Stacy Hansen: Executive Director

Stacy brings a wide range of experience in marketing, grant writing, project and program administration, including 19 years of professional and personal experience as a patient advocate.

Trish Emig: President – Retired Corporate Professional

Trish became an aging advocate after a 23-year corporate career and raising two children with her husband, Jules. Trish previously served as a member of the State Council on Aging, and in a legislative-appointed position on the Department of Human Services Citizens Advisory Panel on Aging Issues. Additionally, Trish has held officer positions in several age-related organizations, including the Oklahoma Healthy Aging Initiative, Oklahoma Silver-Haired Legislature Alumni Association, and the current position of president of the Oklahoma Aging Alliance. Trish brings passion and intense devotion to initiatives that improve the lives of vulnerable, older Oklahomans.

Annette Mays: 1st Vice President – Oklahoma Association for Homecare & Hospice

Annette Mays, R.H.I.A., C.P.H.Q. has been a Healthcare Executive for over 30 years. Ms. Mays studied nursing at University of Southern Mississippi 1979- 1981. After relocating to Oklahoma with her family, she graduated Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1984 with a double major, BS Health Information Management & Healthcare Administration.

Her early years in healthcare focused in Hospital Administration with administrative responsibilities over Quality Management, Risk Management, Case Management, Health Information Management, Medical Staff Services, Infection Control and Employee Health Services. She led a team to start two hospital-based home health agencies at two metro area hospitals in OKC and discovered then, why she loved home care.

Mays previously worked for VHA, Inc. based in Los Colinas, TX in a consulting capacity, working with Physician Practices and Integrated Health Systems, as well Hospital Based Home Health Agencies within the Healthcare Systems in 15 states. Mays worked for the Quality Improvement Organization, The Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality and worked with over 190 home health agencies, assisting them with quality improvement initiatives and quality outcomes for their patients.

Mays has been with the Oklahoma Association for Home Care & Hospice since 2007.

Rebekah Williams: 2nd Vice President – Southern Oklahoma Economic Development Area Agency on Aging

Rebekah Williams is the Oklahoma State Ombudsman Program Systems Advocate for the Southern Oklahoma Economic Development Authority (SODA) Area Agency on Aging where she serves as an advocate for residents in long-term care, assisted living, and residential care facilities. Williams works alongside lawmakers on the state and federal levels to ensure new laws have a positive impact on residents in the previously mentioned facilities. Additionally, Williams tirelessly works to pass laws that will ensure residents receive respect and dignity from the staff in their respective facilities. Williams is passionate about the prevention of neglect, abuse, and exploitation of older Oklahomans. In carrying out her work, Williams works with state and federal agencies on behalf of residents to make sure they have a better quality of life. Williams is a trusted consultant to legislators regarding bills that affect the lives of Oklahoma’s elders and residents in long-term care facilities. Williams also conducts trainings for volunteer ombudsmen in care facilities.

Mary Brinkley: Secretary / Treasurer – Former CEO LeadingAge Oklahoma

Mary has been involved with aging services for over 30 years. She is a licensed nursing home administrator and is an advocate for older Oklahomans. She is an Advisory Member of the State Council on Aging and a board member of the Oklahoma Alliance on Aging, in addition to serving on other boards that work to advance aging services in Oklahoma. Mary believes everyone should be an aging advocate as there is a great need for all Oklahomans to safeguard long term care programs because most all of us will access aging services at some point in our life. Mary received a BA in Finance from the University of Oklahoma. She and her husband Gary have 3 wonderful sons, 3 amazing daughters-in-law and the joy of her life, 6 precious grandchildren.

Anne Davis, PhD: Nurse / Educator

Anne Davis, RN, PhD, has served as an advisor to the Oklahoma State Council on Aging for 35 years representing the Oklahoma Nurses Association. Anne was an educator at East Central University where she initiated and taught a clinical gerontological nursing course; she also directed the School of Nursing. As a nurse educator in southeastern Oklahoma, Anne has a special affinity and concern for older Oklahomans who reside in rural areas. Anne’s passion for older individuals was nourished by her grandmother who lovingly nurtured her grandchildren with persistent patience. Anne strives to persistently advocate for older Oklahomans, especially vulnerable Oklahomans, through the Alliance on Aging.

Kathryn Sikes: Communication & Strategic Planning Consultant

Kathryn Sikes brings decades of experience in education, nonprofit leadership, and public health advocacy to her role on the board. A graduate of Oklahoma City University (B.S.) and Wichita State University (M.A.), Kathryn began her career as an educator at Southwestern College, Butler Community College, and Cowley College, where she inspired students through teaching and mentorship.

Following her transition into the nonprofit sector, Kathryn served in leadership roles with the Alzheimer’s Association where she developed training materials for Alzheimer’s caregivers and advocated for improved care at the state and federal level. After working as director of grassroots advocacy with the American Cancer Society, she retired but continued to volunteer with several organizations in public health and community outreach. She served as board chair of Tobacco Free Wichita and the Kansas Grant Writers Association, and was named state volunteer of the year for Susan G. Komen. Her efforts to improve public health and build nonprofit capacity across the region involved collaborations on grants and research with organizations such as the Kansas Health Foundation, American Lung Association, and Counter Tobacco.

Now based in Oklahoma, Kathryn volunteers as a consultant in communication and strategic planning and is a speaker on topics ranging from cancer survivorship to effective advocacy. Her collaborative spirit, deep expertise, and passion for community well-being make her an asset to the broader mission of the organization.

Esther Houser: Retired
Oklahoma State Ombudsman

Esther served as the Oklahoma State Long-Term Care Ombudsman from January 1979 to October 2014. In her position she advocated for the rights of elders in long-term care facilities across Oklahoma, including complaint response, provision of information and assistance to the public, and regulatory and legislative advocacy at both the state and national levels.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Oklahoma (1972) and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin (1977). Houser served two terms as President of the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs and was the longest tenured Ombudsman in the Nation (35 years) at the time of her retirement. Her work has been published in Long-Term Care and the Law (1983), The Oklahoma Bar journal (1994), and other publications and manuals related to Ombudsman practice and long-term care issues.

She was inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame in 2003 for her advocacy on behalf of older Oklahomans. In retirement, Esther advocates for Older Oklahomans as Co-Coordinator of the Strategy Committee of the Oklahoma Alliance on Aging and a member of the Oklahoma State Council on Aging  Advisory Committee. She serves as President of the Oklahoma Silver-Haired Legislature Alumni Association and is active in legislative advocacy at the Oklahoma State Capitol.

Esther enjoys bird watching, wildlife conservation activities, and spending time in nature.

Ruth Tatyrek: Retired Social Worker

Ruth Tatyrek is a retired licensed clinical social worker. She holds a double major in Sociology and Business Administration and a master’s degree in social work. She worked at Oklahoma University (OU) Health Science Center as a social worker with children who suffered from serious medical conditions. She later served as director of social work over the adult section of OU Health Science Center.  In all her work, she most enjoyed meeting and getting to know people from across Oklahoma from a multitude of backgrounds.  

Ruth has served as director of Lutheran Social Services in Oklahoma where she oversaw services the organization provided throughout the state. Late in her career she served as national director of the Oklahoma National Association of Social Workers.

Ruth took a break from her career to provide care for her mother, who eventually required residency in a skilled nursing facility. To ensure her mother received the best care possible, Ruth with her siblings cared for their mother each and every day until her passing.

Ruth is currently a member of the State Council on Aging and Protective Services and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Advisory Council.

Amanda Dirmeyer: President & CEO Daily Living Centers

Amanda Dirmeyer serves as President and CEO for Daily Living Centers. In her role, she is dedicated to providing life-saving respite services for caregivers and vital services for senior adults and adults with disabilities.

Amanda has served in the senior health care field for over 20 years and earned a Masters of Education with an emphasis on Gerontology in 2009. She currently serves on the Oklahoma Long Term Care Facility Advisory Council as well as the Oklahoma State Alliance Team for the Bridging Aging and Developmental Disabilities Community of Practice grant.

Karen Poteet: Chief Grants Officer, Southern Nazarene University

Karen received her Master of Public Administration degree from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Nazarene University. She had over 36 years of experience in human services in two state systems, Illinois and Oklahoma, prior to her retirement from the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) in 2020.
She held positions of increasing responsibility within OKDHS. From 2006-2010, she served as the Post Adoption Programs Manager and as the Oklahoma Administrator of the Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance. From 2010-2013, she was the Project Manage of two federally funded grants which developed innovations to find and keep foster parents and support kinship caregivers.
She completed her human services career by serving as the Director of Aging Services from 2017 through 2020 where she had oversight over the Medicaid waiver which serves the most individuals in Oklahoma as well as multiple additional federal and state funded programs. Under her tenure, the Oklahoma Caregiver Coalition was created and launched.
She currently serves as the Chief Grants Officer of her alma mater, Southern Nazarene University.