Board of Directors
The Board of Directors for the Gayle Wells Foundation for Early Onset Alzheimer’s & Care is comprised of the following individuals:
Ivy Cocuzzi
Ivy Cocuzzi is a physician assistant and currently works as an oncology proceduralist and supervisor at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her previous work experiences are in the field of neurosurgery and emergency medicine. Ivy is a graduate of the University of Houston where she studied biology and psychology. She aspires to be a lifelong learner and hopes to use her experience and education to improve healthcare access and outcomes for patients as a thoughtful leader. Ivy is a mother to twin one-year old girls and enjoys spending time with family. Her hobbies include, travelling, learning French, and volunteering.
Cyndee Frey, R.N.
Cyndee has been a registered nurse for 37 years in various clinical and management settings. (intensive care, dialysis, operating room, occupational health and regional nurse for senior assisted living communities.) She holds a B.S. in Health Arts from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois, and a M.S. in Organization Development from Loyola University in Chicago, Illinois. Cyndee began specializing in memory care in 1999. She is certified in the Validation Method of Communication, and is one of 400 certified validation practitioners and presenters in the world. She has done multiple workshops, presentations, and classes for professional, non-professional, and family caregivers on how to reduce stress while creating an effective and failure free environment for persons with dementia by learning how to listen and communicate differently. She has developed specialized programs for education, training, dementia care counseling and communication coaching for healthcare professionals, non- professionals, first responders, and family members. Cyndee’s passion is to educate and assist individuals that work or live with persons who have dementia. Her focus is on helping people create an environment where it is possible to reduce stress and offer a supportive and dynamic life for all involved.
Arlene Schollaert, MSW, LCSW
Arlene joined Amazing Place (AP) in January 2018 in the role of Family Services Director. She conducts psychosocial assessments for prospective participants and provides AP participants and caregivers with counseling related to feelings of stress, depression, anxiety and grief. She assists in locating community resources and provides education in dealing with specific dementia behaviors. Arlene assists families in planning for the next level of care after AP by offering follow up Care Consultation. She received a BA in Psychology/Sociology with a concentration in Gerontology from Clark University in Worcester Massachusetts and earned an MSW from The University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA.
Emily Sutherland
Always evolving as a creative communicator, Emily is first and foremost a storyteller with a full spectrum of professional writing experiences. After twenty years as an executive writer in the music industry, she is now a business owner, author, ghostwriter, and mentor to people embarking on writing their stories. From documentaries, to online content creation, to books and memoirs, Emily’s unique gift for blending truth and facts with insightful warmth is well-documented. A scriptwriter for dozens of gold, platinum, and Billboard chart-topping video volumes, she is adept at building bridges and connecting people through thoughtful, well-crafted narratives. She has lent her writing expertise countless published works in a wide ranges of mediums on the subjects of leadership, creativity, spirituality, relationships, trauma, hospitality, and personal growth.
Scott Sutherland
Scott is a Talent Development Consultant for Trilogy Health Services. Scott primarily provides leadership training and coaching for staff teams at approximately 40 senior living campuses in Indiana. He studied at Indiana Wesleyan University where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries and achieved his ordination. Scott’s relationship with Gayle Wells, including his time with her in her last days, fueled his life-long passion to help people live their best life possible. Scott, along with his wife Emily, are the founders and creators of Love Better, LLC., an online platform devoted to helping people learn how to love better at home, in their communities, and around the world. Scott and Emily live in a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. They have a 25 year old son, and a 23 year old daughter and son-in-law.