Staff

Karl Pillemer, Ph.D. is the Hazel E. Reed Professor of Human Development at Cornell University and Professor of Gerontology in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. He is the founder and Director of the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging. In that role, he works to develop interventions that translate research findings into practical programs that increase quality of life for older people. His research centers on human development over the life course, with a special emphasis on social integration in later life. A main area of research interest is the relationship between aging and environmental sustainability. His current research examines the causes and consequences of environmental civic engagement and volunteerism among older people, with a focus on developing and evaluating new methods of training and recruiting retirees for environmental leadership and action on climate change. He has published over 200 scientific articles and is the recipient of the Maxwell Pollack Award from the Gerontological Society of America.

Marie Cope, MPH, MSW is a Research Support Specialist for the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA). Her background is in public health and social work, including prior work developing and implementing community programs. Ms. Cope’s current work focuses on the dissemination of innovative, evidence-based intervention programs in aging.

Rhoda Meador, PhD, is the Associate Director of the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) and former Director of the Ithaca College Gerontology Institute. Her career has focused on building the capacity of health and social service practitioners to better serve the needs of older adults and the social integration of older adults into meaningful roles in their families and communities. Her research interests include workplace learning, caregiver support, and the intersection of climate change and aging issues.

Leslie Schultz is a Research Support Specialist for the Cornell Institute for Translational Research on Aging (CITRA) at the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR). Leslie is responsible for managing primary data collection operations for applied research projects conducted within CITRA. In addition, Leslie is involved with the dissemination of CITRA evidence-based intervention programs including the virtualization of programs that were originally designed as in-person programs.

Sheri Hall is a experienced communications professional who loves to tell stories that make a difference in people lives. Her work has been published in newspapers, magazines, and on websites.