, guests are welcome.
Panelists:
- Abby Morgan, President & CEO of Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities
- Liz Hand, CFP, ACC, Owner & Advisor at Pleasant Wealth, LLC
- Merle Griff, Founder and CEO of SarahCare
Moderator: Dawn Moeglin, Principal, Full-Circle Fundraising & a Steering Committee member for Age Friendly Stark County
Abby Morgan is the CEO at Direction Home Akron Canton. She has worked with the Aging Services Network for almost 20 years with organizations all over the country. Abby is passionate about the mission of Area Agencies on Aging to provide choices for people to live happy, healthy and with dignity in the places they call home, making Direction Home the best possible place to work. Prior to working at Direction Home, Abby held positions at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (USAging), Administration for Community Living (ACL) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Abby has a Masters in Social Services and a Masters in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College, and a MBA from Ohio University. She is a national speaker on community-integrated health networks, a trained facilitator for Organizing for Health.
Liz Hand is a dynamic Certified Financial Planner and Mindset Coach who empowers women approaching retirement through her business Pleasant Wealth, LLC and guides fellow financial advisors through transformative change as an Executive Coach. Liz’s unique approach blends financial expertise with insightful coaching, translating complex concepts into practical, life-enhancing strategies. Her mission is to help women create positive, lasting change in their financial lives – whether that is tactically with their investments or in redefining their life’s purpose in retirement.
Merle Griff is the Founder and CEO of SarahCare, a nationwide franchise of adult day health centers. As a child and family therapist, she has provided guidance to thousands of individuals caring for loved ones at every life stage, from infancy through end of life. Dr. Griff achieved the status of Amazon Best-Selling Author with her 2023 publication from Forbes Books, Solace in the Storm. Her book offers practical, user-friendly solutions for family caregivers navigating the complexities of caregiving. Having personally cared for her mother after a severe stroke and her husband until his passing, Dr. Griff brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her work.
Dawn Moeglin owns Full-Circle Fundraising, a nonprofit consulting business focused on identifying the systems, technology, and processes nonprofits need to build their financial sustainability. Dawn’s grandmother, Anna, had a tremendous influence on her life. She was the first female president of the Frito Lay Baker’s Union, president of a local Eagles, and an example of strength and independence. As a result, her nonprofit career focused heavily on serving the aging, including positions with Meals on Wheels of Stark and Wayne counties and, later, with VANTAGE Aging in Summit County. In 2020, Dawn became a founding member of the Age Friendly Stark County Steering Committee and other Women’s Impact members, including Kay Feagles, Lynne Dragomier, and Susan Sigmon. Together, the committee secured Stark County’s AARP Designation as an Age-Friendly Community, completed a county-wide needs assessment, and is currently working with stakeholders to determine the steps needed to make Stark County a livable community for all ages.
Dawn is a graduate of Jackson High School and Kent State University and resides in Canton with her husband Dan, and their empty nest puppy, Maple Sugar. They are the proud parents of three “free-range” adult children who all reside in Stark County.
