Dr. E. Ayn Welleford

MSG, PhD, AGHEF

Assoc Professor & Gerontologist for Community Voice
VCU Department of Gerontology

Dr. Welleford has taught extensively in the areas of Lifespan Development, Developmental Gerontology, Trends in Gerontology, as well as Ethical Decision Making.

As Associate Professor and Gerontologist for Community Voice she currently works to make our community a great place for all people to GROW older by bridging classroom and community, affirming and equipping our workforce through appreciative education, and supporting us all in learning to love our longevity. Dr. Welleford is the Director of VCU Gerontology Community and

Continuing Education. Our mission statement is to equip and affirm Virginia’s eldercare workforce community to bring forth meaningful change.

She has been known to say, “Let’s do something that does something.”

Areas of Interest

• Appreciative Gerontology: Loving our Longevity
• Adult Development & Aging
• Compassion Satisfaction & Compassion Fatigue
• Ethical Decision Making and Human Values
• Bridging Classroom and Community through Community-University Collaboration

Education

• PhD in Developmental Psychology, from Virginia Commonwealth University
• MS in Gerontology, from Virginia Commonwealth University
• BA in Management / Psychology from Averett University Research Interests
• Building Compassion Satisfaction
• Innovations in Community-University Partnerships
• Appreciative Education