OUR MISSION: to forge a community, and collectively embolden an exciting and meaningful path forward.
RENAY WEISSBERGER FANELLI
Founder
Decades of corporate communications, thought leadership, and relationship-building acumen—complemented by graduate work in gerontology—serve as the basis for Renay’s passion to create a community dedicated to aging well. Her vision: a network of consequential, influential individuals 50+ forging an exciting path forward. She is especially interested in cross-generational interaction and innovative housing/living environments. Renay is deeply committed to giving back. She has served on the boards of True West Film Center and SF Works, and as a volunteer with elder services organizations Vivalon and City Meals on Wheels. Renay also holds a certificate in Grant Writing for Nonprofits.
LINDA BEATON
Co-Founder
Having built a career creating business and consumer content for a range of audiences—including informational campaigns for elder populations—Linda is interested in calibrating the sweet spot in how topics and communication styles shift with age. Regularly inspired by maturing adults who defy stereotypes and live full, vibrant lives (including her father who continued to ride his horse up until the day before he died, at age 93), she shares Renay’s passion and vision to connect people with services and information that educate, entertain, and guide—in new ways that spark vitality.
IN APPRECIATION AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Michael Fanelli — Founder
Michael Fanelli founded Geritas with his wife, Renay. He passed away at the age of 67 from glioblastoma, yet his vision and spirit continue to inspire us every day. Geritas remains an integral part of his legacy.
Michael’s life was marked by dedication, achievement, and service across generations. A celebrated track and field athlete, historian, coach, and mentor, he twice won the San Francisco Pacific Rim Marathon and served as head coach of the USA National Track & Field team. A month before he passed, he completed his goal of running 115,000 miles in his life, with every run documented in composition notebooks. In 2011, Michael was inducted into the San Francisco State University Athletics Hall of Fame.
Beyond athletics, Michael built a distinguished career as a top-ranked luxury real estate professional. To better support clients in the 50+ demographic, he earned the Seniors Real Estate Specialist® designation from the National Association of Realtors. His professional expertise, mentoring spirit, and boundless energy helped shape the vision for Geritas: creating new opportunities for people to thrive in every stage of life.