Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an enormous public health problem and its increasing prevalence demands a concomitant increase in AD-related outreach, research recruitment, and community engagement.

Jennifer Lingler, PhD, CRNP
Core Leader

This Core will pursue the following Specific Aims: Aim 1) To sustain effective and initiate new community engagement activities that are responsive to local stakeholder needs and address regional and national priorities in Alzheimer’s disease research and care;  Aim 2) To facilitate recruitment of diverse participants at the earliest end of the AD spectrum into the Clinical Core and ancillary studies; and Aim 3) To train health professionals and students of the health sciences in the diagnosis of persons at the earliest end of the ADRD spectrum. We will achieve these interrelated aims through a strategy that includes innovative programming and builds on our biggest successes over the past several years. Primary examples of planned activities for Aim 1 include partnering with key civic and social service organizations, maintaining a community advisory council, developing neighborhood-based engagement programs ranging from a lecture series in a community auditorium to AD “pop ups” in Black owned and operated establishments. Examples for Aim 2 include overhauling our recruitment messaging to consistently highlight the research participation narratives of African Americans in the Clinical Core. The primary foci of Aim 3 are developing and delivering on-site interprofessional clinical training, as well as continuing education programs to larger professional audiences in partnership with UPMC, the Pitt Schools of the Health Sciences, and the Alzheimer’s Association.

C. Elizabeth Shaaban, PhD, MS, MPH Associate Core Leader
Jennifer Seaman, Ph.D. Co-Investigator
Ann D Cohen, Ph.D. Co-Investigator
Marita Garrett, MA Community Engagement Specialist
Kristen Harskowitch Administrative Assistant
Melita Terry Senior Community Engagement Coordinator
MaryAnn Oakley, MA ORE Core Coordinator
Steven Reis, MD Consultant
Mario Browne, MPH, CHES Consultant