HHS: New members of Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services

Secretary of U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HSS) Sylvia M. Burwell on Tuesday announced six new members to serve on the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services.

The Council was established in 2011 and convenes quarterly to continue development and progress on the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease by HHS, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation to address the disease. The new members will replace the members whose terms had expired and those that retired in September. They will serve overlapping four-year terms.

According to HHS, the new member slate includes a patience advocate who is living with dementia. Secretary Burwell said it was critical, as HHS does that important work, that the consumer voice be represented on the Council.

The new members are

• Myriam Marquez (Patient Advocate), 
• Sowande Tichawonna (Caregiver),
• Gary Epstein-Lubow (Health care Provider),
• Laura Gitlin (Researcher),
• Angela Taylor (Voluntary Health Association),
• and Donna Walberg (State Public Health Department)

Secretary Burwell said:

“We are pleased to have this group of experienced members who will continue the great work of the Advisory Council in assisting HHS with further progress on the national plan for Alzheimer’s disease. We received nearly a hundred nominations for this round of new members, which clearly demonstrates the level of engagement and continued passion towards making progress on this disease.”

HHS adds that the full Advisory Council also includes federal members and meets quarterly to continue development and progress on the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease by HHS, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, and the National Science Foundation to address the disease.

Alzheimer’s disease currently affects 5.1 million Americans and is expected to affect more than 20 million by 2050. The National Alzheimer’s Project Act, pledges to help people and families across the country whose lives are touched by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The Act continues to help strengthen dementia research, clinical care, and long-term care services and supports for affected individuals and their families.