Kelly McCarthy

AJ Cipperly has been in the senior living industry for over 20 years. She graduated from Auburn University with a Master’s in Education and Health Promotion. AJ has worked as an Activity Director and a licensed Assisted Living Administrator for the state of Alabama and helped develop the East Alabama Medical Center Senior Living Education Department, providing training and education for 5 senior living communities, including a skilled nursing facility.
She is a Florida CORE trained and licensed Assisted Living Administrator. AJ holds certificates in conducting caregiver facilitator support groups; is a certified dementia care trainer for the State of Florida and is also a certified trainer for Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care strategies & techniques. AJ has presented educational sessions for both local and national professional associations and been a keynote speaker for family and professional caregiver conferences. In her role as Vice President of Memory Care for the Arbor Company, she oversees all aspects of the company’s memory care programs and initiatives, ensuring quality, developing programming and providing training to team members.

Kelly McCarthy has been in the senior health industry for over 30 years. Kelly is the Vice President of Engagement and Memory care Services for the Northbridge Companies. She is a Board-Certified Dementia Educator for the National Institute for Dementia Education, and a certified educator for the Alzheimer’s Associations. Kelly is the author of Brass Ring Memoirs: Encouraging stories using practical methodologies to help caregivers reach for their goals in Alzheimer's and dementia care. In 2018 Kelly’s 8-hour Brass Ring Dementia Professional educational program was approved as a nationally recognized dementia certification through the National Institute for Dementia Education.

Cole Smith joined Brightview Senior Living as the Corporate Director of Dementia Care Services in 2020, bringing nearly two decades of health care experience with him from a variety of settings: hospital systems, skilled nursing communities, hospice, and assisted living communities. He holds a master's degree in gerontology from the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California. He is currently working on his MSW through PennWest University. He’s spent much of his career supporting those living with, and those caring for those living with, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. He is a member of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Dementia Care Provider Roundtable and is the co-chair of Argentum’s Memory Care Roundtable. He is an end-of-life doula and facilitates a caregiver support group through the Alzheimer’s Association’s Greater Maryland chapter. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland with his husband, Ryan, and their two dogs, Roscoe and Linus.