Leadership

J. Thomas Briody, MHSc, was appointed President and CEO in 2012, bringing 25 years of leadership expertise in the continuum of elder care services, coupled with a breadth and depth of knowledge in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Over the past seven years, IOA has more than doubled in size, serving over 20,000 individuals per year. In 2018, IOA expanded its services in southern California.

Prior to joining IOA, Tom was a Principal for J. T. Briody Health Care Consulting in Western New York, specializing in strategic elder care innovation and leadership development. Tom also served as the President of the Continuing Care Division of the Catholic Health System of Buffalo, New York. Among his many accomplishments was integrating the independently operated skilled nursing facilities and developing a fully integrated continuum of elder care services that included skilled nursing, home health, seniors housing and community care management.

Tara McGuinness is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than 25 years of experience in senior care and services for older adults. As Chief Operating Officer at Institute on Aging (IOA), she oversees a wide range of programs, including home care, PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), Companioa, Quality, and the Friendship Line. Known for her operational expertise, Tara has led transformative initiatives across healthcare, driving financial turnarounds, overseeing large-scale capital projects, and pioneering innovative care models. Her leadership focuses on team engagement, strategic growth, and improving care quality to meet the evolving needs of older adults.

Before joining IOA, Tara spent more than two decades in senior leadership roles at HumanGood. In these roles, she spearheaded the strategic development of healthcare services across 18 Life Plan communities, forging partnerships with ACOs, hospitals, and physician groups. A champion of person-centered care, Tara partnered with CMS to develop innovative care models in skilled nursing. With both a bachelor’s and master’s in economics, she brings a strong foundation in financial analysis and healthcare innovation, continuously working to advance sustainable person-centered and adaptable care models.

Tara’s achievements include leading a $100M campus redevelopment project for the Terraces at Los Altos, pioneering new Medicare reimbursement strategies that resulted in substantial revenue growth, and steering communities through accreditation processes with exemplary ratings. A recognized thought leader, she has been active on multiple boards, including LeadingAge California, where she served on the Executive Committee and chaired the Public Policy Committee.

Roxana R. Blades joined IOA in April of 2013 as Chief Financial Officer. She has responsibility for accounting, financial analysis and reporting, facilities, information technology, and human resources. Previous to joining IOA, Roxana was Vice President of Operations for Aspera, Inc., in Emeryville, CA. She was involved with growing the software technology company from a start up to a mature business. Her accomplishments were focused on building the supporting infrastructure in accounting, facilities, finance, and human resources to expand nationally and globally. Her previous roles were all with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco where she had a long career holding various key roles in finance and human resources which had local and national scope.

Roxana holds a B.A. in Government from the University of San Francisco, and a M.B.A. from St. Mary’s College.

Dustin Harper is the Chief Strategy Officer at Institute on Aging. Dustin has 20 years of management and executive experience developing home and community-based programs for older adults in for-profit, non-profit and government settings. He has helped develop IOA into a trusted statewide service provider, predominantly serving low-income older adults and people with disabilities.

Chris Wallner brings strategic insight, data-driven decision making, and hands-on leadership to his role as Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Institute on Aging. Action-oriented, metric-focused, and bottom-line driven, Chris leads with an entrepreneurial yet collaborative style that delivers results. He has an extensive track record of building and leading teams, developing strategies, and executing plans that drive growth and innovation at for-profit and nonprofit firms.

In addition to his role at Institute on Aging, Chris serves as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer with Chief Outsiders, where he partners with organizations across the U.S. and internationally to accelerate growth, enhance marketing effectiveness, and drive profitability. His dual experience in both mission-driven and commercial enterprises gives him a unique ability to align purpose with performance. Chris holds a B.S. and an M.S. from the University of California, Davis.

His passion for aging services is deeply personal. Responsible for the care of his aging parents—both living with dementia—Chris brings empathy, understanding, and a commitment to the challenges families face as loved ones age. Chris and his siblings are also clients of Institute on Aging’s Caregiver Coaching program, giving him firsthand insight into the vital support families need and the value IOA provides to the community.

Virginia Lui, Senior Controller, joined IOA in February 2016. She has over twenty years of accounting experience, eight of those years were with nonprofit organizations. Her expertise in operational and financial management, as well as business analytics, positioned her to be a strategic player in planning and oversee the agency’s financials.

Previous to joining IOA, Virginia served as the Controller and Director of Corporate Finance at Tides, a social enterprise accelerating positive social change, where she oversaw corporate and two real estate financials. Her deep technical knowledge and experience helped the organization reinforced their internal controls, procedures, and financial reporting.

Virginia earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from San Francisco State University. She is a Hong Kong native fluent in Cantonese and English. During her free time, you will find her cheering for her daughter on the volleyball courts.

Danielle Vincer serves as IOA’s Vice President of Community Living Services, bringing more than 10 years of leadership and case management experience in multiple realms of health care including acute, long term acute and community based care. Danielle joined IOA in 2019 after working as the Director of Case Management at Kentfield Hospital and the Manager of Care Coordination at California Pacific Medical Center. She holds her license as a Registered Nurse as well as a MA in Innovation and Administration from Arizona State University, a BS in Nursing from Samuel Merritt University and her BA in Sociology from University of California, Santa Barbara.