Team

With over 20 years of business and nonprofit leadership experience, Bonnie is bringing HFC into the next phase of growth to become a leading voice in brain health awareness and care for families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease.

Bonnie has extensive experience building organizations from the ground up, including chairing successful multi-million dollar capital campaigns, designing and managing strategic planning projects, and growing board leadership. Most recently, Bonnie was Executive Director of the award-winning contemporary art space, Franklin Street Works, located in Stamford, CT. Bonnie has served in key leadership roles on several boards including The Long Ridge School, Wooster School, and the Arts and Culture Commission of the City of Stamford. Bonnie holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Hamilton College and an MBA in Marketing from Columbia Business School.

When Bonnie is not asking her friends to donate money or volunteer for one of her causes, she is spending time with her family and walking her English Bulldog, Wilma. Bonnie’s work to help families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease is in memory of her grandmother, Sadie, who suffered from dementia.

With more than twenty years of experience in the non-profit sector, Alex has served in several capacities as a principal contributor to strategic planning, organizational planning, and governing decisions as well as been directly responsible for implementing programmatic change in various roles throughout her career. Alex holds a Master’s from NYU’s Gallatin School where she studied the interdisciplinary design of social service programs. Alex brings her passion for working collaboratively to build and expand programs and strengthen organizations to HFC and is thrilled to join the team to advance HFC’s mission and honor the memory of her Grandma Sadie and the commitment of her Aunt Tina who lovingly cared for Grandma Sadie and sacrificed a lot to do so.

When not at work, Alex is busy with her family and can be found somewhere at a soccer or baseball field cheering for her middle and high-school kids, attending a Mets game, enjoying her husband’s music, or being walked by the family’s two pups, Rocky and Ellie.

Diana is a creative strategist with over a decade of experience in nonprofit communications, fundraising, and brand management. A passionate leader, she has dedicated her career to social justice, women’s issues, and public health.

Most recently the Director of Communications at the Women’s Prison Association (WPA), a nearly 200-year-old nonprofit empowering women to redefine their lives in the face of injustice and incarceration, Diana was responsible for creating and executing communications and fundraising strategies to optimize financial growth and increase brand visibility.

Diana holds a Bachelor’s in English from Siena College and a Master’s in Social Work from Columbia University. She is thrilled to join HFC toward the advancement of Alzheimer’s care and prevention, and works in honor of her grandfather Bob, her great aunt Rose, and all those who preserve a space for joy in adversity.

Ruth joins HFC with over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, specifically focused on finding ways to best advance organizational missions through philanthropy. Ruth is a passionate relationship-builder and brings that philosophy to her fundraising work. She graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from the University of St. Thomas and her Master's in Nonprofit Management from University of Houston - Downtown.

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Ruth is a proud first-generation Kenyan-American with strong roots to her Kenyan heritage. Her beloved mother, Damaris, lost her life to early-onset dementia at the age of 61, so she knows far too well the emotional and financial toll dementia can have on families - particularly caregivers. This personal connection is what brought Ruth to HFC, and she is honored to join this dynamic team to bring more awareness and financial support to Alzheimer's and brain health generally.

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She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband, five month old daughter, and their dog. 

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Jazmin has been devoted to the human services profession for over 12 years—with experience in various sectors including developmental/intellectual disabilities, foster care, domestic violence, and individual & family services. Jazmin has a master’s degree in psychology and is in the process of completing a second master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy.

She is originally from Indianapolis, IN and relocated to Southern California in the summer of 2015. She has spent the last several years working as a provider and with a regional center to advocate for people with developmental disabilities. She has several years of experience leading teams across various departments and has passion in contributing to agency goals through the implementation of systems and a collaborative team approach.

When Jazmin is not working you can find her enjoying sports, hiking, at the beach, and trying different restaurants. Jazmin is enthusiastic about joining HFC and managing the caregiver support programs and assisting in strengthening HFCUniverse.

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Amanda Quezada is the Senior Manager of Communications at HFC. For nearly 10 years, she has dedicated her career to non-profit work, building brands and creating meaningful content to help organizations better connect with the communities they serve.

She holds a Bachelor’s in Communications from California State University, Fullerton and has worked with non-profits such as Make-A-Wish and the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO). Most recently, as the Marketing and Communications Coordinator of Long Beach Transit (LBT), Amanda was responsible for developing and executing communications plans, maintaining the agency’s digital presence and cultivating industry partnerships to aid LBT’s effort towards sustainable and accessible public transportation.

Amanda is thrilled to join the team and work toward advancing HFC’s mission. Having been a caregiver alongside her mother, Miriam, she works in honor of her grandmother, Justa, who lives with Alzheimer’s and every family navigating the journey of Alzheimer's, working tirelessly to provide the best care for their loved ones.

Giovanna is a public health gerontologist and Certified Dementia Practitioner who has served as Deputy Director at the Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s (YMAA). With nearly a decade of professional caregiving experience assisting hundreds of older adults in the comfort of their homes, she has a zest for experiential learning and helping individuals maximize their quality of life through information sharing, community building, and prevention. Giovanna is motivated to help communities gain a better understanding of dementia, especially through intergenerational connections, and her vision is to see a respite site on every college campus in America. 

In her last role, Giovanna served the Los Angeles City Department of Aging and the Los Angeles County Public Health Department to connect first responders to dementia training. She teaches yoga and fitness to university students and finds joy being at the beach on her time off. Giovanna received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health from California State University of Los Angeles (CSULA) and her Master’s in Gerontology from the University of Southern California.

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Dr. Wendy A. Suzuki is a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University. She received her undergraduate degree in physiology and human anatomy at the University of California, Berkeley in 1987 studying with Prof. Marion C. Diamond, a leader in the field of brain plasticity. She went on to earn her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from U.C. San Diego in 1993 and completed apost-doctoral fellowship at the National Institutes of Health before accepting her faculty position at New York University in 1998. Her major research interest continues to be brain plasticity. She is best known for her extensive work studying areas in the brain critical for our ability to form and retain new long-term memories. More recently her work has focused on understanding how aerobic exercise can be used to improve learning, memory and higher cognitive abilities in humans. Wendy is passionate about teaching (see her courses), about exercise (intenSati), and about supporting and mentoring up and coming scientists.

Dr. Annie Fenn is a physician and culinary instructor who writes about food, health, and dementia prevention in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. After practicing obstetrics, gynecology and menopausal health for more than 20 years, Dr. Fenn realized that helping people change what they eat was more effective at improving health than prescribing pills or procedures. She traded her stethoscope for an apron and went back to school to study culinary arts in Mexico, Italy, and at the Culinary Institute of America.

In 2015, Dr. Fenn founded the Brain Health Kitchen, and evidence-based online resource about how and what to eat to resist cognitive decline. The Brain Health Kitchen Cooking School, founded in 2017, is the only school of its kind focused specifically on the prevention of Alzheimer’s and other dementias with food. More than one thousand participants have enrolled in the cooking school through hands-on classes. Students learn which foods are most neuroprotective, which ones accelerate cognitive decline, and how to prepare foods using brain-friendly cooking techniques. Dr. Fenn takes her cooking school on the road to provide classes throughout the country and abroad. She lectures frequently about the impact of lifestyle and diet on Alzheimer’s risk at diverse venues throughout the country—women’s and men’s groups, churches, schools, and wellness retreats. She partners with her local hospital to provide the Brain Works 7-day Boot Camp, a novel community-based dementia prevention program.

Dr. Amanda G. Smith is the Director of Clinical Research at the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute and a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa, FL. She received her undergraduate degree from Emory University in Atlanta, GA, and her medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA. She completed her residency in Psychiatry and fellowship in Geriatric Psychiatry at the University of South Florida. Dr. Smith is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, with subspecialty certification in geriatric psychiatry. She serves on the steering committees of the national Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium, the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, and is the co-chair of the IDEA-CT outreach and policy committee aimed to increase Diversity and Inclusion in clinical trials for the ACTC. She also serves on several subcommittees for the State of Florida Health Improvement Plan priority area 9, which aims to help Floridians living with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders. She serves as a site principal investigator on multiple clinical trials, and has pioneered the first mobile clinical trial unit for Alzheimer’s research in the United States. Her work focuses on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of memory disorders, clinical Alzheimer’s research, and education of both caregivers and health professionals.

Lisa Genova, Ph.D graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University.
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Acclaimed as the Oliver Sacks of fiction and the Michael Crichton of brain science, Lisa has captured a special place in contemporary fiction, writing stories that are equally inspired by neuroscience and the human spirit. She is the New York Times bestselling author of STILL ALICE, LEFT NEGLECTED, LOVE ANTHONY, INSIDE THE O’BRIENS, and EVERY NOTE PLAYED.

In 2015, Lisa was named one of the U.S. Top 50 Influencers in Aging by Next Avenue. She has appeared on Dr. Oz, the TODAY show, CNN, PBS Newshour, and NPR. Her TED Talk, “What You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer’s” has been viewed over four million times.

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Director of UCI Mind, Dr. Joshua Grill has been the recipient of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Junior Investigator Award, the Alzheimer’s Association Turken Research Prize, the Community Spirit Award from OPICA Adult Day Services, and the P. Gene and Elaine Smith Term Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research. He has been funded by the National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Alzheimer’s Association, the Hartford Foundation, the American Federation for Aging Research, and the University of California.

He serves on the Steering Committee of the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study and the Internal Ethics Committee for this national body. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Maria Shriver’s Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement. In 2017, he co-chaired a workgroup as part of the NIH’s Inclusion Across the Lifespan workshop, a congressional mandate in the 21st Century Cures Act (P.L. 114-255). He is part of a working group sponsored by the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association charged with creating a national strategy for recruitment to Alzheimer’s disease clinical research.

Dr. Eseosa Ighodaro, M.D., Ph.D. is a native of Kentucky where she graduated with honors and summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in biology and minors in chemistry and French from the University of Kentucky. After graduation, she matriculated into the combined MD/PhD program at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine where she was the 1st African American female to complete the MD/PhD program. During her training, she published numerous articles on dementia, cerebrovascular disease, and health inequalities within the African American community. Her recent publications have been featured in Nature and Nature Medicine. Moreover, she has received numerous awards for her activism work within the community.

Currently, she is a neurologist (PGY-3), neuroscientist, and health advocate at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Her current research focuses on understanding the role of racism in neurological disorders. You can see her work on her professional website at www.dreseosaighodaro.com.

Richard Isaacson, MD serves as Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic, Associate Professor of Neurology, Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and Director of the Neurology Residency Program at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He previously served as Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Vice Chair of Education, and Education Director of the McKnight Brain Institute in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami (UM) Miller School of Medicine. He completed his residency in Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, and his medical internship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL. Previously as Associate Medical Director of the Wien Center for Alzheimer’s disease and Memory Disorders at Mount Sinai. Dr. Isaacson is author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention and Treatment Diet and The Alzheimer’s Diet: A Step-by-Step Nutritional Approach for Memory Loss Prevention and Treatment.

Dr. Megan Jones Bell is clinical director of consumer and mental health at Google and gets to think about how to improve health for billions of people. She was formerly chief strategy and science officer at Headspace and helped guide Headspace through its transformation from a meditation app into a comprehensive digital mental health platform, Headspace Health. Megan founded one of the first digital mental health start-ups, Lantern, where she pioneered blended mental health interventions leveraging software and coaching. Megan started her career at Stanford University where she was an assistant professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Megan serves on the Board of the Child Mind Institute and the Scientific Advisory Board for HFC. Her academic and advocacy work has been recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. House of Representatives, the European Union, and Stanford University, and Aspen Institute among others.

Dr. Sarah Kremen is the director of the Behavioral Neurology Program and leader of the Goldrich Clinical Trials Program at the Goldrich Center for Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders at Cedars-Sinai. She received her medical degree from the University of Maryland, and did her residency training in Neurology at UCLA. She completed a three year fellowship in Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry at the Greater Los Angeles VA Medical Center in 2010. 

Dr. Kremen specializes in evaluating people with memory, language, and other cognitive changes, and treats various conditions including early and late onset Alzheimer’s disease, Dementia with Lewy bodies, Frontotemporal dementia and atypical Parkinsonian disorders. Dr. Kremen’s research has focused mostly on clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease, as well as longitudinal observational studies of cognition and neurodegeneration. She is passionate about educating her primary care colleagues and the lay community about healthy cognitive aging, cognitive screening and dementia management. She also directs the Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychiatry fellowship program at Cedars-Sinai, training the next generation of future cognitive and dementia care experts.

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Dr. Lisa Mosconi is the Director of the Women’s Brain Initiative and Associate Director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medical College (WCMC)/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she serves as an Associate Professor of Neuroscience in Neurology and Radiology. She is also an adjunct faculty member at the Department of Psychiatry at New York University (NYU) School of Medicine, and the Department of Nutrition at NYU Steinhardt School of Nutrition and Public Health.Formerly, Dr. Mosconi was an Assistant Professor of the NYU Department of Psychiatry, where she founded and was the director of the Nutrition & Brain Fitness Lab, and served as the director of the Family History of Alzheimer’s disease research program. Dr. Mosconi holds a PhD degree in Neuroscience and Nuclear Medicine, and is a certified Integrative Nutritionist and holistic healthcare practitioner. Dr. Mosconi is the author of Brain Food: the Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power and recently released The XX Brain.

Dr. Ostroff is the Director, Geriatric, Stamford Health Geriatric Assessment Center. As a geriatrician, Dr. Ostroff strives to provide the most comprehensive care of older adults by managing not only medical issues but the often complex social concerns of her patients. She greatly enjoys hearing their stories and becoming familiar with their lives. She has developed close relationships with community liaisons including senior centers, assisted living facilities, nursing homes and geriatric case managers/ social workers, which facilitates smooth transitions for patients.

As the Director of the Division of Geriatrics at Stamford Hospital, she has the opportunity to not only treat individual patients but to improve a system by highlighting the need for comprehensive geriatric assessments and improving the quality of hospital care for patients with dementia, delirium and other issues that befall the older population. Dr. Ostroff is incredibly passionate about what she does and considers herself lucky to have chosen this career path.

Erin Long leads the Administration on Aging’s (AoA) state, community and Tribal grant programs dedicated to supporting persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers.  AoA’s ADRD programs are dedicated to building and expanding dementia-capability across the United States, through culturally competent education and training on a broad range of dementia related issues, as well as the provision of direct services through evidence-based interventions. In addition to being responsible for the planning and development of the programs, she provides programmatic guidance and oversight for all program activities, including the National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center, as well as serving as a Federal member of the Nationals Alzheimer’s Project Act Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care and Services.  She holds a Master of Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

Like many people involved in this work, Erin has a personal connection as a member of the support team for her 94 year old dad, the caregiver of her mom who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014.

Heather is a geriatric social worker who has been working with people living with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers for over 15 years. She brings knowledge of Alzheimer’s programs delivered through national, state, and local service providers, with experience in program planning/ development/ evaluation, civic engagement, and community building. As an independent consultant, one of her current projects is updating the Hawai’i State Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). She brings a strong lens of diversity and equity to this role, serving in her last position at the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) and living in Honolulu, Hawaii, where most of her community (and family) are Asian American or Pacific Islander (AAPI). Outside of work, Heather enjoys exploring Hawai’i and cooking brain healthy foods for her family!

Helen Hemley is the Program Manager of the CARE Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital. She graduated from Emerson College with a BS in Communications.

In her role as program manager, Helen is responsible for directing the daily operations, including personnel supervision, grant management, strategic planning initiatives and financial oversight. She is also deeply involved in ongoing research projects and community engagement initiatives and oversees many of these activities.

Helen has a broad background in communications and community engagement. She has been involved in a variety of roles in the conduct of multicenter clinical trials and studies focused on the engagement and recruitment of underrepresented groups in clinical research, both at the organizational- and individual site-level. Prior to joining CARE, Helen worked as the community engagement coordinator for the All of Us Research Program New England Consortium; the communications specialist for the Department of Medicine at Mass General where she established the Medicine Community Health Council with Dr. Dean Xerras; and the Communications Coordinator for Brit Olam – International Volunteering and Development.

J. Smiles is a modern southern belle with a global heartbeat. Also an engineer, product designer and lawyer, her world collapsed when her father’s abrupt death thrust her mom into early onset Alzheimer’s disease. After years in corporate America, she halted everything, becoming a full-time caregiver. Looking for a stress release, she stumbled into a comedy class. J fell in-love. The Montgomery, AL native has not looked back. Parenting Up! Caregiving Adventures with Comedian J Smiles® is her podcast of support, love and levity for family caregivers in the Alzheimer’s community. Listeners all over the world Snuggle Up™ to her unique brand of narration. Non-profit’s lean on Smiles’ comedy keynotes to deliver data, mix-up dry chicken luncheons and drive donations. She holds degrees from Howard, Stanford and Cumberland. Please do not mistake her for anything but — Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. If her mom is well and she is not on stage then she is likely using her passport, mentoring, scuba diving or learning.

Jennifer holds a MSW, LCSW-C, and is a CSP. With over 20+ years’ experience in healthcare, Jennifer L. FitzPatrick is a keynote speaker and writer. She is also a gerontology instructor at Johns Hopkins University’s Certificate on Aging program.

She wrote the book Cruising Through Caregiving because she sincerely believes all caregivers can reduce their stress if they want to by implementing the book’s strategies. She collaborated in 2019 with HFC to run a 10-week book club and is considering joining as an HFC online support group facilitator.

Jerry was born and raised in Philadelphia, and graduated from Syracuse University and Widener University School of Law. After working for several years at a Center City Philadelphia law firm, Jerry found his passion as an advocate for seniors and those with disabilities. For the past 20 years, Jerry has been the Principal of the Rothkoff Law Group based in Cherry Hill, NJ, and Trevose, PA, where he dedicates his practice to serving clients in the areas of elder law, life care planning, asset protection, veterans benefits, estate planning, and long-term care advocacy.

Jerry has been, and continues to be, an outspoken advocate for the rights of the elderly and disabled. He writes for and gives presentations regularly to attorneys and other professionals about elder law. He is a frequent lecturer, speaker, and author for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Education, as well as non-profit and professional organizations. He is the past President of the NJ Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and past President of the Life Care Planning Law Firm Association. He is also the former Chair of the New Jersey Bar Association Elder and Disability Law Section, as well as a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Elder Law Section and the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Jerry was the recipient of the 2016 NJ Elder Law Attorney of the Year award given by his attorney colleagues.

Community activities include being a Board Member of Jewish Family and Children Services of Southern New Jersey and a Board member of Artz Philadelphia. He also is involved with the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as numerous other advocacy groups. Jerry resides in Cherry Hill, NJ with his wife, Erica, and their five children.

Lakelyn Hogan, Ph.D. serves as gerontologist and caregiver advocate at the global headquarters of Home Instead®. Lakelyn began her career at the local Home Instead franchise in Omaha working one-on-one with seniors and CAREGivers. Today at the global headquarters, Lakelyn works to educate professionals in aging, families and communities on the unique challenges older adults face and the resources available to help them thrive. Lakelyn earned a Ph.D. in Gerontology from the University of Nebraska – Omaha and has professional experience in the private and public sectors of senior care services. She has spoken at national and international conferences on the topic of caregiving and aging, and serves as a resource to major media including Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz and Hallmark Home and Family. She also values giving back to her community – currently serving as a board member of the National Alliance for Caregiving, board chair for the Dreamweaver Foundation and vice chair of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Dementia Care Provider Roundtable. Lakelyn has a passion for helping others, especially aging adults and their families.

Loretta is a motivational speaker and trainer who has delivered more than 300 speeches and presentations on dementia and caregiving since 2014 and she offers a wealth of information, encouragement and humor to her audiences. Throughout her life Loretta has chronicled family events through journals, photos, and videos, seeking to capture every moment. Her documentation came in very handy in 2006 after her beloved mother Doris became the first female in the family to suffer from dementia. Loretta began learning everything about the disease becoming a fierce advocate for her Mom in the process. Loretta and her Mom have been featured in articles in Psychology Today, The Washington Post, The NY Times, AARP Caregiver Stories, as well as a PBS special entitled Alzheimer’s the Caregiver’s Perspective. In 2019, Loretta was selected as Trailblazer of the Year by Johns Hopkins Medicine. Loretta is the author of Being My Mom’s Mom (2nd edition 2019) , Colors Flowing from My Mind (2019) and Refreshment for the Caregiver’s Spirit (2nd edition 2020).

Pamela D. Price currently serves as the Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead managing the various health initiatives of the organization. Under her leadership, the organization provides support to faith institutions in areas of program design, implementation and evaluation, which strengthen their capacity to deliver programs and services that contribute to the elimination of health disparities. In addition to her role as Deputy Director, she also serves as the Director for The National Brain Health Center for African-Americans.

Mrs. Price has co-developed educational curricula and trainings for the community, clinicians, nurses, & other allied healthcare professionals aimed at addressing knowledge & cultural competency gaps related to health inequities affecting African Americans. As an advocate & leader for diversity & inclusion, she provides strategic leadership to organizations on best practices related to impactful community engagement.

Mrs. Price holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in public health, epidemiology, and healthcare. As a registered nurse, she has served as a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corp and excelled in both government and non- governmental agencies providing leadership and guidance on program management, quality improvement, and project development. Mrs. Price has conducted hundreds of training sessions across the country with various nursing associations, healthcare organizations and conferences.

Scott Miller, born 73 years ago in New York has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and was employed as a Manufacturing Manager for forty years in both New York and Florida. Scott and his wife Adele were married in 1973 raising a son, Daniel and daughter, Lauren. Scott’s wife, Adele, was first diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2005 at the age of 54 and was forced to retire from the teaching profession 4 years later in 2009. Scott retired in order to care for Adele and remained at her side until she passed away, at home in 2020. In 2012, Scott’s daughter, Lauren and son-in-law, Seth founded HFC, Hilarity for Charity, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and accelerating progress in Alzheimer’s care, research and support. Scott’s son, Daniel, became Board Chairman. Scott is a founding member of the HFC Homecare Grant program dedicated to providing home care relief to caregivers in need.

KATIE LOWES is thrilled to be a HFC Ambassador. Lowes is best known for starring as ‘Quinn Perkins’ for the entire 7 Seasons of the ABC hit series “Scandal.” Lowes is making her return to network television in CBS’ new half-hour comedy “Smallwood” starring opposite comedian Pete Holmes. She is currently airing the fourth season of her popular parenting podcast titled “Katie’s Crib,” which is produced by Shondaland in partnership with iHeartRadio. Lowes recently wrapped production on the Shonda Rhimes’s Netflix series “Inventing Anna” alongside Anna Chlumsky, Julia Garner and Laverne Cox. In Fall 2018, Lowes made her Broadway debut, starring in the Tony Nominated Musical “Waitress” with Katharine McPhee. Lowes played the role of ‘Dawn’ opposite her real-life husband, actor Adam Shapiro. She is regularly seen guest co-hosting “Live with Kelly and Ryan” alongside Ryan Seacrest. Born in Queens, New York, Lowes is a graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She is the chair and founder of IAMA Theatre Company, which was named one of the top 20 regional theatres in the country.

Author Richard Lui is a veteran and award-winning journalist with more than 30 years in television, film, technology, and business. Currently at MSNBC and previously with CNN Worldwide, he is the first Asian American man to anchor a daily national cable news program, and a team Emmy and Peabody winner. He is the author of the bestselling and award-winning book "Enough About Me: The Unexpected Power of Selflessness" from HarperCollins/Zondervan. In addition, Richard’s 15-year business career involves a fintech patent and launching six tech brands over three business cycles. Richard has lived, worked, and volunteered on every continent. Learn more at www.richardlui.com

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Yvette Nicole Brown is an actress, writer, producer and host best known for her series-regula rroles on the television shows: COMMUNITY, THE MAYOR and THE ODD COUPLE. She has also appeared and often recurred on shows as varied as DRAKE & JOSH, PSYCH, WILL & GRACE, A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW, GIRLFRIENDS, MOM, THE OFFICE, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE, HOUSE M.D. and BOSTON LEGAL among many others. She also starred in the critically acclaimed and NAACP Image Award winning six-hour BET miniseries THE NEW EDITION STORY.

Yvette also has a burgeoning film career. In addition to past appearances in films such as DREAMGIRLS, TROPIC THUNDER, REPO MEN, LITTLE BLACK BOOK and PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS, in 2019 she completed the indie, BROKEN DIAMONDS, took a pivotal elevator ride with Iron Man and Captain America in AVENGERS: ENDGAME and starred as “Aunt Sarah” in the Disney+ live action remake of LADY AND THE TRAMP.

She’s happy to continue her partnership with Disney+ currently as the host of the hit kids’ game show THE BIG FIB and in mid 2021, by starring on the new dramedy entitled BIG SHOT alongside John Stamos.

In addition to acting, Yvette is also in demand as a host. She has guest co-hosted: THE VIEW, THE TALK, THE CHEW, THE REAL, THE TALKING DEAD and ACCESS HOLLYWOOD.

In the LIVE space, Yvette has served as host and moderator of the season six premiere of THE WALKING DEAD at Madison Square Garden for an audience of 15,000 people, moderated film and tv panels for 8,000 fans at a time in the famed Hall H at San Diego Comic Con and was the sole host of the launch of Disney+ for an audience of 8,000.

She has also appeared on just about every game show known to man, winning thousands for many grateful contestants and her favorite charities.

Her extensive voiceover career includes previous series regular roles on ELENA OF AVALOR, POUND PUPPIES, DC SUPER HERO GIRLS, SUPERMANSION and CROSSING SWORDS. In addition to upcoming series regular roles on: CHICKEN SQUAD & FIREBUDS (both on Disney), MY DAD: THE BOUNTY HUNTER (on Netflix) and FAIRFAX (on Amazon). Her guest and recurring voiceover resume includes roles on: FAMILY GUY, THE TOM AND JERRY SHOW, SPIDER-MAN, AMERICAN DAD, THE LOUD HOUSE, STRETCH ARMSTRONG, LEGO BLACK PANTHER and LEGO STAR WARS: THE FREEMAKER ADVENTURES among others.

Yvette is also an extraordinarily talented singer. In her teens she was signed to Motown Records and was featured on the Motown album “The East Coast Family Vol.1,” which included the Top 20 single, "1-4-All-4-1." As a part of the East Coast Family, a group of talents discovered by Michael Bivins of New Edition and B.B.D. fame, Brown appeared on MTV, “Showtime at the Apollo,” VH1 and BET.

She is also a 2020 NAACP Image Award Nominated writer for ALWAYS A BRIDESMAID, the Romantic Comedy she penned that is currently streaming on Netflix.

Lastly, Yvette believes in philanthropy and civic engagement and she proudly sits on the National Boards of DONORS CHOOSE, EMILY’S LIST, MPTF NEXT GEN and SAG-AFTRA.

Sarah Rafferty received an MFA from The Yale School of Drama after graduating magna cum laude from Hamilton College with a double major in English and Theatre. She starred as Donna Paulson on the hit USA show SUITS for 9 seasons and most recently had a recurring guest star on the ABC series GREY’S ANATOMY. Her other TV credits include: SIX FEET UNDER, LAW AND ORDER, CSI, WITHOUT A TRACE, and SAMANTHA WHO. Her TV films include WHAT IF GOD WERE THE SUN opposite Gena Rowlands.

In addition to acting, Rafferty lends a hand to many causes dear to her heart. She is devoted to building awareness on the gender based barriers that effect girls and women worldwide. As an Ambassador for Plan Canada’s “Because I am Girl Campaign”, she is an advocate for gender equality and promoting girl’s and women’s rights in the developing world. Additionally, Sarah has worked with The Alzheimers Association in the US, hosting several galas to benefit their support and research efforts. In Canada, Rafferty is an ambassador for the newly founded organization, The Brain Project, which raises funds and awareness through thought provoking works of art, for Baycrest Health Sciences, a world leader in brain health and aging. Sarah has also joined When We All Vote, a non partisan to change the culture around voting and increase participation in each and every election.

Sarah currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.

Caitlin Reilly is an actor and comedian who garnered a huge following on TikTok and Instagram with her characters and parodies. She has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, InStyle Magazine, Women's Health Magazine, and the New York Times to name a few. Caitlin's father, John Reilly, was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's in 2012. Watching her father fight through the disease and going through the experience with her family, she wanted to find a community and organization that truly aided ALZ awareness and provided help and respite for caregivers. Caitlin is so incredibly honored to be an ambassador for HFC, honoring the memory of her father and helping a cause so dear to her heart.

Adam Shapiro is excited to team up with HFC!
As an actor, Adam’s been seen on stage on Broadway as “Ogie” in Waitress. Co-founder of IAMA Theatre Company where he starred in Canyon, The Recommendation, & the World Premiere’s of Assistance and Bachelorette. Other stage credits include: Rent, Manuscript.  On screen: Currently playing “Mr. Shapiro” on the third season of Netflix’s Never Have I Ever and will be seen in 2022 in upcoming features for Universal and FOX. Recently: Showtime’s The Affair and The Good Lord Bird and David Fincher’s Academy Award winning Mank. More TV/Film: Kingdom, Central Park, Room 104, Grace & Frankie, Steve Jobs, It Happened in LA, Ode To Joy, Short Term 12, Sense 8, Now You See Me, A Single Man, Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Dummy, Why Women Kill.

Adam is the founder of Shappy Pretzel Co. in LA, where he resides with his wife, Katie Lowes, and their children Albee and Vera.

Ashley Williams is an actress, director and writer who has done over 200 episodes of television, a dozen pilots, a Broadway flop, and too many TV movies to count. She starred on THE JIM GAFFIGAN SHOW on Comedy Central, the series GOOD MORNING MIAMI and a longtime recurring role as Victoria on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER. Other TV credits include: THE GOOD DOCTOR, SAVING GRACE, WAREHOUSE 13, SIDE ORDER OF LIFE, HUFF, E-RING, NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE, CSI, MONK, THE MENTALIST, THE GOOD WIFE, PSYCH, L&O: SVU, and HBO’s GIRLS, to name a few. She starred alongside Jessica Chastain and Oscar Issac in the critically-acclaimed A MOST VIOLENT YEAR, and in SOMETHING BORROWED with Kate Hudson and John Krasinski for Warner Brothers. Other film credits: J.C. Chandor’s Oscar-nominated MARGIN CALL, which debuted at Sundance, and SEQUIN RAZE, Sarah Gertrude Shapiro’s short, which won SXSW. Ashley also directed, wrote, and stars in MEATS, a short that premiered at Sundance in 2020 and was selected for the prestigious Sundance shorts tour which played all across the world and played over 40 film festivals. She most recently “pandemic directed” (masks! gloves! sheilds!) the Lifetime full length thriller CIRCLE OF DECEPTION which premieres this March starring Tamara Tunie.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley is an actress, New York Times Best Selling author, Alzheimer’s advocate, and co-founder of non-profit, The Store, an organization in Nashville which aims to address food insecurity. She’s appeared in many film, television and theater productions in her career, including Father of the Bride, its sequel, and the recent Father of the Bride Part 3(ish) mini-sequel, co-starring Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short. More recently, she starred in Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles and its sequel, The Christmas Chronicles 2, with Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Her television credits include: the long-running ABC comedy series According to Jim (of which she also directed three episodes), and more recently Netflix’s Heartstringsmovie Jolene, opposite Dolly Parton and Julianne Hough. In Christmas 2021, she produced and stars in (with her sister Ashley Williams) a pair of movies for Hallmark Channel entitled Sister Swap.

Williams-Paisley’s memoir Where The Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again, chronicling her mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease (Crown imprint, Penguin Random House), came out in 2016 and hit the New York Times best seller list. She was honored with a Champion Award in 2016 from the Alzheimer’s Association for her advocacy work dedicated to sharing her family’s story, funding research and supporting caregivers. Her annual Dance Party to End Alz in Nashville has raised over a million dollars in its first three years.

In 2020, Williams-Paisley and her husband Brad Paisley opened a free, referral-based grocery called The Store. In partnership with Belmont University, this non-profit aims to empower and dignify individuals and families seeking self-sufficiency by providing choices for their food needs. After the Nashville tornadoes in March 2020, and once the pandemic began, they’ve incorporated disaster relief into what they do, surpassing well over a million meals donated in their first year, and serving five times more people than they’d anticipated.

Kim is a global ambassador for CARE International, including traveling to Haiti and Guatemala to follow U.S. funding for programs that support women and children, and then sharing her story back home, including engaging with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to help preserve global health funding. She is a spokesperson for CARE’s She Feeds the World partnership with the PepsiCo Foundation to address food insecurity and tackle gender inequality in the agriculture sector. In 2020, she joined Charlize Theron’s Together For Her campaign in partnership with CARE, to help deploy funds and support the global fight against domestic violence during the time of COVID-19.

Laura Dasher is a Copywriter at Frontpoint Security in the D.C area. She is a writer and marketer with a passion for creativity and editorial storytelling. She specializes in developing influential, genuine brand narratives that build trust with targeted audiences. Her main philanthropic focus is on Alzheimer's disease research and awareness. She has also supported the promotion of human rights and the fight against injustice and discrimination. She loves food, photography, art, interior design, classic rock and indie music. And once in a while, her and her husband love to create new music together for fun. Mainly, she loves to hang out with her family and my dog, Gibson!

Mike Dasher is Creative Director at Adaptive Health. Mike is a designer and marketer with a passion for creativity and brand building. His main charitable efforts focus on Alzheimer's disease research and awareness, and the humane treatment of animals. He is an avid fine art painter, a multifaceted musician, and in-home recording hobbyist. He enjoys traveling, indie music, boom-bap hip-hop, fashion, all comedy, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and most of all spending time with his wife and their dog, Gibson.

Dr. David Goldberg is Clinical Hospitalist and Assistant Clinical Professor at VCU Health in Glen Allen, VA. Dr. Goldberg earned his undergraduate degree in history at UVA and then went to medical school at VCU. He continued at VCU for his internal medicine residency and stayed on as faculty in the Department of Internal Medicine. Dr. Goldberg was recently appointed “Lead Hospitalist” at The Sheltering Arms Institute, which is an Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital that is a collaboration between VCU Health and Sheltering Arms. Dr. Goldberg and his wife just welcomed their daughter Isabel to the world in March. He enjoys playing tennis, going to the beach, and making parodies of popular songs! Dr. Goldberg has been involved with Alzheimer’s advocacy since 2010. He started an Alzheimer’s awareness and volunteer organization in college called Hoos For Memory at UVA and a similar organization in medical school called Rams For Memory at VCU and has several years experience working with the Alzheimer’s Association in advocacy and public policy on the local, state, and federal level.

Lauren Goldberg is currently a physical therapist in Lorton, Virginia. Lauren graduated from University of Virginia in 2015 with her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Virginia Commonwealth University in 2018 with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy.

Lauren became involved in Alzheimer’s advocacy after the passing of her beloved grandfather from Alzheimer’s disease. Her brother, David Goldberg, started a club at UVA called Hoos For Memory. Lauren followed in her brother’s footsteps and was president of Hoos For Memory during her time at UVA. She worked closely with the UVA and Charlottesville community to plan events and raise money for Alzheimer’s awareness. Lauren is passionate about continuing her involvement, especially now that she works in the healthcare field.

Katie Grossman is a Sr. Manager, Event + Trade Marketing at IBM in Boston, MA. She believes that passion drives change! Katie was formerly involved with HFC when she was in NYC, and keeps in touch now that she is in Boston. Katie has been in the global event marketing industry for about 15 years for corporations like People, WSJ and currently IBM. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her fiance and new lil'pup Ikie!

Justin Hamman is an entrepreneur, a dementia educator, and a family caregiver. In 2014, Justin’s mom, Linda, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. At the age of 21, Justin became his mom’s primary caregiver, which provided him unique insight into the systematic, medical, and personal challenges of Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2017, Justin co-founded Zenjoi Inc., a health technology company using VR and AR to promote brain health in aging adults. With a background in Computer Science, Justin led Product Management for Zenjoi’s flagship VR product which enables seniors to engage in a combination of physical and cognitive exercises. In addition, Justin has experience in marketing, sales, and business strategy. Through his personal experience with dementia, Justin holds in high regard his relationship with world-class dementia expert, Teepa Snow. Since 2018 Justin has been a ‘Positive Approach to Care Certified’ Dementia Caregiver Trainer. More recently, Justin is exploring the use cases for innovative technologies to improve the efficiency and scalability of dementia education.

Jacob Hamman is founder and CEO of Zenjoi, a health technology company creating VR Wellness applications for Body and Brain Health. Jacob studied Architecture at USC, then worked as a Designer for the Architect Frank Gehry before returning to graduate school to study Design Technology at Harvard's Graduate School of Design. There he investigated the intersection of physical and digital creation by building the first virtual reality tool for architectural design: Archiverse.

After completing his graduate degree, Jacob moved back home to help care for his Mother who has early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Together with his brother and co-founder Justin, he strives to provide his Mom with the highest quality of care and has identified the growing body of research pointing towards physical and cognitive exercise as tools for prevention and treatment against cognitive decline. His research with VR and new forms of human computer interaction have paved the way for his work at Zenjoi, which is building exercise, brain training, and therapeutic VR experiences with a dementia friendly user experience.

Danny Harper is currently a Senior Philanthropic Advisor at Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. Formerly, Danny was the Senior Director of Development at UCI MIND, the University of California, Irvine’s Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders where he leads the fundraising operation to raise money for research into Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. And prior to this role, Danny served as Director of Development for UCI’s Division of Undergraduate Education. Danny earned an Executive Masters in Leadership from USC and a Bachelor of Philosophy from Loyola Marymount University. He lives in Long Beach with his wife and dogs. When not working, Danny and his wife love to travel and work in their garden.

Nicole Keller George is a Music Manager with Rogue Ventures + Eleven Eleven Entertainment in Los Angeles. She previously worked at CAA, with Kanye West and at BLADE. In addition, she previously co-founded a creative agency called The Arcana Group. Currently, Nicole and her husband work together in Artist/music management.

Her most recent work in the nonprofit world is with MusiCares' LA Young Ambassador program where she served as co-chair. Prior to that, she was working at CAA, on the committee for Young Hollywood. She loves helping others, meeting new people, traveling, going to shows and spending time with my family and friends.

Kiki Kouris is a professional in the Human Resources field and an Advocate for Alzheimer’s Disease. Kiki currently works for The Duracell Company as a Human Resources Manager. She has robust experience in the human resource field, skilled in Employee Relations, Benefits, Recruitment, onboarding, and Employee Experience. Kiki is very passionate about using her platform to advocate for increased awareness, education, and ultimately a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, and has held roles on Junior boards with experience in Event Management, Education, Volunteering and Fundraising.

Danielle Lauder is a producer, actress, entrepreneur, philanthropist and makeup creator. After graduating Northwestern University in 2016 and appearing in films such as The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015) she continued her creative endeavors in Los Angeles where she creatively develops and executive produces short form content. She released her ACT IV makeup collection for Estée Lauder in January of 2020 and is now the ambassador to the Hollywood Beauty Awards. Danielle carries on the legacy of her grandmother Evelyn in her continuous work with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Pink Agenda.

Katie McKenna is the Director of Public Relations at Pink Sheep Publicity in Los Angeles, CA & Chesterfield, MO. She is a fashion entrepreneur bringing a decade of experience in the fashion industry to her current role as Director of Public Relations at Pink Sheep Publicity, a boutique PR and digital marketing firm serving fashion and lifestyle brands. Katie holds a BFA in Fashion Design from Lindenwood University and a Master of Communication Management degree, with an emphasis in public relations from University of Southern California (USC).Katie has volunteered with the Salvation Army, Back@You and the Saint Louis University Cancer Center.

Katie Moran is a Director Assistant for Partizan Entertainment, Los Angeles. She received her BFA at the University of Michigan in 2015. She was awarded the thesis award for a photography project and has been in the film industry for the past five years, working on documentaries, commercials, tv shows, and feature films. She most recently worked for the Academy Award winning film director Michel Gondry. Katie feels most at peace in front of a blank canvas ready to paint up a storm, or in Northern Michigan on the lake. Her dad was diagnosed with CTE about 5 years ago. A form of dementia that is caused by the many concussions he’s had in his life, Katie ultimately decided to move back to Michigan this past year to be closer to him. She knows first hand all the care that someone with dementia needs and would love to help support others that are in similar situations.

Amanda Moskowitz is the Investment Assistant Team Lead at Viking Global. Amanda grew up in Los Angeles and moved to the East after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 2008. Amanda has two sisters who live on the West Coast along with their mother. She enjoys traveling, working out and spending time with the ones she loves.

Wanja Ochwada is a non-profit consultant based in Stamford, CT. She is a communications professional and global citizen, with 10+ years of experience providing end-to-end support to non-profit clients to meet their strategic organizational goals. Proven track record on delivering diversity and inclusion interventions for values-led organizations and youth development programs. Digital portfolio available at www.wanjaochwada.com

Wanja recently relocated to Connecticut and shares custody of her cavapoo Libby who lives in New York. She is allergic to dairy and her favorite museum is the museum of African American history in Washington DC. Wanja has no personal connection to Alzheimer’s but volunteered for HFC’s NY Brain Health Dinner and feels the conversation on brain health should be something we are all aware of and involved in to some extent. Wanja would like to see HFC be more representative of the diverse community it represents.

David Rosengarten is Sr. Vice President, Private Banker at Citi, in NYC. Originally from Philadelphia, David has been working in finance in NYC for 15 years. David brings fundraising, event planning, and leadership experience to HFC and seeks to improve future outcomes for potential future Alzheimer’s patients.

Abby Sasser is the Director of Talent + Entertainment Industry Relations, The ONE Campaign in Los Angeles, CA. She currently leads talent and entertainment for The ONE Campaign, an international advocacy and campaigning organization co-founded by U2's Bono and backed by over 10 million members taking action to eliminate extreme poverty and preventable disease.

She is a Master’s level development professional with over twenty years experience in the non-profit and entertainment sectors. She is a champion relationship builder with a successful history cultivating high level stakeholders, producing large scale events, building grassroots movements, managing special projects and developing private sector partnerships. Abby has worked with some of the world's top artists, thought leaders, and politicians to develop creative campaigns and special events for social impact.

Kallie Springer is the Raw Materials Developer for Speedo North America in Cypress, CA. She earned her undergraduate degree from Colorado State University in Apparel and Merchandising with a focus in Design and Production. After years in product development throughout the action sports industry, she followed her passion for water sports and textiles to Speedo. As a former collegiate water polo player and avid swimmer, this became her dream role. 

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Kallie became involved in Alzheimer's advocacy through firsthand experience of losing her best friend and mom, "Party Marti" Berry, to early on-set Alzheimer's in 2017. She was only 60 years old, but fought for 5 years from her diagnosis. After processing the grief of her loss, she knew there were other young people, like her, that she could help support and engage in events and education. Over the years, she has attended support groups, HFC virtual events, and MANY Alzheimer's walks to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer's research, as well as caregiver support. As someone who HFC has affected personally, she is excited to be involved with HFC to help others have a voice and feel supported through all the hurdles of navigating treatment and caregiving.

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In her free time, she loves to cook, go to concerts (especially at the Hollywood Bowl), hang with her husband Adam and their goldendoodle Milo, and travel to camping spots or delicious foodie destinations!

Kyle Wassell is a producer and writer in Los Angeles, currently on The Guitar Center Company’s content team. Kyle has over ten years of live-event and production experience, with a focus on comedy and music. He has worked with companies including MTV, BET, The Film Independent, Funny or Die, and BuzzFeed. With paternal ties to Alzheimer’s, Kyle has volunteered his time with HFC for almost the entirety of its existence, participating in every LA event except for the very first one. In his free time he likes to cook, write, and hang out with his amazing wife Katrina and their scrappy dog Rooney.

Matthew Zuraw is the owner of DialedIn Solutions & Better Brains in San Diego, CA. He is a business leader with strong communication skills, analytical prowess, and strategic mindset. He has had broad corporate exposure to risk analysis, operational management, hiring, marketing, and legal compliance. Matthew has been a volunteer for Alzheimer’s nonprofits for the past three years and was an executive at GEICO and has run multiple B2B and B2C businesses. He is an active volunteer and chair for the Alzheimer’s Association Longest Day fundraising event. He has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past three years, attended national seminars, and served on a national committee.