AFPC Leadership Council

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.

Dr. Emily Reilly is an occupational therapist and Founder/CEO of Purposefully Home. She is passionate about supporting seniors to “Age in Place” and holds advanced certification in home modifications from the University of Southern California.

Dr. Jonathan Lee-Confer holds a PhD in Biokinesiology (emphasis in Biomechanics) from the University of Southern California (https://sites.usc.edu/mbrl/). Dr. Lee-Confer specializes in how the body moves and responds to a slip incident as well as tribometry, or the measurement of friction of a floor and how it relates to the likelihood of someone experiencing a slip.

Mr. Matthew Karger is the Trauma Injury Prevention & Outreach/Performance Improvement Coordinator at Dignity Health, Chandler Regional Medical Center. His background includes over eight years of Emergency Medicine and EMS.

Dr. Babak M. Nayeri has dedicated his professional career to population health and health systems improvement, public health, and teaching the future workforce. He is a Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Geriatrics, General Internal & Palliative Medicine, with a joint appointment at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health.

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.

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 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.

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.

Dr. Lianne Rogers completed her undergraduate work at Oregon State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Exercise and Sport Science. She then went on to graduate school at A. T. Still University in Mesa, AZ.

Ms. Rose Leyba has been involved with health and wellness activities at Area Agency on Aging, Region One for the past seven years and as program manager for health promotion and education for the past five of those years.

Ms. Karen Richards has extensive experience as a health care professional. Her diverse experience includes management, informatics, medical research analyst, HEDIS, quality and risk management, health care education, training and development.

David James Harden has worked for the Arizona Department of Health Services since March 2004; 16 of those years have been with the Bureau of EMS and Trauma System in varying program level responsibilities.

Jeff recently retired from the Fire Service after serving as the Fire Chief in Avondale, Arizona and after 33 years with the Phoenix Fire Department. Jeff retired as a Deputy Chief with Phoenix Fire and managed the Emergency Medical Services, Training, Dispatch/Deployment, Support Services, Technical Services and Operations Divisions.

Kelvin is a retired Assistant Fire Chief from the City of Phoenix Fire Department, Phoenix Arizona. Currently, he provides professional services directed at enhancing the well-being and quality of life for executives, their staff and their customers.

Dr. Christina Crawford completed a Doctorate in Physical Therapy at A. T. Still University. She is currently researching falls and fear of falling to complete a PhD in Human Services and Counseling with Capella University. As a Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy she is focused on empowering older adults to live and function optimally.

Dr. Turnbull has created online resources for women with osteoporosis, is the author of The Age Healthy Roadmap and owner of Elevate PT & Wellness. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University, and with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University. She practiced for several years in outpatient orthopedics, treating a majority of aging adults with musculoskeletal injuries, post-operative conditions and balance/gait limitations.

Ms. Irene Stillwell was born in Los Angeles, California. She studied at Azusa Pacific University, the University of Utah, the Salvation Army School for Officer’s Training (ordained minister and officer), and earned a Bachelor of Music from Arizona State University.

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.

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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