2025 Elder Abuse Prevention Training Conference

Bonnie Olsen, Ph.D.

Bonnie Olsen, Ph.D. is a professor of clinical family medicine and a clinical geropsychologist at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. Dr. Olsen is the Principal Investigator on several federally and foundation-funded grants focusing on elder abuse as it affects persons living with dementia.

She is engaged in facilitating guardianship reform in the court, and interprofessional geriatric clinical education. She lectures on elder justice topics nationally and is a passionate advocate for older adults.

Laurel Sykes

With over 30 years of experience in the banking industry, Laurel currently serves as EVP, Chief Risk Officer for American Riviera Bank. She leads the Bank’s consumer compliance and anti-money laundering/financial crimes divisions and oversees the Human Resources, Marketing, and Product Management functions.

Ms. Sykes is the Bank’s Security Officer, and a member of the Central Coast Scams Against Seniors working group, which is co-facilitated by the FBI and the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office. She is also a member of the National Adult Protection Services Association’s Financial Exploitation Advisory Board. American Riviera Bank recently received a Community Commitment Award from the ABA in the Protecting Older Americans category, honoring the Bank’s financial elder abuse and fraud prevention program.

Ms. Sykes graduated with a degree in Business Economics from UCSB and holds a CRCM designation. She attained her Juris Master’s in Financial Regulation and Compliance from Florida State University in 2024.