Expertise

• Appreciative Gerontology
• Appreciative Education & Advising
• Compassion Satisfaction & Compassion Fatigue
• Creating Appreciative & Strengths-Based Cultures
• Disrupting Ageism through Age-Inclusive, Enriched Environments
• InterAge Experiences for a More Age-Inclusive Future
• Lifelong learning as an Anti-Ageism Strategy

Education

• Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology, from Virginia Commonwealth University
• M.S. in Gerontology, from Virginia Commonwealth University
• BA in Management / Psychology from Averett University

Research Interests

• Building Compassion Satisfaction
• Innovations in Community-University Partnerships
• Appreciative Education

Bio

CliftonStrengths: Strategic | Learner | Intellection | Relator | Individualization

Ayn Welleford, M.S. (Gerontology), Ph.D., is a Developmental Gerontologist. She has taught extensively in the areas of adult development and aging, compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction, person-centered care, ethical decision-making and disrupting ageism. Throughout her thirty year career at VCU, she has worked to bridge classroom and community,  #DisruptAgeism, and creating age-inclusive cultures where all ages are celebrated. She works to equip and affirm the present and future eldercare workforce community to bring forth meaningful change through person-centered and purpose-driven care. 

Dr. Welleford serves as the InterAge Director for LLI Chesterfield, which is a fresh approach to building an age-inclusive future by fostering connection, purpose and belonging across ages, reducing ageism and strengthening community wellbeing. 

Dr. Welleford is a certified Appreciative Inquiry Facilitator through the Appreciative Inquiry Commons. She regularly facilitates interactive community dialogues to provide a platform for participants to critically examine their perceptions and experiences of aging, confront ageism and implicit bias and co-create practical anti-ageist strategies.

She has been known to say, “Let’s do something that does something.”

Highlights

• 2018 Phoebe and Frank Hall Humanitarian Award, from Senior Connections, for her significant advocacy, Contributions, and Leadership.
• 2017 Humanitarian Award, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities
• 2015 Richmond History Makers for work on the Greater Richmond Age Wave,  encouraging regional collaboration
• 2012 Mary C. Payne Leadership in Aging Award for her visionary leadership as a trailblazer in the field of aging
• 2011 AGHE Distinguished Teacher Award
• 2011 Alzheimer's Association Advocacy for person centered dementia care and work on Virginia’s Statewide Dementia Plan
• 2007-2011, Chair of the Governor's Commonwealth of Virginia Alzheimer's and Related Disorders Commission

Publications/Projects