LGBT+ Older Adult Project
Steering Committee, 2022-2023
Carolyn A. Bradley, Ph.D., LCSW, LCADC, is in private practice in Oceanport, NJ and is a clinical affiliate professor in the School of Social Work at Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ. Prior to retirement in December 2019, she was an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at Monmouth University. During her tenure at Monmouth Dr. Bradley initiated and led the LGBT+ Older Adult Project. Her research interests are in LGBT+ aging, spirituality, and women’s recovery. Dr. Bradley is also an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church and serves Trinity Church in Asbury Park, NJ.
Justin Carino, MSW LSW is a Hospice Social Worker for the Atlantic Health System. He has experience in Long-Term Care, Assisted Living, and Sub-Acute Rehab settings. While completing his MSW program Justin was a Fellow in Aging at the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS) – a behavioral research center at Rutgers University within the School of Public Health. Justin has a particular interest in the LGBTQ+ Aging population.
Cory Cummings, Ph.D., LCSW is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Nazareth College in Rochester NY. He has previously worked at the School of Social Work at Monmouth University as an Assistant Professor and a scholar connected to the LGBT+ Older Adult Project at Monmouth. This included community engaged research to better understand the health, wellness, and ageing needs of the LGBTQ community in NJ. He has practiced in the field of community mental health for a number of years and has volunteered with safety net mental health services and programming for people affected by HIV/AIDS.
Graeme Davis is a Transman, who began transitioning at age 63 years old. He is a Certified Occupational Therapist with over 30 years of experience in the field. In addition, Graeme is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist, owner of the Health Advocacy Network, Certified Reiki Practitioner Level 2, Chairperson of the Community Advisory Panel of RWJBH, and Volunteer Advocate with the New Jersey Ombudsman Office. He has been an advocate for the LGBTQ community with several different groups in NYC for over 40 years and is passionate about wellness care for LGBTQ elders in long-term care facilities and at home.
Jennifer Dunkle, Ph.D., MSW, is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Stockton University in Atlantic City, NJ. She earned her PhD in social work from Fordham University and her MSW from Monmouth University. She has been engaged in community-based research on the health and social service needs of older LGBTQ+ adults since 2012 in conjunction with the Monmouth University Older Adult Project and the Stockton University Center on Successful Aging.
Reva Farenback-Brateman, MSW, CDP has been a Geriatric Case Manager and Community Educator at Jewish Family & Children’s Service in Cherry Hill, NJ since March 2005. She has over 25 years of diverse professional experience in direct client services, community planning, fundraising, program development, and community education. She is the creator and facilitator of LGBT Aging with Pride, a free monthly discussion group for adults 50 and older, which launched in April 2018. In addition, she is the creator and Project Director of Café Connection – a Memory Café and she facilitates groups for care giver support and bereavement. Interests include aging, dementia, and Jewish education for adults.
Bianca Mayes, MPH, CHES is the Associate Director of Health Equity for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and is an Adjunct Professor at Monmouth University in the School of Nursing and Health Studies. Previously she was the Health and Wellness Coordinator at Garden State Equality and she continues to be one of New Jersey’s lead facilitators for the LGBTQ+ community with a feminist lens on the intersections of racial and social justice. Her interests include reproductive justice, mental health, substance use/abuse, and aging.
Cameron Mazzeo, MSW, LCSW is an out and proud bisexual trans-man who has spent much of his career speaking publicly about his experience transitioning and educating the local community on various LGBTQ disparities. He currently works as a behavioral health consultant at the VNA Community Health Center’s LGBTQ Health and Wellness Clinic and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program while simultaneously managing his private practice: CAARES Counseling and Consultations, LLC. In his free time, he is also the treasurer for the Ocean and Monmouth counties chapter: PFLAG Jersey Shore. His interests include positive safer sexual health education, polyamory, and health education.
David Rosen, DBH, LCSW is the Clinical Director at Hudson Pride Center, an LGBTQ+ social services and community center based in Jersey City. He also serves as the VP of Education for LGBT Senior Housing and Care, a training organization dedicated to ensuring LGBTQ+ older adults receive LGBTQ+ affirming care in senior living facilities, and is a part-time Lecturer for the MSW Program at Rutgers-Newark. David is a gay cis-gender male who has dedicated his 25-year social work career to advancing LGBTQ+ and HIV social justice, providing HIV care and prevention services, counseling adolescents with substance abuse issues, and delivering HIV/LGBTQ-sensitivity trainings to service providers.
Gordon Sauer, MS, MPHIL is a retired NJ educator with over 40 years of experience. Gordon currently serves as the Affiliate Leader & SAGECare Trainer for SAGE Jersey City, a board member and PD Coordinator for GLSEN Central New Jersey, and the President of GAAMC (NJ’s oldest LGBT organization). In these roles, he facilitates groups, provides information and presents workshops to LGBT+ people of all ages. His interests include education, social justice and supporting the LGBT+ community.
Renee Space, DSW, MSW, LSW, ASW-G is the Program Coordinator for Georgian Court University’s partnership program with Rowan College South Jersey- Cumberland Campus, overseeing students’ BSW degree completion. She received her professional doctorate in Social Work, DSW, at Capella University, her Masters Degree in Social Work (Administration) at Temple University, and her BS in Criminal Justice/Corrections from York College of Pennsylvania. Her research interests include: social work roles on multi-disciplinary healthcare teams, geriatric health services, and social work practices with the elder LGBTQ persons. She teaches courses in policy, mental health, social work communication, social work practices I & II, and HBSE. She has previously taught courses across the social work curriculum at several universities. Dr. Space has practiced as a social worker in Arkansas, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Michael Victor, MAS, SAC, is Program Coordinator for QSpot LGBT Community Center’s Buddy Program for LGBT Older Adults, and a Team Leader of the Early Bird Social Club for LGBT 50+ in Asbury Park. Michael is a retired management and education specialist with 35+ years of experience working with diversified at-risk populations in school and health care settings. Michael has expertise building collaborative community partnerships and leading high-performance work teams on improved outcomes for families and youth. Michael’s LGBT volunteer efforts began more than 30 years ago at the former Lesbian and Gay Center in Asbury Park doing HIV prevention work in the early 1990s. He lives with his husband Victor Gatto in Red Bank.