Elder Law Institute 2026 – Day One – Harrisburg

Eric Carlson has devoted his legal career —over 35 years at this point — to advocating for older Americans who need long-term services and supports (LTSS). Mr. Carlson’s work encompasses all forms of LTSS — including home and community-based services, assisted living facilities, and nursing facility care — with a focus in each on improving access and quality. In administrative advocacy, Mr. Carlson speaks regularly with officials from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), seeking improvements in federal policy on (for example) Medicaid LTSS coverage, and the quality-of-care standards for assisted living facilities and nursing facilities. In litigation, Mr. Carlson co-counsels impact litigation protecting LTSS consumers, most recently in a case resulting in at least 2,400 Massachusetts residents being given necessary assistance so they can move out of their nursing facilities and into the community. Prior to Justice in Aging, Mr. Carlson for ten years provided direct legal representation to LTSS consumers, and his work today maintains an expertise in achieving justice in individual cases. Among other things, Mr. Carlson counsels attorneys from across the country, and is the author of Justice in Aging’s widely-used guide to nursing facility advocacy, 25 Common Nursing Home Problems — and How to Resolve Them. Mr. Carlson also is author of the comprehensive legal treatise Long-Term Care Advocacy, published by Lexis Publishing. Mr. Carlson grew up in Minnesota and other midwestern states, and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (undergraduate) and the University of California at Berkeley (law school). He is a member of the bar of the State of California, and several federal district and appellate courts.

Stana Martin, PhD and company founder, started selling long term care insurance in 2006. Early in her career, was frequently one of the top sales people in the nation for long term care policies. As her attention turned to helping families with claims in 2013, her sales of new policies slowly dropped over the next few years – but then, she never worked to be ‘a top producer,’ just to help families “do this aging thing better.” For her it was, is, and always will be about helping people God puts in her space. Industry accolades were a by-product of people-first. She has slowed down over the years, but you will still find her at her desk most workdays about 7am: answering emails, answering phones, answering questions and generally trying to make things go smoothly for everyone inside and outside the company.

Donald J. Steinbacher Jr. is an Estate Tax Associate at Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak, where he assists with estate and trust administration, including Pennsylvania inheritance tax reporting and asset analysis. He is a 2025 graduate of High Point University with an Accounting degree and is focused on developing practical expertise in estate taxation and compliance. Donald is known for his attention to detail and commitment to supporting attorneys, fiduciaries, and clients through the estate administration process.

Julieanne E. Steinbacher, Esq., LLM, Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), is a nationally recognized leader in elder care and special needs planning. A Fellow of ACTEC and a member of NAELA, she founded Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak and has grown it into a successful, multi‑office elder law and special needs planning firm. She is also the President of The Million Dollar Solution (MDS), a coaching and consulting company that helps law firm owners build sustainable, profitable practices with clarity and confidence. She is a TEDx speaker focused on dementia and community impact and co‑host of The Hey Woman Podcast, where she shares practical insights on aging, caregiving, and planning.
In 2025, she joined the Pennsylvania Department of Aging’s Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders Advisory Committee as an advocate member and continues to champion awareness through the Alzheimer’s Association. She is also the author of multiple publications, including The Pennsylvania Trust Guide.

John Kamarados is the founder and owner of Kamarados Law Offices in New Kensington, PA. John practices in the areas of VA Benefits and Social Security Disability. He is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio and is also admitted to the Court of Appeals of Veteran’s Claims. John has handled VA disability cases in front of the VA and on appeal through the Court of Appeals of Veterans Claims in Washington D.C. John has been practicing law for over 22 years. He is a graduate of the West Virginia University College of Law.

Ms. Walz is a Supervising Attorney at the Health and Independence Unit at Community Legal Services (CLS) in Philadelphia, where she represents low-income older adults and individuals with disabilities in matters involving nursing home and personal care home residents’ rights, access to home and community based long term services and supports, public benefits and guardianship. In addition to representing clients, Ms. Walz engages in administrative and legislative policy advocacy and provides community education on elder law issues. She is an appointed member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Advisory Council on Elder Justice in the Courts. She also serves as a consumer advocate on the Long Term Services and Supports Subcommittee of the Department of Human Services’ Medical Assistance Advisory Committee. Ms. Walz is the immediate past Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Elder Law Section. She received her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1989 and graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 1986 with a degree in English Literature.

Mr. Whitelaw is Advocacy Director for the Community Legal Aid Society in Wilmington, Delaware. Before that he was co-director of the Aging and Disabilities Unit of Community Legal Services, Inc. in Philadelphia. Previously, he worked for legal aid programs in Delaware, West Virginia, and Minnesota. He has over 35 years of experience in representing clients before the Social Security Administration, having represented hundreds of individuals in administrative hearings, federal district court and the Court of Appeals. He graduated from Stanford Law School in 1986. He holds an A.B. in history from the College of William and Mary, which he received in 1983.

Ms. Schoffstall is the founding member of Schoffstall Elder Law, LLC, a firm dedicated to the practice of elder and special needs planning law, guardianship, estate planning, and estate administration. She is certified as an elder law attorney (CELA) as conferred by the National Elder Law Foundation and authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Ms. Schoffstall is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and a founding member of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA). She currently serves as Treasurer of PAELA and a member of its Board of Directors. Ms. Schoffstall is an invited member of the Special Needs Alliance, a national nonprofit organization of attorneys dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities and their families. In 2011, she was presented with the Excellence in Elder Law Award from the Elder Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, “in recognition and appreciation of her superior professional efforts in the field of elder law, significant contributions to the legal profession, and noteworthy service to the elderly.” In 2013, she was honored to receive the Outstanding Member Award from PAELA. Ms. Schoffstall possesses Martindale Hubbell’s highest lawyer rating of AV® given to those select attorneys who have reached the highest standards of professional excellence. Ms. Schoffstall graduated, Phi Beta Kappa, from Oberlin College, where she double-majored in English and Economics (Honors). She received her juris doctor degree from the Cornell Law School. Ms. Schoffstall has served, since 1998, as a speaker for the annual Elder Law Institute sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and as a course planner from 1998-2018.

Katy McKee is a supervising attorney with the Pennsylvania Health Law Project where she advocates for Medicaid recipients across Pennsylvania, including low-income seniors and people with disabilities who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Katy joined the Pittsburgh office of the Pennsylvania Health Law Project in 2018 after working as a staff attorney for more than 10 years at Neighborhood Legal Services, a legal aid program serving Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, and Lawrence Counties, where she represented low-income tenants, victims of domestic violence, unemployed workers, seniors, and people with disabilities. She is a graduate of the College of Wooster and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Marielle F. Hazen is the founder of Hazen Law Group, a firm dedicated to the practice of elder and special needs planning law, estate planning, tax planning and estate administration. Ms. Hazen has earned the distinction of being a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation, as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She currently serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and as Co-Chair of its Federal Advocacy Committee. She is an ACTEC Fellow, Past President and one of the founding members of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA), a Past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA), and a Past President of the Special Needs Alliance (SNA), a national nonprofit alliance of special needs planning attorneys. In 2023, Ms. Hazen was recognized as a Fellow of NAELA, the highest honor bestowed by the Academy in recognition of exceptional contributions to meeting the needs of older Americans. In 2018, she received the NAELA John J. Regan Writing Award for co-authoring the article “The Fiduciary Pitfalls of Managing Special Needs Trusts That Own Real Estate.” In 2014, Ms. Hazen was presented with the NAELA Powley Elder Law Award. This national award is presented to an attorney who has demonstrated a commitment to promote, in the minds of the general public, a greater understanding of the rights and needs of the elderly and people with special needs. In 2010, Ms. Hazen was presented with the Excellence in Elder Law Award from the Elder Law Section of the PBA. This award was given in recognition and appreciation of her superior professional efforts in the field of elder law, her significant contributions to the legal profession and her noteworthy service to the elderly. In 2009, Ms. Hazen received an Outstanding Achievement award from NAELA. Ms. Hazen has been selected by her peers as a “Super Lawyer” in the field of Elder Law and as one of the Top 50 Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania, as featured in Law and Politics Magazine. She has also been selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America, and Hazen Law Group has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top law firms in the country. Ms. Hazen has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest lawyer rating of AV®. An AV Rating is given to those attorneys who have reached the highest standards of professional excellence.

Ms. Trimmer is a partner in the Harrisburg area law firm of Daley, Zucker, LLC, where she concentrates in estate planning and administration, business organization and planning, Pennsylvania state and local taxation and agricultural law. She received her B.S. from the University of Pittsburgh and was awarded her J.D. from the Dickinson School of Law. She also received an associate’s degree in Business Administration from Harrisburg Area Community College. Ms. Trimmer served as Senior Assistant Counsel with the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue of the Office of Chief Counsel. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. She was elected as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel in October 2019. Ms. Trimmer has made numerous presentations before professional organizations, including the PICPA conferences and Pennsylvania Bar Institute events. She is a member of the Pennsylvania, Dauphin County and Cumberland County Bar Associations and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Ms. Trimmer is a past adjunct associate professor of law at the Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University. She is a past president of the Estate Planning Council of Central Pennsylvania, Inc. Ms. Trimmer is a member of the Upper Allen Women’s Club and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs Pennsylvania, which is a women’s organization dedicated to community improvement by enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. Ms. Trimmer served as state president of GFWC PA for the 2013-2016 term. She is currently serving as a member of the GFWC international Board of Directors as Chairman of the Civic Engagement committee.

Rebecca A. Hobbs is a Principal with the law firm O’Donnell, Weiss & Mattei, P.C. with offices in Pottstown and Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. She focuses her practice on elder law, special needs planning, Medicaid planning, guardianships, estate planning, estate and trust administration, and Veteran’s benefits. Rebecca is Certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Rebecca is licensed to practice in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Rebecca is an accredited attorney for the preparation, preservation and prosecution of claims for veterans’ benefits before the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. From 2017 – 2024 Rebecca was selected for inclusion by the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in the field of elder law. She is an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA). Rebecca is also a member of the Montgomery Bar Association, serves on their Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and is a Co-Chair of the Elder Law Committee. Rebecca is a regular presenter on topics concerning Ethics, Estate Planning, Estate/Trust administration, and Elder Law for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), ElderCounsel, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI), National Business Institute (NBI), and other CLE providers.

Amy Lowenstein is the director of policy and a supervising attorney at the Pennsylvania Health Law Project. She works to improve and strengthen Medicaid coverage and services for Pennsylvanians through policy analysis, systems advocacy and direct representation; and provides training and support to community-based organizations. Prior to joining PHLP, Amy represented health care consumers and people with disabilities in New York through policy advocacy, litigation and direct services. Amy received her J.D. from Columbia Law School and her B.A. in history from Wesleyan University.

Ms. Sikov Gross is the managing partner in the Pittsburgh law firm of Sikov and Love, P.A. She is a certified elder law attorney (CELA) through the National Elder Law Foundation as authorized by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and was admitted as an ACTEC Fellow in 2012. In 1998, Ms. Sikov Gross became the founding chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA). She is a past chair of the ACBA Probate and Trust Law Section Council. Ms. Sikov Gross is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She is a past Vice President of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA) and has served on the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Elder Law Section Council. She writes for the Pittsburgh Legal Journal. Ms. Sikov Gross is a frequent speaker for PBI and others as well as for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes at Carnegie Mellon University and at the University of Pittsburgh. She has been listed as an elder law attorney in Best Lawyers in America and has been selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®.

Mr. Clofine has practiced in York since 1985. His practice focuses primarily on estate planning and administration and elder law. He is a certified elder law attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation. He is a frequent contributor to local newspapers and has authored over 300 articles on issues of estate planning and personal finance. He has been quoted and mentioned by USA Today, Money Magazine, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, Kiplinger’s Retirement Report, Mutual Fund Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Personal Wealth Manager and Fortune Magazine in articles dealing with estate planning and elder law. Mr. Clofine is a fellow of the American College of Trust Estate Counsel and a member of the Joint State Government Commission’s Advisory Committee on Decedents’ Estates Laws. He is a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys and the former chair of the Elder Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He has been selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® in elder law every year since 2005 and has been included in the Best Lawyers in America since 2008 in the field of elder law. He is a 1978 cum laude graduate of Villanova University and a 1982 cum laude graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

Mr. Pappas is co-managing member of Vasiliadis Pappas Associates LLC (www.lawvp.com) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is a certified elder law attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law Foundation and practices exclusively in the areas of elder law, trust and estate planning, trust and estate administration, and special needs planning. Mr. Pappas’ practice encompasses the Lehigh Valley and greater Eastern Pennsylvania. He is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A graduate of the Temple University Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2004), Mr. Pappas received his undergraduate degree in political science from Temple University (B.A. 2001, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Sigma Alpha) with a specialization in political economy and minors in history (Phi Alpha Theta) and economics. Mr. Pappas has been a member of the planning team for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Elder Law Institute since 2018. He frequently lectures and contributes articles to professional and community organizations on issues in his subject matter area, including appearances on “Your Financial Choices” – Talk Radio for Your Finances” (NPR – Lehigh Valley WDIY 88.1 FM). Mr. Pappas was selected for inclusion in the field of elder law as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2010 to 2015, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers from 2020 to 2023, and Best Lawyers from 2019 to 2023. On July 22, 2021, Mr. Pappas was honored by the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Elder Law Section with its Excellence in Elder Law Award. The award was “in recognition and appreciation of his superior professional efforts in the field of elder law, significant contributions to the legal profession, and noteworthy service to the elderly. He is a past Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Elder Law Section (2018-2019) and the Northampton County Elder Law Committee (2017-2021). He is also a member of numerous organizations including the Pennsylvania Bar Association (Elder Law, Probate Trust Law Sections), Lehigh County Bar Association (Estates Trusts Committee), Northampton County Bar Association (Elder Law, Estates Trust Law, and Tax Law Committees), Estate Planning Council of the Lehigh Valley, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys, Muhlenberg College Board of Associates (2012-2023), and Northampton Community College Foundation – Planned Giving Advisory Council (2016-2022).