Distinguished researchers and practitioners who help guide our mission and keep our work grounded in evidence.
Our Advisors
Director, Center on Aging · Professor, Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health
Jordan Lewis, PhD, MSW, CPG is Aleut and Sugpiaq and has worked with American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities to identify characteristics that enable Alaska Native Elders to age successfully — or age in a good way. Using the lessons and experiences of AIAN Elders, Dr. Lewis' research develops generative-based approaches to improve the health of all generations.
Indigenous Elder Health & Intergenerational Research
Postdoctoral Researcher · Center for One Health Research · College of Indigenous Studies
Lena Thompson, PhD is a postdoctoral researcher at the Center of One Health Research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Indigenous Studies. Her research explores Alaska Native aging experiences, pathways to intergenerational sharing, and emergency preparedness in Indigenous communities.
Culturally-Adapted Interventions & Alaska Native HealthEvery program element draws on peer-reviewed findings in music therapy, intergenerational connection, and aging science — not just intuition.
Our advisory board includes leading researchers and field experts who bring decades of real-world experience working directly with elder communities.
Chapters track and document outcomes across sessions, building a growing body of evidence that this model works — and can scale.
The Melody Project