OUr Team
Kay Paksoy castillo, bsw, Executive Director
Kay joined FOR as Executive Director in March 2023. Prior to this role, Kay served as the Director of Advocacy, Policy, and Legislation for the National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter for 12.5 years. Kay currently serves on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Coalition on Aging. Kay received her BSW from Campbell University.
M. Benjamin Popkin, JD, MPH - Lobbyist and Public Policy Consultant
Popkin Strategies offers government affairs services to stakeholders in the health, insurance, and legislative affairs areas. Ben is owner of The Law Office of Maurice B. Popkin, Esquire, PLLC, through which he provides related legal services as appropriate to the needs of his clients.
Executive Committee
Bill Lamb
Bill’s resume with FOR dates back to the mid-90s when he first began his involvement with the organization, and since then he has served as the Board Chair twice, as well as being the Executive Director from 2015 to 2019. Recently Bill rejoined the board of directors as the Chair, making this his third time holding that position. Bill’s impressive history includes serving 30-years with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Division of Aging up onto his retirement in 2000. Transitioning from there, Bill went back to work as the Associate Director for Public Service at the UNC Institute on Aging until retiring again in 2013. Additionally, Bill has served as the President of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care and shows no sign of slowing down with his advocacy work. We are all grateful for his amazing commitment and continued service.
Steve Hahn- (Board Chair)
Steve is the Associate State Director for Communications for NC AARP. He strives to provide education about important AARP programs, news, and initiatives. Steve’s wide range of skills and experience have assisted AARP and other public, and private sector organizations, advance their legal, legislative, and membership goals. Additionally, Steve has served in a variety of public relations roles and looks forward to helping FOR with public and media relations.
CHRIS FINK- (Vice Chair)
Chris Fink is an advocate for adults living in long-term care, especially those whose lives are affected by mental illness and in need of permanent supported housing. Chris serves on the NC DHHS Community Advisory Committee for Nursing and Adult Care Homes for Buncombe County. He also serves on NAMI-North Carolina’s Public Policy Board and Vaya Health’s Human Rights Committee. Chris is the retired President of RetailGrowth, a division of FinkWorks, Inc. Today, Chris supports area economic development initiatives through advisory, investing, and Board leadership services to public and non-profit organizations as a member of VentureSouth, Asheville’s Elevate Accelerator and the Hatch Foundation.
ROGER REGELBRUGGE- (TREASURER)
Roger currently works in the financial services industry in Charlotte, NC where he was born and raised. Since graduating from Belmont University in Nashville, TN in 2014, he has held positions in the investment banking and asset management industries, and has gained extensive experience in research, portfolio management, and risk management. Because Roger's father was a resident of a nursing home facility, Roger was introduced to Friends of Residents in 2020 due to his concern over the negative impact of certain COVID restrictions on nursing home residents in North Carolina. He looks forward to making a positive impact on the mission of Friends of Residents.
CLICK HERE for a message from Roger Regelbrugge
AMY JOHNSON- (Secretary)
Amy currently works as the Communications Director at the Governor’s Institute (GI), a non-profit in Raleigh that provides education, training and support for addiction medicine and spearheads myriad Veteran initiatives across the state. Before joining the GI, Amy worked for nearly 20 years as a TV news producer. After graduating from Syracuse University, where she was on the school’s first-ever Division 1 softball team, Amy kicked off her career covering her beloved Steelers and Pirates in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She spent 12 years in the Triangle working for ABC11, leaving in 2018 as a senior producer of the 6pm newscast. Long-term care hits close to home for Amy. Her mother, an RN for more than 40 years, spent much of her career working in nursing homes and three of her grandparents received great care at one of those very facilities. Amy has been waiting to find her own way to help and is thrilled for the opportunity to bring her skillset to FOR’s effort to help long-term residents in North Carolina get the care and quality of life they deserve.
Board of Directors
Toye Allen
Toye Allen is from Charlotte. She is a credentialed advocate for victims. She is a North Carolina Peer Support Specialist, a member of the Community Advisory Committee in Mecklenburg County, a North Carolina Notary, a licensed and ordained Pastor, and a counselor with PTSD/Military. Toye is married and has 6 adult children.
Andrea Areskog
Andrea works with Novant Healthcare Systems. She resides in Charlotte, NC.
Joanne Campione
Dr. Joanne Campione has 30 years of experience as a health services researcher with expertise in measuring healthcare quality and conducting aging-related studies. She is the project director of USDHHS ACL’s National Survey of Older American’s Act Participants and she led the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP) Outcome Evaluation. She is passionate about health policy and helping our states and nation with innovative solutions, programs, and policies that support the health and wellbeing of older individuals and their family caregivers.
Cindy Deporter
Cindy Deporter recently retired from the NC Department of Health and Human Services, where she was the State Agency Director at the Division of Health Services Regulation until February 2021. She was the federal liaison with CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). In her work with CMS, Cindy was on the national task force to rewrite the Immediate Jeopardy Regulations, as well as the national task force to review and help interpret the Discharge Planning regulations for the federal nursing home regulations. She has lended her expertise to other national level tasks force for CMS representing the state of NC. Cindy has a Master's in Science in Social Work. Her hobby is riding horses and is an international judge and technical delegate for the Federation Equestrian International and for the United States Equestrian Association. She lives on a small farm with my significant other with two horses, two donkeys, a cat, a pig and four dogs.
Kelly Groft
Kelly has worked in many different areas of long-term care. From serving as a long-term care ombudsman to an adult care home administrator, she has a heart for residents and their families. Kelly lives and works in the Triad area.
Barbara J Gustinis
BJ is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the tech and software industry, having worked in roles such as enterprise sales, partner transformation, eco-system integrations, and highly visible strategic alliances. Her career has been defined by trust-building, stakeholder alignment, cross-functional collaboration, active listening, inclusivity, and embracing diverse perspectives. BJ’s strengths lie in her adaptability, creativity, empathy, critical thinking, storytelling, and driving change. BJ is on a mission to leverage her corporate skills to effect positive change and contribute to causes near and dear to her heart. She is dedicated to serving the underserved, participating in economic development, and making a difference in people’s lives. BJ’s journey is a testament to her commitment for creating a brighter, more inclusive, and prosperous world.
Katy Johnson
Originally from Maryland, Katy transitioned to North Carolina in 2021 after 10 years in the skilled nursing and long-term care industry within both the private and local government public sectors. She continued within the North Carolina LTC/SNF industry until joining ECU's University Advancement team in August 2023 as Assistant Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and was just accepted into graduate school. It is both her career and personal experience as a woman with epilepsy that sparks Katy to continue seeking advocacy within the healthcare industry for aging adults, adults with disabilities and caregivers in the community.
Susan McCracken
Susan formally worked at the Department of Social Services (DSS) agencies in Burke and Lincoln Counties. At Burke, she began as an Adult Services Social Worker, the Adult Home Specialist. In her 24 years at Burke, she worked in all areas of adult services including Supervision. Susan was then promoted to Program Administrator. She left Burke County to become the DSS Director in Lincoln County where she remained for 19 years. Susan earned a bachelor’s degree at UNC Charlotte and a master’s degree in social work at UNC Chapel Hill. She is currently employed by the North Carolina Association of County Directors of Social Services. Susan resides in Morganton.
Brenda Tremoulet
Brenda is an Advance Practice Registered Nurse, a Certified Social Worker, a certified diabetes educator and has extensive experience in public health, nursing, and social work. Brenda is a member of the Community Care Advisory Committee for Nursing Homes in Buncombe County and a resident of a Continuing Care Retirement Community.
Patricia Weaver
Pat is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor. She has experience both as a provider and administrator having developed and directed evidenced based programs for Cognitive Behavioral Intervention in Anxiety Disorders. She is an experienced caregiver having cared for both her husband and sister in law. Her most valuable experience came working as direct care staff at her husband’s long term care facility after his death in 2021. She got involved with FOR in 2020 when she was seeking to gain access and visitation to long term care facilities during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Pat serves on the Public Policy Committee of FOR and was the 2022 recipient of the Sharon Wilder Advocacy Award from FOR.
James R. Wikle
Jim is a graduate of Mars Hill University and also holds an MBA from Wake Forest University. He worked as a Senior Purchasing Agent for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company before going into business for himself as the owner and manager of Alliance Display and Packaging currently located in Winston Salem, N.C., as well as Ace Village Hardware and Equipment located in the small town of Welcome, N.C. Jim’s aging related volunteer work includes service with the Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) under the NC Department of Insurance, a Senior Leader with UNC, Davidson County Aging Planning Committee, Adult Care Home Community Advisory Committee, Meals on Wheels, and the Life Center Board of Directors.