VOICES OF INVENTION

You watch your father slump in his chair, uncomfortable and in pain, and you search for something that will help. It does not exist. You bathe your aging mother and see the shame on her face because there is no way to preserve her dignity. You hand your child a spoon and watch it fall because no one has made a grip that works for small hands. These are the moments that change women. Not the moment of inspiration, but the moment of frustration. The moment you realize that the thing you need, the thing your loved one needs, has not been built yet. So, you build it yourself. The women in this section did exactly that. They stopped waiting. They started making. 

Janice Shokrian Founder & CEO, Tausi Brands 

Janice Shokrian spent most of her career in executive leadership roles in nonprofit and media organizations, including serving as Executive Director of the Oregon Media Production Association. In 2018, everything changed when she visited her father in a nursing home and found him slumped in his chair, uncomfortable and in pain. She searched for a solution and found nothing that worked. So, she made one herself. With limited sewing skills and her father's collaboration, she created Tausi, a patented pillowcase that transforms any pillow into a support system for the head, neck, and back. The name comes from the Samoan word for caring. 

Tausi Brands A patented pillowcase designed to provide head, neck, and back support while sitting or resting upright. www.tausibrands.com 

Diane Vitillo, MS, OTR, CAPS, CLIPP, ECHM President, Home Heart Beats, LLC 

When she was five years old, polio was not part of the life Diane Vitillo had imagined for herself. Because of her disability, Diane had to create and adapt tools that would enable her to independently perform daily living tasks. Her creative spirit led her to become an Occupational Therapist and inventor. Inspired by a patient's challenge, Diane developed a solution for individuals who struggle to put on an ankle-foot orthosis and shoe. The result was The Original AFO Assist, a practical innovation that empowers both children and adults to independently don their own AFO and shoe. 

The Original AFO Assist by Home Heart Beats, LLC A patented activity of daily living product that facilitates independent donning of an ankle foot orthosis and shoe. www.AFOassist.com 

Traci Cole, MBA, MEM Founder & CEO, Dignity Bath and Spa 

Traci Cole is the founder and CEO of Dignity Bath & Spa and the creator of The WRAP, an innovative product designed to restore dignity and safety during assisted bathing. Inspired by her experience caring for her father, she saw firsthand the emotional and physical challenges families face and set out to create a better solution. Her work focuses on preserving privacy, reducing discomfort, and improving the caregiving experience for both individuals and their loved ones. With a background in management consulting, corporate treasury, small business consulting, and marketing research, Traci is passionate about developing products that combine compassion, practicality, and impact. 

Dignity Bath and Spa Manufacturer of a bathing modesty wrap which reduces uncomfortable feelings and increases safety during assisted bathing for those of reduced mobility, illness, surgery, or aging. www.dignity-bath.com 

Kerry Mellin Founder & CEO, EaZyHold 

A motion picture costume designer by trade, Kerry Mellin never expected a thumb injury to change the course of her career. Unable to grip a broom, she used duct tape to create her first prototype. What she discovered next surprised her. There were no simple, adaptable, and hygienic tools to help babies or adults with grip disabilities hold objects. Nothing to help hold a fork, a toothbrush, a baby bottle, rattle, or even a doll. EaZyHold was born from that moment: a simple idea to help anyone, at any age, maintain one of the most fundamental abilities in daily life, the ability to hold on. 

EaZyHold by Mellin Works LLC A patented, hygienic silicone handle designed to provide a secure grip for holding everything from toothbrushes to garden equipment. www.eazyhold.com 

Kathleen Quinn, EdD, MBA Founder, Kay Inspired LLC 

Kathleen Quinn spent her career in higher education administration, always guided by a genuine desire to help others grow, succeed, and feel supported. Her compassionate and innovative spirit led her to invent and patent Mobility Towel after witnessing her mother, Kay, struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. She founded Kay Inspired LLC in 2019. Wanting to preserve her mother's dignity, comfort, and independence in everyday routines, Kathleen transformed a personal challenge into a practical act of care, turning love and empathy into innovation. 

Mobility Towel by Kay Inspired LLC A patented lightly weighted bath towel with handles designed to help users dry their backs, legs, and feet independently. www.mobilitytowel.com 

Jackie Sullivan Founder & CEO, Versa Mobility LLC 

Jackie Sullivan brings over 25 years of experience across diverse healthcare settings and has served as a caregiver to several family members. Through her work, she recognized the daily challenges patients and caregivers face with traditional walker mobility. Versa Mobility LLC was created to address these issues by creating a durable, innovative solution that improves walker glide, prevents floor damage, and enhances safety. Uniquely, it offers a versatile design for indoor and outdoor use on the same walker, unlike other products on the market. 

Versa Select Kit & Versa Coast Kit Patented walker footings that offer dual coaster systems for indoor and outdoor use, protecting floors while improving mobility and safety. www.versamobility.com 

Faye Pryor CEO & Creator, PottyCap 

Faye Pryor is an accomplished Physical Therapist, Inventor, and Mobility & Safety Strategist with nearly five decades of experience helping women maintain dignity, safety, and independence. Determined to address fall risk and mobility-related challenges, she created PottyCap, a patented portable device that enables safer toileting when timely bathroom access is limited. Today, PottyCap is improving daily life for women across generations and lifestyles, restoring confidence and giving women back control of one of the most personal parts of daily life. 

PottyCap A patented portable urinal aid which allows women to urinate safely and independently from a seated or standing position. www.pottycap.com 

Suzanne Mayer Nurse Founder, Cloud 9 Care 

Suzanne has been a nurse working in acute care for over 30 years in pediatric ICU, neonatal ICU, and other areas of specialty practice. Cloud9 Care was created after seeing a gap in care while helping a family member through home hospice. Shocked at seeing how quickly Stage 1 pressure sores formed on her aunt's back and head, Suzanne created a solution which successfully prevented any further skin deterioration prior to her aunt's passing weeks later, while also providing comfort during this fragile time. Years of research and prototype development have ultimately produced a simple mattress overlay designed to provide comfort, support, and ease caregiver burden. 

Cloud9 Care A patented double-layer mattress overlay made with low-friction, moisture-wicking fabric to improve comfort and support for those struggling with immobility while easing care for the caregiver. www.cloud9caresystem.com 

Celine Skertich & Linda Merry CEO & COO, Thera-Solutions, LLC 

Linda Merry, an Occupational Therapist, and Celine Rosati Skertich, a Physical Therapist, have over 40 years of combined clinical experience empowering functional independence in clients with grasp weakness or impairments. Their clinical knowledge is extensive, spanning a variety of therapy settings. Frustrated that no commercial tool existed to help their clients hold everyday objects for fun and functional daily tasks, and driven by the belief that everyone has the right to engage in the activities they love, Linda and Celine invented the functionalhand. 

The functionalhand by Thera-Solutions A patented grip aide with a unique design that allows individuals with grasp weakness or impairments to hold everyday tools and objects of various shapes and sizes, in both vertical and horizontal orientations. It promotes independence in daily and leisure activities while providing ergonomic support to the hand, helping minimize pain and prevent further deformity. www.functionalhand.com 

Jodi Bellam Inventor & Owner, Better Off At Home 

Jodi Bellam is the inventor and imagineer of the Blue Hug shower garment, designed to restore dignity, comfort, and hygiene to assisted bathing. With over a decade in elder care, she is passionate about helping families support loved ones as they age. As owner and operator of Better Off At Home, she has developed deep compassion and understanding for patients, families, and caregivers, striving daily to improve the home care experience. A Metro Atlanta native, Jodi left a career in advertising to make a meaningful impact, earning recognition as an innovator in elder care through her dedication and service. 

Blue Hug A stretchy neoprene shower garment designed to restore a sense of comfort and dignity to the process of assisted showering. www.thebluehug.com 

Cindy & Christina Hardin-Weiss Founders, Adaptive Equipment Corner 

Cindy and Christina Hardin-Weiss are rehabilitation specialists and healthcare influencers who have transformed the adaptive equipment and caregiving industry. With over 50 years of combined experience, they have become trusted voices for caregivers, families, and older adults seeking to maintain independence and dignity. Cindy, a physical therapist with 30 years of expertise in home healthcare, and Christina, a speech, language, and dysphagia therapist with 25 years of experience in long-term care, founded Adaptive Equipment and Caregiving Corner in 2015. Their mission: to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools to age in place safely and comfortably. 

Adaptive Equipment Corner (AECorner) The fastest-growing independent healthcare media network covering caregiving challenges, adaptive equipment, and innovative products. AECorner is an educational resource built on authenticity. www.youtube.com/c/AdaptiveEquipmentCorner 

Syya Yasotornrat Founder, Brilliant Beam Media 

Syya Yasotornrat is the Founder of Brilliant Beam Media and a self-professed Tasmanian Devil of Collaboration. She believes in working with fellow experts to ensure clients get the full brilliance of an amazing team to execute on their business marketing vision. As she often says, "All Ships Rise With the Tide." 

Brilliant Beam Media Strategic marketing and media guidance for purpose-driven businesses. www.brilliantbeammedia.com 

These twelve women found each other through the AEPIC community, a network built on a simple belief: rising tides lift all boats. Instead of competing for visibility, they chose to amplify one another. Since launching their collaboration in March 2025, they have participated in six major events, been featured on Telemundo and ABC 13 News, and brought their products to marketplaces across the country. They share resources, exchange knowledge, and open doors for each other. If you are building something and looking for your own circle of support, connect with the AEPIC community at aecornercommunity.com.