Meet the 2025 Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes!
For the sixth year, Senior Planet from AARP put out the call for “Senior Planet Sponsored Athletes” — adults age 60 and older who are excited about fitness, have identified their wellness-related goals, and are willing to share their experiences to inspire other older adults. After reading through some incredible applications, a selection committee from Senior Planet selected five new older adult athletes. Their stories inspired us, and — we think — will inspire you:
Adapting as We Age
“My goals are to share with the community an approach to improving strength and power, gaining flexibility and balance, and building stronger bones.” -Steven Berkowitz
Steven Berkowitz – Age 71
Steven’s fitness journey began in 1983. It was a cold January 1st evening when he put on some old jeans, a sweat top, and old sneakers, and ran a half mile loop in his neighborhood. At the end of his run, he was cold, his face was flushed, and he was euphoric! Since that first run, Steven hasn’t looked back. He increased his distance and endurance, eventually working his way up to running in, 5K, 10K, and 10 mile races, and three marathons.
As he aged and listened to his body, Steven eventually hung up his running shoes and pivoted his focus to flexibility, strength training, and nutrition. Originally hoping to build a “beach body” in his younger years, Steven has now adopted a weightlifting program focused on maintaining functional strength.
“I am honored and thrilled to be selected as a Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete. I look forward to being an ambassador to the broader Senior Planet community. The ultimate goal is to increase the health span and independence of older adults.”
Life with Energy and Purpose
“I’m deeply honored and excited to be selected as a Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete! This opportunity feels like a meaningful recognition of my commitment to staying active and inspiring others to embrace fitness and wellness as a way to age with strength, positivity, and attitude.” -Shebah Carfagna
Shebah Carfagna – Age 67
Shebah’s journey in the fitness industry was inspired by personal challenges, including raising a special needs son, which led her to view exercise as a form of medicine. This insight drove her to establish Panache Fitness Company in 2005, a platform that delivers both traditional fitness services and specialized programs for individuals with chronic conditions or unique health challenges.
After her own total hip replacement procedure in 2018, Shebah’s resilience allowed her to return to her active lifestyle. Today, her expertise spans multiple disciplines, with certifications in Spin, Pilates, TRX, aqua fitness, and group fitness.
As a Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete, Shebah’s goal is to motivate and empower others in the Senior Planet community to prioritize movement and self-care, proving that it’s never too late to achieve new milestones, build resilience, and live life with energy and purpose.
Turning 60, Training for 80
“My hope is to motivate and inspire as many 50+ inner athletes to be the most functioning people they can be and do what they love for decades to come.” -Arlette Godges
Arlette Godges – Age 60
Arlette is physical therapist and a lifelong swimmer, competing with Masters Swimmers all across the world. This past year, she was a 2-time World Champion at the World Aquatics Masters Championships in Doha Qatar! Arlette is also a 5-time World Record holder with her team relay.
Arlette is committed to preventative geriatric care and keeping people moving, healthy, and doing what they want to do and thriving. She has a free Instagram account (@ageupwell) dedicated to being a role model, getting people safely in better shape, and meeting fitness goals. Arlette’s motto this past year was “Turning 60 and training for 80!”
As a Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete, Arlette is “excited to be the face of a very positive and healthy aging campaign.” She is committed to being an example for healthy life spans, and looks forward to connecting with the Senior Planet community.
It’s Never Too Late
“This opportunity represents a chance to help inspire and connect with other individuals who are interested in loving life at a deeper, more fulfilling level. I’m looking forward to learning more about others, their unique stories, and what drives them to embrace health, wellness, technology and pro-aging.” -Nate Wilkins
Nathaniel “Nate” Wilkins – Age 70
Nathaniel “Nate” Wilkins is the founder of the AgelessWorkout Method and Changing Lives program. With over 27 years of experience in fitness management, Nate is dedicating the second half of his life to empowering others to age with vitality, strength, and purpose. Nate’s work as a fitness trainer is grounded in science and empathy, focusing on independence and quality of life at every stage. He takes a holistic approach to wellness that integrates functional fitness, mobility, and strength.
Nate has also had the privilege of working with individuals facing chronic conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, cancer recovery, and cardiac rehabilitation, helping them reclaim their vitality and confidence. Nate uses his platform to challenge stereotypes about aging, advocate for healthier lifestyles, and inspire resilience.
Nate believes that aging is not a limitation, but a gateway to growth, strength, and renewed purpose. As a Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete, Nate aims to serve as a living example of the transformative power of movement, mindfulness, and connection, demonstrating that it’s never too late to pursue personal growth and achieve new levels of vitality.
You Can Do It!
“As a Sponsored Athlete, I want to encourage the Senior Planet community to find the fitness activity they enjoy – not to worry about whether they’re good at it or not, just do it and have fun! And they will get better with practice.” -Laurie Willis
Laurie Willis – Age 67
As a kid, physical education was always Laurie’s least favorite class, and she was among the last picked for any team. (“The only thing I was good at was keeping score!”) The one physical activity Laurie did enjoy was dance, occasionally taking dance classes or going out dancing over the years.
After retiring, one of Laurie’s goals was to try some type of dance or fitness class. After finding out that her Medicare plan included a free gym membership, Laurie joined and discovered Zumba (dance fitness) classes. While difficult to keep up in the beginning, Laurie kept at it, and two years later she is attending classes 5-6 days a week! This month, she received her instructor’s certification for Zumba Gold, a low-impact version of Zumba geared toward seniors and others with limited mobility.
As a Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete, Laurie’s goal is to teach Zumba Gold to others like herself – people who feel uncomfortable or “not good enough” to participate in fitness activities, or who struggle with getting the hang of things that others seem to pick up easily. “I want to show them they CAN do it!”
How to Follow Along
Each Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete has an inspiring story and a unique perspective on fitness, and each uses technology to support their fitness routines. All year long, they’ll be inviting us into their lives, and sharing their challenges and successes by writing blog posts here at seniorplanet.org/athletes. They’ll also host virtual fitness events throughout the year that you can participate in.
Want to catch up on the stories from last year’s athletes? Click here! In need of a little motivation to get moving? Join our daily health and wellness programs, subscribe to Senior Planet on YouTube, sign up for our weekly newsletters, and follow us on social media (Facebook | X (Twitter) | Instagram) to get to know these awe-inspiring athletes. You might just find a new love for fitness along the way!
Sean Cruse is the Interim Director of Communications at Senior Planet & OATS from AARP. He has worked in nonprofit and social impact communications for almost 10 years. Sean is involved with all things Senior Planet communications, from email newsletters (sign up here!) to creative projects. He also co-leads the Senior Planet Sponsored Athlete program and loves helping our team of amazing senior athletes share their stories.
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Comments
Hello Senior Planet community. I look forward to sharing my evolving and adapting fitness routines. Identifying my goals on an ongoing basis has been important. On any given day, many of us push, pull, bend, reach, lift, twist, walk up, walk down, sit, stand, and engage in other day to day functional activities. Having the ability to engage in these functional activities enables us to be independent. I plan to blog frequently on these topics. In the meantime, what are your goals?
Wow! What an awesome and diverse group of senior athletes! I hope I will find inspiration and motivation from y’all to make a fitness routine that I will consistently do because it’s fun and feels good! Maybe I’ll even try Zumba again – Laurie sure looks cute in that Zumba outfit !
Thanks, Lauren, for the welcome and the compliment! Please do try Zumba – you’ll love it!
Hi Lauren,
Thanks so much for the warm welcome! I hope to see you in the AgelessWorkout Method classes. I promise you will be challenged and feel fabulous after each session. Looking forward to seeing you!
Welcome 2025 Senior Planet’s sponsored athletes. I am impressed with the
group. Can’t wait to see you guys in action.
Gerry
2023 Senior Planet sponsored athlete
Hi Gerry,
Thanks for the welcome! I look forward to seeing you in the AgelessWorkout Classes! Stay Tuned……