Our Team
Andrew L. Heck, Psy.D., ABPP
President, Clinical GeroPsychologist
Dr. Heck is a nationally renowned clinical geropsychologist, educator, trainer, and administrator. He holds dual board certification through the American Board of Professional Psychology in both Clinical Psychology (2005) and Geropsychology (2013; founding member).
Dr. Heck spent 17 years as a clinician and administrator at Piedmont Geriatric Hospital in Virginia’s public mental health system, and has held clinical faculty appointments in the Departments of Gerontology, Psychiatry, Psychology and Pharmacy at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has briefed members of the U.S. Senate on Geropsychology Training Funding issues, and is past-President and current member of the Board of Directors for the Council of Professional Geropsychology Training Programs (CoPGTP), an international geropsychology training organization. He is a founding member of the American Board of Geropsychology, an organization that governs specialty certification for psychologists working with older adults, and currently the President-Elect of its board of directors.
Dr. Heck has undertaken national speaking tours on geriatric mental health in both the United States and Australia. He is a co-author of Psychologists in Long-Term Care (PLTC): Guidelines for Psychological and Behavioral Health Services in Long-Term Care Settings (published in Professional Psychology: Research and Practice) and co-editor of the textbook, Forensic Geropsychology: Practice Essentials (published through the American Psychological Association), which is the first text that comprehensively addresses the interface between geriatric psychology and the legal system. He was named Alumnus of the Year by the University of Indianapolis School of Psychology (2014) and was the recipient of the American Board of Professional Psychology’s annual Geropsychology award for services to the field.
Dr. Heck’s particular areas of professional interest include clinical training and supervision, dementia evaluation, decision-making competency and capacity, behavioral treatment, and ethics in working with the elderly.
In his spare time, Andrew enjoys playing sports with his son, singing and playing in a Richmond-based rock cover band and woodworking in his home workshop.
Courtney Petley, LCSW, C-ASWCM
CEO, Geriatric Care Manager
Ms. Petley is a Virginia Licensed Clinical Social Worker and is certified as an Advanced Social Work Case Manager. She has more than 15 years of experience as a clinical social worker and an administrator in Virginia’s public sector mental health system at an inpatient geriatric mental health facility, as well as in the community as part of the PACE model, a government-funded long-term care management program.
Ms. Petley has provided training for assisted living facility staff through the Department of Gerontology at VCU and the Virginia Department of Social Services, and provides education for family and professional caregivers in the community on various topics including managing challenging behaviors in dementia, coping and self-care for caregivers, recognizing and responding to depression, and sexuality and aging. She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Aging Life Care Association™, which is the national professional and certifying organization for geriatric care managers.
Areas of professional interest include clinical training and supervision, caregiver education and support, and quality of life issues for older adults. Courtney is a long-time resident of the Richmond Metro area, and enjoys spending time with her husband and dogs, caring for her growing collection of houseplants, and practicing yoga.
Kate Turner
Geriatric Care Manager
Ms. Turner has over a decade of both personal and professional experience working with older adults and those living with dementia in all its forms. Holding a degree in Sociology from Mary Washington College, Ms. Turner’s passion for elder advocacy brought her to the role of a Care Manager at Gero Partners. Her reach in our community is multi-faceted.
Ms. Turner leads support groups for dementia caregivers in the area, is an expert in placement and can partner with families on creative solutions for even the most challenging situations. In 2018, she recognized a critical gap in support for our community for caregivers sandwiched between caring for young children and their parents. As a result, she partnered with the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association to create the “Younger Caregivers” support group. She also served as a board member for the Joyful Voices Chorus, a community chorus for singers with Alzheimer’s and Dementia and their caregivers.
Her experience, attention to detail, and compassion, offer just the right combination when working with families and older adults. Originally from the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Ms. Turner enjoys all things nautical and traveling with her husband and two sons whenever possible.
Sybil Parker, RN, BSN
Geriatric Care Manager
Ms. Parker is a licensed Registered Nurse with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin. She has over 40 years of geriatric nursing experience, including serving as the Vice President of Nursing Services and Quality Improvement at a senior living community in Richmond with multiple levels of care, where she was responsible to assess the nursing needs of the population and plan methods to deliver quality care appropriate to those needs. Ms. Parker also served the organization in the development and implementation of an active quality assurance and performance improvement program and bioethics committee. A certified infection preventionist, she led the organization’s response to the COVID-19 epidemic and recovery.
Ms. Parker has specialized training in assessment and care planning and is certified as a Care Manager by the NACCM (National Academy of Certified Care Managers).
When she is not spending time with clients, Sybil enjoys hiking, traveling with friends and family and caring for her cats and chickens.
Jillian Ryan
Office Manager
A New Jersey native transplanted to Virginia many years ago, Jillian Ryan is the Office Manager at GeroPartners, where she makes empathy, strong communication and attention to detail her daily driving goals.
Ms. Ryan oversees all aspects of our office, including, but not limited to scheduling, coordination with doctors and other referral providers, ensuring impeccable privacy for our patients’ information, working with insurance providers, and always working to find ways for GeroPartners to provide the absolute best geriatric services.
Previously an Executive Assistant to the CEO at a Skilled Nursing and Independent Living facility, Ms. Ryan has worked with geriatric clients and their loved ones firsthand, including through the height of COVID-19. Always endeavoring to do what is best for the resident, Ms. Ryan took great care to know the residents by name, their hobbies, and their concerns, and ensured their needs were met with dignity and respect. She carries this passion with her to GeroPartners and hopes to put a little bit of sunshine in each person’s day.
Over the last 10 years, Ms. Ryan has raised funds by organizing charitable events around the Richmond area to benefit the VCU Children’s Hospital.
Outside of work, Ms. Ryan loves spending time with her pets, going museum hopping, gaming, and crafting with her mother and husband on the family farm.
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How we are different
What makes an Aging Life Care Manager stand apart from the others is the commitment to stay focused on the needs of the client and family. Others may offer services for less, but what you receive cannot help but be influenced by the payment structure.
Hospital- or insurance-based case managers are employees of the health care system. They are good professionals. Their focus, however, is to address the issues of patients within the institution and to make efficient use of services for their organization.
We are based in the community and work with aging adults wherever they live. We provide continuity of care across all settings. We include the family and focus on improving quality of life for the older adult and their grown children.
Because we are paid directly by you, we are independent and objective. Our focus is 100% on the needs of your family and your aging loved ones. We apply our considerable skill and years of training to your unique situation.
When the issue is safety and quality of life, you deserve the best!
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An Aging Life Care Manager is dedicated to helping clients age well while also supporting quality of life for family members. This phase of a family’s journey together is often complicated. There is more to do than there is time. Relatives may live far away. Relations can become strained.
We pride ourselves in our commitment to stay abreast of the ever-changing landscape of senior services and aging research. To this end, our Aging Life Care Managers are members of the following professional organizations: