Aimee Kandrac
Aimee's journey started with her friend Laura's battle against a terminal brain tumor at just 25. Together with her family, they coordinated care and rallied support. Seeing the need for simpler caregiving coordination, Aimee co-founded WhatFriendsDo.
At WhatFriendsDo, Aimee is an innovator, leader, and motivator, inspiring others to lend a hand in times of need. Her background in fundraising and strategic planning, along with her role as Indiana's first female CEO to secure a $500,000 round of funding, laid the foundation for her success.
Passionate about leveraging technology to support those facing life-changing events, Aimee's leadership has earned her accolades as one of Indy's Best and Brightest and a Top 50 Mompreneur of the Year.
Aimee shares her insights on caregiving and crisis support through speaking engagements and media features, appearing in Forbes, Fortune, and Oprah.com. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Aimee cherishes time with her children and indulges her love for cooking and gardening.
Ashley Parsons
After losing her Dad unexpectedly in 2019 and then her sister-in-law a little over a year later, Ashley was forced to face death and grief in a way she never had before. She and her family had very little support and often felt like they were guessing their way through decisions that had to be made along the way.
She deeply believes death is a part of the natural cycle of life and, if given space, we may create a more beautiful relationship with it in all of its mystery. As a certified end-of-life doula, her goal is to empower and educate her clients and their families to feel more prepared and at peace as they navigate end-of-life preparation.
Dr. Jan Lowery
Dr. Jan Lowery is a Cancer Epidemiologist and an Assistant Director in the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at CU Cancer Center. She is also a Professor at the Colorado School of Public Health.
She has extensive experience in cancer prevention and control research and practice in Colorado andhas expertise in public health and genomics. Outside of work, Jan enjoys everything outdoors, spending time with family and pickleball!
Andrea Plotner
Andrea Plotner is an ACE-certified fitness professional, group fitness instructor, and personal trainer. Andrea's fitness journey began in 2008, after a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis (likely stress-induced). To keep those blood-sugar numbers down, she prioritized diet and exercise, becoming certified as an Arthritis Foundation water aerobics instructor. While living in Washington as a military spouse, Andrea became SAIL certified--Staying Active and Independent for Life. SAIL is Washington's fall prevention program. Since moving to Colorado in 2019, Andrea hikes daily, using poles for stability plus a better upper-body workout. On Saturday mornings, find Andrea teaching at the Mount Princeton Hot Springs.
Matt Wetenkamp
Matt Wetenkamp is the Collaboration and Partnerships Coordinator for the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where he works with firearm owners and the firearm industry to help prevent firearm injuries and deaths. He is a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran and lifelong firearm owner who has spent more than a decade working in veteran services, suicide prevention, men’s mental health, and firearm safety. He is the former Veteran Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the state of Colorado and manager of the state’s Gun Shop Project and lethal means safety initiatives, and he believes that the most powerful ally we can hope to have in preventing firearm injuries and deaths are gun owners themselves.