Council members

Professor Dr Philip Scheltens studied at the VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands, gaining his MD in 1984, and PhD in 1993. He became Professor of Cognitive Neurology and founder of the Alzheimer Center at Amsterdam University Medical Centers in 2000, which he directed until 2022. Currently he devotes most of time heading the Dementia Fund at EQT Life Sciences, that he started in 2020.

He has been the (inter)national PI for over 35 studies, including phase 1-3 multicenter clinical trials. He supervised >75 PhD theses since 2000. He founded the Dutch national plan against dementia and served as chair of the board. He is co-editor-in-chief of Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy and co-leads various EU projects. He authored over 1100 peer reviewed papers and > 75 book chapters and co-edited several major text books.

He is member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) since 2011. In 2016 he was awarded the European Grand Prix for Alzheimer’s Research. In 2020 he was Knighted in the Order of the Netherlands Lion by the King of the Netherlands. In 2021 he was elected honorary member of the European Academy of Neurology and was appointed chair of the World Dementia Council.  In 2023 he was awarded the Bengt Winblad Life Time Achieverment award by the Alzheimer Association.

Professor Kiyoshi Kurokawa is Chair, Health and Global Policy Institute; Professor, Emeritus of the University of Tokyo and National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies; Distinguished Research Affiliate, The MIT Media Lab; and Chair and Representative Director, Global Health Innovative Technology Fund.

Dr. Kurokawa is well known internationally in the fields of medicine, health, science, technology and innovation policies through his leadership, including as President of the Science Council of Japan and Science Adviser to the Prime Minister and WHO Commissioner. He was professor at UCLA School of Medicine, Tokyo University and Dean of Tokai University School of Medicine. He has received many awards, including the AAAS Scientific Freedom and Responsibility award and a 100 Top Global Thinkers award for his leadership in the National Diet of Japan Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission.

Professor Ricardo F. Allegri is Head of the Department of Cognitive Neurology, Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology and Director of the Ageing and Memory Centre at the Neurological Research Institute Raúl Carrea (FLENI) in Buenos Aires. He is also Professor of Neurology in the School of Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires and is chair of the Scientific Council at the Association against Alzheimer's disease and related disorders in Argentina (ALMA).

Professor Allegri has published extensively on cognitive neurology in neurological journals and books and has co-edited seven books, including, “Dementia: A Multidisciplinary Approach,” one of the most important books written in Spanish on this topic. He has received over 45 awards in the field of Cognitive Neurology and Neuropsychiatry, including the National Academy of Medicine Award in 2006 and the Research Recognition Award by the School of Medicine, University of Buenos Aires in 2014.

Paola Barbarino is the CEO of Alzheimer’s Disease International. Prior to that, she was CEO of LIFE. Her previous senior positions include Cass Business School, Tate, British Library and IIED.

She is a Trustee of The Postal Museum and Lauderdale House. Previously she was a Trustee of Shelter, the UK housing and homelessness charity and of MLA London. She is also the Managing Director of Opaline Limited, a consultancy company specializing in strategy and governance.

 She holds a degree cum laude in Classics from the University of Napoli Federico II, an MA in Field and Analytical Techniques in Archaeology and an MA in Library and Information Science both from University College London.

Dr Howard Bergman, Assistant Dean for International Affairs, is Professor in the departments of Family Medicine, Medicine and Oncology as well as in the Institute for Health and Social Policy of the School of Population and Global Health at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) and a Fellow of both the College of Family Physicians of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He was the inaugural Dr Joseph Kaufmann Chair in Geriatric Medicine (2001-2015) and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine (2012-2019). Dr. Bergman is recognized for his research which has influenced policy change in primary care, aging and dementia. As part of a government independent commission (2000), Dr. Bergman was the lead on a major reform of primary medical care creating team based Family Medicine Groups. He is author of the Quebec Alzheimer Plan (2009) working with government on its implementation. He co-leads the Canadian team for healthcare services/system improvement in dementia care (ROSA research team). In 2019, at the request of Public Health Agency of Canada, he chaired the CAHS Expert Panel for the Assessment of Evidence and Best Practices for the development of the Canadian Dementia Strategy. Dr. Bergman is a member of the Board of Directors of the Quebec Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux.

Niranjan Bose is the Managing Director for Health & Life Sciences at Gates Ventures, LLC, where he also serves as a Health & Life Sciences Advisor to Mr. Bill Gates. Gates Ventures' programmatic investments in the Alzheimer’s field include the AD Diagnostics Accelerator, Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), EQT Dementia Fund, AD Data Initiative and the European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPND).  

Prior to joining Gates Ventures in 2014, he was the Chief of Staff to the President of the Global Health Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. During his tenure there, he was responsible for managing a portfolio of vaccine investments focused on pediatric diarrheal and respiratory diseases. This work included leading the Gates Foundation’s cholera and rotavirus vaccine strategies.

Before that, Niranjan worked for the management consulting firm Strategic Decisions Group (and SDG Life Sciences), where his engagements with pharma and biotech clients drove strategy development, deal structuring, and portfolio management.

Niranjan holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Dartmouth College’s Geisel School of Medicine, an M.S. in Biological Sciences and a B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, in Pilani, India. He also holds a Business Bridge Diploma from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.

Professor Paulo Caramelli obtained his MD in 1987 at the University of São Paulo (USP) School of Medicine, in São Paulo, Brazil and completed the residency program in Neurology at the Hospital das Clínicas of the USP School of Medicine in 1991. Research fellow at the University of Montréal, Canada, from 1992 to 1994. In 1997, he completed a PhD in Neurological Sciences at the USP School of Medicine. He is currently Professor of Neurology at the Faculty of Medicine of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) and Coordinator of the Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology Unit at UFMG, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, where he is involved in teaching, in clinical and in research activities. He has supervised 25 MSc, 29 PhD and three post-doctoral students since 2000. Chair (2022-2024) of the Advisory Council of ISTAART (Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment). His research activities are focused on clinical, epidemiological and translational studies on cognitive impairment and dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia, including studies investigating education, cognitive reserve and prevention of cognitive decline and dementia in the older adult population.

Arthena Caston was diagnosed with MCI in 2016. Prior to her diagnosis, Arthena was working in customer support for a large insurance company when she began noticing lapses in her memory. At home, Arthena found favorite pursuits, including reading, cooking, and routine trips to the craft store were becoming more challenging.

Prompted by her worsening memory lapses, Arthena and her husband, Virous, shared their concerns with her primary care physician. After two years of visits to various specialists, Arthena received her diagnosis of MCI at the age of 51.

After a period of reckoning with the news and “feeling numb,” Arthena has regained a sense of purpose and passion for sharing what life is like living with MCI through volunteering and sharing her story. Arthena wants to encourage disease education and the importance of having conversations early when cognitive changes first appear. She also hopes to encourage others to live well with the disease.

Arthena was appointed to the board of her local Georgia Alzheimer’s Association chapter and was selected to serve as a member of the Association’s National Early-Stage Advisory Group during the 2019-202 term. Arthena is currently a member of the Alzheimer’s Association’s national governing board.

Arthena and her husband, Virous, live in Macon, Georgia with their two dogs. They have two adult daughters serving in the U.S. Air Force, and three grandchildren.

Hilary Evans is Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK), the UK’s leading dementia research charity. ARUK is committed to investigating the causes of dementia and developing ways to prevent, diagnose, treat and, ultimately, cure all forms of the condition. As Chief Executive since 2015, Hilary has led the transformation of the charity to one of the leading medical research charities in the UK.  She has overseen a significant growth in income in recent years, with ARUK being one of the fastest growing UK charities. This growth has significantly enhanced the organisation’s ability to fund new innovative projects, particularly those that unite charity, academic and private sectors in the search for new dementia treatments. Hilary is driven and fascinated by ideas that can make a difference and has led major public campaigns to change public perceptions of dementia and break down the stigma around these diseases. Before joining Alzheimer’s Research UK Hilary worked at Age UK, improving the lives of people in later life both in the UK and internationally. She also brings experience of working in Government and with the pharmaceutical industry. Hilary is a Trustee of the Association of Medical Research Charities and holds an honorary doctorate in medicine from The University of Exeter.

Phyllis Ferrell is the Global Head of External Engagement for Alzheimer’s disease and Neurodegeneration at Eli Lilly & Company, where she previously served as the leader of the Global Alzheimer’s disease development team.  Ferrell’s most recent prior position was Vice President of the Chief Commercial Services Officer for Eli Lilly and Company.

Ferrell has been with Lilly for more than 25 years and has held many leadership roles throughout the organization. She has led efforts in medical affairs, medical development, commercial capabilities, sales, marketing, recruiting, business development, strategy, transformation, Six Sigma, and corporate financial planning.  

Ferrell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and management with minors in computational mathematics and Asian studies from DePauw University.  She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with Magna Cum Laude honors in 1994.  She received an MBA in general management and a certificate in public management from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business in 2001 and graduated with both Arjay Miller Scholar honors and as the Arbuckle Award recipient.

Phyllis was recognized with the Rising Star Award from the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association and the Indianapolis Star Top 40 Under 40.  Phyllis is a current member of the World Dementia Council, a steering committee member of the Milken Institute Center for Aging Alliance for Dementia Care and NMQF Alzheimer’s Disease Index working groups, and a strategic reviewer for the Alzheimer’s Disease Drug Discovery Foundation and Gates Ventures Diagnostics Accelerator.  She is also a member of the Indiana Chapter of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association; on the Boards of Directors for Alzheimer’s Research UK EDoN, the Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, Stanford Associate Board of Governors, Indianapolis 500 Festival, and the Lebanon Area Boys & Girls Club. Phyllis is a founding member of Women Against Alzheimer’s and Women of Impact Boone County; co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Council; the alumna sponsor of the Women in Economics and Business Program at DePauw University; a member of the Washington C. DePauw Society; a Tocqueville donor to United Way; an active supporter of Boone County Special Olympics and the Boone County Community Foundation; and a coach’s wife and mother of two very active boys (ages 18 and 14).

Howard Fillit, MD, is a geriatrician, neuroscientist, and innovative philanthropy executive. He is currently the Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer for the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation and has led the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation since its founding. Dr. Fillit has held faculty positions at The Rockefeller University, the SUNY-Stony Brook School of Medicine and the Cornell University School of Medicine. In 1987, he joined the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, where he is a clinical professor of geriatric medicine and palliative care, medicine and neuroscience. Dr. Fillit also maintains a limited private practice in consultative geriatric medicine with a focus on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

He has authored or co-authored more than 350 publications and is the senior editor of Brocklehurst's Textbook of Geriatric Medicine and Gerontology. Dr. Fillit is the recipient of many awards and honors including the Rita Hayworth Award from the Alzheimer's Association. He is a fellow of the American Geriatrics Society, the American College of Physicians, the Gerontological Society of America and the New York Academy of Medicine. Dr. Fillit earned his Bachelor of Arts in neurobiology cum laude from Cornell University and his medical degree from the SUNY-Upstate Medical University.

Harry Johns is the former CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. During his tenure, the Association, working with leading members of the U.S. Congress, has achieved significant public policy advances in care, support, and health infrastructure, as well as increasing federal research investmentsThe Association's global leadership in dementia research reached new highs, with investments of more than $310 million in over 950 projects at the end of his tenure; when Johns took over as president and CEO, those numbers stood at $63 million and 301, respectively.  Harry and his wife Cindy have faced Alzheimer's with their mothers.

Miia Kivipelto, MD, PhD, is Professor in Clinical Geriatrics at Karolinska Institutet (KI), Center for Alzheimer Research and senior geriatrician and Director for Research & Development of Medical Unit Aging at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. Part of her Nordic Brain

Network multidisciplinary research team (around 100 researchers and clinical staff) is located at University of Eastern Finland and Imperial College London, UK, where she has part time position as Professor. Her frontline research findings have been published in leading journals (330+ publications, H-index 75) and she has received numerous prestigious awards.

Dr. Kivipelto’s translational research focuses on the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Through epidemiological studies, Prof. Kivipelto has identified various lifestyle and vascular risk factors for dementia and interactions with genetic factors and clarified underlying mechanisms. She is the PI of the landmark FINGER trial and founder and scientific leader of World-Wide FINGERS network. Professor Kivipelto is often invited to leading global dementia conferences and task forces.

Professor Brian Lawlor is Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin and Deputy Executive Director of the Global Brain Health Institute based at Trinity College Dublin and University of California San Francisco. His main clinical and research interests are in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia and on the impact of  loneliness on the brain health and wellbeing of older people. As a psychiatrist, he has been involved in the care of people with dementia for over 30 years. He was the founding director of the Memory Clinic at St. James’s Hospital, Dublin and Chair of the Irish National Dementia Awareness Campaign.   

Chris Llewellyn is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, based in London. A physician by background, he has extensive knowledge and experience in healthcare. He is the Head of McKinsey’s Medical Products practice in EMEA and Global Leader of the Life Science Practice.

Chris Llewellyn has worked with the President of Israel to plan a world-leading neurotechnology cluster and helped the then UK Prime Minister, David Cameron to develop a national life sciences strategy focusing on attracting investment and boosting employment in the sector and beyond.

Husseini K Manji, MD, FRCPC is Global Head, J&J Science for Minds, and immediate past Therapeutic Head for Neuroscience at Janssen Research & Development, one of the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical companies. His research has investigated disease- and treatment-induced changes in gene and protein networks that regulate synaptic and neural plasticity in neuropsychiatric disorders. This has led to the FDA approval of the first novel antidepressant mechanism (NMDA-antagonism) in decades and has been actively involved in developing biomarkers to help refine these diseases. Dr Manji has been inducted into the National Academy of Medicine, the World Economic Forum Global Future Councils and is a member of Harvard/MIT’s Stanley Center SAB, amongst other appointments. He has received a number of awards including the NIMH Director's Career Award for Significant Scientific Achievement, and has published extensively on the molecular and cellular neurobiology of severe neuropsychiatric disorders and development of novel therapeutics with over 300 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including Science and Nature Neuroscience. He is an Honorary Fellow at Oxford University and Visiting Professor at Duke University, and previously served as Chief of the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology at the NIH as well as Director of the NIH Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, the largest program of its kind in the world.

Dr Tetsu Maruyama is the Executive Director of the ADDI, where he has the pleasure of working with an exceptional team to enable data relevant to Alzheimer’s and related dementias to reach their full potential.

Prior to joining ADDI, Tetsu was the Chief Scientific Officer at the Dementia Discovery Fund, a unique venture capital fund focusing a total investment of $350 million on creating new treatment paradigms for dementia. Before that he was head of Drug Discovery for Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Japan, after leading the GlaxoSmithKline Centre for Cognitive and Neurodegenerative Disorders in Singapore. He began his industry career at Merck Sharp and Dohme’s Neuroscience Research Center in the UK, after 15 years as an academic neuroscientist at Cardiff University and the University of Minnesota.

Tetsu has contributed to the promotion of open science, having been Chairperson of the Board of the Structural Genomics Consortium from 2016 through 2020, and of being a member the Board of Directors of Sage Bionetworks. He is also on the Board of Directors or Scientific Advisory Board of a number of privately held biotech companies and is a member of the World Dementia Council. Tetsu received his PhD in behavioral neuroscience Stanford University and did post-doctoral research in neurophysiology at Yale University.

Mark McClellan, MD, PhD, is Director and Robert J. Margolis, M.D., Professor of Business, Medicine and Policy at the Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. He is a physician-economist who focuses on quality and value in health care, including payment reform, real-world evidence and more effective drug and device innovation. Dr. McClellan is at the center of the nation’s efforts to combat the pandemic and the author of a roadmap that details the steps needed for a comprehensive COVID-19 response and safe reopening of our country. He is former administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where he developed and implemented major reforms in health policy. Dr. McClellan is an independent director on the boards of Johnson & Johnson, Cigna, Alignment Healthcare, and PrognomIQ; co-chairs the Guiding Committee for the Health Care Payment Learning and Action Network; and serves as an advisor for Arsenal Capital Group, Blackstone Life Sciences, and MITRE.

Meera Pattabiraman, a postgraduate in business administration, entered the field of social work after she lost her father to Alzheimer’s disease and has been associated with the Alzheimer’s & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) for over 24 years. She is currently President Emeritus of ARDSI after having served as Chair for ten years. She is one of the authors of the Dementia India Report 2010. The pioneering Kerala State Initiative on Dementia (KSID) was conceived in collaboration with two different state institutions namely, Social Justice Department of Kerala and Kerala Social Security Mission and rolled out in the year 2014 during her Chairmanship. Under her guidance, the Dementia India strategy report leading to a country plan was prepared. This report was handed over to the Health Ministers Sri. J P Nadda and Dr. Harsh Vardhan. It is to her credit that India is part of the prestigious research study ‘Strengthening Responses to Dementia in Developing Economies’. Meera took the lead to implement the Dementia Care Skills Programme across the country. She is a Board member of ADI and Chair of the Asia Pacific Regional office of ADI.

Joanne Pike, DrPH, is president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, the global leader in Alzheimer's and dementia care, support and research. With her progressive experience in social support and public health, she is leading the organization during a transformational period. Novel treatments for people living with Alzheimer’s are emerging, and equitable access — as well as reaching all those affected with education and support — has never been more important.

Since joining the Alzheimer’s Association in 2016, Dr. Pike has held several roles, highlighting her increasing leadership within the organization and the cause. As chief programs officer, she was responsible for overseeing care and support services offered to all those affected by the disease; outreach aimed at creating partnerships with health systems, physicians and other health care professionals; long-term care initiatives focused on person-centered care delivery models; and growth strategies to reach more individuals through quality improvement, education, and support programs and services. From 2020 to 2021, she served as chief strategy officer, directing the implementation of the strategic plan throughout all elements of the organization.

In November 2021, Dr. Pike was named president, and in this role, guided the Association’s efforts to accelerate research; enhance care and support; advance public policy; strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion; increase concern and awareness; and grow revenue.

Dr. Pike is also the president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM), a separately incorporated advocacy affiliate working to advance and develop policies to overcome the disease.

During her 25 years in public health, Dr. Pike developed and executed health-focused initiatives while implementing revenue strategies to support those measures. She has successfully leveraged public and system policy to advance public health outcomes with a particular emphasis on outreach to underrepresented and underserved communities.

Prior to joining the Association, Dr. Pike spent 13 years in leadership positions at the American Cancer Society and three years as executive director of the Preventive Health Partnership, a collaboration among the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association aimed at preventing cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Dr. Pike holds a doctorate in public health leadership focused on health policy and management from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

George Vradenburg convenes the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s (CEOi), a patient-centered industry coalition working with government, researchers and patients to develop and deliver innovative medicines to those touched by dementia and improve their quality of care. He also chairs the Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP) and is chair and co-founder of USAgainstAlzheimer’s (USA2), which convenes CEOi and is a “disruptive,” entrepreneurial and patient-focused US based NGO committed to stopping Alzheimer’s disease by 2020.

USA2 also founded and leads GAP, the North American arm of a global initiative to re-engineer Alzheimer's clinical trials for greater speed, efficiency, quality and diversity; and co-convenes Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease, a US-based 90+ member coalition of Alzheimer’s-serving organisations mobilising a movement to end Alzheimer's. George Vradenburg is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of Washington, DC. Before his retirement, he served in senior executive positions at AOL/Time Warner, Fox and CBS.

Stacie Weninger is the President of FBRI and a Venture Partner at F-Prime Capital Partners. Dr. Weninger received a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University, and a B.S. degree in chemistry with highest honors from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She is President of Alzforum; chairs the Collaboration for Alzheimer’s Prevention; is Chairman of the Board for Rugen Therapeutics; is a member of the Board of Directors for Aratome, Atalanta, Eikonizo, Neumora, Sironax, and Target ALS; is a member of the External Advisory Board for Boston Children’s Hospital’s Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center; is a member of the Scientific Advisory Boards for the Breuer Foundation, Brown University’s Carney Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Denali Therapeutics, the Indian Institute of Science’s Centre for Brain Research, the MIT Yang-Tan Center for Molecular Therapeutics, and the UK Dementia Research Institute. She served as a founding member of the Board of Directors for Denali Therapeutics.