Welcome to the 2024-2025 Program Year
The Advance Arlington Board will provide several opportunities for combined in-person and virtual hybrid programs throughout the year with remaining programs hosted on Zoom. Stay tuned to our website and emails for updates.
Viewers may also watch our programs live or afterwards on our Facebook Page, and the recordings will be uploaded to our "Past Programs" tab as well.
April Program
What Does Aging in Arlington Look Like?
April 9, 2025 at 7:00 pm
In Person at Lubber Run Community Center
300 North Park Drive, Arlington, VA 22203
and Virtual Via Zoom
Aging is often the conversation we put off until it’s too late – but it’s happening to all of us, every day. How can we better prepare for this inevitable chapter of life, especially in a vibrant community like Arlington?
Join us for an open discussion about what aging in Arlington really looks like today and in the future. We’ll explore the challenges, opportunities, and resources needed to ensure we can age comfortably, independently, and with dignity in the place we call home. Whether it’s for you now or for loved ones down the road, let’s start the conversation and take action together.
Maimoona Bah, Moderator, Division Director, Aging and Disability Services, Arlington County
Maimoona Bah currently leads the Division of Aging & Disability Services which provides clinical, and community based supportive services. The division serves and works alongside members of the community to promote health equity, safety, and positive aging outcomes through a variety of local, state and federally funded programs in Arlington and across the region.
Maimoona has served in various leadership capacities in Arlington for the past 15 years. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and holds graduate and undergraduate degrees in Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Among many great attributes, Maimoona is best known for her passion in motivating teams, advocacy in aging services, mentoring, and building coalitions to improve outcomes for optimal aging.
Christine Dolan, Founder and CEO, C. Dolan and Associates
Christine is a Daily Money Manager with a passion for assisting clients who feel stressed and overwhelmed navigating their financial matters. Clients include seniors struggling to keep up with their financial paperwork; adult children of those seniors trying to help their parents cope while remaining independent among others.
A third generation Arlingtonian, she is a business operations professional with more than 20 years of experience working with both startup and Fortune 500 companies including PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte. Her experience includes project management, contract management, bookkeeping (balancing, reconciling and managing accounts) and office management. Christine is a graduate of Flagler College where she majored in Business and Communications and has an M.B.A. from Marymount University.
Marta Hill Gray, President, Culpepper Garden
Marta Hill Gray is the President of Culpepper Garden Affordable Senior Housing, in Arlington and is a tireless supporter of older adults and marginalized populations and their unique needs. With over 30 years experience in media, marketing, sponsorship and communications, Marta Hill Gray has worked with a range of businesses both in the US and internationally, from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups. Before going out on her own she served as the head of sponsorship for Sesame Workshop, parent company of the beloved “Sesame Street” brand and television show, along with other notable children’s programs.
Mitch Opalski, Certified Dementia Practitioner, Synergy Home Care
Mitchell Opalski graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1986 with a degree in Accounting and Finance. After many years in the world of Financial Auditing, he joined the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) on Capitol Hill. As COO there he fell in love with the concept of taking care of people at home and eventually pivoted his health care career to open his own franchise agency, SYNERGY HomeCare of Arlington. His agency is now one of largest in the SYNERGY HomeCare nationwide franchise system, and for the past three years his agency has been named one of the top 100 in the nation based on high customer satisfaction ratings gathered by the industry watchdog - Home Care Pulse.
Wendy Zenker, Executive Director, Arlington Neighborhood Village
Wendy Zenker is the Executive Director of Arlington Neighborhood Village (ANV) since October 2017. Prior to joining ANV, Wendy was a Senior Vice President for the National Council on Aging, where she directed the implementation of nationwide programs to improve the health and financial well-being of older adults, especially those with low incomes; and before that she had a 30+ year career with the Federal Government, her last position as the Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation for National Service (now AmeriCorps), which oversees the AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs, two of the biggest volunteer programs in the nation.
Did you miss our March Program
Leaning In: Examining Gender Equality and the Path Forward in the
Workplace and Beyond
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
In recognition of Women’s History Month, this powerful panel discussion dove into the complex challenges professional women face in balancing career ambitions with personal well-being. Featuring a dynamic group of women leaders, who tackled the question: Is it truly possible to "have it all"?
The panelists explored how shifting societal norms, workplace policies, and personal perspectives can create an equitable environment that not only empowers women to succeed but also ensures equal opportunities for all to thrive in the workplace.
Thank you to our program moderator, Kathleen McSweeney, and the panelists Kate Bates, Monique Bryant and Candice Lopez for this candid conversation.
Kathleen McSweeney
IT Professional & Volunteer
Kate Bates
President & CEO
Arlington Chamber of Commerce
Monique Bryant
Executive Director
Challenging Racism
Candice Lopez
Assistant Director
Arlington Department of Human Services
Upcoming Programs
May Program
TBD
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
June Program
Second Annual Soiree
Celebrating Community Conversations
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
DID YOU MISS ANY OF OUR PAST PROGRAMS?
Donate/Become a Member
These funds go exclusively to implementing our educational programs, where we provide a neutral, nonpartisan setting where important local and regional issues are discussed by experts, with audience participation in lively Q&A sessions
Thank you to our Sponsors
Sips, Savories & the Arts Soiree, June 2024
Ginger Geoffrey & John Andelin
Jeanne Broyhill
Edd & Anita Nolen
We are immensely grateful for the generosity of our sponsors whose crucial contributions allow us to offer exciting programming for the upcoming year. You can find these wonderful community partners on our website's new Sponsors page here - and please consider joining this terrific list too!
2024-2025 Board of Directors
