Connected Horse Appoints Dr. Glen Xiong and Ginna Baik to Advance Dementia Care Innovation

New board appointments strengthen Connected Horse's leadership in the areas of innovative dementia care and social prescribing initiatives

ROCKLIN, CA, UNITED STATES, July 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Connected Horse Welcomes Two New Members to Its Board of Directors
Dr. Glen Xiong and Ginna Baik Join an Already Esteemed, Mission-Driven Board

Connected Horse is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its board of directors: Dr. Glen Xiong and Ginna Baik. Both bring deep expertise and a shared commitment to improving quality of life for older adults, further strengthening an already accomplished and mission driven board. "Both Dr. Xiong and Ginna have contributed thought leadership and substantial change to how medicine and technology impact the experiences of community engagement. We are honored to have them as part of our board of directors," states Nancy Schier Anzelmo, MSG, co-founder of Connected Horse.

Dr. Glen Xiong, MD, CMD
Dr. Glen Xiong is an experienced physician with dual specialization in internal medicine and psychiatry, bringing 25 years of clinical expertise to patient care. His unique combination of medical and psychiatric training allows him to provide comprehensive care that addresses both physical health concerns and mental health needs, an integrated approach that is especially valuable for patients whose complex medical conditions intersect with psychological well-being.

Dr. Xiong completed his medical education at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, and maintains affiliations with several respected healthcare institutions throughout the Sacramento area and Auburn, California. He practices at multiple locations, including UC Davis Medical Center, Mercy General Hospital, and Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center, among others, giving patients convenient access to his specialized care across the region.

Dr. Xiong has also served as a research and medical advisor on several studies focused on improving quality of life for older adults, with particular attention to technology that supports better outcomes in fall mitigation and mental health assessment.

Ginna Baik
Ginna Baik brings more than 15 years of experience building business and technology practices focused on the aging and longevity economy. Her mission is to deliver scalable, transformative technology and services to underserved populations. Before entering senior care, Ginna spent several years working on Title I projects with Sylvan Learning in Chicago Public Schools.

As she shifted from serving the nation's youth to serving older adults, Ginna played a key role in building and operationalizing a social platform startup that was later acquired by Omega REIT (Connected Living). She went on to lead innovation efforts and create a national resident technology program with Brookdale Senior Living, the country's largest senior care provider, and later founded the senior care business practice at CDW, the largest enterprise technology solutions provider in the United States. In her final role before joining Yahoo, Ginna led Amazon's Alexa Smart Properties business, focusing on senior living and pioneering voice technology for older adults.

Ginna currently serves as Director of Age Tech at AOL, part of Yahoo, where she leads age tech strategy for a business supporting 37 million users over the age of 55.

Among her notable accomplishments in age tech, Ginna deployed the first internet cafes for older adults in affordable housing at Atlanta Housing Authority properties and built Amazon Alexa's highest revenue generating voice first enterprise business within its Senior Living Business Unit. She advises several aging tech startups, judges startup competitions, and delivers keynote addresses at national conferences, including the Home Care Association of America.
Ginna serves as a director on the board of LeadingAge California, a director on the board of Eskaton, a nonprofit senior living provider, a founding advisor for Thrive Innovation Center, and a board trustee at the John A. Hartford Foundation. She has also served as an executive board member of the American Society on Aging and as chair of the OATS board.

Ginna lives in San Diego with her husband, her two young adult children, and her dog, Lily, and serves as a caregiver to her two older adult parents, who live with her each summer in her multigenerational home. She received her BA from the University of Michigan and her teaching credentials from Michigan State University.

About Connected Horse
Connected Horse offers equine-guided programs that support people living with dementia and their care partners, providing meaningful connection, reduced stress, and renewed confidence through time spent with horses.

"This year, Connected Horse is focused on partnering with others to bring awareness to the negative outcomes associated with isolation and loneliness, and to educate people on the benefits of lifestyle changes, social programs, and community supports," states Paula Hertel, MSW, co-founder of Connected Horse. With that focus, Connected Horse is partnering with local community organizations and healthcare institutions to roll out an expanded sensory engagement program designed to support the growing acceptance of social prescribing, getting the organization closer to its aspiration that physicians will write a prescription for people in need of stress reduction, self-regulation, and acceptance to come to the barn and improve their wellbeing and healthcare outcomes. "This is a meaningful step for us. It means more healthcare providers recognizing what we've seen firsthand for years: that sensory engagement and time with horses can be part of real, effective support for people living with dementia and their care partners," continues Ms. Hertel.

Right alongside the social prescribing programs, Connected Horse is expanding its own programs thanks to a grant from Three Valleys Community Foundation and its partnerships with senior living communities and adult day programs. These partnerships matter because they let the Connected Horse team meet people where they already are, in communities that are already invested in their residents' and participants' wellbeing.

Connected Horse will hosting its annual fundraiser, Lassos with Love, with a nod to the Year of the Fire Horse, on September 27 at Five Star Equestrian in Pleasanton, CA. This fundraiser allows us to increase access by providing no-cost workshops and programs to people living with dementia and their families. www.connectedhorse.org/lassoswithlove

Dagmar Spichale
Connected Horse
+1 415-377-0934
Dagmar@connectedhorse.org
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