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Donna E. Schafer, PhD, CPG (she/her/hers)

President
National Association for Professional Gerontologists
Healdsburg, California, United States

Donna E. Schafer, PhD, CPG is Secretary of the Board of Governors of the Accreditation for Gerontology Education Council (AGEC). She has been Executive Director of the National Association for Professional Gerontologists (NAPG) from 2006 to 2023 and President since 2023. NAPG, a 501c3 not-for-profit professional organization, credentials the academic and professional experience of practicing gerontologists and advocates for the professionalization of the field. Prior to taking her position with NAPG, Donna retired from the California State University as Dean of Research and Graduate Studies and Professor of Sociology at Humboldt State University, also serving there as Executive Director of the HSU Sponsored Programs Foundation (2000-2006). Before taking the position at HSU, she was a member of the Gerontology faculty at San Francisco State University (1988-2000), where she also was Associate Dean of the Graduate Division (1994-2000).

Donna has served as President of the California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics (CCGG), President of the California State University Graduate Deans’ Council, and President of the Western Association of Graduate Schools (WAGS). She is author of three books and numerous articles, chapters and conference presentations. Her research, teaching, publications and professional interests focus on measuring gerontology competencies, graduate education, life satisfaction, and reminiscence and activity programming in nursing homes.

Donna has been a member of Academy (Association) for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) task force groups and committees and has served on the boards of social service, community and professional organizations in Sonoma County, California, San Francisco and Kansas City. Donna received her PhD from the University of Kansas where she began her career in gerontology as a Research Associate in the Gerontology Center.

Donna lives in Healdsburg, CA with her husband, Forrest Berghorn, and can be reached at: donna_schafer@sbcglobal.net. More information about NAPG can be found at: www.napgerontologists.org.

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