Our Staff

Amity Overall Laib, Director

Prior to joining the Consumer Voice, Amity Overall-Laib served as a local long-term care ombudsman in Texas for six years advocating for residents in 65 nursing homes and 130 assisted living facilities in a 12-county region. During her tenure in Texas, she led the formation of the Gulf Coast Culture Change Coalition, resulting in two free conferences for long-term care consumers, providers, advocates and regulators promoting Culture Change practices and has presented during local, state and national conferences. She also had the pleasure of representing fellow local ombudsmen on the Board of Directors for NALLTCO (National Association of Local Long Term Care Ombudsmen). Amity was also previously the Manager of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program and Policy as well as a consultant to NORC. Amity has a master's degree in sociology from the University of Houston.

Carol Scott, Manager, LTC Ombudsman Program & Policy

Carol Scott joined the National Ombudsman Resource Center in July 2016 and currently serves as the Ombudsman Specialist. In her role, Carol will develop resources regarding ombudsman advocacy and program management, provide technical assistance, and coordinate training opportunities, including the Annual State Ombudsman Conference, new State Ombudsman orientation, and webinars for Ombudsman programs. Prior to joining the Consumer Voice, Carol was the Missouri State Ombudsman for 23 years, served as the National Association for State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP) President, and participated in national and statewide workgroups to advocate for long-term care consumers. Most recently, Carol was the Field Operations Manager for the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign. In this position, she was responsible for guiding and supporting stakeholder coalitions in all 50 of our nation’s states for the purpose of making nursing homes better places to live, work and visit. Carol graduated from the University of Missouri - Columbia with a BS in Public Administration.

Katie O'Hearn, Manager, Program & Outreach

Katie O'Hearn joined the National Ombudsman Resource Center in November 2015 and currently serves as the Associate of Program and Outreach. In her role, she is responsible for updating and managing the NORC website, and clearinghouse of information, assisting with special projects, providing technical assistance, managing social media, and enhancing outreach and communication with state and local LTCO. Prior to joining the Consumer Voice she worked as an intern for C-SPAN, volunteered in a nursing home, and been a Communication Consultant with the Consumer Voice and NORC. Katie graduated Magna Cum Laude from Saint Vincent College in 2015 with a B.A. in Communication and a minor in Marketing. 

Consumer Voice Staff

Lori Smetanka, J.D., Executive Director

Lori Smetanka is the Executive Director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, the leading national nonprofit advocacy organization representing consumers receiving long-term care and services in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and home and community based settings.  As Executive Director, Lori oversees and contributes to the organization’s policy, advocacy, and program activities; leads the organization’s fundraising efforts; establishes strategic partnerships with organizations and federal agencies working on issues related to the provision of long-term services and supports; and establishes the strategic direction of the organization. 

From 2004 – 2016 she served as the Director of the National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center, providing technical assistance, training, and support to the 53 State and more than 570 local long-term care ombudsman programs across the country.  Prior to that role, Lori served as Law and Policy Specialist at the Consumer Voice, where she provided policy analysis, consultation, education, technical assistance, and training on long-term care issues.  She received a B.A. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a J.D. from the University of Dayton School of Law.

Sam Brooks, J.D., Director, Public Policy

Sam Brooks is Consumer Voice's Director of Public Policy. Sam is an attorney formerly with the Aging and Disabilities Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. During that time, he became an expert on nursing homes in Pennsylvania and nursing home regulations, and spearheaded a report on the state's oversight of nursing homes that led to statewide reforms. Sam has a passion for justice and years of advocating on behalf of nursing home residents.

Jocelyn Bogdan, J.D., Senior Program & Policy Specialist

Jocelyn Bogdan is Consumer Voice's Program and Policy Specialist.  She is responsible for working on the development and implementation of Consumer Voice's programmatic, legislative, and regulatory activities affecting long-term care consumers nationwide.  Jocelyn has spent her career using advocacy and legal skills to advance consumer rights and progressive policy.  Previously, Jocelyn spent several years as the Associate Director of the Center for Justice and Democracy.  She has worked with the Center for Constitutional Rights and has done international advocacy work with CARE International and other organizations. Additionally, she spent several election cycles working on national and statewide political campaigns.  She received her J.D. from Cardozo School of Law and her B.A. from the University of Maryland.

Lori Walsh, Policy and Program Specialist

Lori earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education at Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts, working her way through school as a nursing assistant in a local nursing home. She joined CARIE as a Long-Term Care Ombudsman in 1997 after advocating on behalf of Philadelphia nursing home residents who were restricted in their right to vote.  In her 27-year tenure at CARIE, she held several positions but most recently, as a program director where she supported staff on various advocacy initiatives, including managing two long term care ombudsman programs. Forever interested in systemic advocacy, Lori went back to school during the pandemic and obtained a master’s degree in public and policy and management from the University of Pittsburgh. She joined Consumer Voice in 2024. In her position, she supports state advocacy to improve accountability and transparency in nursing home finances and ownership. 

Alejandra Ona, Manager, Finance and Operations

Alejandra Ona joined the Consumer Voice in 2008 and currently serves as Manager of Finance and Operations. In her role, she is responsible for managing day to day office operations and financial management of the organization. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master of science in accounting and financial management.

Christina Steier, Manager, Membership, Events &, Communications

Christina Steier joined the Consumer Voice in 2009 and currently serves as the Communications and Membership Coordinator. In her role, she is responsible for managing Consumer Voice membership, creating and executing communications, and maintaining and cultivating Consumer Voice's web presence.  She leads the logistics of Residents' Rights Month every October and the Consumer Voice Annual Conference. Christina graduated magna cum laude from American University with bachelor’s degrees in musical theatre and sociology.

Libby Laubert, Program Specialist

Libby Laubert joined the Consumer Voice in 2020 as a Program Associate. In this role, she assists with research, logistics, and administration for program and policy tasks. Libby first joined Consumer Voice as an intern in June of 2019. She graduated from Kent State University in May of 2020 with a bachelor's degree in English along with minors in Public Relations and History. 

NORC is also pleased to work with several outstanding consultants including:

Maria Greene

Jamie Freschi

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