After 5 Years of Impact, A New VOYCE Begins

August 6, 2025August 5, 2025 News

By Marjorie Moore, Executive Director (through August 8)

After nearly six unforgettable years, I will be stepping down as Executive Director of VOYCE on August 8.

Leading VOYCE through this chapter has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Together with our dedicated staff, board, and community, we’ve faced immense challenges and made meaningful progress for people living in long-term care.

Here are just a few things I’ll always be proud we accomplished together:

• We guided families and residents through the COVID-19 crisis, connecting local mask makers with long-term care facilities, advocating for a balance between safety and connection, and showing up—even while moving our office! Working with the community towards a goal made those days of isolation bearable, and sometimes, even fun. But that sparked another idea…
• In 2021, we launched Project Holiday Cheer, which has delivered more than 110,000 handwritten holiday cards to long-term care residents who might otherwise be forgotten—and we’re aiming for 50,000 more this year. I loved the holiday season start early each year and seeing the outpour of love you have for long-term care residents. And we were even featured on the Kelly Clarkson Show… how cool was that?!
• We expanded our ombudsman program to reach all 39 counties in eastern Missouri, serving more than 38,000 residents in over 500 communities. It was both a challenge and a joy to discover new ways to serve in new areas, but I’m so glad for our connections in Cape Girardeau, the Bootheel, and everywhere in between.
• We grew our community and professional education programs, helping families, professionals, and advocates understand how to better support and protect residents. Every time we put on a seminar, webinar, or conference, I’m amazed at how much I do not know and how much more there is to learn about the world of aging and long-term care. Which is why…
• We created the “We’re at the Age” podcast, connecting and supporting caregivers in the sandwich generation with stories, insight, and solidarity. As a member of the sandwich generation, I see the gaps in services and knowledge every day. “We’re at the Age” will continue because that need isn’t going away anytime soon.
• We launched VOYCE’s Elder Justice Initiative, published the Framework for Advancing Missouri’s Response to Adult Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation, and co-founded the Coalition for Justice for Elder and Disabled Adults (CJEDA). The abuse we saw in our work wasn’t always originating in long-term care and we knew that we needed to start speaking up for every older adult and adult with a disability experiencing abuse.
• We responded to major nursing home closures—from Northview Village to Festus Manor to Silex Health and Rehab—standing with displaced residents and demanding better outcomes.
• And we began to organize for reform, starting the Missouri Alliance for Long-Term Care Reform—a grassroots movement led by residents, families, and advocates fighting for systemic change. I’m so incredibly proud of that work and of the recently released Missouri’s Troubled Nursing Facilities report.

While I’ve had the privilege of serving as VOYCE’s Executive Director, these accomplishments belong to our incredible staff , board, and volunteers, whose dedication, creativity, and heart have made it all possible. They are the ones who show up every day to make life better for long-term care residents and the people who love them.

As I prepare to pass the torch, I’m thrilled to share that Doug Geist will become VOYCE’s next Executive Director. Doug is a passionate leader who many of you already know as the visionary behind our wildly popular Timeless Elegance Fashion Show in his role as Director of Development and Community Outreach. He brings a deep understanding of this work and a bold vision for VOYCE’s future.

VOYCE’s work isn’t finished.

In fact, it’s more important than ever. As we continue facing a changing long-term care landscape and growing demand for support, VOYCE needs your help to stay strong and responsive. And I’d love to leave knowing that Doug has a community that is ready to support him.

If this mission has touched you—if you believe every resident deserves a voice—please consider making a gift to support VOYCE during this leadership transition and beyond.

👉 Make a donation to support VOYCE’s future

Thank you for your support, your advocacy, and for being part of this unforgettable journey. I’m so proud of what we’ve built—and excited for what’s still to come.

With deep gratitude,
Marjorie Moore
Executive Director (through August 8)