Connected Horse adds Dr. Glen Xiong and Ginna Baik to board

Connected Horse named Dr. Glen Xiong and Ginna Baik to its board as the organization expands dementia care programs, social prescribing efforts and community partnerships. The appointments come as Connected Horse plans a Sept. 27 fundraiser in Pleasanton, California, to support no-cost workshops for people living with dementia and their families.

Why it matters: - Connected Horse is adding clinical and technology leadership as it expands programs for people living with dementia and their care partners. - The board appointments support the organization’s push into social prescribing, sensory engagement and broader community-based dementia care. - The additions come as Connected Horse works to increase access to no-cost workshops and programs.

What happened: - Connected Horse appointed Dr. Glen Xiong and Ginna Baik to its board of directors. - The organization announced the appointments on July 14, 2026. - Nancy Schier Anzelmo, co-founder of Connected Horse, said both leaders have contributed thought leadership on how medicine, technology and community engagement affect older adults. - Connected Horse also said the board additions strengthen its leadership in innovative dementia care and social prescribing initiatives.

The details: - Dr. Glen Xiong is a physician with dual specialization in internal medicine and psychiatry. - Dr. Xiong brings 25 years of clinical experience. - Dr. Xiong completed medical training at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. - Dr. Xiong practices at multiple locations in the Sacramento area and Auburn, California, including UC Davis Medical Center, Mercy General Hospital and Kaiser Permanente Sacramento Medical Center. - Dr. Xiong has served as a research and medical advisor on studies focused on quality of life for older adults, including technology for fall mitigation and mental health assessment. - Ginna Baik has more than 15 years of experience building business and technology practices in the aging and longevity economy. - Baik’s background includes work on Title I projects with Sylvan Learning in Chicago Public Schools. - Baik helped build and operationalize Connected Living before its acquisition by Omega REIT. - Baik led innovation efforts and created a national resident technology program at Brookdale Senior Living. - Baik founded the senior care business practice at CDW. - Baik later led Amazon’s Alexa Smart Properties business, with a focus on senior living and voice technology for older adults. - Baik is now director of age tech at AOL, part of Yahoo, where she leads age tech strategy for a business serving 37 million users over age 55. - Baik has also deployed the first internet cafes for older adults in affordable housing at Atlanta Housing Authority properties. - Baik built Amazon Alexa’s highest revenue-generating voice-first enterprise business within its Senior Living Business Unit. - Baik advises aging tech startups, judges startup competitions and speaks at national conferences, including the Home Care Association of America. - Baik serves on the boards of LeadingAge California, Eskaton and the John A. Hartford Foundation, and is a founding advisor for Thrive Innovation Center. - Baik has also served on the executive board of the American Society on Aging and chaired the OATS board. - Connected Horse offers equine-guided programs for people living with dementia and their care partners. - The programs are designed to support meaningful connection, reduced stress and renewed confidence through time with horses. - Paula Hertel, co-founder of Connected Horse, said the organization is partnering with local community organizations and healthcare institutions to expand a sensory engagement program tied to social prescribing. - Hertel said Connected Horse wants physicians to prescribe visits to the barn for stress reduction, self-regulation and improved wellbeing. - Connected Horse is expanding programs with support from a grant from Three Valleys Community Foundation and partnerships with senior living communities and adult day programs. - The organization said those partnerships help it meet people where they already are. - Connected Horse will host its annual fundraiser, Lassos with Love, on Sept. 27 at Five Star Equestrian in Pleasanton, California. - The fundraiser is themed around the Year of the Fire Horse. - Proceeds support no-cost workshops and programs for people living with dementia and their families. - More information is available at the organization’s fundraiser page and at Connected Horse. - Contact information listed in the release includes Dagmar Spichale at Dagmar@connectedhorse.org and +1 415-377-0934.

Between the lines: - Connected Horse is positioning horses, sensory engagement and community partnerships as complements to traditional care. - The board additions suggest the organization is aligning itself with both healthcare credibility and age-tech expertise as it tries to scale. - The social prescribing push reflects a broader effort to connect clinical care with non-medical supports that can reduce isolation and loneliness.

What’s next: - Connected Horse plans to continue expanding its sensory engagement program with community and healthcare partners. - The organization is also seeking greater acceptance of social prescribing among physicians and healthcare providers. - The Sept. 27 fundraiser in Pleasanton is expected to help underwrite more no-cost programming.

The bottom line: - Connected Horse is growing its leadership team and program footprint at the same time, betting that dementia support can be strengthened by blending care, community and technology.