Speakers Bureau

Jennifer Lepard is CEO/President of the Alzheimer's Association Michigan Chapter and Co-Chair of the Michigan Dementia Coalition.

Topics:

Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias; Support services for people living with dementia and their families; Legislative advocacy; How to get involved with the Alzheimer's Association's work in Michigan 

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Caregiving

Scott Roberts, PhD

Contact: jscottr@umich.edu

Dr. Scott Roberts is a Professor of Health Behavior & Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Director of the Outreach, Recruitment & Engagement Core of the Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Center, and a member of the MDC Steering Committee.

Topics:

Public health impact of Alzheimer’s disease (AD); Genetic and biomarker testing for individuals at risk for AD; Risk and protective factors for AD; Ethical issues in dementia research and practice

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Science & Research, Provider Education

Dr. Amanda Leggett is an Assistant Professor in the Institute of Gerontology and Department of Psychology at Wayne State University, Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan, and Co-Chair of the Michigan Dementia Coalition 

Topics:

Family caregiving for individuals with dementia, healthy aging, and late life mental health 

Issue Areas: Caregiving, Science & Research

Dr. Scott Counts is an Associate Professor of Translational Neuroscience at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and a member of the MDC Steering Committee.

Topics:

The science behind Alzheimer's disease and related dementias; Diagnosis and therapy; Understanding the biological mechanisms

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Science & Research

Dr. Irving Vega is an Associate Professor of Translational Neuroscience at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, on the faculty of the Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Core and Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease, and a member of the MDC Steering Committee. Dr. Vega gives seminars in English and Spanish.

Topics:

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias research; Health disparities (Latinos and African Americans) associated with AD, Risk factors associated with AD & related dementias

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Science & Research, Diverse Audiences & Populations, Health Disparities

Dr. Fei Sun is a Professor at the School of Social Work at Michigan State University, a National Health & Policy Aging Fellow, and a member of the MDC Steering Committee.

Topics:

Psychosocial interventions for persons with dementia and family caregivers; Dementia care in Asian Americans with a focus on Chinese Americans; Elder abuse; Cognitive and emotional well-being in aging populations

Issue Areas: Diverse Audiences & Populations, Caregiving, Elder Abuse, Dementia Friendly Communities

Dr. Sheria Robinson-Lane is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing in the Department of Systems, Populations, and Leadership, and a member of the MDC Steering Committee. 

Topics:

• Older adult pain management

• Culturally responsive care practices

• Coping with dementia family caregiving

• Managing challenging geriatric behaviors

Issue Areas: Diverse Audiences & Populations, Caregiving, Provider Education, Science & Research

Dr. Kristine Ajrouch is Director of the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and a member of the MDC Steering Committee.

Topics:

Dementia care in Middle Eastern/Arab American communities; Social determinants of ADRD, Psychosocial interventions for persons with dementia and family caregivers

Issue Areas: Diverse Audiences & Populations, Caregiving, Science & Research

Leslie Dubin is a Geriatric Social Worker with the University of Michigan Health System, and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Social Work.

Topics:

Dementia and Delirium;  Hospitalization issues; Caregiving concerns; Resources for Aging in Place; Elder abuse

Issue Areas: Provider Education, Caregiving, Elder Abuse

Dr. Edna Rose is a Nurse, Researcher and Social Worker with the University of Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Adjunct Professor at Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College in the School of Nursing. 

Topics:

Alzheimer’s disease, movement disorders and other memory related diagnoses; Social factors associated with the higher incidence of Alzheimer's disease in the African American population; Caregiver support; Community and church responsibilities

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Science & Research, Caregiving, Diverse Audiences & Populations

Dr. Beth Nolan is Director of Research and Policy for Positive Approach to Care.

Topics:

• Progression of dementia /Understanding brain change;

• A Positive Approach to Care: Understanding and working with what is retained in dementia                   

• Challenging situations         

• End of life 

• Successful eating and other activities of daily living in dementia  

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Caregiving, Provider Education

Martha York is the Community Education Coordinator for Region 2 Area Agency on Aging. 

Topics: 

Advance care planning; Anxiety management; Chronic Pain management; Dementia basics; Designing meaningful activities for people with dementia; Dealing with difficult behaviors when caring for someone with dementia; Fall prevention; Living well with chronic conditions; Trauma recovery & resiliency

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Caregiving, Provider Education, Advance Care Planning

James Mangi is a retired scientist, long -time care partner for his wife, Co-Chair of Dementia Friendly Saline, and a member of the MDC Steering Committee.

Topics:

• Alzheimer’s: It’s a Disease Not A Disgrace

• Envisioning a Dementia Friendly Community

• Staying Connected While Apart

• Learning From The Journey

• Dementia Friends & Dementia Friendly Businesses

Issue Areas: Dementia Friendly Communities, Caregiving

Dr. Courtney Polenick is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School and Faculty Associate in the Aging & Biopsychosocial Innovations Program of the Survey Research Center at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. 

Topics:

Dementia caregiving; Couples living with early-stage dementia; How care partners influence each other's health and well-being  

Issue Areas: Science & Research, Caregiving

Lynn Breuer is the Senior Director of Community Outreach & Wellness for Jewish Family Service of Metropolitan Detroit.

Topics:

• Put your Best Brain Forward… Lifestyle Factors that Impact Brain Health   

• Normal Cognitive Aging vs. When to Worry

• Dementia Education for Caregivers

• Managing Stress in Uncertain Times

• Trauma, Stress and Resiliency for Caregivers      

• The Impact of Social Isolation

Issue Areas: Dementia 101, Caregiving

Brenda Roberts is the Executive Director of the Michigan Assisted Living Association, Executive Director of the National Council of Dementia Minds, care partner for her husband Mark who has vascular dementia, and a member of the MDC Steering Committee.

Topic:

Sharing the "Lived Experience" with other people living with dementia and their care partners.

Issue Area:  Lived Experience

The National Council of Dementia Minds is a Michigan-based nonprofit led by persons living with dementia. Members are available to speak with audiences of persons living with dementia, health care professionals, researchers, families and care partners, policymakers, and communities at large.

Topics:

Strategies for living well with neurocognitive disorders; Overcoming stigma; Accommodations; Equity & inclusion; Person-centered support.

Issue Areas: Lived Experience, Diverse Audiences & Populations, Caregiving

Dr. Carol Robinson is a Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN), serves on the Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan's Caregiver Resource Network, and owns So We May Know, LLC

Topics:

The importance of Advance Care Planning in early to moderate stages of dementia; Goals of Care conversations

Issue Areas: Advance Care Planning, Caregiving

Sherii Sherban is the Steering Committee Chair for Miles for Memories  in Calhoun County and Publisher of the Senior Times of Southwest Michigan.

Topics:

Community partnerships with emergency responders and law enforcement; Tools to help people living with dementia stay safe in their homes and communities, including safe return if someone wanders and gets lost; Dementia-friendly first aid

Issue Areas: Dementia Friendly Communities, Caregiving

Sandy Adams is a Partner and Certified Financial Planner at the Center for Financial Planning, Inc. in Southfield.

Topics:

How to serve as a fiduciary to handle someone else’s finances; Helping families plan for aging both financially and emotionally; Family meetings; Money and incapacity issues for families, advisors or professionals of any kind

Issue Areas: Financial Planning, Advance Care Planning

Alice Frame is the Program Coordinator for the Disability Health Unit at the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.

Topics:

Disability cultural competency; Hosting accessible meetings; Creating accessible documents; Emergency preparedness for special populations

Issue Area: Diverse Audiences & Populations

Candice Lee is a Public Health Consultant for the Diabetes & Other Chronic Diseases Section at the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services.

Topics:

Disability cultural competence; Accessible meetings

Issue Area: Diverse Audiences & Populations

Sara Feldman is a Research Associate/Doctoral Student at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Topics:

Dementia caregiving; Early diagnosis; Preclinical biomarkers and APOE genetics; Getting involved in clinical research

Issue Areas: Science & Research, Caregiving

Christina Wall is an End of Life Doula, hospice volunteer, and professor at Eastern Michigan University.

Topics: Advance Care Planning; The role of end-of-life doulas; Caregiving

Issue Areas: Advance Care Planning, Caregiving

Merilynne Rush owns The Dying Year Consulting and is vice-chair of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) End of Life Doula Council.

Topics:

Advance Care Planning facilitation; Training end-of-life doulas and the integration of end-of-life doulas in hospice and research; Natural death care; Death Cafes

Issue Areas: Advance Care Planning, Caregiving