Catherine Ravenel Boomer
Founder
When my parents began to age, I thought I’d know what to do. I’m capable. I’m organized. I’ve managed a lot in my life. But this? This was different.
It wasn’t just logistics, it was emotion. Family dynamics. Decision fatigue. And all of it unfolding in the quiet, often invisible, world of aging. I didn’t need someone to take over. I needed someone who could walk beside me, help me think clearly, and hold steady space in the midst of it all.
That’s the support I now offer through Silver Advocate. A partnership. A calm hand. A clear plan. An advocate who understands the emotional and logistical weight of this moment; because I’ve been there, and I’ve learned how to walk others through it.
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With over 30 years of experience as an educator, competitive athlete, and coach, I bring a multilayered background built on curiosity, patience, and service to others. In 2014, I moved home to care for my aging parents, managing their needs through the final years of their lives. During this profound chapter, I developed essential life skills: negotiation, conflict resolution, interpersonal management, self-awareness, and humility. It was both a blessing and a challenge, and my family is forever shaped by this transition. That experience inspired me to help others navigate aging with more grace, clarity, and support.
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Some of life’s challenges arrive as expected milestones, while others come as unexpected lessons. In 2020, I faced, and survived, breast cancer. Treatment forced me to embrace vulnerability, acknowledge my limitations, and ask for help; skills I had long resisted. This experience redefined my understanding of strength and deepened my empathy for those managing physical decline and life transitions. Healing is an ongoing journey, and it continues to inform my work with clients today.
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Through Silver Advocate, I offer a unique, holistic approach to aging and caregiving. My work is grounded in collaboration, clear communication, and proactive planning; designed to empower individuals and families before crises emerge. I believe aging is not a problem to be solved, but a journey to be navigated with dignity, adaptability, and shared wisdom. Whether supporting family dynamics, building an aging plan, or preparing for end-of-life conversations, I guide clients with a steady hand, practical strategies, and compassionate listening.
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Aging and health are privileges to be received with grace and gratitude. It is my honor to stand alongside individuals and families as they find their way forward.
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I hold an M.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education from Bank Street College of Education in NYC, a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution and Mediation from Colorado State University, and have completed a two-year program in Bowen Family Systems Theory
Chrisanna Waldrop
Consultant
With a background in law and education, I bring both practical experience and deep compassion to supporting families navigating aging and caregiving. Over the past decade, I managed every detail of care for my own parents, an experience that reshaped my perspective on planning, vulnerability, and resilience. I believe strongly in the power of preparation to ease life’s inevitable transitions; especially the ones families often find hardest to face.
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My journey into geriatric care began when I first noticed subtle changes in my mother's behavior from 3,000 miles away, while simultaneously witnessing my father, who lived with me, begin to struggle with the activities of daily living. As their challenges grew, so too did my understanding of how cognitive decline affects not just individuals, but also entire families. To better equip myself, I pursued formal training through the University of Florida’s Geriatric Care Management program. These personal experiences taught me that there are rarely perfect solutions, but thoughtful conversation and early planning can soften even the hardest moments. I understand firsthand the sacrifices caregivers make; especially when loved ones resist support or deny their limitations. With empathy, realism, and a steady hand, I aim to help families move from crisis-driven reactions to proactive, empowered decision-making.
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I hold degrees from Rice University and Northeastern University School of Law. I live in Washington, DC, where I cared for both of my parents through the final chapters of their lives, experiences that continue to inspire my work today.