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AFPC Leadership Council

Ms. Amy Malkin has been in the senior living since 1988. She has been a strong advocate for ensuring that our seniors receive the best care possible, in the right place, at the right time. Amy has had the opportunity to serve on the Arizona Health Association Board of Directors, as well as many committees at the State and National level. All in an effort to ensure that our senior living communities are able to provide the best care possible. Amy has a strong background in skilled nursing facility operations, as well as assisted living operations. She is honored to have the opportunity to assist with the AFPC.

Amy Malkin

Chairperson

Assisted Living Manager

Ms. Amy Malkin has been in the senior living since 1988. She has been a strong advocate for ensuring that our seniors receive the best care possible, in the right place, at the right time.

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Carin Watts, MPH serves as the Population Health Program Administrator for the Bureau of Chronic Disease and Health Promotion at the Arizona Department of Health Services. In her role she is responsible for leadership and collaboration across the spectrum of prevention framework, leading the development and implementation of a Healthy Aging model for the State of Arizona. Including efforts that address chronic diseases, promote brain health and focus on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia risk reduction. She manages programs and projects that promote healthy aging and brain health to improve mental and physical health, quality of life and independence for Arizona's older adult population. While emphasizing upstream factors to prevent or slow the progression of cognitive decline and/or dementia onset. Carin provides administrative oversight for the department’s Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke and Health Disparities programs, incorporating modifiable risk reduction approaches and ensuring alignment of messaging in chronic disease program activities. In addition, she partners with statewide and county partners on initiatives to build awareness around falls prevention strategies and independent living among older adults. Carin earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Public Health, focusing on public health policy and community health and capacity building. As a public health professional and caregiver she understands and advocates for the prioritizing of risk reduction to prevent or delay the onset of diseases to improve overall health and quality of life for Arizonans while also seeking to reduce healthcare costs.

Carin Watts

AFPC Vice Chair

AFPC Vice Chair

Carin Watts, MPH serves as the Population Health Program Administrator for the Bureau of Chronic Disease and Health Promotion at the Arizona Department of Health Services.

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Tina M. Sauber, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, CAPS, ECHM

Tina Sauber

Secretary

Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program

Tina M. Sauber, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, CAPS, ECHM

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Ms. Christine Warren manages several injury prevention community programs at Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center. Her programming is aimed at reducing elderly falls, increasing safe driving for teens, and providing Stop the Bleed training. She manages three distinct programs aimed at reducing falls, which include, SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life), Walk With A Doc, and A Matter of Balance. Her background includes eight years of Trauma Intensive Care Unit Nursing Experience. In addition to being the secretary for the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition, Christine is also a board member of the Chandler Education Foundation and is a member of The State of Arizona’s Injury Prevention Advisory Council, Safe States Alliance, The Society of Trauma Nurses, The American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Arizona Child Fatality Review/MVC Team. Christine received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from Northern Arizona University.

Christine Warren, BSN, RN, CCRN, TCRN

Secretary General (Outgoing)

Trauma Injury Prevention/Outreach Coordinator, Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center

Ms. Christine Warren manages several injury prevention community programs at Dignity Health Chandler Regional
Medical Center. Her programming is aimed at reducing elderly falls, increasing safe driving for teens, and providing Stop
the Bleed training.

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Ms. Melissa Luxton manages ten injury prevention programs which provide education to community members ranging from elementary aged children to older adults. Her background includes over sixteen years of emergency and trauma nursing, along with nearly ten years of nursing leadership experience and nine years of public health education and outreach. In addition to her role in the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition, Melissa sits on several committees, including The State of Arizona’s Injury Prevention Advisory Council, The Injury Prevention Alliance of Phoenix, The Arizona Firearm Injury Prevention Coalition, Safe Kids Maricopa County, and The Arizona Trauma Association’s Stop the Bleed Coalition. Melissa received her Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Leadership and Clinical Systems Management from The University of Arizona.

Melissa Luxton, MSN, RN

Chair Emeritus, Immediate Past Chairperson

Trauma Outreach/Injury Prevention Coordinator, Banner - University Medical Center Phoenix

Ms. Melissa Luxton manages ten injury prevention programs which provide education to community members ranging from elementary aged children to older adults. Her background includes over thirteen years of emergency and trauma nursing, along with nearly six years of nursing leadership experience and five years of public health education and outreach.

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Nichole C. Santiago, MBA, MPH serves as the Membership Committee Chair for the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition (AFPC). She is a Project Manager with the Mercy Care ALTCS Program and has dedicated more than 20 years to serving elderly and disabled populations in both community-based and institutional settings. Nichole is passionate about advancing the AFPC mission to reduce falls throughout Arizona through education, outreach, evaluation, and advocacy. Her commitment to falls prevention aligns closely with her professional experience and goals, as preventing falls can reduce hospitalizations, improve quality of life, and help older adults and individuals with disabilities remain safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Through her leadership on the Membership Committee, Nichole works to engage and support coalition members while fostering collaboration among healthcare professionals, community organizations, and advocates dedicated to improving fall prevention efforts across Arizona.

Nichole Santiago

Membership Committee Chairperson

Project Manager with Mercy Care Arizona Long Term Care Services

Nichole C. Santiago, MBA, MPH serves as the Membership Committee Chair for the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition (AFPC).

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Rachel Zarate, RN Treasurer, Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition Rachel Zarate moved to Arizona from Iowa in 2015 and has been a registered nurse for more than 10 years, including eight years in trauma and emergency medicine. Prior to her current role, Rachel served as EMS and Trauma Program Manager at Boswell Medical Center, where she worked closely with older adults and saw firsthand the impact falls can have on patients and their families. She currently serves as the Trauma Outreach and Injury Prevention Coordinator at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center, where she focuses on community education, injury prevention, and building partnerships to reduce preventable injuries. Rachel is passionate about falls prevention and injury prevention, recognizing that falls remain the leading cause of traumatic injury and can have lasting effects on individuals, families, and communities. In her free time, Rachel enjoys painting, drawing, spending time outdoors, and keeping up with her busy three-year-old son

Rachel Zarate

Treasurer

the Trauma Outreach and Injury Prevention Coordinator at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center

Rachel Zarate, RN
Treasurer, Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition
Rachel Zarate moved to Arizona from Iowa in 2015 and has been a registered nurse for more than 10 years, including eight years in trauma and emergency medicine.

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Ms. Lee Itule-Klasen serves as a Program Coordinator for the Pima County Health Department. Over the past nine years, her work through both the Pima and Cochise County Tobacco and Chronic Disease Prevention Program has involved employee wellness, chronic disease and tobacco prevention programs, health policy initiatives, strategic planning and establishment of healthy community collaboration. As a Master Trainer for the Stanford University-Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, she conducts Lay Leader Trainings in Pima County for volunteers and employers in the community, and she is the co-chair of the Southern Chapter – Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition. Lee received her Bachelor Degree in Chemistry from Arizona State University and is currently Associate Faculty and ATF Lead for Health and Physical Education at Cochise College. She has over 28 years of experience as an Exercise Specialist and has partnered with the National Academy of Sports Medicine to serve as a Corrective Exercise Specialist and Certified Personal Trainer. Lee is dedicated to promoting health and wellness for faculty, staff and students. Prior to her establishment in Public Health, Lee worked as a Firefighter/EMT for the Mesa Fire and Medical for 7 years. She worked as a part of a crew that provided fire and life safety for the community through emergency fire and medical response. While in Mesa, she also developed and delivered fire safety education programming to schools as a part of the Fire and Life Safety Education (F.A.L.S.E.) Program. She also worked as a Glendale Community College Instructor to lead Fitness and Conditioning for Firefighters. Lee has volunteered for her community and devoted much of her time over the past several years serving as a Board Member for the Good Neighbor Alliance Homeless Shelter in Sierra Vista, and member of the Arizona Partnership for Health Communities. She consistently strives to encourage and work for partnerships in the community that promote an innovative and comprehensive approach for healthier communities.

Lee Itule-Klasen

Southern Regional Chapter Co-Chairperson

Pima County Health Department, Program Coordinator

Ms. Lee Itule-Klasen serves as a Program Coordinator for the Pima County Health Department. Over the past nine years, her work through both the Pima and Cochise County Tobacco and Chronic Disease Prevention Program has involved employee wellness, chronic disease and tobacco prevention programs, health policy initiatives, strategic planning and establishment of healthy community collaboration.

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Harbhajan Khalsa is the program director for the Pima Council on Aging

Harbhajan Khalsa

Southern Regional Chapter Co-Chairperson

Program Advisor, Pima Council on Aging

Harbhajan Khalsa is the program director for the Pima Council on Aging

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Ms. Rachel Mills has worked as a Health Educator with Yavapai County Community Health Services for three years. Growing up in many places in the Western U.S., she spent most of her time in Wyoming. She loves living in the Southwest, and is excited to serve on the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition. She is a certified Tai Chi for Arthritis for Fall Prevention Instructor, a lay leader for A Matter of Balance, a Master Trainer in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Education Programs and a DPP Lifestyle Coach.

Rachel Mills

Northern Regional Chapter Co-Chairperson

Yavapai County Community Health Services

Ms. Rachel Mills has worked as a Health Educator with Yavapai County Community Health Services for three years. Growing up in many places in the Western U.S., she spent most of her time in Wyoming.

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Shurine Pate is an adult-geriatric nurse practitioner and owner of the concierge and primary care practice, Pate Complete Healthcare. Shurine has more than 20 years of experience in various healthcare specialties including ophthalmology, critical care, and primary care. Shurine stays active in the community by providing education sessions to seniors in the area on various topics including her passion for advance care planning. She is a co-chair of the Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition Northern Chapter. She is also a member of the state committee for the Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) task force and the ethics committee at Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona. She desires to provide customized and individualized care to her patients to help them and their families overcome the difficulties of chronic and acute illness in advancing age.

Shurine Barnett

Northern Regional Chapter Co-Chairperson

Adult-geriatric nurse practitioner and owner of the concierge and primary care practice, Pate Complete Healthcare

Shurine Pate is an adult-geriatric nurse practitioner and owner of the concierge and primary care practice, Pate Complete Healthcare. Shurine has more than 20 years of experience in various healthcare specialties including ophthalmology, critical care, and primary care.

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Ami is a distinguished Certified and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Assisted Living Manager, recognized for her exceptional contributions to senior care. This past March, Ami was awarded the McKnight's Unsung Hero Award and was also honored with the AHCA NCAL National Leader of the Year award, a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence in the assisted living and skilled nursing profession. Under her leadership, her community proudly received the prestigious National Bronze Quality Award, marking the second time a community she has guided has achieved this notable recognition. Ami actively serves as the Region 1 Director on the Board of the AZ Healthcare Association, where she was awarded the 2025 “Above and Beyond” service award for her exceptional dedication to those she serves. With over 30 years in long-term senior care, she has built deep expertise, successfully led multiple deficiency-free surveys, and managed a wide range of healthcare settings, including home health, skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities (CCRC). Ami specializes in transforming struggling networks and communities into high-performing providers by cultivating self-managed teams. As a champion of transformational leadership, she is committed to improving seniors' quality of life and to elevating the employee experience. Outside of her professional endeavors, Ami is a proud mother of three children—Alec, Zachary, and Alyssa—and is dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the senior living healthcare community

Ami Mendez

Public Information Committee-Co-Chair

Nursing Care Institution Administrator, Assisted Living Manager, Certified Dementia Practitioner, MBA

Ami is a distinguished Certified and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator and Assisted Living Manager, recognized for her exceptional contributions to senior care.

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Strategic and relationship-driven Business Development Manager based in Phoenix, Arizona. Sara is known for driving growth across healthcare systems through data-informed strategy, strong physician partnerships, and cross-functional collaboration at Abrazo Scottsdale Campus.

Sara Keown

Policy and Advocacy Committtee Co-Chair

Business Development Leader | Healthcare Strategy | Former Firefighter

Strategic and relationship-driven Business Development Manager based in Phoenix, Arizona.

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Steve is the president and founder of The RightCare Foundation, Inc., an Arizona non-profit corporation and 501(c)(3) Public Charity, founded in 2010. RightCare exists to advocate for and promote best practice care in local communities. As an active duty career firefighter paramedic and critical-care flight paramedic with over 18 years of public safety experience, Wagner brings sincere passion to RightCare causes. His role as a first responder helped him identify the need for improvement in quality, timeliness and accountability of care. With a strong belief that patient outcomes will improve with Immediate Resuscitation and accountability of advance directives, Wagner established The RightCare Foundation, Inc. to advocate for best-practice emergency care before the fire truck arrives. The support of fire chiefs, unions, physicians and policy makers encourages Wagner to promote The RightCare Mission to “Save lives and honor wishes”. An active member of the community, Wagner serves as appointed Council Member of The Arizona Governor’s Council on Aging.

Steve Wagner

Policy and Advocacy Committee Co-Chairperson

President and Founder of The RightCare Foundation, Inc.

Steve is the president and founder of The RightCare Foundation, Inc., an Arizona non-profit corporation and 501(c)(3) Public Charity, founded in 2010. RightCare exists to advocate for and promote best practice care in local communities.

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As the Program Development Manager for Western Arizona Council of Governments – Area Agency on Aging for region IV, serving Yuma, La Paz, and Mohave Counties, Ms. Carol Brown’s main focus is to promote Awareness, Education, Advocacy and Prevention in 3 areas identified as pillars and determined to most profoundly affect our Older Arizonans: Falls Prevention Education, Alzheimer’s/Dementia Education & Advocacy and Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention. Carol has been a member of the Western Chapter - Arizona Falls Prevention Coalition from its inception and is now serving as the Chair of the Coalition. In addition to serving on the State Falls Prevention Coalition and chairing the Western Chapter, Carol is currently an appointee to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging and is the Chair of the Aging in Community Committee under the Governor’s Advisory Council. Carol also serves on the Alzheimer’s Association Desert Southwest Chapter Leadership Council, is a member of the Yuma County Elder Abuse Awareness Coalition, the Task Force Against Senior Abuse (TASA) with the Arizona Attorney General, and the Age Friendly Arizona Leadership Team.

Carol Brown

Policy and Advocacy Co-Chairperson

Western Arizona Council of Governments - Area Agency on Aging, Region IV
Program Development Manager

As the Program Development Manager for Western Arizona Council of Governments – Area Agency on Aging for region IV, serving Yuma, La Paz, and Mohave Counties, Ms. Carol Brown’s main focus is to promote Awareness, Education, Advocacy and Prevention in areas determined to most profoundly affect our Older Arizonans.

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Lara Vineyard journeyed to Arizona to pursue a degree from ASU over 25 years ago and lingered to raise her two children with her husband Scott. She has run a digital marketing company here for the past two decades and helped multiple nonprofits and companies grow and establish their brand. She has created several books, including a caregiver book dedicated to improving communication and care in the community. Her most recent business, Beyond Accessible, has taken her to help improve medical mobility equipment options and fall prevention tools with her husband.

Lara Vineyard

Education Committee Co-Chairperson

Mobility Navigator, Beyond Accesible

Lara Vineyard journeyed to Arizona to pursue a degree from ASU over 25 years ago and lingered to raise her two children with her husband Scott. She has run a digital marketing company here for the past two decades and helped multiple nonprofits and companies grow and establish their brand.

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Ms. Tiffany Hughes is an Assistant Professor Master of Public Health Program, College of Graduate Studies since relocating to Arizona in Summer 2023. Her area of specialization is healthy aging where I focus on the two most feared outcomes among older adults – falls and dementia. She is passionate about researching falls and educating students and the community about fall prevention topics. She was involved in research projects involving fall risk assessments and evidence-based approaches to fall prevention at Youngstown State University. While there, she became involved with the Walk with a Doc program and was a member of the Ohio Older Adult Falls Prevention Coalition. As co-chairperson for the AFPC Education Committee, she is eager to lead the Walk with a Doc initiative across the state of Arizona and to carry out the mission of the education committee of the AFPC.

Tiffany Hughes, PhD, MPH, MBA, FGSA

Education Committee Co-Chairperson

Assistant Professor
Master of Public Health Program, College of Graduate Studies
Midwestern University

Ms. Tiffany Hughes is an Assistant Professor Master of Public Health Program, College of Graduate Studies since relocating to Arizona in Summer 2023.

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Ms. Roxanne Thomas (Dine’/Navajo & Numu/Paiute) is a Program Specialist with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. – Area Agency on Aging, Region 8 (ITCA-AAA). Ms. Thomas is A Matter of Balance Master Trainer, Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Instructor and EnhanceFitness Leader. Ms. Thomas is passionate about improving the lifestyles and living conditions of urban and rural American Indian/Alaska Native populations. Ms. Thomas holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Arizona State University, and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Previously, she worked for Indian Health Service (IHS) providing an array of mental health services to children, adolescents, adults and families. Roxanne enjoys new experiences, traveling, the company of her family and friends, and her role as a mother to her wonderful son.

Roxanne Thomas

American Indian Partnership Alliance Committee Chairperson

Area Agency on Aging, Region 8, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona

Ms. Roxanne Thomas (Dine’/Navajo & Numu/Paiute) is a Program Specialist with the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. – Area Agency on Aging, Region 8 (ITCA-AAA). Ms. Thomas is A Matter of Balance Master Trainer, Chronic Disease Self-Management Program Instructor and EnhanceFitness Leader.

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Dr. Elton Bordenave is the Director of the A.T. Still University Aging Studies Project and is an associate professor at A.T. Still’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ASHS). He received his B.B.A. (Bachelor in Business Administration) from Baylor University his M.Ed. from Grand Canyon University, and his Ph.D. in healthcare administration. In addition to work in aging and health promotion, his areas of professional activity and expertise are health care finance, regulatory compliance, health care information systems, and risk management. He holds an Advanced Certification in Health Care Compliance and is a contracted consultant to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a subject matter expert on incorporating fall prevention training into early clinician education. He has provided numerous Health Education presentations to senior centers, boys and girls clubs, contracted providers and professional organizations.

Elton Bordenave

Founding Member

Director, A.T. Still University Aging Studies Project
Associate Professor, A.T. Still University, Arizona School of Health Sciences

Dr. Elton Bordenave is the Director of the A.T. Still University Aging Studies Project and is an associate professor at A.T. Still’s Arizona School of Health Sciences (ASHS). He received his B.B.A. (Bachelor in Business Administration) from Baylor University his M.Ed. from Grand Canyon University, and his Ph.D. in healthcare administration.

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Dr. Thurmon Lockhart’s research interests are fall prevention, fall risk prediction and assessments, gait and posture, postural control, and nonlinear dynamics, and wireless wearable sensors and closed-loop neuromodulation systems. Dr. Lockhart has translated research findings into practice by reaching a significant number of external organizations and individuals. His outreach efforts have impacted several organizations including the UPS, Diageo, Los Alamos National Security, DOE, GE, BP, SnapOn Tools and the US Navy. In recognition of these scientific achievements, Dr. Lockhart and co-workers were awarded the Alexander C. Williams, Jr., Design Award from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society in 2008. His research was recently featured on the PBS NOVA ScienceNow and Good Morning America programs, Fortune, AgingWell, Men’s Health and Discover magazines. He has numerous representative publications on the subject of slips, trips and falls.

Thurmon Lockhart

Consultant

Professor, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, ASU

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M. Jane Mohler, RN, MSN, MPH, PhD is a chronic disease epidemiologist and Professor in the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Geriatrics, General Internal and Palliative Medicine, with co-appointments at the University of Arizona Colleges of Public Health, Pharmacy and Nursing, and at ASU College of Nursing and Health Care Innovations. She is an Associate Director of the Arizona Reynolds Program of Applied Geriatrics; and Co-Director of the Arizona Geriatric Education Center, a HRSA-funded geriatric program to train interprofessional health providers across Arizona, to promote excellence in the care of seniors. As past Director of the Tucson VA Health Services Research Center and in her present role at the ACOA she has been involved in the design of innovative models of interprofessional home and community-based care for the aged and dual eligible patients, including Home Based Primary Care, and Chronic Disease Telemonitoring.

Jane Mohler

Consultant

Chronic Disease Epidemiologist and Professor

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Dr. Abdul Tawab Saljuqi, MD, MPH, DrPH, is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, with affiliation to the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. At the University of Arizona, he serves as Director of the Falls Prevention Program and leads several research initiatives at the intersection of falls, falls prevention, injury prevention, and health literacy. Dr. Saljuqi’s work focuses on integrating healthcare, public health, and community partnerships to improve outcomes for older adults and underserved populations. His research and programmatic efforts emphasize injury prevention, trauma systems, implementation science, and community-engaged public health approaches. He has also been an active member of the Southern Chapter for Falls Prevention, supporting regional collaboration and community-based strategies to advance healthy aging and reduce fall-related injuries. Nationally, Dr. Saljuqi serves as Policy Chair for the Injury Control and Emergency Health Services (ICEHS) Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA) and represents the section on the APHA Governing Council. He also teaches graduate-level public health courses and contributes to advancing evidence-based public health practice and policy.

Tawab Saljuqi

Strategic Grants and Funding Chair

Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine

Dr. Abdul Tawab Saljuqi, MD, MPH, DrPH, is an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson, with affiliation to the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

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