Sr. M. Peter Lillian Di Maria, O.Carm., BA, LNHA 

Director

Sr. M. Peter Lillian has over thirty-five years' experience in the continuum care ministry as a Carmelite Sister for the Aged and Infirm. Sr. Peter Lillian has served her community in many administrative positions and has lectured many times on Alzheimer's disease, palliative care, geriatric spiritual care, family care issues, stress reduction, leadership development, and team building. Sr. Peter has developed successful dementia-care programs, dementia care curriculums and assisted in developing a palliative care resource manual that is specific for geriatric care. Over the past fifteen years, Sr. Peter and the Avila Institute of Gerontology have worked with many Congregations concerning aging issues, as well as, providing congregational management and education services. She has a BA in Secondary Education and currently holds three state licenses as a Nursing Home Administrator.

Sr. Therese Mary Bukowski, O.Carm., LNHA
Advisor and Accountant Assistant

Sr. Therese is a board-certified administrator in long-term care. She has more than 40 years of experience caring for the elderly in the Long-term Care setting. Her expertise and sharp eye is a valuable contribution when assisting site visits and reviewing data.

Shane Cooney, BA
Head of Education

As the Head of Education at the Avila Institute of Gerontology, Shane oversees all educational initiatives and the organization's learning management system. He is responsible for developing comprehensive educational content and programs tailored to the needs of the organization. Notably, he established the AIG CARE (Compassion, Advocacy, Recognition, Excellence) Program, which is designed to provide leadership skills education and professional development to staff working in Carmelite homes. He is dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. 

Melissa Silvestro, BS 
Executive Administrative Assistant 

Melissa supports Sr. Peter as her Executive Administrative Assistant as well as providing administrative support for in-person conferences and programs hosted by the Avila Institute.  

Deacon Anthony (Tony) Silvestro Jr, MTS, BS 
Project Coordinator 

Tony works primarily as the Project Coordinator for a large grant received by a major grantor supporting Catholic Religious Sisters around the world. He also serves as a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of New York and has held the Director of Liturgy and Worship and Pastoral Associate positions at one of the largest parishes in the Diocese of Dallas. He has 30+ years of experience in various account management, program/project management, and technical positions at IBM. 

Kathryne (Kate) Fassbender, BS, CDCS  
Faculty 

Kate is a dementia educator with a forte in creative engagement. She has over 15 years of experience working with those living with dementia from volunteer to family care and professional care partner, before becoming an educator in 2015. She specializes in creative engagement and uses tools from her formal education in creative arts therapies and classical arts training to accompany those living with dementia and their care partners. A native of Wisconsin, she now calls New England home.  

Michelle DuFresne, BA  
Administrative Assistant  

Michelle brings her extensive experience, knowledge, and expertise from her roles in marketing, communications, and account management to her position. She is responsible for the continuing education credit process and supports all of the educational programs at the Avila Institute - webinars, online learning, and in-person conferences. 

Alfred Norwood, MBA, BS
Faculty

Alfred is an expert in physiological psychology who has worked with the Avila Institute for the last 15 years, developing and presenting workshops and in-services on a number of topics associated with aging. He has years of experience working as a consultant for long-term care systems and facilities and trained staff in the use of non-pharmaceutical, individualized care plans for residents with moderate to severe dementia. 

Clare Horn
Faculty

Clare is a licensed social worker who has worked with the elderly for over 25 years, serving as a director of social work in various nursing home and rehabilitation centers. She provides consultation and education on various topics in aging to residents, families, and staff. 

Michelle Rogers
Faculty and Coordinator of Educational Services

Michelle’s vast experience in education as a teacher, professional development provider, instructional coach, and board member to Greene County’s special education preschool and Head Start enables her to fulfill her role at Avila, which focuses on revising, editing, and developing curriculum and training materials.