Our Leadership Team
The leadership team of Senior Concerns brings years of experiences in both the corporate for profit business world and in non profit social services. Highly skilled professionals in their individual careers they collectively direct Senior Concerns to achieve its mission of serving frail and special-need seniors, their families and caregivers with knowledge, expertise and most importantly compassion.
For over 13 years, Andrea Gallagher has led Senior Concerns as its President, guiding the organization to local and regional acclaim, including being named the 2021 Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce and 2021 Business of the Year by the Ventura County Area Agency on Aging. Andrea’s journey into the nonprofit sector began with a deeply personal commitment. After she and her husband became caregivers to their elderly neighbors for six years, she discovered her calling: to advocate for and support seniors and their family caregivers. This passion continues to drive her leadership today. A Certified Senior Advisor (CSA), Andrea is recognized nationally for her expertise in aging and caregiving. In addition to her leadership at Senior Concerns, she serves on the Clinical Bioethics Advisory Committee at Los Robles Regional Medical Center and on the Board of Trustees for the Conejo/Las Virgenes Future Foundation—a civic think tank dedicated to regional wellbeing. Andrea is also a respected voice in the field of aging. She co-edited and contributed chapters to LIVE SMART AFTER 50! An Experts’ Guide to Life Planning for Uncertain Times, and for over a decade, has authored the Other Side of Fifty column in the Acorn newspaper. She is a sought-after national speaker on topics related to positive aging and purposeful living. Her contributions have earned her numerous honors, including:
- 2024 Woman of the Year by the Greater Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce
- 2024 Certified Senior Advisor Service to Seniors Award Finalist
- 2020 William E. Hamm Outstanding Service Award from California Lutheran University’s Community Leaders Association
To explore Andrea’s insights on aging and caregiving, visit her blog at www.rethinkingyourfuture.com.
Phone: (805) 497-0189 ext. 225
Email: agallagher@seniorconcerns.org
Louise Clements is the Director of Finance and Administration for Senior Concerns. Louise joins the team with over 14 years of nonprofit leadership experience in Finance, Human Resources and Administration. She brings dedication and resolve to complex organizational management processes, such as her instrumental role in the merger that created The ALS Association Golden West Chapter. Prior to her tenure with The ALS Association Golden West Chapter, Louise spent five years in a local CPA firm and is credited with creating and implementing a billing and time keeping system for the Firm. She is a self-motivated team player who comes to Senior Concerns with enthusiasm and commitment towards the organization’s mission.
Phone: (805) 497-0189 ext. 222
Email: lclements@seniorconcerns.org
Martha Shapiro is the Director of Programs for Senior Concerns. In this role, Martha oversees the Adult Day Program, the Caregiver Support Center, and the Senior Advocate Program. She ensures that the programs run smoothly day to day and that every participant is treated with dignity and respect to maximize their quality of life. Martha brings to this role a background in older adult services and caregiver support. She earned her Master’s degree in Social Welfare from UCLA and currently holds her License in Clinical Social Work (LCSW). Martha serves on many community committees including the Ventura County Military Collaborative, The Financial Abuse Specialist Team, The Ventura County Compassionate Care Coalition, The Dementia Care Network and the LGBT Aging Coalition of Ventura County.
Phone: (805) 497-0189 ext. 230
Email: mshapiro@seniorconcerns.org
Bridget Harvey-Elliott, Registered Dietitian, is the Director of Nutrition Services. In this role, Bridget oversees the Meals on Wheels program for Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park, and serves as the Nutrition Site Manager for the Adult Day Care program. Bridget holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from UCLA and earned her Master’s degree in Nutrition from CA State University, Northridge. She comes to Senior Concerns having worked more than 30 years in the nutrition and dietetics arena. Her experiences include development and implementation of computer software for use in the areas of Clinical Nutrition and Foodservice, management of the 6500 member professional organization for Registered Dietitians in California, and being a Community College Nutrition Instructor.
Phone: (805) 497-0189 ext. 229
Email: belliott@seniorconcerns.org
Julie Harvey is the Director of Development at Senior Concerns. Julie has over 29 years of diverse administrative, program, marketing, and fundraising experience supporting community-based organizations. Her passion for supporting seniors stems from her personal experience as the primary caregiver of her 90-year-old parents, giving her a deep understanding of the challenges faced by seniors and their loved ones.
She received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from National University and her M.A. in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary where she was awarded Female Student of the Year by faculty and nominated to Who’s Who in American Colleges & Universities. In 2008, she was awarded Congressional Recognition by U.S. Congresswoman, Grace Napolitano as Woman of the Year for her pro-bono nonprofit consulting work with BRIDGES, Inc., an organization that provides mental health and social services for persons with psychiatric disabilities and co-occurring disorders.
She received her B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from National University and her M.A. in Christian Education from Dallas Theological Seminary where she was awarded Female Student of the Year by faculty and nominated to Who’s Who in American Colleges & Universities. In 2008, she was awarded Congressional Recognition by U.S. Congresswoman, Grace Napolitano as Woman of the Year for her pro-bono nonprofit consulting work with BRIDGES, Inc., an organization that provides mental health and social services for persons with psychiatric disabilities and co-occurring disorders.
Phone: (805) 497-0189 ext. 248
Email: jharvey@seniorconcerns.org
Kayla Fowler is the Adult Day Program Team Lead at Senior Concerns. She has extensive experience in the field of caregiving and activity planning for people with dementia and other cognitive impairments. She has been in her role at Senior Concerns for over 11 years and is a valuable asset to the team. She is a trained facilitator in the Ageless Grace mind and body exercise program and uses it in the Adult Day Program to improve the lives and of her participants.
Phone: (805) 497-0189
Email: kfowler@seniorconcerns.org
Oreoluwa (Orey) Aderibigbe earned her Master’s degree in Social Welfare from UCLA. Orey went into her Master’s program with the intention of working with youth but quickly developed a passion for supporting the older adult community. She participated in the Geriatric Social Work Education Consortium (GSWEC) for both years of her Social Welfare program and learned about the unique and often underrepresented needs of older adults in community. Orey brings her experiences to her current role to ensure every homebound older adult in the meal programs has support and advocacy services.
Phone: (805) 497-0189
Email: Oaderibigbe@seniorconcerns.orgg
Elizabeth Gu has her Bachelor’s in Linguistics and a forthcoming Master’s degree in Social Work. With her linguistics background and social work experience, she hopes to bring a holistic and culturally sensitive approach to her work, striving to empower older adults to live fulfilling and dignified lives. She is eager to apply her knowledge and passion to make a meaningful difference in the lives of older adults. In her role as the Senior Advocate she is available to help people understand resources and benefits to increase their quality of life. Elizabeth is available to meet with people at Senior Concerns as well as the Goebel Adult Community Center and the Simi Valley Senior Center.
Phone: (805) 497-0189
Email: egu@seniorconcerns.org
Samantha Carnell, MSW, is a Care Manager in the Caregiver Support Center. In this role, Samantha provides education, geriatric assessment, supportive counseling, care planning, and resource and referral services to older adults and family care partners, with a special focus on family members caring for a loved one with memory loss. She holds Master’s Degree in Social Work from UCLA, and previously oversaw day-to-day operations at the Family Caregiver Resource Center at the Camarillo Health Care District. Samantha completed her clinical training in the Geriatric Medicine clinic and inpatient hospice at the Veteran’s Administration of Greater Los Angeles and the Survivor Services program at Jewish Family Services of Ventura County.
Phone: (805) 497-0189
Email: scarnell@seniorconcerns.org
Valeria Moreno, MSW, earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work from California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA). She specialized in geriatric care through internships at assisted living and memory care communities, as well as long-term care planning for veterans at the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. Valeria has previously provided caregiver support in both English and Spanish through Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, and she hopes to leverage her experiences to continue guiding and supporting family caregivers.
Phone: (805) 497-0189
Email: vmoreno@seniorconcerns.org
