Who We Are: Administrator and Staff
Eldercare Partners Administrator:
Krista O’Connor started her position as the Eldercare Partners Administrator for the Strategic Alliance for Senior Services in February, 2007. Ms. O’Connor holds a Master of Arts degree in Health and Human Services Administration. In addition, during the past ten years, she has held a number of management positions in the local health care and human services industry; including HealthPartners, UCare Minnesota and the Neighborhood Health Care Network. Her focus has been in the areas of managed care programming, health promotion, grant and contract compliance and project management for organizations serving the uninsured and underinsured populations. Ms. O’Connor can be reached at krista.oconnor@darts1.org or 651-234-2251.
Care Management and Caregiver Services Staff:
Deb Hoger, Licensed Social Worker, has worked with Senior Community Services as a senior outreach worker since 1991, working with older adults and their families as a care manager and caregiver coach and counselor. Deb often facilitates family meetings and she arranges a series of caregiver education classes.
Kathryn Ringham, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, MSW, MA in Leadership. Kathryn is a medical social worker with Wilder’s Home Health Care Program and supervises Wilder’s Social Work staff. She also provides care management and caregiver coaching and counseling and has facilitated many family meetings.
Kathy Pansegrau , BS, Social Work, is a service coordinator for DARTS, working with residents in a West St. Paul apartment building and coaching and counseling family caregivers. She also has experience in care management with mental health clients.
Lori Angus, Licensed Social Worker, joined the Senior Community Services staff as a senior outreach worker in 1987 after doing advocacy work at Little Brothers, Friends of the Elderly. Laurie does caregiver coaching and counseling and provides outreach to seniors by way of her special interest in working with isolated seniors who have mental health issues.
Lynn Cibuzar, Licensed Social Worker, is a service coordinator for DARTS. Lynn works with seniors to determine needed services and with families to support their caregiving efforts with coaching, counseling, and care management. She has worked at DARTS since 1991 and is a leading presenter of education sessions on aging and caregiving issues.
Marian Danielson, Licensed Independent Social Worker, MSW, has been a senior outreach worker with Senior Community Services since 1994, providing care management and caregiver coaching and counseling. She has had experience in hospice, crisis counseling, adult protection, and working with people with multiple sclerosis.
Missy Ekern , MA, has worked with seniors and caregivers for over two years. Prior to joining HSI, she was a member of the mental health department at the Minnesota Veterans Home - Minneapolis. Missy received a Master of Arts degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas. She has over 45 hours of post-degree training in caregiver and aging issues and her specialty areas include family caregiving (including Alzheimer's caregiving) and transitions/adjustments related to aging.
Peg Kamholz, Licensed Social Worker, has done geriatric social work for 17 years, the last 15 at Senior Community Services as a senior outreach worker. Peg has led caregiver support groups for over 10 years and provides caregiver coaching and counseling.
Penny Dobbins, Licensed Social Worker, has a myriad of experiences working with elders and caregivers since joining the Senior Community Services senior outreach staff in 1986. She does group facilitation, working with groups of diabetics, those who are hard of hearing, women experiencing change, and caregivers. She has expertise in health insurance counseling, coordinates an educational series for caregivers, and provides caregiver coaching and counseling.
Susan Makela, Licensed Social Worker, , is an outreach worker and caregiver coach and counselor with Senior Community Services with a specialized background in conservatorship and Medicare-related health insurance issues. Before coming to Senior Community Services in 1996, Susan worked with isolated elders at Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly for 16 years coordinating volunteers.
