CAN Coordinator
Dr. Ryan Lavalley, PhD, OTR/L
Coordinator, Carolina Aging Network
Primary Lead, Community Practice Lab
Assistant Professor, UNC-CH Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Dr. Ryan Lavalley has coordinated the Carolina Aging Network since its inception in 2023. Ryan is also the founder and primary lead of the Community Practice Lab, where he works in partnership with various organizations across Orange County and North Carolina to further community-rooted initiatives, primarily centered around aging, housing, and community engagement. Ryan is an assistant professor in the Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he teaches the community-level occupational therapy course in the MSOT program each spring semester.
CAN Coordinating Team
Linda Kendall-Fields, MEd
Director, Cares
Clinical Associate Professor, UNC-CH School of Social Work
Linda Kendall-Fields is the director of the Cares Program in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has dedicated more than 35 years to building communities that are responsive to the needs and contributions of older adults, people with disabilities, and families. Linda uses collective impact and other community engagement strategies to lead numerous health care, nonprofit and government initiatives. In her role at UNC-Chapel Hill, she leads a team that is dedicated to facilitating systems change with and for adults of all ages.
Denisé Dews, MSW
Education Specialist, Center for Aging and Health
Associate Director, Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program
Denisé Dews is an education specialist with the Center for Aging and Health in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, serving as the associate director for the Carolina Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program. She was previously an associate clinical professor with the UNC School of Social Work for 16 years. Denisé continues to teach and present on interprofessional education, aging, and death & dying. Denisé came to academia with social work practice experience in public child welfare, healthcare, and aging. She has served on multiple national committees and grant teams advancing integrated health in geriatric care.
Alison Climo, PhD, MSW
Senior Community Engagement Specialist, Cares
Dr. Alison Climo has worked with the Cares Program in the School of Social Work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill since 2016; she currently serves as Cares’ senior community engagement specialist. Ali provides leadership in strategic and program planning, community education and outreach, and program evaluation across a variety of systems change projects. Ali previously worked at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, N.C., for 17 years as faculty and as director of the undergraduate social work program, director of academic assessment, and director of institutional effectiveness.