STAFF
Tessie Calligeros, MA
Event Coordinator
Tessie Calligeros has been catering and event planning for over 20 years and is the CEO of Calligeros Catered Events. She comes from a multicultural, Mediterranean background which builds upon her skill set as a creative and knowledgeable event coordinator. She is time and detail oriented, and has strong organizational and managerial skills. Her diverse range of skills from organizing small intimate events to large corporate functions to chairing large community festivals and luncheons, have given her valuable insights on what makes events go smoothly, and look beautiful. Tessie has been the event coordinator of Greek Food Festivals in SF which attract over 10,000 attendees, the event coordinator of luncheons, auctions, galas and conventions. She is a team player having served on various committees, and sets her standards very high for herself and her colleagues to ensure a successful event.
Tessie has a Masters of Arts in Gerontology from San Francisco State University and is a proud UC Davis Alumni holding a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Human Development and a Minor in Aging and Adult Development. She is bilingual in English and Greek and travels to Greece often to connect with her family and heritage.
Kennedy Concepción
Research Assistant
Kennedy Concepción is a research assistant working with Anabel Pelham, Ph.D., to combat ageist policies and build equitable aging advocacy. His work focuses on policy surveillance—tracking federal cuts to aging programs, analyzing impacts on local agencies, and identifying strategic pressure points for legislative action. With a background in gerontology and a commitment to justice-centered aging policy, he grounds research in direct advocacy applications.
Previously, at the Center for Age-Friendly Excellence, Kennedy developed systems to monitor AARP Age-Friendly City compliance and analyzed intergenerational program models. Now, his research targets systemic change: mapping congressional contacts, documenting reductions in aging services, and supporting data-driven activism to protect vulnerable populations. Kennedy plans to pursue clinical mental health training to bridge policy advocacy with direct support for older adults and trauma survivors.
Karen Cunningham BSc. MFA
Associate Community Organizer
Karen is the previous Mayor of the City of Brisbane CA, serving for seven
years and seven years as Planning Commissioner before that. She served
the City of Brisbane in these capacities from 2010 - 2024, which also
included serving on over 23 Boards, Committees and Commissions. Prior
to that, Karen served in many volunteer citizen capacities, including
successfully advocating for a heated pool for Brisbane and City Dog Park,
where all can gather. She is an accomplished author of “364 days of
Healthy Eating” and has participated at many levels in health and safety
related projects over many years, including films and documentaries.
Karen is past President and Managing Director of Shapes Health and
Fitness Center in Sydney. Karen assertively took the Lead in creating a
conscientious and diligent Task Force Team of Brisbane, CA residents to
help us become certified as an Age Friendly City. With >50% of Brisbane
residents, 50 years and older, she took the reins and had Brisbane CA
qualified in short order. She established herself as a safety and
inclusionary proponent for all, promoting Telehealth and Telehelp through
her participation as member, then Chair of the San Mateo County Library
JPA. Karen also assertively pushed our Local and State Officials for the
funds necessary to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety for all on our
local streets and along the Bayshore Freeway, as well as being a staunch
advocate for older adults to be provided comfortable accommodations
when utilizing open recreational space in of benches for all in our
Community. As Mayor during Covid, she assisted our County leaders in
ensuring that the most vulnerable in our Community were given the much
needed services that had vanished in the traditional sense, including daily
meals.
Margriet DeLange, MS
SIPP Project Coordinator
Margriet DeLange is a Certified Professional Gerontologist and insightful educator and presenter. She holds a Masters degree in Gerontology from San Francisco State University and a Bachelors degree in Psychology from J.F. Kennedy University, and was selected at both Universities as Alumni of the Year (2007 and 2014).
Since Margriet founded StoriesUnfolding in 2006, she has been facilitating Guided Autobiography (GAB) Groups for hundreds of participants throughout the Bay Area.
Since 2006, Margriet has taught Gerontology courses at Foothill College in Los Altos, San Francisco State University and J.F.K. University.
Margriet’s experience also includes working with the Santa Clara Country Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) as the Community Organizer for the project Protecting Our Elders: an Interfaith Response to Elder Abuse and Neglect.
This project was funded by the Santa Clara County Mental Health Department and the Archstone Foundation and designed to educate clergy and lay leaders of all faith traditions about the problem of elder abuse and how to successfully intervene.
Pauline DeLange Martinez, PhD
Senior Research Associate
Dr. Pauline DeLange Martinez has been deeply involved in CAFE’s initiatives, from its early work in Los Altos to incorporating a dementia-friendly lens in Santa Clara County and establishing a satellite site in Central Oregon. She integrates research, community engagement, and policy to support older adults and caregivers. In her current role with CAFE, she conducts qualitative analysis of focus groups and town halls and guides evaluation and strategy. She also works with UC Davis’ Family Caregiving Institute, leading evaluations and providing technical assistance for statewide aging initiatives, collaborating with the California Department of Aging on the Local Aging and Disability Action Planning (LADAP) grant program, and developing policy briefs on rural aging with support from The SCAN Foundation.
Dr. DeLange Martinez has extensive experience in gerontology, including teaching at San Jose State and Oregon State Universities, managing educational programs for the Alzheimer’s Association, launching an intergenerational TimeBank, leading the award-winning ‘Healthy Steps in Silicon Valley’ campaign, and organizing interfaith summits on elder abuse. Her doctoral research addressed the digital divide among low-income older adults with limited English proficiency, along with COVID response and telehealth. She holds a PhD in Public Health Sciences from UC Davis, an MA in Gerontology from San Francisco State, and a BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Tyler Smith
Program Support
Tyler Smith assists CAFE in the betterment of all communities through encouraging inclusivity for all. Tyler works with CAFE as the G Suite (Google Workspace) coordinator (community and other on-site meetings, zooms, G mail, Google Docs, calendar, staff coordination etc.) lead and serves as the administrative assistant to Dr. Pelham. He helps all staff with communications and tech issues. He coordinates with the CAFE board of directors. Tyler has volunteered with California Youth Connection (CYC) to advocate for California’s foster youth and has participated in multiple Transitional Age Youth (TAY) Summits for youth aging out of the foster care system.
Paige Howell Taylor
Graphic Designer & Webmaster
Paige Howell Taylor is a creative design consultant and graphic designer based near Atlanta, Georgia. Her professional career spans over twenty years, where she has produced client work ranging from branding and identity systems to application user interfaces, from infographics to illustration — along with everything in between. Through her solo design venture Sage Sublime, she has had the privilege of working with various non-profits, educational organizations, businesses, and startups, and aiding in the development of their communication strategies and tools has always proved to be rewarding work. Paige was also fortunate enough to teach at Georgia State University, her undergraduate BFA alma mater, as an Assistant Professor in Graphic Design from 2008-2016. Additionally, she holds a Master of Science in Information Design and Technology from Georgia Institute of Technology. Paige serves as the webmaster and social media lead for CAFE.
Paige is inspired by CAFE's mission of inclusion for all generations, and is very excited to be able to contribute to their work. When she can assist those who are helping people, society, and the planet to be better and stronger, she feels that is the best use of her design abilities. Creating materials and tools that engage, inspire, instruct, and solve problems is a core focus in Paige's mission.