After a varied career in government, business and education, Bren shifted her focus to community engagement and advocacy, with an emphasis on healthy aging, health disparities among people of color, building intergenerational connection and strengthening communities to bring about social change. She is a member of the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Aging and has served on National Center for Creative Aging and the Bates Art Center. As an artist, she connects to others through Memory Cafes and other venues. Brenda is a former Encore Public Voices Fellow and a current Encore Boston Network board member.