Marc can now speak the indigenous language of elders, enabling him to assist others in achieving higher wisdom, transforming themselves from older to elder, generating a higher purpose, and consciously altering their relationship to growing old, death, and dying. As Cato the Elder is quoted, “Speech is the gift of all, but the thought of few.”

Elders are the thoughtful few.

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmarcbcooper/

Substack: drmarcbcooper.substack.com/drmarcbcooper.substack.com/

I am a retired periodontist, living on Kaua’i for twenty five years, now practicing craniosacral bodywork focused mainly on trauma, abuse and other areas of deep healing. A switch in professions shortly after I arrived on Kaua’i coincided with my vision of making each day a creative experience. So I spend my days writing novels, poetry, and painting, along with playing tennis and swimming. Tennis requires a certain kind of mindfulness that helps focus attention while the rhythmic motion of swimming through the ocean sets a context for the birth of images and ideas. More important––they are both fun. 

I've been drawn to leadership roles in Rotary and in the Contemporary Elder Sangha. The common thread through all of my work and play is the development of consciousness.I believe the fundamental question at this stage of life is, how can we balance our spiritual connection with everyday life experiences while maintaining our humor, good nature and equanimity as we age? I won’t be 88 until November 2025.

My participation in the Contemporary Elder Sangha is ballast for the sometimes choppy events of life. The discussions and meditations, the retreats, have given all of my work and play an additional feeling of being grounded and present in every moment. Even more important, possibly, the Sangha provides a sense of fulfillment derived only, in my experience, from selfless service.

Website: https://www.contemporaryeldersangha.com/

Watch David's Interview with Marc: https://youtu.be/hVI9_c2zskA

Melissa Richardson, M. Org. Coaching, is a mentoring expert, coach, entrepreneur and lifelong advocate for intergenerational connection. Over nearly three decades, she has designed hundreds of mentoring programs and co-founded Art of Mentoring, one of the world’s leading mentoring software platforms. Tens of thousands of people have completed her mentor training programs. Melissa has contributed to several global mentoring publications and is widely recognised as a thought leader in the field. Today, she is focused on the role of elders as wisdom stewards—drawing on her experience as a grandparent, writer, and volunteer youth mentor.

She is currently writing a book that helps grandparents share their wisdom through a mentoring approach—to help raise strong, resilient grandchildren in a fast-changing world.

Website: www.melissa-richardson.com

LinkedIn: http://au.linkedin.com/in/mrichardsonhorizons 

Substack: https://melissarichardson9.substack.com/

Watch Melissa's Interview with Marc here: https://youtu.be/KWhekegvQA0

Ron Pevny, M.A., CSL has for forty years been dedicated to assisting people in negotiating life transitions as they create lives of purpose and passion. He is Founding Director of the Center for Conscious Eldering, based in Colorado, which for 23 years has presented workshops and retreats across North America to support people in bringing  to their elder years purpose, growth and commitment to service. He is author of Conscious Living, Conscious Aging: Claiming the Gifts of Elderhood, published by Beyond Words/Atria Books. Ron is also a Certified Sage-ing® Leader, and has served as the host/interviewer for three Transforming Aging Summits presented by The Shift Network and co-host for the Turning Points series presented by Sage-ing International.

Website: www.centerforconsciouseldering.com

Watch Ron's Interview with Marc here: https://youtu.be/pGD3drww72I

Barbara retired in 2018 from a career focused on child and youth development in local, state and national arenas.   Since then, she has been on a conscious eldering journey which started with a weeklong Choosing Conscious Elderhood retreat at Ghost Ranch, New Mexico one week after retirement and has continued with participation in the Next Step program, writing articles for Conscious Eldering Inspiration and Resources newsletter, and doing the inner work that she teaches.  Barb co-leads Conscious Eldering Retreats at Ghost Ranch in New Mexico annually. 

Barb’s education included a B.S. in Child Development with a minor in literature and a teaching certificate, and an M.A. in Child and Human Development with a minor in Women’s Studies. Her career was varied including running a childcare center, teaching at community colleges, developing child and youth programs for a large local YMCA, managing programs through the State Department of Education and consulting on the national level for Ys around the country through the YMCA of the USA. Barbara is enthusiastic about her shift from supporting child and youth development to supporting conscious eldering, seeing it as both a natural progression and an exciting new venture.

In addition to time with her husband, children (two daughters and a stepdaughter) and grandchildren (five aged 5 through 16), Barb enjoys knitting, sewing, forest bathing, cooking, hiking & walking, and traveling. Most recently she’s spent 6 weeks in the Scottish Highlands. Barbara is the current President of the Lansing Woman’s Club, a literary club which began in 1874, and sits on the Ingham County Women’s Commission which advises County Commissioners on how their decisions impact women. 

Watch Barabra's Interview with Marc: https://youtu.be/pZR62afxhFA

Harry (Rick)  Moody, Ph.D., recently retired as Vice President and Director of Academic Affairs for AARP in Washington, DC. He is currently Visiting Professor at Fielding Graduate University and also serves as a Senior Fellow of Encore.Org.

Dr. Moody previously served as Executive Director of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College and Chairman of the Board of Elderhostel (now Road Scholar).

Website: www.hrmoody.com