Kari Thurlow

President and CEO | LeadingAge Minnesota

kthurlow@leadingagemn.org

(651) 603-3512

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

As President and CEO of LeadingAge Minnesota, I have the opportunity to hear from our members about the issues that are most important to them. I am eager to help find solutions to the challenges we face today so we can continue to enhance the experience of aging for Minnesota’s older adults.

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

My first 15 years at the Association were spent leading our advocacy efforts. Connecting with members and understanding your missions of service to older adults helped me prepare for service to the Association as the CEO.

More about me

I have a J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law and am a proud alum of Concordia College in Moorhead. Go Cobbers!

Lori Meyer

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

lmeyer@leadingagemn.org

(651) 603-3511

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

As COO, I help connect members to the staff, resources, or solutions they need and utilize member feedback to develop new services to enhance the member experience.

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

For more than 20 years, I have been inspired by our members and motivated to make a meaningful contribution to addressing the challenges in our field.

More about me

I’m a huge sports fan and hope that Minnesota brings home a national championship soon. I love live music, winning at Backgammon, and unwinding in my garden.

Gina DiMaggio

Foundation Director

gdimaggio@leadingagemn.org

(651) 659-1422

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

I support our members by raising money and investing in innovative work to improve our workforce and the delivery of care.

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

I’m passionate about serving vulnerable people and have a deep admiration and respect for all the caregivers out there – both paid and unpaid.

More about me

Our two young children have made my husband and I experts in the art of always carrying snacks. They seem to appear every time I open a backpack, purse, or pocket. We enjoy being outdoors as a family, traveling and visiting my brother on his herbal tea farm in Wisconsin.

Anna Mowry

Director of Workforce Solutions

amowry@leadingagemn.org

(651) 659-1436

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

I can connect you with resources and opportunities to strengthen your recruitment and retention efforts. I also manage programs that can help grow your workforce, including our OnTrack nursing assistant training program and our jobs board, AgingServicesJobs.org. 

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

I am passionate about supporting the caregivers who dedicate their lives to caring for others. My background in aging services and human resources helps me understand our workforce at a detailed level. I enjoy developing partnerships to overcome challenges and find new solutions.

More about me

I’m not sure what I like more—planning my next travel destination, the traveling itself, or returning home to cook my food favorites found around the world.

Julie Apold

Vice President of Quality

japold@leadingagemn.org

(651) 659-1407

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

My focus is on partnering with members to identify and implement innovative, practical solutions that improve quality and safety for those we serve, while strengthening systems and creating efficiencies that allow staff to spend more time with residents and find greater joy in their work.

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

I love the opportunity to combine my experience in healthcare quality and safety with my background in systems design and human factors to make a meaningful difference. I especially enjoy collaborating with members, learning from their experiences, and turning ideas into solutions that make a real impact.

More about me

Outside of work, I enjoy walking, biking, exploring unique restaurants, and spending time at my cabin.

Barbara Landeen

Senior Director of Leadership and Member Experience

blandeen@leadingagemn.org

(651) 603-3522

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

I help develop leaders through our Leadership Academy and Executive Leadership Masterclass programs and provide resources to our member organizations’ governing boards of directors.

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

I enjoy spending time with our members in their communities. For over 20 years, I have led our annual Stars Among Us program, which recognizes extraordinary people who live and work in our member communities.

More about me

’m a Vikings fan and a proud graduate of the University of Illinois – Go Illini! My most proud roles include wife, mom, grandma, and dog parent.

Thanh Nguyen

Workforce Programs Coordinator

tnguyen@leadingagemn.org

651-689-4385

How I help LeadingAge Minnesota members

As Workforce Programs Coordinator, I help support the operations of OnTrack, CaringCareersStartHere.com, and AgingServicesJobs.org to help job seekers of all backgrounds build careers caring for older adults. I also help execute workforce initiatives to recruit and retain aging services workers across Minnesota.

What I enjoy about LeadingAge Minnesota

I enjoy the impact of the work being done at LeadingAge Minnesota and how it is affecting and transforming older adult care providers, their workforce, their residents, and families. When one group is supported, another benefits.

More about me

Before my time with LeadingAge Minnesota, I worked in public policy advocating for housing and older adults. Outside of work, you can find me at home! My favorite activities are listening to and reveling in music, playing video games, and, when the weather is nice, strolling in nature at sunset.