Members of the National Probate Reform Coalition (NPRC) will join whistleblowers, investigative journalists, filmmakers, attorneys, and citizen advocates from across the country at the 2026 Whistleblower Summit & Film Festival in Washington, D.C., to spotlight one of the nation’s most overlooked public policy issues—adult guardianship abuse and the need for meaningful reform.
Held July 24 through August 2, with its principal live events taking place July 27–30, the summit brings together individuals committed to exposing fraud, corruption, abuse of authority, and government waste. A featured event on July 27 at the Rayburn House Office Building will include a screening of “The Bad Guardian,” followed by a panel discussion examining adult guardianships and the growing movement to protect vulnerable seniors and adults from financial exploitation and abuse.
NPRC members will attend the screening and participate in discussions alongside nationally recognized advocates, including Rick Black of Center for Estate Administration Reform (CEAR), “The Probate Trap” authors Luanne Fleming and Robin Austin and other organizations working to increase public awareness of guardianship reform.
Producer Elizabeth Stephen has expanded her role beyond filmmaking to become an advocate for public education on guardianship issues. The discussion will also feature director Ray Contreras, whose documentary tells the story of his family’s experience after his father became the subject of a contested guardianship, and Emmy Award-winning investigative journalist Adam Walser, whose reporting has examined elder exploitation and public accountability.
For probate reform advocates, this year’s summit represents an important shift in how adult guardianship is viewed. For many years, families raising concerns about questionable guardianships often found their complaints dismissed as private family disputes. Today, advocates argue that when allegations involve Medicaid billing, misuse of public funds, fraudulent contracts, or other taxpayer-supported programs, they may also raise broader questions of government accountability.
One of the Summit’s educational themes is the federal False Claims Act, commonly known through its ‘qui tam’ provisions, which allow individuals with credible evidence of fraud involving government funds to bring claims on behalf of the United States. When successful, such cases may result in government recoveries and financial awards for qualifying whistleblowers. Advocates emphasize that not every guardianship dispute falls within these laws, but cases involving fraud against publicly funded programs may warrant careful legal review.
The Whistleblower Summit itself was founded by veteran whistleblower advocates, including Marcel Reid and Michael McCray, who transformed their experiences exposing government misconduct into an annual forum promoting transparency, accountability, and citizen oversight.
The National Probate Reform Coalition believes the summit provides an opportunity to elevate adult guardianship reform to the national stage. By bringing together families, policymakers, legal experts, journalists, and whistleblower advocates, the coalition hopes to encourage greater oversight, stronger protections for vulnerable adults, and increased public awareness of the challenges facing families across the country.
As advocates gather in the nation’s capital, they share a common goal: ensuring that allegations of abuse are taken seriously, that public institutions remain accountable, and that America’s elders receive the dignity, protection, and justice they deserve.
Tanya Dennis is the lead facilitator of the National Probate Reform Coalition.
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