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Featured Speakers

Featured Speakers

Speakers are currently being finalized.
Stay tuned for new and exciting details about the June 4, 2025 event!

Meet Our Keynote Speaker
John McGivern

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: 11:00AM – 12:00PM CONNECT BALLROOM C

John McGivern is best known for his Emmy-award winning work on PBS, Around the Corner with John McGivern and now John McGivern’s Main Streets. He shares personal stories in only the way he can — with humor and insight that reminds all of us to enjoy life to its fullest.

Breakout Speakers

We will have 2 breakout speaker sessions throughout the day. In addition to our fantastic exhibitors, attendees can choose to enjoy any of the featured speakers that are highlighted below.

BREAKOUT SESSION #1 OPTIONS: 9:30AM – 10:30AM

How to Thrive in Life as a Solo Ager

Presented by Sara Zeff Geber, PhD
Sponsored by R&R Insurance

Emotional Fluency: Thriving Through Change

Presented by Jennifer Bartolotta
Sponsored by Starion Bank

BREAKOUT SESSION #2 OPTIONS: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Enjoy Life on the Road: Senior Travel Adventures

Presented by Premier World Discovery
Sponsored by Brown & Brown Insurance

Enjoy Life Plant-Powered!

Presented by Joy Lenz
Sponsored by Optum

Nordstrom Youthful Summer Trend

Presented by Nordstrom
Sponsored by Capri Communities

Breakout Session #3 Options - 12:30pm - 1:15pm

Healthspan – Avoiding the “Decade of Deterioration"

Presented by Scott and Katie Michel, Orange Shoe Personal Fitness

Sensational Container Gardening

Presented by Melinda Myers

Sponsored by Johnson Financial Group

Hitting the Road – Senior Travel Adventures

Presented by Elm Grove Travel

How to Thrive in Life as a Solo Ager

Are you single? Married without children? Do you have adult children who live far away? Is extended family not a part of your daily life? If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are a Solo Ager. Solo Agers are older adults who are making decisions about their future independently. They are optimistic about quality of life despite facing potential challenges.

Dr. Sara Zeff Geber is the nation’s foremost authority on Solo Aging. In this session, she will encourage Solo Agers to plan today in order to thrive later in life. This interactive presentation will help Solo Agers weigh life options and make decisions about the future – including care plans and living arrangements. It will focus on navigating post-retirement life, including identifying what matters most as you age, resources to provide care in later life, and understanding housing options.

This interactive presentation and discussion will provide you with information on how to be your best advocate in the years ahead and understand the steps that you need to take to build a happy, safe, and secure life regardless of family support. Dr. Sara Geber’s style is light-hearted, conversational, and provocative. Her presentation is based on her new book, Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers which will also be available for purchase following the talk.

About Sara Zeff Geber, PhD

Author of Essential Retirement Planning for Solo Agers, Certified Retirement Coach and Nation’s Foremost Authority on Solo Aging.

Featured in Forbes.com, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Huffington Post, PBS Next Avenue amongst many others.

www.SaraZeffGeber.com

Find Your Way to Health and Happiness – GUARANTEED!

According to the longest (80 YEAR) study on well-being, The Harvard Study of Adult Development, there’s an undeniable correlation between deep relationships and our well-being. And here’s the ironic thing…we simply can’t develop these “deep relationships” with others until we first strongly develop them with ourselves.

Join us for a lively and interactive exploration of Jennifer’s journey to herself in the wake of her husband, Joe Bartolotta’s death. Jennifer will share her story of putting the pieces of her life back together over the last five years, leveraging science-backed and evidenced-based tools that are accessible to everyone and in most cases, FREE!!! Participants will leave with the roadmap Jennifer deploys in her own life every single day and have the opportunity in session to choose one element of it and begin your very own journey.

About Jennifer Bartolotta

Jennifer is a self-described Emotional Fluency Guide who partners with leaders to become more Emotionally Fluent (possessing Emotional Intelligence, Emotional Endurance, Emotional Management and Emotional Maturity). Previously, she co-owned Bartolotta Restaurants with her husband Joe for 18 years, serving as director of sales. Under their leadership, the Bartolotta Restaurants operated 17 locations with 1,000 employees pre-COVID.

Jennifer has also served in many community action roles, including as director of Care-a-lotta (Bartolotta’s charitable arm). She also serves on many non-profit boards having filled the role of board chair in three. She has received numerous awards of recognition throughout the greater Milwaukee area for her work.

Love to travel without the stress of planning?

We invite you to join us in exploring the wonders of the world – where we do all the planning, and you sit back and relax. Amanda Street is the Wisconsin representative for Premier World Discovery, a tour operator specializing in group escorted tours for active adults.

Now in our 25th year, Premier World Discovery offerings have grown to more than 80 domestic and international tours covering 50 countries and 5 continents. Our fully guided travel programs will give you peace of mind to discover some of the most popular destinations in the world as well as entice you to check off your bucket list trip.  Trips include airfare, quality hotel accommodations, most meals, experienced tour directors and local guides, motorcoach transportation, inclusive sightseeing, and cultural experiences to showcase the destination and make you feel like a local.

Learn about destinations such as Cape Cod & the Islands, Highlights of Italy’s Amalfi Coast and New York City Holiday or review our online brochures on our website www.premierworlddiscovery.com

Enjoy Life Plant-Powered

Joy Lenz is a dietitian from the Lake Country area.  She loves empowering people to incorporate plants into their diets, bringing joy into their kitchens as they improve their overall health.  Joy switched to a plant-powered life after learning about the diet’s extensive health benefits and soon felt like a new person.

Joy teaches plant-powered cooking classes and loves helping people with the culinary side of eating this way.  She works with people 1:1 in person, in the kitchen, or online. She also offers an 8-week online group coaching course called Plant U.  Her website is plantpoweredjoy.com

Nordstrom Youthful Summer Trend

Does your wardrobe need a refresher? Have you been wearing the same things for the past 10 years? Are you interested in fashion tips to highlight your assets and make you look and feel your best? If so, don’t miss our afternoon breakout session compliments of our friends at Nordstrom at Mayfair Mall.

Nordstrom is having a fashion show where our models are mature men and women just like you! From active wear to day-to-night looks, Nordstrom will be highlighting current trends and providing styling tips on how to dress to impress as we age – and feel great about ourselves in the process! Learn about the hottest colors and styles for Summer 2024 and how to take years off your appearance just by how you dress. This breakout session is guaranteed to be educational and a lot of fun!

Healthspan – Avoiding the “Decade of Deterioration

The term “Healthspan” has been gaining more traction in the medical community but what exactly is healthspan?? A person’s healthspan can be defined as how many years a person lives without suffering from a deteriorating quality of life. New research has identified several simple strategies to not only pause the all-to-common side effects of aging, but actually reverse these side effects! Join Scott and Katie Michel from Orange Shoe Personal Fitness as they dive into this topic through an interactive and educational workshop. Attendees will leave with a short “cheat sheet” of daily action items they can use to increase and improve their healthspan today!

About Scott Michel

Scott started his career with Orange Shoe after graduating from UW – La Crosse with an Exercise Sport Science degree and a concentration in Strength and Conditioning and a degree in Education. Scott has been with the Orange Shoe family since 2004 and when he’s not helping clients as a personal trainer in the Pewaukee studio, he wears the hat of the franchisor and works with the other Orange Shoe owners and the 60+ personal trainers throughout the Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago and Florida markets.

About Katie Michel

Katie Michel is a personable and passionate Yoga and Pilates Teacher dedicated to sharing the benefits of yoga with eager clients. She conducts warm and inviting sessions that foster an invigorating, centering, and calming environment and has an amazing ability to empathize and develop relationships with people of different abilities and backgrounds. She prides herself on clear explanation of the benefits of poses with a focus on proper alignment and provides verbal and assisted adjustments to modify and enhance poses based on individual needs. Katie has taught over 10,000 hours of yoga. When Katie is not on the yoga mats, she is helping develop new Orange Shoe sites in the greater Milwaukee Area, Chicago, and Florida markets.

Sensational Container Gardening

Keep your containers looking their best all summer long. Melinda will provide tips on caring for your container gardens and ways to reduce maintenance without sacrificing beauty and productivity. Plus she’ll share ideas for creating new container gardens now. You’ll see plant combinations designed to attract butterflies and hummingbirds, pots of easy-care and favorite herbs and attractive vegetables to boost the flavor and nutritional value of your meals.

About Melinda Myers

Nationally known gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has over 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition, Minnesota and Wisconsin Month-by-Month Gardening, Minnesota and Wisconsin Getting Started Garden Guide and Small Space Gardening

She hosts the nationally-syndicated “Melinda’s Garden Moment” TV & radio program and The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” instant video and DVD series. Myers is a garden columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column. Prior to her current media work, Melinda hosted “The Plant Doctor” radio show on WTMJ (620AM) in Milwaukee for over 20 years as well as seven seasons of “Great Lakes Gardener” on PBS. 

Myers has a master’s degree in horticulture and was a horticulture instructor with tenure. Myers was recently inducted into the national Association for Garden Communicators Hall of Fame. Melinda hosts many free webinars that can be found on her website at www.MelindaMyers.com where you can also find gardening videos, audio tips, monthly garden checklists, and more.

Hitting the Road – Senior Travel Adventures

You’re retired and find yourself with newfound time on your hands. How should you spend it? Do you enjoy adventure, exotic cultures, scenic sightseeing, learning the history of foreign lands or simply relaxing on a beach with crystal blue water? If so, this breakout session is for you. Jenny Cagle, owner and President of Elm Grove Travel, will discuss the hottest trends in senior travel. 

From budget travel to luxury trips, solo and small group travel to organized tour groups, river cruises to safaris – there is something to fit everyone’s specific needs and pocketbook. Getting older doesn’t mean that it’s time to slow down. Getting older means that it’s time to get out and complete your bucket list of travel dreams. Don’t let travel planning become overwhelming. Professional travel advisors like Elm Grove Travel can streamline the planning process and get you on your way so you can relax and enjoy creating priceless new memories. Now who is ready to hit the road?!

About Jenny Cagle, Elm Grove Travel

Jenny has over 25 years of experience planning amazing vacations for her clients and leading her team of ten travel advisors to help people realize their travel dreams. Personally, Jenny has visited over 30 countries. In addition, Jenny serves on the board of directors for the Elm Grove Business Association and is an active member of many local organizations. Jenny also serves as the Chairperson and CEO of MAST Vacation Partners, an organization of over 200 midwest travel agencies. Elm Grove Travel has been making vacation dreams come true since 1961. It remains a local family owned business. Jenny is the second generation owner, having worked with her Mother, Sue Hollenstein until her retirement in 2019.

The Joy of Pickleball!

Come see what all the chatter is about around the fastest growing sport in the nation – PICKLEBALL! If you can play ping pong, tennis or any other racquet sport, you can PICKLE! This popular, active, fun game, is on a court half the size of a tennis court and twice the fun! Play is indoors or outdoors and can be enjoyed at many parks, rec centers and clubs throughout the greater Milwaukee area and surrounding suburbs! Learn the history, rules and strategy behind the game, and how you can get involved from Mike McGuire, ITPTA teaching pro.

About Mike McGuire

Mike McGuire is a Level II certified Pickleball instructor of the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association and has been since 2016. He regularly teaches private lessons and conducts clinics and corporate events for players of all levels. Mike also plays competitively with the top players in Southeast Wisconsin. We are excited to have a professional of Mike’s stature be part of the inaugural Enjoy Life Active Aging Symposium.