Meet Our Team
Joon Bang
Rinaldo Washington
Stephanie Hubbard
Nina Austin
Sarah Grogan
Deb Rubenstein
Suzy Russell
Jeneen Y. Ramos
Jeneen Y. Ramos
Patricia A. Earnest
Patricia A. Earnest
Sam C. Kilpatrick
Sam C. Kilpatrick
Ruthann Bates
Ruthann Bates
I am skilled in business development, program development, project management, customer service, and strategic planning—Including mergers and acquisitions. My background includes more than 35 years of experience in government contracting, primarily for Federal health agencies. I have a M.A. in Chemistry from Columbia University in New York, and a B.A. in Chemistry from Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts. My husband, Richard D. Bates, Jr., is a Professor Emeritus of Chemistry at Georgetown University, and I have two children, both married, and a grandson.As a Vice President at Lockheed Martin (from which I retired), I had profit/loss responsibility for a $200M health business of 2000 employees. There, my responsibilities included managing both information and communications programs on HIV/AIDS, cancer, genetic and rare diseases, clinical trials, and other topics for the NIH, CDC, FDA, DoD, and other Federal agencies.My philanthropic experience includes serving as a board member of the Hope for Children Fund, a nonprofit devoted to supporting children orphaned by AIDS in Ethiopia. I also volunteer for several, local civic organizations. Since 2018, I have been privileged to serve on Iona’s Board of Directors, and believe strongly in Iona’s mission and purpose. I first became involved with Iona through volunteering at the Active Wellness Program at St. Alban’s. Later, I began volunteering as member of Iona’s Board of Directors Program Committee. Friends and neighbors of mine have found Iona to be a wonderful source of help. Iona has helped them navigate personal aging issues, challenges with their parents, estate settlement, and dementia support for family. Iona also helped them find and get connected to creative arts and wellness programming. I especially like that Iona tackles awareness on difficult topics such as planning for a good death.Ralph Bunche Bazilio
Ralph Bunche Bazilio
Ralph Bunche Bazilio is the CEO of Bazilio Cobb Associates PC (BCA), a Consulting firm, and the Managing Partner of Watson Rice LLP, an Auditing firm. Under his leadership, the firms serve clients in numerous industries and geographical areas. As a Certified Public Accountant, he has grown to be a leader in the profession and a mentor to those entering the field of public accounting. He has always considered quality service, integrity, competence and objectivity as top priorities. Over the years, he has served on numerous boards, and is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the University of the District of Columbia School of Business. He is also a member of the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County, Maryland and a member of the Gideons International. Mr. Bazilio is also the founder and Chairman of the Futures Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial support to students in need.Stacy Burnette
Stacy Burnette
Stacy Burnette is an accomplished technology contracts attorney with significant international business experience. In her current role at Comcast Cable Corporation, Ms. Burnette is responsible for negotiating cable franchise agreements, ensuring contract compliance, managing a community investment budget and managing relationships with government officials.Melissa C. Green Parker, Ph.D.
Melissa C. Green Parker, Ph.D.
In my current role as a Health Scientist Administrator/Scientific Advisor at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), I provide leadership within its Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) to promote trans-agency collaboration and innovation in the broad space of prevention research.While I started my career as a basic scientist/cancer researcher, my professional experiences and interests over the past 30 years have moved me from “the bench” to society. The population health needs that exist today offer numerous opportunities for me to give attention to the vast geographic, socioeconomic, and sociodemographic gaps that are crippling health systems across the U.S. and beyond.Prior to joining the ODP, I led community-based initiatives (both scientific and training) during my tenure as a Program Director at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). I also spent several years overseeing two research management teams at the Department of Defense (DoD). In this capacity, I offered guidance and support to research investigators across the world as they conducted interdisciplinary research projects aimed at transforming healthcare for Service Members, Veterans and the American public. As the Science and Technology Division Director for a local, non-federal organization, I partnered with numerous federal agencies (e.g., NASA, Dept. of Energy, DoD) to enhance the quality and excellence of biomedical education. While fostering connections with inspiring colleagues across the entire scientific landscape, it was very rewarding to recruit scholars from traditionally under-served backgrounds and retain them in the federal workforce.I joined the Board of directors of Iona Senior Services (Iona) in January of 2022 due to my interests in supporting my mother and other family members with aging in place. My commitment to Iona’s mission is further cemented by the personal experience of my father’s premature passing. I can only imagine how helpful it would’ve been to garner support through Iona’s robust network of programs and services to enhance his quality of life.Health disparities and inequities among members of the elderly population are certainly taking a toll. Therefore, it’s a great pleasure and honor to join Iona’s Board of Directors. I’m a firm believer in Iona’s mission and remain committed its growth in the years to come, especially as it relates to improving health, life, and longevity among our most vulnerable populations.I hold a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Claflin University (Orangeburg, SC) and doctorate degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the Indiana University School of Medicine (Indianapolis, IN). My husband and I have one son that we adore. If I’m not busy chaperoning the budding athlete back and forth to his practices/games, it’s likely that you’ll find me volunteering with a community service group (local PTA, church, sorority, etc.), listening to a good book, or watching a crime drama on television.Chip Hastie
Chip Hastie
I am a member of Clark Construction’s leadership team headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, having worked across a variety of geographies and roles for the company since 1998. In my time at Clark, I’m honored to have had the opportunity to manage the development and delivery of many critical social infrastructure projects—universities, housing, courthouses, hospitals, and more.I earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Virginia and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California. While an engineer and businessperson by training, I most enjoy the opportunity to connect with people listen to their stories.Two of my lifetime-favorite storytellers were my maternal grandmother and my paternal grandfather, whose perspectives shared during our times together shaped my views of family, community, and industry from a young age. They would both have so enjoyed Iona’s programs—the support services, the engagement opportunities, and the sense of community. I appreciate participating on Iona’s Board of Directors to grow and support programs that help all seniors live well as they age.I previously served on the Board of Directors for Rebuilding Together San Diego before relocating to the DMV area. When not at work or assisting at Iona, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, as well as sports, travel, food, and wine.Dwane Jones
Dwane Jones
Dwane is the Dean of the University of the District of Columbia's College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES). He is a leader with over nearly 20 years of combined experience in leadership, green infrastructure programs, research, urban design, environmental planning and program management with government, academia, nonprofit and community-based agencies and international governments and universities. Dwane uses design thinking to problem solve, innovate, prototype, execute, and research human-centered challenges while using sustainability as a lens to address these problems. Dwane has degrees in Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Urban Design, and Evidence-Based Coaching.Judith Kozlowski
Judith Kozlowski
Judith Kozlowski is an independent Elder Justice consultant and a Senior Fellow at the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER). She was a subject matter expert with the DOJ Elder Justice Initiative (EJI) for over 10 years. Prior to that, she was Senior Advisor to the HHS Assistant Secretary for Aging and ACL where she helped develop national policy initiatives concerning elder abuse and financial exploitation. Earlier, she was a state and federal prosecutor focusing on the investigation and trial of complex fraud cases. As an AUSA, she created and ran a multidisciplinary elder financial exploitation federal prosecution team for over a decade. She was also a trial counsel and branch chief at the SEC and the Director of the Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group at FINRA. Ms. Kozlowski helped establish the Office for the Financial Protection of Older Americans at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). She regularly speaks at local and national conferences on Elder Justice, elder financial exploitation, financial literacy, and the costs of family caregiving.Mary Frances McGuiness
Mary Frances McGuiness
Mary Frances spent the majority of her career as a senior marketing strategist in the telecommunications industry within the United States and in Latin America at MCI Communications, Nextel Communications, Sprint, and NII Communications. With more than 30 years of experience, she focused on marketing strategy, brand analysis and positioning, as well as on integrated corporate and marketing messaging strategies, ensuring that all communication programs tell a coherent and compelling story. Since retiring, she’s provided pro-bono marketing consulting and support to non-profits across the United States with a specific focus on developing and launching transformational marketing programs that maximize brand and messaging awareness. In addition, she’s become an avid volunteer at Iona, delivering meals and supplies on a weekly basis and visiting The Washington Home, The Regency House, and the Wellness Center at Iona's Tenley location with her trusty Goldendoodle, Carney, for much needed pet therapy. In addition to Iona, she is also a volunteer at the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp which helps children with serious illnesses and a volunteer at Arlington Food Assistance Center in Arlington, Virginia. Born in New York City, she was raised outside of Albany, New York, and has lived in the D.C. area since 1991 with her husband, John. She holds a B.A. in History and Classics from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.P.A with a concentration in Marketing from George Washington University. In addition to professional interests, she is an avid traveler, a theater and live music lover, a decent (depending on the day) runner and has been part of a book club for 25 years.Shawn Mcleod
Shawn Mcleod
I am a professional with extensive experience in core health insurance operations including customer service, enrollment, provider credentialing, workforce optimization and claims. My background includes managing operations for multiple lines of business, including Commercial, Federal and Individual markets as well as strategic planning, budget development and oversight, drafting and executing policies and procedures in compliance with Federal and State regulations.As Vice President at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, I directed a cross-functional service team of more than 600 full-time and contingent staff. My responsibilities included personnel development, creating and driving key performance indicators consistent with corporate strategic goals and vendor management. In this position I was responsible for building a service team to support the 2011-2014 implementation of the Affordable Care Act operations. I recently retired as Vice President of Commercial, Individual and Small Group Service Operations.I have a B.A. from Dartmouth College and hold P.A.H.M. and Quality College Certifications.My family has lived in Ward Seven in the District for more than five decades, residing in the Hillcrest section of the city we love. I am a life-long member of the New Bethel Baptist Church (NBBC) located in the Shaw Community, pastored by Reverend Dexter U. Nutall. I served on my church’s Steward Board for 13 years, retiring as Chairperson in 2019. I continue to serve as an advisor to the Finance Team. I now volunteer on the Board of Directors for LightPoint, a non-profit focused on developing and promoting the improvement of housing, employment opportunities, education, healthcare and justice in the community and with the SHARE Food Network Ministry, delivering meals once a month.I previously served on Iona’s Board of Directors from 2016-2018. My commitment to Iona’s mission to educate and nurture people as they experience the challenges and opportunities of aging is informed by my personal experiences. I am both honored and excited to return to the Board as Iona extends services “East of the River” to Wards Seven and Eight.BB Otero
BB Otero
I currently serve as Special Assistant to Montgomery County, MD Executive Marc Elrich providing advice and direction on health, human services, early childhood and immigrant integration strategy.I am also the president of Otero Strategy Group, an innovative consulting practice integrating education, health, human services and community development supports, with a focus on socially responsible policy and practice. As president, I advise nonprofits, philanthropy and local governments on strategic planning, policy development and strategies for funding.I served for four years as Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services with the D.C. Government. Prior to that, I led CentroNia, a nationally recognized child and family services organization serving over 1,200 children and their families, for 25 years. In this work I developed DC Bilingual Public Charter School and multiple child development sites throughout the Washington region.Additionally, I have a wide range of international experience and have served on numerous local and national boards, including boards of education, hospitals and think tanks. I was the recipient of numerous awards for leadership, advocacy and public service including being named Washingtonian of the Year in 2000. I am proud to be on the board of Iona Senior Services and to join its wonderfully dedicated staff and volunteers in serving seniors in the District of Columbia.Our History
Iona was first established as a community service center called Iona House in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington, DC. The center offered information and referral services, as well as some recreational classes. However, as the number of questions and concerns relating to older adults in the area grew, Iona decided to shift its focus.
The organization rebranded itself as Iona Senior Services and began to tailor its programs and services to older adults and their caregivers. Today, Iona is a nationally recognized aging organization and a thought-leader in the aging field.
Iona’s story begins in 1975 in a clapboard house on Butterworth Place in the Tenleytown neighborhood in Northwest Washington. The house took on a new life as the home of a program created to provide social services to people in the surrounding neighborhoods. Named “Iona House” after a tiny Scottish island known for its dedication to fellowship and service, the program would eventually emerge as a force in the community that has benefited tens of thousands of older adults and caregivers in Washington, DC and beyond for more than 40 years.
The birth of Iona stemmed from a growing number of questions to neighborhood churches on medical care, public services, and other social assistance. To improve their ability to handle such requests, several faith communities joined forces to establish a community service center. Staffed by enthusiastic volunteers and parish members, the center began offering information and referral services to all visitors, both old and young, as well as a few recreational classes. Less than a year later – and countless calls concerning older adults in the community – Iona took notice and shifted its role to focus primarily on aging services.
Those early founders could not have imagined the leadership role Iona would eventually come to play in modeling best practices in aging services and in advocacy for older people for the entire metropolitan region. The definition of Iona’s community first began to grow beyond the Tenleytown neighborhood in 1982, when Iona was named a lead agency with the DC Office on Aging. This recognition and grant helped to build robust mid-day lunch programs, an adult day health program, and a best-practices case management and counseling program throughout Northwest Washington that added to Iona’s already vibrant cultural, arts, and wellness activities. Additionally, as Iona expanded beyond its Butterworth Place home, the name Iona House was changed to Iona Senior Services to reflect Iona’s widespread community presence.
In April 1997, Iona moved to its current location in the Isabella Breckinridge Community Center on Albemarle Street NW. Our mission of supporting older adults and caregivers through the opportunities and challenges of aging, however, remains the same. Today, our compassionate team continues to anticipate and respond to the fast-changing landscape of our community, as needs become more and more complex. More than ever, Iona has become a safety-net provider — addressing the needs of isolated older adults, those who rely on Iona because they have no family, live on very limited incomes, are struggling to find affordable housing or, without Iona’s support, would not know where their next meal is coming from. During vulnerable times and family crises, our community can lean upon Iona. At the same time, we also work hard to help people avoid the need for these intensive services through our educational advance-planning program, designed with the specific needs of the growing Baby Boomer population in mind.
Another important aspect of our work is promoting positive aging through the arts. We offer hands-on art workshops to the public and art therapy for our adult day health service participants to encourage creative expression and engagement. Our Lois and Richard England Gallery at Iona also regularly features artworks by local, vibrant artists age 60+ as a way to showcase how our community members age well and live well.
Over the years, Iona has supported a community that celebrates, values, respects, and protects the contributions and possibilities of every individual. Today, that support is more critical than ever as people live longer and face more complex challenges.
1975
1982
Iona named a lead agency with the DC Office on Aging
1997
Iona moves to current Tenleytown location in the Isabella Breckinridge Community Center
2020
Iona opens the Washington Home Center in Congress Heights
Supporters & Partners
Foundations
Thanks to the support of these foundations, Iona is able to help older adults and caregivers navigate their unique pathways of aging.
Community Partners
With the support of our community partners, Iona is able to broaden the reach and impact of its programs and services for older adults and caregivers.
Annual Reports
Iona is a respected national leader and trusted partner to help older adults and caregivers navigate the challenges and opportunities of aging. We partner with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and businesses to provide innovative community programs and services.