Staff

Leah Bradley

Executive Director and Co-Founder Leah Bradley (left) has extensive experience in the intergenerational field, including providing nationwide training and technical assistance to practitioners establishing intergenerational initiatives. She has visioned, planned and implemented many intergenerational programs throughout the Country. Leah is a social worker, having earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan with concentrations in interpersonal practice and gerontology and a Bachelors of Science from University of Delaware in Family and Community Service. Leah and her husband reside in Olney, Maryland and have two daughters in/recently graduated from Montgomery County Public Schools. Leah enjoys traveling and watching her daughters play sports. To contact Leah, email her at leah@empoweringtheages.org

Amy Bryan-Chapman

Amy (bottom left) has over twenty years experience working for nonprofits. A native-born West Virginian, Amy has spent the majority of her work life serving organizations that worked to further quality of life for persons across a lifespan. Trained in Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Supports, Amy developed training modules for community members and organizations to increase positive communication skills with individuals who are neurodivergent. Working in nonprofit administration has become a passion as she loves efficient and organized systems that serve those who do good work. She has an undergraduate degree in Child Development and a master’s degree in Family Counseling. Most recently, she moved into the DC Metro area and has spent time enjoying the arts and history of the area. Amy has been married to her high school sweetheart for over 30 years and has three children and one grandchild. To contact Amy, email her at amy@empoweringtheages.org

Nicholas Chassagnez

Nick is ETA’s Program Assistant and holds a Bachelor of Science in Information Science from the University of Maryland, College Park (Universities at Shady Grove campus). Nick previously worked for the Achieving Collegiate Excellence & Success (ACES) program at Rockville, Magruder, and Wheaton high schools, supporting public high school ACES students. Nick says he enjoys working with seniors because, “they’re really mature and insightful. They’re wise and have a lot of advice to share.” To contact Nick, email him at nicholas@empoweringtheages.org

Joslyne Decker

Joslyne (right) has over 15 years experience in the nonprofit world. She has worked at several intergenerational programs including, Big Brothers Big Sisters in Nashville, TN, Back on Track Tutoring in San Francisco, CA, and The Young Women’s Project in Washington D.C. Joslyne is the founder of Story Starters, a program in the suburbs of Boston that uses children’s literature to get families with young kids talking about race and racism and acting as change agents in their communities. Joslyne and her family moved to Olney, MD in 2019, where Joslyne started Olney Together, a community-centered volunteer group that provided food and diapers to over 600 families experiencing scarcity during the pandemic. Joslyne is a SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) trained facilitator and loves to run groups on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She has a master’s degree in social work from Smith College School for Social Work. To contact Joslyne, email her at joslyne@empoweringtheages.org

Janel Peters

Program Specialist Janel Peters (left) has years of experience coordinating intergenerational programs. She has worked with schools, senior living communities, volunteers, youth groups, and adult day programs to make meaningful connections between youth and older adults in various community settings. Earlier in her career, she coordinated volunteers working with older adults within immigrant communities. She received her bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and her M.A. from Columbia University. Originally from Lake Placid, New York, Janel and her husband have lived in Rockville, Maryland, for many years with their three children. She enjoys music, theater, and coffee. To contact Janel, email her at janel@empoweringtheages.org

Megan Tracy Benson, ETA’s Co-Founder

ETA Co-Founder Megan Tracy Benson (right) is experienced in nonprofit program coordination and working with older adults in multiple settings, including as a care coordinator in supportive senior public housing. Megan has launched and expanded intergenerational programs in partnership with schools, government agencies, and individuals. She has extensive volunteer experience in county schools and the local community. Megan earned her B.A. from Brown University and her M.S.W. from the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

Intern Alumni

Angelina

Former program consultant Angelina came to ETA with experience working with intergenerational families in a community-based setting and working with those most vulnerable. She has a bachelor degree from Felician University, and her MPH from New York University. Born and raised in the Dominican Republic, she understands the modern struggles of being bicultural. She enjoys dancing, movies, and learning.

Bella

Bella started doing grants research for ETA in February of 2022 as a recent graduate from the University of Pittsburgh with an interest in Clinical Psychology.

Gloria

Gloria worked as a co-coordinator in the Crossing Paths program, as a member of the Ignatian Volunteer Corps. She is a retired teacher and school administrator with experience working collaboratively with students, families, and community leaders in Pennsylvania and Virginia. She has a BS from Indiana University of PA, an MA from Georgetown University, and an Ed.D. from Temple University.

Jake

Jake Cunningham served as an intern at Empowering the Ages from September 2025 through May 2026. Interested in pursuing a future in business, Jake valued the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a nonprofit organization and gain hands-on experience supporting ETA’s mission.

During his internship, Jake enjoyed working alongside the ETA team and developed valuable professional and personal skills that he plans to carry into his future career. He is grateful for the experience and the connections he built throughout his time with the organization.

Kara

Kara worked on Empowering the Ages’ grant research, and assisted with ETA’s social media and Light A Spark. She enjoys reading in her spare time.

Pearl

Pearl served as a Covid Corps intern and later as ETA’s Communications Coordinator. She earned her B.S. in Psychology at Howard University and is pursuing a graduate degree in the same field. Pearl previously worked with the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, serving as a transportation ambassador and a social media strategy and content creator. Pearl enjoys working with people of all ages and firmly believes that you can always learn something new from anyone you interact with.

Samuel

Samuel interned for ETA as a Montgomery County COVID Corps intern and a student at Springbrook High School. Samuel previously worked with Montgomery County Department of Recreation’s Tech Connect, serving on a team of youth providing technical assistance to older adults in the community. He says he has “learned to be patient and more understanding through working with seniors.” Samuel’s favorite hobbies are sports and traveling.

Ted

Ted interned for ETA as a Montgomery County COVID Corps intern and a student at Wheaton High School. He worked for two years with Montgomery County Department of Recreation’s Tech Connect, serving on a team of youth providing technical assistance to older adults in the community. Ted says he enjoys working with seniors “because they often have interesting life stories and they will just talk to you for a while.”