Heather Connors, PhD

Executive Director, The Center for Guardianship Excellence

Dr. Heather Connors is a Gerontologist, National Certified Guardian, and advocate for ethical guardianship. During the last twenty years she has worked as a professional guardian, researcher, college professor and speaker. Her vision for educating and supporting professional and family guardians has come to life at The Center for Guardianship Excellence.

As Executive Director, Heather leads research projects that help to reveal facts about the needs of adults with temporary or long-term challenges that can be described as incapacity. This research is used to develop training programs and tools for guardians and families of adults in need of decisional support.

She is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and educational summits on subjects related to providing logical, thorough, thoughtful and well-documented decisional support for adults.

She earned her Doctorate of Philosophy in Gerontology Policy Studies from the University of Massachusetts Boston, a Master of Science in Gerontology from the University of Massachusetts, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the College of the Holy Cross.

Cassandra Smalley, CFA, CFP®

Founder and CEO of Cassandra Smalley Wealth Management

Cassandra Smalley is the Founder and CEO of Cassandra Smalley Wealth Management and author of "The Why of Wealth: Mastering the Steps to a Wealthy Mindset to Live a Joyful Life." Cassandra holds the CFA and CFP® designation, the gold standard of the financial profession and a combination earned by fewer than 1% of advisors.

Cassandra has been in the financial services industry for 20 years. In a prior role, Cassandra managed $500 million in assets for affluent families, trusts, guardianships, and foundations as a Senior Wealth Advisor. She also trained a team of CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERS™ and CPA professionals as the Director of Financial Planning before launching her practice, Cassandra Smalley Wealth Management. She has helped thousands confidently take the leap from career life to retirement dream. Her transformative approach to wealth management focuses on multi-generational planning and conversations that lead with purpose.

After seeing first-hand how critical it is for women to be engaged in financial planning conversations, and the financial industry’s gap in addressing women’s wealth issues from beginning to end-of-life needs, Cassandra felt called to publish a book based on her experiences. Through stories in "The Why of Wealth," finances become more approachable and relatable to the unique challenges we all face. Topics range from career, parenthood, relationships, elder care, gender wealth gaps, life transitions, retirement needs, creating a lasting legacy, and most importantly, building the joyful life you deserve. It’s a heartfelt message of the importance of communication, vulnerability, honesty, inclusion, and ensuring that women have a front-row seat at the financial table.

Mary Maloney, MPH, RDN, CSG, LD/N

Chief of the Bureau of Field Operations, Agency for Health Care Administration

Mary Maloney is the Chief of the Bureau of Field Operations in the Agency for Health Care Administration. She has been employed at the Agency for over 35 years. Mary is a Registered and Florida Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist and board certified as a Gerontological Nutrition Specialist. She is based out of the Clearwater office and her agency experience includes conducting surveyor training, quality improvement activities, and health facility surveys. Her expertise is nursing home regulation, as well as hospitals, assisted living facilities, and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Mary earned her master’s degree in public health with emphasis in health education and public health nutrition from University of South Florida. She has held numerous leadership and board positions with district and state dietetic associations. She has also given many presentations to a variety of professional organizations and co-authored professional journal articles and textbooks. She enjoys crafts, learning foreign languages, and cooking international cuisine in her leisure time.

Irene Rausch

Professional Guardian and Instructor

Irene Rausch has a distinguished career and served on the Board of Directors of the National Guardianship Association from 1988 to 1998. During this time, she served as Vice President, Conference Chairman, and as a member of the Certification Committee; she was a major contributor in the development of the NGA Registered Guardian Certification, 8 hour training course and training materials.

She has also served as the President of the Guardian Association of Pinellas County (1987-88, 2012-13, 2020-21). Irene was appointed by Governor Robert Martinez in 1988 to serve on the Study Commission on Guardianship law. This group was responsible for proposing major reforms later adopted by the Florida Legislature in 1989. She was appointed by Governor Lawton Chiles to serve on the Guardianship Oversight Board in 1991, a group charged with investigating the application and implementation of the earlier reforms.

Irene is the author of a handbook for guardians, "A Practical Guide to Guardianship," and has taught 140 forty-hour courses and numerous other training seminars throughout the country. She has served as a professional legal guardian since 1982.

Megan Chatham, JD

Professional Guardian, Fiduciary, Notary, and Attorney

Megan Chatham is a Professional Guardian with a background in law and elder care. She holds a Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida. Before becoming a guardian, she practiced law for over a decade, focusing on family and personal injury law. Since 2015, she has also provided care through Elder Care Concierge Services, helping individuals coordinate support to age in place safely and comfortably. Her current work as a Professional Guardian is informed by her legal experience and a longstanding interest in supporting her community. A lifelong Floridian, she remains active in her community through volunteer work, including service as a Guardian ad Litem and involvement in local outreach programs.

Richard Ficca

Director of Risk Management / Managing Agent, Florida Coastal Insurance Agency

Richard Ficca has the rare combination of education, experience, and ability. Richard’s expertise traverses many aspects of risk management including diverse insurance and financial knowledge. Richard’s over 20 years as a speaker gives him the ability to explain in simple terms his clients’ exposures and needs, while assisting them with real time, significant decisions that affect the trajectory of their businesses. Richard’s client inclusive approach allows his clients the guidance to make their best decisions, while being actively involved in the process.

After serving in management and leadership positions of multiple regional & national insurance companies, Richard founded his own all-lines insurance agency and risk management consulting firm. With almost 30 years of experience underwriting nearly every insurable asset class, Mr. Ficca assists clients as an agent, professional witness, professional speaker, certified instructor & risk management consultant. Richard provides a focus on fundamental risk-management, managing fiduciary and enterprise risk for his clients throughout not only the US, but globally. His current clients include a multi-billion dollar family office, large multi-story commercial construction projects, golf, beach and mountain resorts throughout the US, an international sports organization, as well as a European professional sports team.

Natalie Alden

Program Operations Coordinator, Disability Rights Florida

A Program Operations Coordinator at Disability Rights Florida, Natalie Alden works primarily on Social Security, employment, and other state benefit issues. Active in the disability rights field for over 30 years, she became a certified benefit planner in 2001 under the Ticket To Work legislation utilizing her degree in accounting to assist individuals receiving Social Security navigate different systems to become successfully employed. She has been conducting audits under a special grant from the Social Security Administration since 2009. She has been fortunate enough to work hands-on with legislators and municipality staff in creating systemic policies and legislative change through city, state, and federal agencies. She has assisted in organizing grassroots empowerment groups, has worked one-on-one on educating individuals on their rights and responsibilities, and teaching individuals how to self-advocate to resolve a variety of issues.

Dr. Patricia Delgado, DNP, AGPCNP, DCNP, PMHNP

Owner and CEO, Sunrise Skin & Wellness

Dr. Patricia Delgado is a nurse practitioner certified in adult-gerontology primary care, dermatology, and psychiatry. She worked in critical care for 5 years prior to becoming a nurse practitioner and worked in medical, surgical, and aesthetic dermatology for the last 8 years prior to starting her own practice in St. Petersburg, Florida over 2 years ago. She has also worked in dermatology and psychiatric research for the past 5 years. She serves as adjunct faculty for Florida Atlantic University as the head of the postgraduate dermatology certificate program for nurse practitioners and stays active in the community leading the advanced practice provider (APP) non-profit educational and advocacy organization, Sunrise NPPA Derm Inc. She continues her work in research with K2 Medical Research Tampa as a sub-investigator for psychiatric and Alzheimer's studies and will soon serve as Primary Facilitator for a phase 3 psychedelic study for major depressive disorder. She stays active in publication and presentation in regional and national dermatology and psychiatric conferences and serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners and PAs.

Honorable Judge Pamela Campbell

Section 4 – Probate and Mental Health Division, Sixth Judicial Circuit of Florida

Judge Campbell practiced law in St. Petersburg for 17 years prior to her appointment to the bench. She was “AV” rated by Martindale Hubbell. The emphasis of her law practice was health care law, probate and guardianship law, with several high profile cases. Prior to becoming an attorney, she had 14 years of experience in the legislative arena working in an administrative role in the Florida House of Representatives, United States Senate, and later as a political consultant with a national governmental affairs firm.

As a Circuit Court Judge, she was appointed in 2006 by Governor Jeb Bush to the Sixth Judicial Circuit and has served in a Felony Criminal Division, Family Division, Civil Division, and in 2018 began in the Probate Division in St. Petersburg, Florida. She has presided over 40 criminal jury trials and 90 civil jury trials.