PBS’S NEXT AVENUE REVEALS “2015 INFLUENCERS IN AGING” HONORING
50 THOUGHT LEADERS WHO ARE REDEFINING AGING
Dr. Atul Gawande (“Being Mortal”) Named Influencer of the Year
Washington, D..C (October 28, 2015) – What do activist Maria Shriver, cartoonist
Roz Chast and NPR correspondent Ina Jaffe have in common with musician Glen
Campbell, explorer Dan Buettner and bioethicist Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel? They are
all among the 50 remarkable people named as the first Next Avenue Influencers
in Aging. The list, which is being published today, includes thought leaders,
executives, writers, artists, researchers, experts and everyday people who are
changing how we age and think about aging in America. Next Avenue is public
media’s first and only national service for America’s booming 50+ population.
The 2015 Influencers in Aging list also honors surgeon and author Dr. Atul
Gawande as Influencer of the Year. A Harvard Medical School professor and staff
writer for The New Yorker, Gawande is the author of the bestselling Being Mortal:
Medicine and What Matters in the End, which has had enormous impact, asking
readers to reconsider end of life choices.
“Americans are redefining what it means to grow old in this country,” said Susan
Donley, Managing Director of Next Avenue. “Our readers are hungry for new ideas,
products, policies and programs that help them live the way they want as they age.
Next Avenue's Influencers in Aging are men and women who are leading that charge.
We are proud to shine a light on their accomplishments and hope to inspire others to
engage in this important work.”
Growing older presents challenges and opportunities, not just for individuals but also
for communities, businesses and families. The individuals named as 2015 Influencers
in Aging have made important contributions in Next Avenue’s five areas of focus:
Caregiving, Health & Well-Being, Living & Learning, Money & Security and Work &
Purpose.
To explore all 50 Influencers in Aging, please visit NextAvenue.org/Influencers.
Who are the 2015 Influencers in Aging?
The list includes leaders and innovators like activist and author Ai-jen Poo, working
to improve the quality and availability of in-home care; philanthropist Bernard
Osher, greatly expanding lifelong learning in colleges and universities; inventor
Barbara Beskind, bringing fresh thought to product design at age 91; Karen
Fredriksen-Goldsen, shedding new light on the needs of LGBT elders and Marc
Freedman, leader of the encore career movement.
How were the honorees selected?
Naming just 50 honorees was challenging. To select the honorees, Next Avenue’s
editorial team considered a diverse pool of hundreds of people and consulted with a
distinguished panel of outside advisers including experts in health, housing, work,
media, philanthropy and gerontology. To be considered for the list, individuals had to
be engaged in improving the lives of older adults through their work or by example.
While Next Avenue serves those 50-years-old and older, nominees did not need to
be older than 50.
The complete list of Next Avenue 2015 Influencers in Aging:
CAREGIVING
Roz Chast
Barbara Coombs Lee
Karen I. Fredriksen-Goldsen
Dr. Atul Gawande
Lisa Genova
Larry Minnix
Dr. Laura Mosqueda
Ai-jen Poo
Maria Shriver
Dr. Bill Thomas
HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Jennie Chin Hansen
Dr. Ezekiel J. Emanuel
Dr. Linda P. Fried
Cynthia Kenyon
Dr. Joanne Lynn
Kevin J. Mahoney
Dr. Bruce Miller
Felipe Sierra
Ken Smith
Nora Super
LIVING & LEARNING
Barbara Beskind
Dan Buettner
Donna Butts
Glen Campbell
Laura L. Carstensen
Joseph F. Coughlin
Katy Fike
Rodney Harrell
Ina Jaffe
Bernard Osher
MONEY & SECURITY
Susan Collins
Nora Dowd Eisenhower
Vickie Elisa
James Firman
Kathy Greenlee
Cindy Hounsell
Cynthia Hutchins
J. Mark Iwry
Laurence J. Kotlikoff
Alicia H. Munnell
WORK & PURPOSE
Sudipto Banerjee
Peter Cappelli
Tobey Dichter
Marc Freedman
Carrie Hessler-Radelet
Dr. Philip Pizzo
Lauren Stiller Rikleen
Ofer Sharone
Lester Strong
Barbara Vacarr
About Next Avenue
Next Avenue is public media’s first and only national service for America’s booming
50+ population. Our mission is to meet the needs and unleash the potential of older
Americans through the power of media. We do this by providing news, information
and advice to help our audience navigate their lives and inviting them to join in an
ongoing conversation about the issues and transitions we all face. Twin Cities PBS
produces Next Avenue for the PBS system and 84 PBS stations are local affiliate
partners. Our content extends far beyond our website, through our national network
of media partners and government and nonprofit allies. Next Avenue relies on
sponsorship partners to make our service possible. For more information, please visit
www.nextavenue.org.
Media Contact
Elliott Walker
Strategic Communications & Planning (SCP)
610.687.5495 or 917.846.6334
ewalker@aboutscp.com
Next Avenue Contact
Susan Donley
Managing Director, Next Avenue
202.248.1649
sdonley@nextavenue.org
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