Action for Older Persons

Jessie Stone He

Executive Director

Jessie joined AOP in 2021 with more than 15 years of experience working in nonprofit and higher education. Originally from Niskayuna, NY, Jessie received a Bachelor of Science from Binghamton University and Masters of Public Administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. In addition to her professional experience working in the nonprofit sector, Jessie has served on the boards of Tioga County Rural Ministries the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Finger Lakes Chapter, the YWCA of Binghamton, and the Endicott Rotary Club. Jessie is passionate about AOP’s programs and the impact they make every day on our region’s older adults and individuals living with long-term disabilities.

Patrick Benko

Long Term Care Ombudsman Coordinator

Patrick is a dedicated advocate for older adults, with a career spanning nearly a decade in elder care. His mission is to lend a kind ear and provide a powerful voice for residents in long-term care facilities, ensuring they have the best quality of life. Beyond work, Patrick enjoys spending most of his free time with his daughter, mentally escaping into a good TV show or movie, and he treasures his island time on Martha’s Vineyard with his brother.

Rebecca Bradley

Abuse Services Supervisor/E-MDT Coordinator

Rebecca (Becky) Bradley has been with Action for Older Persons since October 2011 as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Coordinator and has led the program through its expansion with the program now serving Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Tioga Counties. Becky has spent her entire career focusing on the needs of our aging population and became AOP’s E-MDT Coordinator in January 2019. While working to diligently serve victims of elder abuse, Becky still finds time to stay involved in local community events and organizations. In her spare time, she can be found drinking coffee (all of it), schooling everyone on Game of Thrones & Star Wars lore, building mechanical keyboards and cheering on her beloved US Women’s National Soccer Team.

Shari Caudell

Independent Consumer Advocacy Network (ICAN) Coordinator

Shari comes to AOP with 11 years of varied experience in nonprofits. Beginning after a few years of being a stay-at-home mom, she returned to the workforce as a direct support professional working with individuals with developmental disabilities where she found her desire to advocate for people who need a voice. Her career progressed through HR & recruitment, program coordination, and development & fundraising. Shari is excited to bring her experience and passion for advocacy to AOP and the ICAN program. When Shari isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, her animals and the brief Broome County pool season each year.

Suzy Conmy

Senior Program Specialist

Suzy joined AOP in December of 2019 after working in Mental Health and Children’s Services. She enjoys working at the front desk where every day brings new people and new experiences. Suzy enjoys reading, walking, hiking and exploring new places with her family and friends.

Beverly Docteur

Accounting Associate

Beverly Docteur joined AOP in 2022 on a part-time basis bringing more than 35 years of financial experience. Bev graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh with honors. She has worked in both the for-profit and non-profit areas. Bev is currently on the Board of several non-profit organizations. She is married and has grown identical twin daughters and 6 grandchildren. She enjoys going to the Thousand Islands where she enjoys water skiing, traveling, crafting, and reading.

Brandon Dow

ICAN & FE-ABD Coordinator

Brandon joins AOP after nearly a decade of working within the human services network of the Southern Tier including case management positions at Southern Tier AIDS program, Helio Health, and the YWCA of Binghamton. He graduated from SUNY Broome with a degree in human services and is currently completing his bachelor’s degree this year. He is driven by a passionate desire to help others and make our community a better place for everyone. He is honored and excited to bring this experience and passion to the team at AOP and the wonderful people who utilize our services. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his loved ones, serving in leadership positions at his church, reading, sports, and traveling.

LeAnn Keim

HIICAP Coordinator

LeAnn joined AOP in 2023 as the new Health Insurance Information and Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) Coordinator. She grew up in western NY and moved to this area for employment with IBM. She has since worked at Cornell University, United Health Services, and most recently at Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways. She holds a BS degree in Chemistry and MA in Social Science from Binghamton University, and a Masters in Social Work from Marywood University. Her diverse background will be an asset in learning the intricacies of Medicare and presenting it to others in an easy-to-understand format.

Outside of the office, LeAnn enjoys active pursuits such as golf, pickleball and volleyball as well as reading, gardening, and spending time with friends and family. She lives in Endwell with her husband Kim and is the proud mom of Olivia and Nina.

Linda Kresock

Program Specialist

Linda joined AOP in August 2021 after working for 27 years as an office assistant in the insurance industry, in both personal and commercial lines. Linda is active in service groups at St James Church and Your Home Public Library. She enjoys reading, walking, home improvement projects, but especially spending time with her twin grandsons.

Dani LaBare

Senior Long Term Care Ombudsman Coordinator

Dani joined AOP last Spring as one of our Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program Coordinators, where she focuses on advocating for nursing home residents. Dani has more than 25 years’ experience caring for seniors in our community. Prior to joining AOP, Dani’s career progressed from a Certified Nursing Assistant to Staffing Coordinator.

Dani strives to bring compassion and understanding to every situation. When Dani isn’t working, she spends time with family, reading, woodworking or playing chess —unless the NY Jets are playing, then she’s cheering them on!

Diane LeFever

Long Term Care Ombudsman Coordinator

Prior to joining AOP, Diane worked as a nurse for 40+ years working in long term care and community health. Most recently she worked for 15 years at Broome County CASA and then taught fall prevention classes. She has a Masters in Gerontological Nursing from Binghamton University and is passionate about working with and advocating for seniors in the community. In her spare time, she can be found walking her hound, gardening, reading a good book and, most important, spending time with her two grandchildren.

Kasey O’Connor

Augmented Multidisciplinary Team (A-MDT) Coordinator

Kasey joined AOP in 2023 as the Coordinator for our new A-MDT Program with 9 years of experience working in the non-profit world. Kasey started this work in the Traumatic Brain Injury and Nursing Home Transition and Diversion Programs and has worked supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Most recently, Kasey worked for the Office of Aging in Tioga County in the HIICAP and NY Connects Programs. In addition to her position here at AOP, Kasey provides Respite Services for an agency under the OPWDD umbrella. Originally from Southern California, Kasey lives in Endwell with her teenage daughter (Penny) and two cats (Little Guy and Boops).

Lisa Schuhle

Program Specialist

Lisa joined AOP on a part time basis in February 2022 after retiring from a career of over 30 years with the Office for Aging. She enjoys working with people and finds her position at AOP the perfect part-time job. Lisa is also a board member of the AgeOn Fund of Broome County, Inc.

When she isn’t working or volunteering in the community she enjoys traveling, socializing with friends, and enjoying outdoor activities.

Jane Talbot

HIICAP Insurance Specialist

Jane started working at AOP as the HIICAP Coordinator in December 2015. She began her career as a programmer for IBM, working there for 12 years. Then, after staying home with her children for a few years, she worked for 10 years as the Director of Faith Formation at Church of the Holy Family in Endwell. She is excited to be leading the HIICAP program which provides such valuable assistance to local residents.