Our Dementia Connection Specialist
Certified Trainer (DCSCT)
Leadership Training Team
Marisa Payne, BHT, DCS, DCSCT
Marisa Payne, BHT, DCS, DCSCT is a credentialed Brain Health and Wellness Coach, Aging and Adult Services Consultant, and the founder of In Pursuit of Wellness, LLC in California. With over a decade of experience, she is a passionate advocate for healthy cognitive aging.
Payne's passion for aging stems from her unique upbringing. Her parents operated a board and care home for older adults in their own family home, where she was exposed to a wide range of people from different generations and gained a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of aging.
As a Product Manager, Payne was responsible for a wellness-focused lifestyle product that was used by 42 assisted living communities across 7 western states. This experience allowed her to see firsthand how holistic wellness approaches and lifestyle interventions can improve health outcomes and quality of life for older adults.
Today, Payne is dedicated to offering nationally accredited education – such as the Dementia Connection Specialist (DCS) Seminar – and evidence-based programs to promote healthy cognitive aging for all. She offers personalized exercise and physical activity plans to maintain and improve cognition, and she collaborates with esteemed aging and adult service providers to design comprehensive wellness programs that empower people with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia to take control of their health, ignite their sense of purpose, and spark lasting joy in their lives.
Payne's work is grounded in her belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to live well and to live long. She is dedicated to Adding Life to Years and Adding Years to Life.™
Ann Mroz, BSN, RN, SCRN, NC-BS, DCS, DCSCT
Ann Mroz, BSN, RN, SCRN, NC-BC, DCS, DCSCT has been active as a Registered Nurse for over thirty years of practice. She has achieved status as a Stroke Certified Registered Nurse (SCRN), Integrative Nurse Coach Board Certified (NC-BC) and Dementia Connection Specialist Certified Trainer (DSC, DCSCT) in Florida. Her background includes administrative and clinical expertise in stroke center program development and management, quality improvement, nursing education, territory management and holistic health coaching for staff, patients and caregivers. Her teaching experience encompasses academic instruction, supervision for medical professionals and community outreach to the senior population.
Ann has a passion for holistic practices and completed a year-long intensive mentorship and passed national certification as an Integrative Nurse Coach. In addition, Ann has completed certificate courses for Aromatherapy Nurse and Natural Nurse Herbal Medicine.
Ann has also achieved instructor training for Qigong for Health through the International Tai Chi for Health Institute and the Ageless Grace exercise program, an evidence-based whole body chair exercise program which improves neuroplasticity and balance.
Ann has been a practitioner in many different forms of holistic techniques and is a constant learner in mind-body practices such as Meditation, Mindfulness and Healing Touch.
Beth Dunoff, OTR/L, CLT, DCS, DCSCT
Beth Dunoff, OTR/L, CLT, DCS, DCSCT has been an Occupational Therapist for over 30 years with a passion for helping seniors age in place safely. She is currently a Clinical Educator providing education to colleagues at multiple medical senior day programs in Pennsylvania. She is also a COPE provider. Care of Older Persons in their Environment (COPE) is an evidence-based program that can help individuals living with dementia maintain and improve their quality of life and help their care partners better manage daily care challenges and reduce their own upset and distress.
She has provided therapy in multiple settings including home care, acute care, acute rehab and long-term care. Beth has special training in dementia care, lymphedema management and low vision.
Her best accomplishments to date are her two adult children who live close enough for hugs from Mom. Beth enjoys traveling, kayaking and living 40 minutes from the ocean. Self-care for Beth is a trip down the shore, jamming to music or laughing with friends.
Sherry Boothby, OTR/L, CLVT, SHSS, CDP, DCS, DCSCT
Sherry Boothby, OTR/L, CLVT, SHSS, CDP, DCS, DCSCT, is an Occupational Therapist with extensive experience working primarily with older adults in a variety of settings. As an Occupational Therapist and family caregiver, she combined her personal and professional experience to create Happy at Home Seniors, LLC, to assist seniors and their families with aging in place, wellness, and geriatric care management services.
Sherry has pursued additional training and specialty certifications including: Senior Home Safety Specialist™ with AgeSafe America, Certified Dementia Practitioner, Dementia Connection Specialist/Certified Trainer, and Certified Low Vision Therapist, to provide top quality services delivered with empathy and compassion. Further, as an Aging Life Care Professional®, she can assist with care management services to navigate the complex path of caring for a loved one.
Assisting seniors and their families with remaining happy at home and living life to the fullest is her passion. She believes strongly in the Dementia Connection Model, and has found this program to have practical application and effectiveness for any caregiver of a person living with dementia. She is excited to add this training to educate caregivers through private dementia consults, and to provide Dementia Connection Specialist certification seminars locally and nationally.
For self-care, Sherry finds being outdoors in nature to be soothing and good for the soul. She says, “Taking a walk, hiking, kayaking, swimming, bird watching- anything in nature helps me recharge. Also spending time with family, friends, and our kitties brings me joy.”
Marat Umbetaiyev, DCS, DCSCT
Marat Umbetaiyev, DCS, DCSCT, is currently employed as a dispatcher (coordinate and manage the schedules of drivers) and a supervisor (coordinate and supervise) at Best Choice Homecare in Illinois.
After working for 4-5 years with breaks in transportation, I’m looking forward to transition into homecare. I speak Russian and English.
I was also able to care for my grandmother with dementia.
In my free time, I like to go hiking/cycling. I’m a huge ufc fan. For self-care, I sleep for at least six hours every night, eat healthy, go to the gym regularly, hike every weekend, and read daily 15 mins-1 hour.
Rev. Jeanette B. Jordan, M.Div., CLC, DCS, DCSCT
Rev. Jeanette B. Jordan, M.Div., CLC, DCS, DCSCT is the Founder/Pastor of Journey to the Cross Ministries, a Multi-Denominational Church, providing virtual Worship experiences for caregivers and their loved ones who cannot get to the church building in Illinois. She was ordained by the Evangelical Church Alliance in 1999 and is a graduate of McCormick Theological Seminary with a Masters degree in Divinity. Her church also partner’s with the Alter Program, a program whose mission is to inspire and equip faith-based organizations anchored in African-American communities to better support families affected by dementia.
She is also a Certified Life Coach for Be Whole Life Coaching, whose focus is on relationship building, and a Dementia Connection Specialist Certified Trainer!
Pastor Jeanette is also the Founder and CEO of Dementia Dignified Academy, a non-profit entity, providing specialized “unique” caregiver training to caregivers including health care professionals on how to provide loving and effective care for those living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
Additionally, she serves as an Alzheimer’s Community Educational Facilitator, a New IDEAS Champion for Chicago.
Affectionately referred to as Pastor J, she also Co-Hosts The Women and Men of Faith Caregiver Virtual Support Group for caregivers to those living with Alzheimer’s/Dementia.
She was the wife of 61 years to Robert A. Jordan, M.D., a retired Pediatrician, diagnosed with Dementia/Alzheimer’s in 2016. She is the mother of five, one son and four daughters… and the grandmother of 7, four grandsons and three granddaughters and Mother/Aunt of her 20 year old nephew that she raised!
Her life’s theme is “Here am I Lord… send me”
Her go to Scripture is Jeremiah 29:11
