Conference Program

ASA Awards
ASA is proud to recognize individuals and organizations for their leadership and innovation in the field aging.
These award winners will be recognized at the General Session on Tuesday, March 21 at 11:00 AM.
Hall of Fame Award
Percil Stanford
President, Folding Voice
ASA’s Hall of Fame Award recognizes an individual,
age 65 or older, who has, through a lifetime of
advocacy and leadership, enhanced elders’ lives via demonstrated
leadership at the national level.
Dr. E. Percil Stanford is president of Folding Voice, Washington, D.C.
and president of KIND Corporation, San Diego, which provides
housing for low-income elders. Stanford’s decades-long dedication to
gerontology and minority aging has influenced nonprofits, businesses,
governmental and academic institutions, and individuals worldwide.
Stanford has played a crucial role at ASA for more than 40 years,
starting with his tenure on the Board of what was formerly the
Western Gerontological Society. He served as president there from
1975 to 1976, and is on the ASA Council of Presidents. He served on
ASA’s Board of Directors for many years and in 2001 was a founding
member of the Network on Multicultural Aging (NOMA), and
served on the NOMA Editorial Advisory Committee. Stanford also
founded the Minority Concerns Committee, which is now the ASA
Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and he regularly plays a leading
role in ASA’s Diversity Summit at the Aging in America Conference.
Stanford co-created Folding Voice in 2011 with his son, Dr. Dawan
Stanford, after leaving his position in December 2010 as AARP’s
senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer. His
professional life, from its inception—aside from his military service—
reflects a broad and deep involvement in gerontology. Stanford’s early
association with the first White House Conference on Aging (in 1961)
while at Morgan State University set the stage for his desire to work
on behalf of older adults.
At San Diego State University (SDSU) Stanford was instrumental in
founding the Department of Gerontology, which included a
certificate program, and bachelors and masters-degree programs.
He directed research programs, and designed and taught SDSU
undergraduate and graduate social work and gerontology courses
for 30 years. He was the charter director of the University Center on
Aging, establishing the National Institute on Minority Aging and
directing several national programs under the Center’s umbrella. As
Professor Emeritus at SDSU, he continues his commitment to the
gerontology program.
ASA Award
Paul Downey
President/CEO, Serving Seniors
The ASA Award recognizes an individual who has
made outstanding and ongoing national contributions
to aging-related service, research, administration or advocacy.
Paul Downey is the president and CEO of Serving Seniors, an
internationally recognized nonprofit organization providing
impactful services for seniors living in poverty. Since 1995,
Downey has guided Serving Seniors’ innovative efforts to provide
supportive services, and has been a leader in the fight to provide
affordable housing for older adults, opening a 200-unit, lowincome,
senior housing complex in 2003 and a second 150-unit
senior affordable housing complex in 2007.
In his role at Serving Seniors, Downey oversees a transitional
housing program for homeless elders in which they are connected
with case managers who assess their needs to help them find
meals, counseling and affordable housing. In the decade since its
creation, Serving Seniors has helped more than 1,000 older adults
to move off the streets, with a 92 percent success rate. An
innovative and passionate champion for elders living in poverty,
Downey’s vision and his ability to surround himself with staff team
members who possess the same commitment and values has built
Serving Seniors from a small charity on the verge of going out of
business into a cost-effective model worthy of replication.
Downey serves as Chair of the California Commission on Aging, the
principal advisory board to the California governor and the state
legislature. As well, he is San Diego Supervisor Dianne Jacob’s
appointee on the County of San Diego’s Social Service Advisory
Board, is past chair of the City of San Diego’s Senior Affairs
Advisory Board and also is past chair of the Dean’s Advisory
Committee for the College of Health and Human Services at San
Diego State University. In addition, he writes monthly columns on
aging-related topics.
Gloria Cavanaugh Award for Excellence in
Training and Education
Senior Planet
(a program of Older
Adults Technology Services)
The Gloria Cavanaugh Award for
Excellence in Training and Education
recognizes an individual who has made a significant contribution to
training and education in the field of aging.
New York-based Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) created
their Senior Planet training program in 2004 to pioneer innovative
training and education models that harness the power of technology
to change the way we age. These models have been widely adopted
by providers, public agencies and corporations seeking to improve
elders’ health, social engagement and financial security.
20 2017 Aging in America Conference