Our People

Ben brings over 24 years of nonprofit financial leadership—overseeing accounting, financial systems, reporting, and compliance to support organizational health and sustainability. Known for his big-picture thinking and operational finesse, Ben built the finance function from scratch at NYS Health Foundation and led fiscal strategy at FLIPANY, GLSEN, and Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

Lifetime Arts is one of the few organizations primarily dedicated to spreading joy and love via working with the aging population, who, in Western society, are largely thrown away and disregarded. At the core, Lifetime Arts puts people first and it is a privilege to be a part of this team.

How am I aging creatively?

I have been an actor for many years throughout my life, starting in high school and college and then again picking it up in my 40s. Over the past decade I’ve been in numerous professional stage musicals and plays, primarily, though not exclusively, in the South Florida region. 

You can count on me for…

Doing what I say I will do. Words have impact, but actions have more impact. Sometimes, most times, it’s best to SAY nothing and DO something.

Daniela drives the fundraising strategies that power Lifetime Arts’ national creative aging work, helping communities across the country embed the arts into healthy aging. With a career rooted in arts education, civic engagement, and community development, she has supported organizations like The Art Effect, Superhero Clubhouse, and the Center for Artistic Activism. Daniela has secured major funding from institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Ford Foundation, and continues to champion the arts through grant panel service and board leadership with Hudsy, a Hudson Valley media nonprofit.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

Creative aging combines my passion for the arts and my commitment to community-building and social justice. Creating opportunities for older adults to express themselves, connect with others, and feel seen is profoundly inspiring.

How am I aging creatively?

Whether I’m working on wood-burned pieces or creating mixed-media work, I feel like I’m constantly evolving as an artist and trying new things. It’s a deeply personal process that keeps me grounded while allowing me to experiment and take risks.

An older adult who inspires me and why.

My maternal grandmother, who’s about to turn 90 this spring, is one of the most remarkable people I know. She’s full of life—spicy, outspoken, and fiercely thoughtful. Despite never being taught or learning to read, she’s spent her entire life navigating New York City and Trinidad better than I can. She either just knows where she is, listens to the public transportation announcements, or figures it out by talking with strangers.

You can count on me for…

Showing up with authenticity, kindness, and follow-through—listening closely, asking thoughtful questions, seeking creative solutions, and bringing candor and humor to lighten the way.

Gahlia is a creative producer and creative aging specialist who brings over a decade of experience in theater, film, and live events to her work at Lifetime Arts. She leads the design and delivery of innovative training programs and professional development for arts and aging professionals nationwide. As the driving voice behind The Creative Aging Collaborative, Gahlia curates events, drives communications, and builds community. Rooted in storytelling, equity, and impact, she creates powerful learning experiences that fuel the creative aging movement.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

Building co-learning spaces alongside our trainers and participants, where I’m constantly learning and deepening my understanding of creative aging with incredible teaching artists, programmers, and thought-leaders in this work.

How am I aging creatively?

Whether I’m attending a multigenerational potluck, diving into a good book with my reading group, or splashing around in my weekly aqua aerobics class (we call ourselves “The Aqua Nuts”), all of this adds to my creative aging journey—plus, my epic adventure of making a latch hook rug, which is taking me years, ha!

An older adult who inspires me and why.

Geri, my friend and aqua aerobics instructor, inspires me with her unwavering commitment to the Aqua Nuts. Beyond our classes, she advocates tirelessly for older adults in our city, ensuring they have access to programs and opportunities to stay active.

You can count on me for…

Being a team player who jumps in wherever needed, bringing technical know-how and a knack for making things run smoothly—whether that’s uniting people through fun, collaborative experiences or launching quirky projects like a secret experimental improv music group!

As Executive Director of Lifetime Arts, Heather is leading efforts to make creative aging a key part of healthy aging nationwide. A longtime advocate for the arts as a tool for connection and well-being, she began her work in creative aging in 2007 and helped launch Creativity Matters: The Arts and Aging Toolkit during her tenure at the National Guild for Community Arts Education. With a Ph.D. in Theater for Youth from Arizona State University and a B.A. in English Literature from Vassar College, Heather brings both vision and experience to her leadership in the field.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

Shifting attitudes around aging, building better support systems, and creating more responsive and innovative programs that meet the diverse needs and aspirations of older adults.

How am I aging creatively?

I am a writer, storyteller, performer, and Just Dance enthusiast.

An older adult who inspires me and why.

Creativity was in my mother’s DNA. Whether she was gardening, quilting, styling an outfit, planning a kid’s birthday party, writing an op-ed, or launching her own wallpapering business, it was at the heart of everything she did.

You can count on me for…

Asking a million questions, connecting the dots between different subjects and ideas that don’t seem to fit—until they do, dreaming big, befriending strangers, and hitting the road for a spontaneous adventure!

Jacqueline brings stories to life across platforms, creating bold, multi-channel content that captures attention and drives engagement. At Lifetime Arts, she turns strategy into action—developing campaigns that reflect the organization’s vision and connect with audiences. From digital storytelling to social media and email marketing, her work amplifies visibility, inspires action, and grows impact. Partnering closely with the Director of Strategic Communications, Jacqueline ensures every message resonates and every campaign meets audiences where they are.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

Learning, listening, and sharing the stories of everyone involved in this work — from reporting on Lifetime Arts’ growth and reach through national initiatives to sharing an older adults’ transformational experience in a creative aging program.

How am I aging creatively?

Though my childhood was filled with music, dance, writing, and drawing, adulthood has shown me that creative aging can begin—or rekindle—at any age. Now, I quietly script, strum guitar, sing in the shower, and dance like a fool at weddings.

An older adult who inspires me and why.

My grandpa, the kindest person I knew and my greatest artistic cheerleader, is forever in my heart—his smile and expressive eyebrows when I shared my creations still fuel my passion to create today.

You can count on me for…

Sharing and supporting the amazing creative work you put out there, creating an impactful and cohesive product from a pile of nuts and bolts, learning something new everyday, and being your biggest introverted cheerleader. 

Julie provides strategic leadership for Lifetime Arts’ national initiatives, expanding access to creative aging programs and embedding the practice in communities. She leads the design and delivery of training and professional development for teaching artists and community-based organizations, and oversees the organization’s national team of creative aging expert, trainers, and guest artists. Julie presents nationally on creative aging, contributing to field-building efforts across the sector. With more than 15 years of experience, she has worked with Elders Share the Arts, Roots & Branches Theater, and NYC’s SPARC/SU-CASA program. She holds a BFA from The Theatre School at DePaul University and is a New York City–based director, writer, and actor.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

I love that I get to translate my excitement and enthusiasm for the life-changing work of creative aging to others through training and coaching—and that those impacts can be shared on a wide scale through Lifetime Arts’ nationwide partnerships, alliances, and initiatives.

How am I aging creatively?

I have been a theater artist since I was a kid, and am an ongoing learner in the fields of theater and film.  I am constantly re-discovering how to tell a story to an audience that invites them in, takes them somewhere new, and has an impact.  I continue to direct plays, write screenplays, and act.

An older adult who inspires me and why.

My maternal grandparents, Bud and Betty, are huge inspirations in my life.  Not only were they the drivers of connection and love in our family, they were creatives themselves—my grandfather was constantly getting his life memories down in short stories and articles; my grandmother was a visual artist, who also had a knack for instantly connecting with strangers and getting their own stories out of them!

You can count on me for…

Presenting new information in an engaging way; facilitating sensitive and illuminating conversations; dreaming big for new ways of impact; asking you to say your name while doing a silly gesture!

Kiara Nagel is a creative strategist with 20 years of experience advancing collaborative social change through facilitation, training, and consulting. Her work focuses on helping organizations and communities become more strategic, creative, and equitable, with contributions to initiatives spanning economic and racial justice at local, national, and international levels. She currently serves as Virtual Training Coordinator at Lifetime Arts, is an Affiliate with the Interaction Institute for Social Change, and holds a Master in City Planning from MIT.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

This work sits at the intersection of so many major themes and passions in my work and life: arts, performance, and creativity, inclusivity, collaborative learning and organizational change. Thinking about creative aging has added depth to my thinking about how I connect to family, community and the life cycle of organizations I work with and for.  

How am I aging creatively?

I am keenly aware of moving into the next phase of life and I am excited to be learning and trying new things, reconnecting to arts, dance, movement, and design, and finding new joy in the changes time brings.

An older adult who inspires me and why.

My mother has always been an inspiration in my work and life. From painting the whole back of the house like a watercolor painting, to building sculptural pieces, and growing her garden and land, her creative touch is everywhere around her. She is always learning, evolving, bringing in new collaborators, and doing the hard work to bring her vision to light. Today she paints and makes art and walks most every day and loves to go out to hear live music or theater. 

You can count on me for…

Good jokes and laughs and creative thinking to any problem.

Liza spearheads initiatives that promote creative aging and integrate arts participation into broader strategies for healthy aging. With over a decade of experience in nonprofit leadership, media arts, and strategic planning, she brings a unique mix of vision and pragmatism to her work. She has led brand transformations, developed advocacy tools, and built sustainable programs that drive impact. Grounded in both artistic practice and community development, Liza believes deeply in the power of art to engage, motivate, and expand horizons. She holds an MFA in Media Art from University College London (UCL).

What excites me about my creative aging work?

All of us deserve to live creative and purposeful lives, for the entirety of our life, right up until the moment we’re no longer here. We’re all aging, and I personally want to do everything in my power to make this a fact to celebrate and look forward to, rather than something to fear and avoid.

How am I aging creatively?

Outside of work, I am an improvisational actor, performing with both comedic and dramatic troupes through Queen City Comedy in Charlotte. I’m also a visual artist, mainly working with stained glass and photography. You can check out my work by clicking here!

An older adult who inspires me and why.

It’s hard to narrow it down to one! I am continually inspired by older folks I meet in the Charlotte Improv scene—continuing to grow, take risks, and challenge themselves on a regular basis. I feel like I am learning so much from them.

Since 2012, Nathan has been a driving force behind Lifetime Arts’ consulting and capacity-building work, helping organizations and teaching artists across the country design, deliver, and sustain creative aging programs. He brings deep expertise in curriculum development, strategic partnerships, and program implementation—shaping initiatives at both local and state levels. A graduate of the University of the Arts with degrees in Fine Arts and Teaching, Nathan is also an alumnus of the National Guild’s Community Arts Education Leadership Institute, further grounding his work in both practice and leadership.

What excites me about my creative aging work?

Witnessing the joy as folks embrace aging as a gift.

How am I aging creatively?

I am a tinkerer and maker of things, a painter and drawer, and I enjoy woodworking.

An older adult who inspires me and why.

My grandmother showed me that art is in everything we do.

You can count on me for…

Getting stoked to talk shop, getting into the nitty-gritty of details, and listening.