Welcome!

Our website has been updated with a revised look to demonstrate more clearly how Front Porch and Covia have come together as one organization, united as Front Porch Communities and Services.

While you’ll see changes to our name and our logo, you’ll find consistency in how we continue to provide the same care as a non-profit provider of aging services.

We invite you to explore the website to learn more.

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Creative Aging Symposium

Creative Aging Symposium 2024 Speakers

Full Speaker Bios
Anna Hall

Anna Hall is the Founder and Chief Purpose Officer for The Purpose Equation. She has over 25 years of experience in employee and team engagement, program development, leadership and organizational strategy, change-management and technology innovation in the senior living space.

cin salach

Poet of page and stage, cin salach has collaborated with musicians, video artists, dancers, photographers, and most recently, healers, chefs and scientists. She lives in Chicago with her son, where her love of poetry and the belief that it can change lives has led her to create her business, poemgrown, helping people mark the most important occasions in their lives with poetry.

Damon McLeese

Damon is a visionary leader who has dedicated his career to promoting accessibility, inclusion, and innovation in the arts. As the Executive Director of Access Gallery for more than 25 years, Damon has been a driving force behind the organization’s success in unlocking the creative power of people regardless of their background, ability, or experience.

Grant Avenue Follies

Grant Avenue Follies bring to life the legacy of San Francisco Chinatown’s golden nightclub era (1940’s to 1970’s). Originally comprised of four retired dancers of the nightclubs, they were following doctor’s orders to exercise for improved physical health. The Follies rediscovered the sheer joy and freedom of dance and reconnected with their roots.

A woman holds up a painting in a gallery while two seated people look on.
Carlsbad Maker Meetup

“Carlsbad Maker Meetup,” is a monthly gathering for all creative minds, makers, and passionate hobbyists. From delectable recipes and intricate scrapbooks to cozy quilts and breathtaking fine art – our diverse community shares a passion for creation in all its forms. Hosted by Front Porch Gallery, these gatherings are rooted in the joy of sharing.

A portrait image of Oshea Luja
Oshea Luja

Oshea Luja is the Artistic Director of Still Waters Network,  the Producer of the Still Waters Experience, and co-founder of the literacy-rooted Still Waters Writers Workshop.  A renowned poet and producer, he is a 2015 and 2017 Village Award Recipient from the Villagers Hall of Fame Awards Foundation.

Susie Ghahremani

Susie Ghahremani is an award-winning illustrator and author, an internationally exhibiting fine artist, an educator, an entrepreneur, and designer.

Suzanne Reich

Suzanne Reich is a museum educator and arts educator. She has worked with students and adults at Ruth’s Table, at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and at SFMOMA, and taught for many years as a literacy specialist in elementary schools.

Zohreh Ghahremani

Zohreh (Zoe) Ghahremani is an author, speaker, and painter whose work is heavily influenced by her experiences as a Middle Eastern immigrant and her background as a poet.