Team

Lauren Miller Rogen is a screenwriter, director, producer, and philanthropist, whose life has been touched many times over by Alzheimer’s. In 2012—when Lauren’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at just 55 years old— Lauren, still in her twenties, co-founded HFC to activate the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates. 

Since then, Lauren and the HFC team have brought significant awareness to Alzheimer’s, raising millions of dollars to award free, quality in-home care to families in need of respite and support - all while using humor and hope to engage people. Her dedication to sharing her personal story and using humor as a form of advocacy has left an indelible impact on the Alzheimer’s space. 

Since 2013, Lauren has served as the Alzheimer’s patient advocate on the board of California’s Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). She also sits on the California Alzheimer’s Task Force and the Steering Committee of the Milken Institute’s Alliance to Improve Dementia Care. In 2012, Lauren starred in, co-wrote, and produced the film For A Good Time Call, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. She made her feature-length directorial debut in 2018 with the “dramedy” Like Father, a film she wrote and which starred Kristen Bell and Kelsey Grammer. 

If there is one thing Lauren wants people to remember, it’s that Alzheimer’s doesn’t have to be sad or scary when you’re fighting against it. You can come to an HFC event and have fun, but also do something for Alzheimer’s.

‍

Seth Rogen is an actor, writer, producer, director, entrepreneur and philanthropist whose films and TV projects have had an impressive impact on popular culture and box office returns. As an actor, his films have grossed over $930 million worldwide and as a filmmaker, his global box office success exceeds $850 million. Alongside longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, Rogen produces film and television projects through their production company, Point Grey Pictures. Seth is also a co-founder and board member of HFC, a leading national advocate dedicated to raising awareness, inspiring change, and accelerating progress in Alzheimer’s care, research, and support.

Dan has been impacted by Alzheimer’s since his early teens, personally participating in the many decisions families face related to home care, medical assistance, financial support and the emotional consequences of a disease that can extend for more than a decade. In addition, Dan’s contributions to our Board reflect his many experiences managing investment portfolios, marketing and political campaigns, and dozens of entrepreneurial projects. He is currently Executive Vice President of Gabelli Funds, Chairman & CEO of MachTen, Inc, and resides in Stamford, CT.

A producer, husband, philanthropist, and father, Raffi Adlan works for Partizan, an award-winning production company. His production expertise has been integral to production of all previous HFC’s Variety Shows, the 2018 HFC Netflix Special, and the 2019 first-ever HFC County Fair. A resident of Los Angeles, Raffi enjoys a good game of dodgeball to blow of steam. His mind is convinced that ice cream is a food group but my physique does not agree. Raffi has fought a bull, worn eyeliner socially and navigated a jet pack ­ just not all at the same time…yet. After losing his Nana to Alzheimer’s he teamed up with Seth and Lauren and friends to help bring some much-needed light to this devastating disease.

Matthew is a proud Canadian now living in sunny Los Angeles, where he’s a screenwriter, philanthropist, husband, and father. It is his day job to bring humor to the world, so it only makes sense that he uses those tools in his approach to HFC. He watched how Alzheimer’s devastated the lives of his friends and felt like something needed to be done about it. As the organization began to grow, HFC gave them an outlet to express their grief and channel it into a fighting spirit. Until there is a cure, he plans to continue to work with HFC to provide caregivers and families affected by the disease a healthy outlet for their pain.

Evan Goldberg is a director, screenwriter, producer, and co-founder of Point Grey Pictures, alongside long-time collaborators Seth Rogen and James Weaver. Point Grey Pictures is well respected for their multi-genre films and television anchored in dynamic and authentic storytelling. They continue to bring a range of smart, irreverent narratives to audiences while garnering over one billion dollars in global box office results. Goldberg and Point Grey have created a variety of successful films from indie to blockbuster.

Currently, Goldberg produces Amazon’s popular, adult animated series, Invincible, alongside Seth Rogen and Robert Kirkman. The second season premiered on November 3rd and has already been greenlit for a third. Recently, Goldberg and Point Grey Pictures produced The Boys: Gen V, the highly anticipated spinoff to their smash hit series The Boys, which debuted on September 29th to rave reviews.

Upcoming, Goldberg is slated to produce an Apple TV+ untitled half-hour comedy series, the fourth season of Prime Video’s The Boys and Sausage Party: Foodtopia. Paramount greenlit a 2D animated series, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, for Paramount+ and a theatrical sequel to Paramount Pictures Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem after their box office hit was released in theaters in August 2023.

Goldberg’s esteemed work includes Hulu’s Emmy®-winning series, Pam & Tommy, Amazon’s The Boys, Lionsgate’s Joy Ride, which garnered CinemaCons 2023 Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award, the CGI film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, Lionsgate’s Cobweb, Columbia Pictures’ This Is the End, Universal Pictures’ Neighbors & Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Columbia Pictures’ The Interview, The Night Before, Columbia Pictures’ animated film Sausage Party, Universal Pictures’ Blockers and A24’s The Disaster Artist, which was nominated for a number awards including an Academy Award for ‘Adapted Screenplay’, Critic Choice Awards for ‘Best Comedy’ and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay,’ AMC’s Preacher, Hulu’s Future Man, Showtime’s Black Monday, and Amazon’s Middle West. His peacock docuseries Paul T. Goodman was released in 2023.

On the entrepreneur side, Goldberg alongside Michael Mohr, James Weaver and Alex McAtee founded Houseplant, a lifestyle company rooted in cannabis that creates and curates thoughtful design-led and innovative products. The company unifies the worlds of “House” and “Plant” to offer a top-tier cannabis experience through one-of-a-kind expert insights paired perfectly with well-designed, premium Housegoods.

Additionally, Goldberg founded the organization, Reel Start which focuses on the first steps towards addressing diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry by introducing career paths to young people from underrepresented communities. The current program serves teens a chance to be hands on with the filmmaking process. Students learn by doing, developing, writing, and producing a socially relevant short film in collaboration with an amazing staff and group of industry volunteers. Reel Start works with young people from a variety of backgrounds but primarily focuses on populations of color and other groups that are statistically underrepresented in the entertainment industry. Reel Start’s programs are currently in Los Angeles and Toronto.

Allison Statter is the co-founder and CEO of Blended Strategy Group; she is a true visionary and force in the entertainment industry. With 20+ years of experience in the entertainment industry, Allison has strategized and procured talent for worldwide brands & high profile talent of the most elite of lists. Prior to co-founding BSG, Allison was the Head of Branding for Azoff Music Management. Above all else, Allison does it all for family.

For her entire life, Allison has been someone who wants to give and help those around her. This comes from her pure love for her family and friends. Allison has been a supporter of the fight against Alz since her mother-in-law was diagnosed at the early age of 59, bringing the cause close to home – making it personal. Hilarity For Charity HFC provides the community and support that Allison and the Statter family have been looking for. She is proud to be part of this organization, soaring forward to a brighter future for families impacted by Alzheimer's.

Justin Meltzer’s life was touched by Alzheimer’s disease nearly ten years ago when his grandmother, Gloria Hirtz, was first diagnosed. His family witnessed her decline and retreat into a world that no longer made sense to her, or to them. Shortly thereafter, his other grandmother, Billie Meltzer, was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and as a family they suffered the devastating effects of this disease. These profound losses inspired him to take action and join the HFC family to find new ways to support all of us battling this vicious disease.

Justin is a senior member of the Real Estate Operations Team at DLA Piper LLP, one of the world’s largest firms with over 4,500 lawyers. The team is responsible for the leasing, design, construction and operations for 90 plus offices around the globe. He also sits on The Tulane Fund Advisory Board as well as participating as an Ambassador for Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

Jason Zuccari is a Washington, D.C.-based entrepreneur, philanthropist, and healthcare industry leader. He is the vice president of development for Hamilton Insurance Agency, one of the nation’s largest independent insurance brokerage firms, and frequently shares his business insights on Bloomberg, Forbes, Fast Company, Mashable, NBC and CNET.

‍In addition to serving on the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing board by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, Jason has been recognized by Washington Life Magazine as one of Washington D.C.'s most influential individuals under 40, and by DC Modern Luxury for his extensive philanthropic work.

Jason attended West Virginia University, where he was elected student body president and a member of the University's Board of Governors. He also serves on the National Investment Centers Future Leaders Council, which maintains a highly regarded reputation for culling the best and brightest in the healthcare industry. 

Katie Maine is a Los Angeles-based interior designer and furniture maker.  Katie comprises half of Maine Design's husband-and-wife interior design firm, whose passion resides in curating antiques with contemporary works. Since the firm's inception, their ELLE Decor A-List award-winning projects have included properties in Los Angeles, Montecito, New York City, the Hamptons, Idaho, and Aspen, among others. Katie also co-designs a line of bespoke furniture, Home House Co-op.

Katie's life was touched by Alzheimer's 18 years ago when her mom was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's at the age of 52. At 22, Katie didn't know where to seek help or hope. Her personal experience with Alzheimer's provides our Advisory Board with a wealth of knowledge about degenerative brain diseases and caregiver support. Through this position, she aims to provide relief and support to families affected by Alzheimer's. Katie has three sons and two dogs and resides in Los Angeles with her husband.

David Leventhal is a partner with over 30 years of experience providing full-service business and personal financial management services, including complex tax planning and preparation, to the entertainment industry.David brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his business management clients, providing the financial guidance necessary to lead them in the creation of secure financial futures and long-term peace of mind. He has experience working with clients on complex international and multi-state tax issues as well as strategies for long-term wealth preservation.Prior to joining Citrin Cooperman, David was the founding partner of OLC Management, Inc., a premier business management firm in the entertainment industry based in Beverly Hills, CA.

Jill Lesser is a veteran communications and policy executive with over 25 years of experience in advocacy, communications, brand strategy and change management. She is currently a Partner at FGS Global, where she advises both for-profit and non-profits clients across a range of industries. This is Jill’s third stint with The Glover Park Group, beginning her collaboration with the firm in 2006. Most recently, Jill served as Vice President, Corporate Communications and Brand Strategy at National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between the Walt Disney Company and the National Geographic Society. In that role, Jill led teams responsible for the company’s internal and external communications, synergy across multiple lines of business and global brand strategy. Immediately before her work with National Geographic, Jill took a hiatus from corporate work to pursue a passion and helped found the advocacy organization UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, serving on its board and as President of its WomenAgainstAlzheimer’s Network. In that role she created and led efforts to find, fund and implement a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, with a particular focus on the disease’s impact on women. Jill also co-founded of the Global Alliance on Women’s Brain Health, a global initiative to promote brain health. Until 2005, Jill Lesser served as Senior Vice President, Domestic Public Policy for AOL Time Warner, Inc., where she lead the company's domestic public policy, regulatory and industry relations activities, and the Washington, D.C. office and managed a team of ten professionals and their support staff. Her work focused on issues ranging from technology and intellectual property to taxation and telecommunications, as well as various other issues affecting the media industry. She joined America Online in September 1996 and managing domestic policy for AOL until its merger with Time Warner. Jill currently serves on the board of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and The Sitar Arts Center and is a former board member of the Levine School of Music (2005-2009, 2016-22); Georgetown Day School (2010-2016); The Center for Democracy and Technology (2008-2013); and Panim el Panim (2000-2005). 

David Minc is the Founder and President of DLN Properties, a property development company based in Southern California, with a focus on custom homes, apartments, and commercial properties. David manages all aspects of development, from acquisition and entitlement to design and construction. Prior to founding DLN Properties, David held multiple positions at  Milani Cosmetics including Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Finance and Operations.

‍David currently resides in Los Angeles. He attended UC Berkeley, where he earned a BSc in Business Administration, and later earned a Masters in Economics from the London School of Economics.

‍Both of David's Grandma's were affected by dementia and this has inspired David to give all he can to help others going through similar situations. The support system for caregivers that HFC provides is something that David believes to be invaluable and he is passionate about HFC's mission to help families and caregivers alike.

Bonnie Wattles brings extensive experience in business and nonprofit leadership to her role as Executive Director of Hilarity for Charity (HFC), where she has guided the organization’s evolution over the past five years. Through her thoughtful and values-driven leadership, Bonnie has helped position HFC as a national force for change, providing vital care and support to families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease while inspiring a new generation of advocates to join the movement for brain health.

Under Bonnie’s direction, HFC has deepened its impact and expanded its reach. The organization has become the nation’s largest provider of free in-home respite care for families impacted by dementia and continues to grow its comprehensive suite of virtual support groups and caregiver wellness programs. Bonnie has championed the expansion of HFC’s youth education and advocacy initiatives, empowering young people to understand, protect, and prioritize their brain health through programs like HFCUniverse and the Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s (YMAA). These efforts have positioned HFC as a leader in driving awareness, culture change, and meaningful engagement across generations. Today, more than 1.3M individuals engage annually with HFC’s online community of caregivers, advocates, and loved ones affected by the disease.

A champion for innovation and collaboration in the nonprofit sector, Bonnie serves on the Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer's Disease (LEAD) Coalition, the Milken Institute Alliance to Improve Dementia Care Steering Committee, Entertain Change, and AARP’s Brain Health Action Collaborative. Through this work, she helps shape the future of Alzheimer’s care, brain health education, and aging policy and keeps HFC at the forefront of a rapidly advancing sector. Her commitment to evidence-based programming, creative partnerships, and equitable access to care continues to drive HFC’s mission forward.

Bonnie holds a BA from Hamilton College and an MBA from Columbia Business School. She lives in Connecticut with her family and their English Bulldog, Wilma. Her work is dedicated to the memory of her grandmother, Sadie, who lived with dementia.

With over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Alex has contributed to strategic planning, organizational development, and program innovation across a variety of leadership roles. She earned her Master’s degree from NYU’s Gallatin School, where she focused on designing interdisciplinary social service programs. Alex brings a deep passion for collaboration, building and expanding programs, and strengthening organizations. She is honored to advance HFC’s mission in memory of her Grandma Sadie and in tribute to her Aunt Tina, whose devoted caregiving continues to inspire her work.

Amanda Quezada is the Associate Director 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.

Veronica Rodriguez is the Senior Manager of Communications at Hilarity for Charity (HFC), bringing more than a decade of experience in communications and marketing. Throughout her career, she has advanced health equity through mission-driven storytelling and strategic outreach across the nonprofit sector.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Missouri-Columbia and has led communications initiatives for organizations including the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, CommUnityCare Health Centers, and the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

Outside of work, Veronica enjoys traveling, painting, photography, and spending weekends at the movies. She is thrilled to be part of HFC and to help amplify its mission to support families impacted by Alzheimer’s and inspire the next generation of advocates.

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 serves as adjunct faculty for undergraduate psychology at Purdue Global University. 

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.

Aimei Olah is the Senior Manager of Development at HFC. With nearly a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Aimei has dedicated her career to advancing fundraising initiatives and programmatic growth. She is passionate about turning purpose into progress and has made meaningful contributions at organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer's Association, and most recently, Uplifting Athletes, where she supported the rare disease community.

Aimei holds a Bachelor's in Psychology from Penn State and a Master's in Higher Education Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in Southern New Jersey with her husband and spends her free time golfing, skiing, traveling, and exploring new food spots. Aimei is thrilled to be joining the HFC team to advance HFC's mission.

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.

Annie Fenn is a physician, chef, culinary instructor, and the author of The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food (Artisan 2023). She is the only doctor/chef exclusively focused on the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Dr. Annie Fenn is a pioneering physician and chef, renowned for her groundbreaking work in the field of Alzheimer's disease prevention. A board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist, she dedicated two decades to women's health, establishing herself as Wyoming's sole board-certified female OB/GYN. Her journey towards brain health began during these years, as she recognized the impact of hormones on cognitive function. Dr. Fenn was an early advocate for nutrition and lifestyle in disease prevention.

In 2010, after retiring from medicine, she pursued culinary education in Italy, Mexico, and the Culinary Institute of America. As a culinary instructor at Central Wyoming College, she empowered her community to embrace whole foods. Dr. Fenn co-founded Brain Works, an innovative dementia prevention program, and later established the Brain Health Kitchen Cooking School. She has become a sought-after speaker, lecturer, and advisor on brain health, sharing her expertise nationally and internationally while also nurturing an engaged online community through her Brain Health Kitchen newsletter. Dr. Annie Fenn is a true trailblazer, blending her medical knowledge and culinary skills to inspire healthier lives and fight against Alzheimer's disease.

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 the field in many state and national capacities, including the steering committees of the national Alzheimer’s Clinical Trial Consortium, the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, and the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study. She has been a site principal investigator on close to 100 clinical studies in the last 20 years. She serves as core faculty for the IMPACT-AD course, which aims to train the next generation of Alzheimer's clinical trialists and expand the diversity of the Alzheimer's research workforce. 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.
​
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.

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 Emory University’s Grady Hospital. Prior to that, she was a neurology resident physician and neuroscientist 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 S. Isaacson, MD is a Preventive Neurologist who conducts clinical and translational research at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Florida. He founded and directed the first Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic in the United States in 2013 at Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian.He previously served as Assistant Dean of Faculty Development and Associate Professor of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine & NewYork-Presbyterian. A graduate of the accelerated 6-year B.A./M.D. program at the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Medicine, Dr. Isaacson specializes in AD risk reduction in patients with no cognitive complaints and a family history of the disease, and pre-clinical AD. 

His clinical research has shown that individualized clinical management of patients at risk for AD dementia may be an important strategy for optimizing cognitive function and reducing dementia risk. His recent work focuses on developing simple blood tests to make an early diagnosis, and track both disease progression and response to various risk-reducing therapy. He is a co-investigator on an NIH-funded clinical trial which began in early 2024 (YourBrainStudy.org) where people can learn about their risk factors, take memory tests and get personalized education all from the comfort of their cell phones. 

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.

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. Sharon Sha is a Clinical Professor of Neurology and Neurological Sciences at Stanford University where she serves as Chief for the Memory Disorders Division and the Stanford Memory Disorders Center, Associate Vice Chair of Clinical Research, Director of the Huntington’s Disease Center of Excellence and Ataxia Clinic, Co-Director of the Lewy Body Disease Association Research Center of Excellence, Clinical Core Co-Leader of the Stanford Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, and Director of the Behavioral Neurology Fellowship. Her clinical time is devoted to caring for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders and her research is devoted to finding treatments for these cognitive disorders. She also served on the California Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force Chaired by Maria Shriver in 2020. She has been featured in international media and documentaries such as the BBC “How to Stay Young” and the Docuseries “Limitless with Chris Hemsworth.”

Dr. Crystal M. Glover is an applied social psychologist, mixed methodologist, and Associate Professor with tenure in the Department of Neurology at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine. She leads the Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core at the UCI Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in the UCI Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders (UCI MIND) as well as serves as an Associate Director of the Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention Unit in the Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials Consortium (ACTC).

Dr. Glover has designed and built a program of research focused on addressing challenges related to health and research access and facilitating optimal outcomes in aging. Her program of research consists of two interconnected components that examine: 1) decision making associated with complex, nuanced, and sensitive topics in older age; and 2) protective and risk factors of healthy aging. Her research has led to the design, development, and implementation of engagement approaches, educational materials, and intervention strategies.

Dr. Glover has widely published her peer-reviewed work in several high-impact scientific journals, including Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, CHEST, and Human Genetics. She is the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging (BSEA), the newest member in the Alzheimer’s Association family of scientific journals. She continues to present her research at international and national scientific meetings and belongs to several intercontinental and domestic scientific committees and professional groups. Overall, Dr. Glover dedicates her work to service and strategies for optimal aging for all - globally, nationally, and locally.

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.

Counting nearly 3 billion music streams to his name, Steve Aoki is a true visionary. Billboard described the 2x-GRAMMY-nominated music producer, artist, fashion designer, entrepreneur, NFT futurist, and Dim Mak Records founder as “one of the most in-demand entertainers in the world.”  A Guinness World Record holder for the “Most Traveled Musician in a Single Calendar Year,” Aoki has performed at nearly every top festival around the world, including Coachella, Ultra Music Festival, Lollapalooza, Fuji Rock Festival, Tomorrowland, and Electric Daisy Carnival. In 2022, Aoki also graced recent covers of Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, Electronic Musician, and Adweek as their “Visionary of the Year.” 

As a globally successful cross-genre solo artist, Aoki has collaborated with an impressive list of varied artists, including BTS, Maluma, Snoop Dogg, Linkin Park, blink-182, One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson, Machine Gun Kelly, Lil Uzi Vert, 2 Chainz and Daddy Yankee, on top of having released three Platinum singles, six Gold singles, and over ten Top 10 radio records. After unveiling four Neon Future albums, Aoki recently released HiROQUEST: Double Helix, the second in his HIROQUEST series, featuring collaborations with Paris Hilton, Galantis, ERNEST, Akon and more.

Aoki approaches each new endeavor with the same sense of dedication he’s put into his past achievements, including the Grammy-nominated Netflix documentary I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2016) and his memoir BLUE: The Color of Noise (2019). In 2012, he also founded THE AOKI FOUNDATION to support organizations in brain science and its research. His influential record label Dim Mak, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021, is known for being a launching pad for the careers of prominent acts like Bloc Party, The Chainsmokers, Bloody Beetroots, The Kills, Zedd, and Diplo. Most recently, Aoki created the A0K1VERSE, an NFT membership community, powered by the Passport, that welcomes his fans to both virtual and real-world experiences. In whatever space Steve Aoki enters, the multi-hyphenate innovator continues to set trends and inspire creativity on a global level.

Richard Blais is a successful chef, restaurateur, James Beard nominated cookbook author and television personality. Blais currently co-stars alongside Gordon Ramsay on FOX's hit cooking competition, Next Level Chef, and is widely recognized as the first winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and trained at The French Laundry, Daniel, Chez Panisse, and el Bulli. Blais opened Ember & Rye at the newly renovated Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California as well as Four Flamingos at Orlando, Florida's Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and Four Flamingos Key West.  Additionally, he serves as Culinary Director at the San Diego Symphony performance space, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. His most recent project, California English, is Blais’ interpretation of the UK’s greatest culinary hits, through the lens of California’s produce and people. 

Blais currently owns and operates Trail Blais, a forward-thinking culinary consulting company that has consulted on, designed, and operated popular eateries across the country. Trail Blais also advises national brands on menu creativity, ideation and employee training sessions. He is the James Beard Award-nominated author of Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate, as well as his second cookbook, So Good. In addition, Blais hosts, “Food Court,” a high-energy, game-show-style podcast, which is climbing the charts in both comedy and culinary. 

When not on set, in the kitchen or at home with his family, Blais may be found traveling cross country performing his live “stand up cooking” show to enthusiastic audiences nationwide.

Yvette Nicole Brown is an Emmy-nominated actress, writer, producer and host best known for her roles on the television shows: "Community", "The Mayor", "Drake and Josh", "The Odd Couple", "Big Shot" and "Act Your Age" and films including "Dreamgirls" “Tropic Thunder", "Avengers: Endgame" and Disney's "Disenchanted." In the Voiceover world, she can be heard in Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” and well as animated shows as varied as “Pupstruction”, “Frog and Toad,” “My Dad The Bounty Hunter,” “FireBuds” and the newly announced “Among Us.” She is also a 2020 NAACP Image Award Nominated writer for "Always A Bridesmaid" — the Romantic Comedy she penned and Executive Produced that is streaming on Netflix and BET+. Yvette sits on the National Boards of Donors Choose (where she is Vice Chair), EMILY's List and MPTF Next Gen and is also a caregiver and advocate.

Kate Burton is best known for her Emmy nominated work on Shonda Rhimes’ Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. A recipient of three Tony nominations, she has appeared multiple times on Broadway. Some of her films have been Big Trouble in Little China, Celebrity, First Wives Club, Unfaithful, 127 Hours, Where’d You Go, Bernadette, and most recently, Our Son, The Anne Frank Gift Shop and Dumb Money. A professor at USC and Brown University, she serves on the boards of Broadway Cares, Actors’ Equity, Williamstown, Brown and Yale Drama.

NICOLE BYER is an actress, comedian, podcaster and writer. She hosts the baking show Nailed It currently streaming on Netflix, for which she was nominated for a emmy for her work and just published a book: #VERYFAT #VERYBRAVE: The Fat Girl's Guide to Being #Brave and Not a Dejected, Melancholy, Down-in-the-Dumps Weeping Fat Girl in a Bikini she had a sitcom loosely based on her life stream on Facebook Watch called Loosely Exactly Nicole RIP. She also hosts many a podcasts:Why Won't You Date Me, Newcomers, Best Friends, and 90 Day Bae. You've also seen her on MTV's Girl Code, 30 Rock, Brooklyn 99, The Good Place, Tuca and Bertie, The Unicorn, and a Nestle commercial that only runs in Israel.  She’s also been featured in Cosmopolitan, Ladies Home Journal, Elle and Ebony. Nicole has done lots of fun shit. She also tours the dang country so go see one of her shows!

Cat Cora is a celebrated world renowned chef, author, restaurateur, television host, philanthropist, and proud mother of six. The Jackson, Mississippi native, who trained at the Culinary Institute of America and went on to cook at two 3-star Michelin restaurants in France, was crowned the first female Iron Chef, and was also the first female inducted into the Culinary Hall of Fame.

Cat has opened more than 18 restaurants across the United States and globally, highlighting her platform on health, wellness and sustainability. Outside of the kitchen, Cat is the President/Founder of Chefs for Humanity, a non-profit dedicated to reducing hunger worldwide, as well as Ambassador of Little Kitchen Academy, a Montessori-style culinary school for ages 3-teen. Cat most recently won Fox Network’s competition show “The Real Dirty Dancing” and currently on Fox Network’s “Stars on Mars.” Cat received the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Volunteer Service Award from President Barack Obama.

‍

Kelsey Cook is the daughter of an International Yo-Yo Champion and a Professional Foosball player, which gave her zero chance of having a normal career one day. Kelsey’s newest stand-up special “Mark Your Territory” debuted on Hulu and YouTube, and recently crossed one million views. Her first special “The Hustler” has amassed over 4 million views in two years, also residing on Hulu and YouTube. She's performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon multiple times, and has also appeared on Good Morning America, CBS’ After Midnight, CBS’ The Talk, Comedy Central’s This is Not Happening, EPIX's Unprotected Sets, and more.

She is currently on “The Happy Hour Tour,” headlining over 40 cities across the country. Kelsey also co-hosts the Pretend Problems Podcast with her boyfriend and fellow comedian, Chad Daniels. Her foosball web-series Wrists of Fury currently has over twenty episodes where Kelsey hustles fellow comedians who don’t know she’s a World Champion foosball player.

Reza Farahan is a charismatic TV personality, real estate mogul, and entrepreneur best known for his starring role on Bravo’s hit reality series "Shahs of Sunset." Born in Tehran, Iran, and raised in Beverly Hills, Reza has become an emblematic figure of resilience, humor, and unapologetic self-expression.

A proud Persian-American and openly gay man, Reza has used his platform to challenge stereotypes, foster acceptance, and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights within the Middle Eastern community. With his quick wit and larger-than-life personality, he captivated audiences for nine seasons on "Shahs of Sunset," chronicling his life, friendships, and the challenges of balancing cultural traditions with modern aspirations.

Kirsten Ferguson is a Peloton instructor, motivation speaker and professional mood booster! Kirsten is a certified NASM CPT and RRCA certified run coach. Kirsten welcomes runners and walkers of all levels in her motivating classes. Kirsten’s goal in every class is to remind you that you are more than enough. If it is on your heart to do it, that means you have already been called to it. You just have to take that step, and she will be there alongside you. Kirsten coaches from a place of learning from past experiences. She wants you to let go of the idea of perfection and embrace your uniqueness.

As a successful career woman turned fitness instructor, Kirsten wholeheartedly embraces the changes that life brings. After seven years of working with the NFL in their Sponsorship and Marketing department, she shifted her focus to family. Her journey to motherhood was not easy, and fitness helped Kirsten strengthen her body and soul during difficult times. She is now the proud mother of two beautiful daughters and uses her life experiences to fuel her deeply inspiring workouts and keynote speeches.

Ron Funches is a national treasure. He is an accomplished stand-up comedian, actor and writer. Ron has had many memorable television roles including THE GOLDBERGS, BLACKISH, NEW GIRL, TRANSPARENT, SINGLE DRUNK FEMALE, CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM, POWERLESS and UNDATEABLE. You can currently catch him on LOOT on Apple TV+. 

Ron has also co-starred in many feature films such as GET HARD alongside Will Ferrell, LEXI, NOELLE, 6 UNDERGROUND and 80 FOR BRADY.

Ron has a love of animated television and film and has leant his voice to many projects including DreamWorks’ TROLLS, Disney’s IVAN THE GREAT, HARLEY QUINN, BOB’S BURGERS, ADVENTURE TIME, FINAL SPACE, THE GREAT NORTH and many more. 

His personal appearances include CONAN, THE TONIGHT SHOW, MATCH GAME, TO TELL THE TRUTH, CHOPPED, CUPCAKE WARS, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD, CELEBRITY WHEEL OF FORTUNE and

NAILED IT.

Funches is a great writer who has written for THE ERIC ANDRE SHOW, KROLL SHOW and several television pilots. 

Ron also does a lot of philanthropic work; He volunteers regularly for SCHOOL ON WHEELS and most recently he designed sneakers for PUMA/FOOTLOCKER where proceeds go to NEXT FOR AUTISM.

‍

Chris Garcia is a stand up comedian, television writer, actor and podcaster from Los Angeles. Chris was most recently a writer on Season 2 of HBO’s Minx. Chris’s critically acclaimed WNYC podcast, Scattered, was called “one of the most touching, and funniest, narrative nonfiction podcasts of the year” by Uproxx and Time Magazine deemed “one of the top ten podcasts of 2019”. The limited series focuses on his Cuban exile family, the mystery of his father’s past and his struggles with dementia. You may have seen Chris tell his jokes on his very own half hour special on Comedy Central, the Late Late Show with James Corden, and This Is Not Happening, and Adam Devine’s House Party. Chris was named a New Face at the 2016 Montreal Just For Laughs Comedy Festival and a “Comedian You Should and Will Know” by Vulture. He is proud to join Lauren and Seth in the battle against Alzheimer's.

Judy Greer’s career in both film and television has been extremely prolific, with her appearing in nearly two-hundred roles to date including the Blumhouse reboot of Halloween, directed by David Gordon Green, starring alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. The highly anticipated sequel, Halloween Kills, was released at the end of 2021 with Judy once again starring alongside Curtis. She shot the Disney+ feature Hollywood Stargirl with Uma Thurman and Grace VanderWaal for director Julia Hart which dropped on the streamer last year. She can also recently be seen in the Blumhouse/NBC/Peacock limited series The Thing About Pam alongside Renée Zellweger, and the Susanne Bier-directed Showtime limited anthology series The First Lady with Michelle Pfeiffer, Viola Davis, and Gillian Anderson. She was recently seen starring in Reboot – Steve Levitan’s new series for Hulu & 20th Television alongside Keegan Michael Key, Johnny Knoxville, and Paul Reiser. She was recently featured in the HBO limited series White House Plumbers opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux for director David Mandel. She was nominated for a 2022 Hollywood Critics Association Award for her role as “Leah Askey” in The Thing About Pam.

Emma Heming Willis is a British and Indian/West Indian model, entrepreneur, advocate, wife, and mother of two and stepmother of three. She is the co-founder and Chief Impact Officer for for Make Time Wellness, and founder and CEO of CocoBaba, a vegan skincare company. In 2022 Emma’s husband Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and she has since become a powerful advocate for caregivers, raising awareness for dementia and the importance of brain health. Her overarching goal would be to see an end to FTD and all forms of neurodegenerative diseases.

This year, Emma launched the Make Time Podcast, along with co-host and co-founder, Helen Christoni. Amplifying the movement of the wellness brand they created, each episode is dedicated to championing women, guiding them to prioritize and carve out time for the things that matter most, with an emphasis on caring for oneself.

Furthermore, Emma hosts the Make Time to Connect YouTube program, which is committed to bringing important information about brain health and dementia to those in need. The program also extends a supportive voice, offering advice and a warm hug to all caregivers. Content includes interviews with experts and doctors as well as people in similar situations who benefit from their shared experiences.

Recently announced, Emma is writing her first book, which is dedicated to caregivers. The book will be published by Maria Shriver’s imprint, The Open Field.

The Malta born beauty grew up in North East London and Costa Mesa, CA and was raised by her mother, whom she admires greatly for her work ethic and her strength as a single parent. Throughout her modeling career, Heming Willis has been featured in Vogue, Glamour, Elle, and Marie Claire, among many others and has walked the runways for Chanel, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Karl Lagerfeld, Giorgio Armani, Emanuel Ungaro, Dior and Victoria’s Secret. She has also been the face of campaigns for Dior cosmetics and has appeared in commercials for Clairol and Redken.

With everything she has in the works, Emma strives to find the perfect balance between work, family and encouraging a healthy lifestyle, where women embrace the idea to make time for themselves, an essential practice without guilt.

‍

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

‍

Ayden Mayeri is an actor and writer, who will next be seen in Paul Feig's upcoming action-comedy Grand Death Lotto for Amazon opposite Awkwafina and John Cena. Most recently, she starred alongside Meg Stalter in the 2023 SXSW darling Cora Bora, directed by Hannah Pearl Utt. In 2022 she dazzled in the ensemble comedy Spin Me Round, with Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza, directed by Jeff Baena and produced by the Duplass brothers. That same year, Mayeri starred opposite Jon Hamm in Greg Mottola’s continuation of the beloved franchise Confess, Fletch.  

On the TV side, she can be seen starring in the Showtime comedy series I Love That For You opposite Vanessa Bayer and Molly Shannon, as well as recurring roles on series such as the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ comedy The Afterparty, New Girl, VEEP, and Amazon's Homecoming.

HFC's cause is close to Ayden’s heart, and she is honored to be an HFC ambassador, as she has had several family members afflicted with Alzheimer's & dementia.

‍

TJ Oshie is a Stanley Cup Champion member of the Washington Capitals, an NHL All-Star, and a member of the 2014 USA Olympic Hockey team. Born in Everett, Washington, Oshie trained and played in Warroad, MN and attended the University of North Dakota. He was selected by the Saint Louis Blues in the 2005 NHL draft and was traded to the Washington Capitals in 2015. TJ has raised awareness for dementia in honor of his father Tim who was diagnosed in 2012 with early onset Alzheimer’s at just 48 years old, and who passed away from the disease in May 2021. “Coach Oshie,” as he was lovingly known, was a frequent presence at TJ's hockey games and was in attendance in Las Vegas when the Capitals won the Stanley Cup in 2018. Fans remember TJ’s words immediately after the game: "My dad, he doesn't remember a lot of stuff these days, but this one will stick with him forever, you can guarantee that." In sharing his family’s journey, he has helped reduce the stigma often associated with Alzheimer’s disease. TJ lives in Northern Virginia with his wife Lauren and their four children. 

‍

Jessimae Peluso, Stand Up Comedian, Podcast and TV Host, is widely known from MTV’s popular show, “Girl Code”, can be heard weekly hosting her Sharp Tongue Podcast. Peluso, also an advocate for Alzheimer’s Disease, raises awareness and charity for Alzheimer’s and brain health through her multiple platforms.  Jessimae has toured with the USO, bringing her high energy, relatable, and electric comedy act to our troops stationed in Japan, Norway, Poland, Iraq, Bahrain, and Afghanistan. You may also recognize Jessimae as the host of Tattoo Redo, on Netflix. 

Jessimae has contributed to Cosmopolitan Magazine, Self Magazine, GQ.Com, Playboy.com, MadeMen.com, High Times Magazine, DOPE Magazine, featured in Forbes Magazine, and was highlighted in the Huffington Post as “one of the funniest comics to follow on Twitter.”  She performed in the Just For Laughs Festival, New York Comedy Festival, Boston Comedy Festival, MoonTower Festival, and appeared on Kevin Hart’s LOL Live network. Jessimae Peluso made multiple appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience, David Spade’s “Lights Out”, “The Church of What’s Happening Now” with Joey Diaz, TBS’s “Deal With It”, NBC’s “Last Call w/Carson Daly”, E!’s “Chelsea Lately”, FOX’s “World’s Funniest Fails”, VH1’s “Hip Hop Squares”, AXS’ “Gotham Live”, and Comedy Central’s late but great  “@Midnight”, and you may notice her from your local news. 

For all things Jessimae go to: www.Jessimae.com

NICHOLAS PETRICCA is the lead singer of the rock band Walk the Moon. In 2014, they released their second major-label studio album, Talking Is Hard. This album includes their huge hit, "Shut Up and Dance," which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the Billboard Rock Songs chart and Billboard Alternative Songs chart. SPIN Magazine described them as a "poppy, art-rock quartet." They were also deemed a Nylon Magazine Band Crush for their "swirly pop beats, infectious guitar riffs, and loud, sing-a-long choruses." Nicholas’s father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at 50 years old and passed away from the disease in 2017. He has been a vocal advocate for the cause.

Nicole Petrie is a model, activist, entrepreneur, and caregiver from Wisconsin. Since her mom's FTD diagnosis she has dedicated her career and social media presence to raising awareness for dementia related diseases and the hard work of caregivers everywhere. She has grown an online community of over 1.1 million followers between tiktok & Instagram, sharing a variety of videos including her day-to-day life as a young adult caregiver and educational information about dementia. Some of her notable professional accomplishments include being featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition, becoming an official ambassador for The Association of FrontoTemporal Degeneration, and modeling for brands such as Ulta, Bulgari, and Balmain. Additionally, Nicole has recently created a clothing and accessory merchandise line with designs that aim to recognize caregivers, spread awareness for FTD, and honor her mother.

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.

Madison Tevlin is an acclaimed keynote speaker, award-winning advocate, and content creator redefining representation and inclusion on a global stage. Known for her warmth, wit, and powerful storytelling, she is one of today’s most in-demand young voices in advocacy and entertainment.

Her breakout campaign, “Assume That I Can,” became a global phenomenon, earning 7 Cannes Lions, a Grand Clio, a United Nations SDG Action Award, and a Webby Award, cementing Madison as a cultural force reshaping how society views disability.

Madison’s on-screen work includes Mr. D, hosting Who Do You Think I Am, and a standout role in Champions alongside Woody Harrelson. She made history as the first person with Down syndrome nominated for Best Host at the Canadian Screen Awards, where she also hosted the red carpet.

She currently hosts the podcast 21 Questions, leading honest, funny, and thought-provoking conversations about identity, assumptions, and belonging.

A recipient of the 2023 Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, Madison continues to champion accessibility, visibility, and inclusion proving that representation isn’t just powerful, it’s necessary.

Hilarity for Charity is near and dear to Madison’s heart. Because people with Down syndrome are at a much higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, Madison is committed to raising awareness and funds to support those living with Alzheimer’s, their caregivers, and critical research toward a cure.

Jesus Trejo is a Los Angeles based, comedian, actor, and writer. Born and raised in Long Beach,CA. Trejo’s first stand-up comedy special STAY AT HOME SON premiered on Showtime in 2020 and his latest standup special, PRACTICING? debuted on YouTube this year. He is currently a Staff Writer on Hulu’s THIS FOOL, and can be seen recurring as the role of Mr. Trujillo on the Netflix series MR. IGLESIAS, and can be seen on his multiple appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Trejo is also the host of Tacos Con Todo, a web series from Complex/First We Feast (HOT ONES) in which he navigates the LA taco scene with celebrity guests. 

Jesus is also an author of two upcoming children’s books as a part of a two-book deal with publisher Astra/Minerva, the first of which, "Papás Magical Water Jug-Clock," has collected several awards since its release, including the prestigious Pura Belpré Honor for both writing and illustrations. Jesus’ younger-self will be the protagonist in both books, and his upbringing will serve as a backdrop to the many life lessons learned working as a first generation Mexican-American. Jesus was named a Variety Top 10 Comic to watch at the Just For Laughs comedy festival in 2017, and can be seen performing regularly at his home club, the Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

‍

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.

Jenny Yokobori is a voice actress who can be heard across TV, anime, video games, and more. Some of her most notable roles are as Yoimiya in Genshin Impact, Kuromi and Cinnamoroll in Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures, Evie in Fortnite, Wanda in One Piece, and Black Lemonade Cookie in Cookie Run: Kingdom. Jenny is also currently the youngest cast member on the long running animated-series, The Simpsons (voicing Kumiko Albertson, amongst other various characters). Jenny’s father was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer’s when she was four and she grew up as one of his primary caretakers until his passing, when she was eighteen.

Emily Badgley (she/her) is a creative producer and marketing strategist with nearly a decade of experience shaping content and communication strategies across the music, tech, and non-profit sectors. She specializes in high-impact video, photo, and social content that drives connection and elevates brand storytelling. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Emily earned her degree in Film and Television from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She now resides in Los Angeles with her husband and their two fluffy cats.

David Colicchio is a songwriter, screenwriter, and producer who has worked extensively with Paramount across all of Nick Jr.’s YouTube Channels, creating award-winning videos and garnering billions of views. He is a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and has performed music all over the world including a below-freezing Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Kennebunk, Maine, a pride festival in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and a tiny bar on a cruise ship in Australia. He lives in Las Vegas with his wife, two cats (Flopsy and Ziti) and a pair of friendly bonsai trees. Dave volunteers as an HFC Associate in honor of his grandmothers Carmella and Irene and his grandfather Abe.

Laura Dasher works in communications for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health at the FDA. She is deeply committed to advancing health equity and patient advocacy. She is passionate about championing caregivers and the indispensable role they play, recognizing the emotional, physical, and financial hardships many endure in fulfilling this responsibility. During her spare time, Laura enjoys photography, writing, traveling, and spending quality time with her friends and family.

Addison Duffy is a Los Angeles native with over a decade of experience in film and television representation. After losing two grandparents in her youth and, most recently, her father in 2024 to Alzheimer’s disease, Addison has committed herself to raising awareness and supporting efforts to combat this devastating illness. She spent many years juggling her professional career while also serving as a caregiver for her father, an experience that deeply shaped her perspective. As a result, she hopes to dedicate her life to helping others navigating the challenges of caregiving. Outside of work, she finds joy in reading books and spending time with her husband, child, and beloved Weimaraner.

Brennan Duffy is a Music Booking Agent with over 12 years of experience in the music industry, specializing in live performance bookings for a diverse range of artists. He is passionate about nurturing emerging talents to established acts and fostering growth through a comprehensive understanding of market trends and artist development. Following the loss of two grandparents and most recently his father to Alzheimer’s, Brennan is committed to raising awareness and supporting initiatives aimed at combating this debilitating disease. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his partner and their beloved cat, Cleo.

Andrew is a nonprofit fundraising and sustainability professional with a background in Environmental Science and Economics from Santa Clara University. He currently works as a Fundraising Officer Intern with the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), where he helps design and execute donor campaigns. Andrew is passionate about community engagement, environmental causes, and supporting families affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of work, he enjoys performing stand-up comedy, running, and playing with his dogs.

Ashley Evans is a non-profit program manager and community engagement professional working for the American Geriatrics Society. A graduate of the University of South Florida with a degree in gerontology, Ashley has dedicated her career to advocating for vulnerable populations across diverse care settings. Her work focuses on advancing health equity by elevating the voices of underserved communities and promoting policies that support dignity, independence, and person-centered care for older adults.

Outside of her professional work, Ashley is also a ceramics artist and enjoys hiking in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, NC, where she lives with her partner, Jack, and their pets.

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.

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.

Dan Lerman is a Los Angeles–based college professor, comedian, and founder of DILFs of Larchmont. Comedy has been a lifelong obsession: Dan still takes clown classes and sneaks out to late-night comedy shows whenever parenting logistics allow.

After losing his grandfather to Alzheimer’s during COVID, Dan created the Backyard Comedy Series to fight loneliness and bring people together through laughter. What began with a few folding chairs has grown into a beloved monthly gathering built around humor, warmth, and human connection in Larchmont Village. All proceeds from the show support Hilarity for Charity.

Dan lives in Los Angeles with his wife, two daughters, and dog Afikomen.

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.

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.

Patrick is currently the HFC Associates Chair. He graduated from Texas State University in 2013 with a focus in advertising and sociology. He spent the last 3 years with Gartner Inc. working with executive leadership teams as organizations navigated the future of work. Before his time with Gartner Inc. he fueled growth and operation efforts for OpenKey, a software provider in the hotel and VR space. Previously he helped create & scale startups in the hospitality industry as the GM for Best Texas Travel & Son's Island Getaways. After time in the Austin area, Patrick moved home to Dallas to help care for his mother battling early onset Alzheimer's. Having lost a grandfather early in life to the disease and having two family members currently battling the disease Patrick is passionate about fighting this fight. Today he resides in East Texas with his wife & daughter. 

‍

Born and raised in the Atlanta suburbs, Taylor grew up with a vibrant community and close-knit family. Taylor graduated from the University of Georgia in 2016 with a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Spanish. She went on to get my Master's degree in Human Environmental Sciences with a concentration on Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Alabama in 2018. Currently, she is a therapist in private practice (with her dog!) in Atlanta, working hybrid on Zoom and in-person with clients in family, individual, and group therapy settings. She enjoys discovering new restaurants with her boyfriend, Peloton workouts, fashion and beauty, attending and supporting local festivals and businesses, and snuggling with her dog anytime she wants.

‍

David Rosengarten is a private wealth management advisor in New York. He spent 8 years at Citi Private Bank, 5 years at JP Morgan, and 2 years at Levy Wealth Management Group. He grew up in Huntingdon Valley, PA, earned his BS from Lehigh University and MBA from Columbia Business School. When David is not at work, you can find him playing golf with his brother at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, playing tennis on Randall’s Island, or spending time with his kids at the Tribeca playgrounds. He is an avid Philadelphia sports fan.

Abby’s sweet spot is the intersection of pop culture and social impact. She’s worked with some of the world’s top entertainers, thought leaders, and politicians to drive creative campaigns that lead to lasting change. As the head of Talent and Partnerships at WRTHY, Abby builds partnerships that shift culture and influence policy on some of society’s most pressing issues. Prior to WRTHY, Abby led Brand + Creative at ONE where she developed award winning creative campaigns and nurtured meaningful ambassadorships with creators and artists, including ONE’s co-founder Bono. Before turning to social impact work, Abby spent a decade in the Nashville music industry. She serves on the Associate Board of HFC, Lauren and Seth Rogen’s organization dedicated to supporting families impacted by Alzheimer’s. She is based in Los Angeles.

Sam (she/her) currently works as the Director of Original Series at Topic Studios. Born and raised in the New York City area, Sam started her career there working in financing, acquisitions, and development across scripted and unscripted content for broadcast, cable, streaming, and premium buyers. She volunteers as an Associate with Alzheimer's non-profit, Hilarity for Charity, and is an advocate for accessibility and mental health. Sam graduated from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University and its School of Visual & Performing Arts. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and beloved dog Thor, who you should know rules.

Matt Scott is an impact storyteller and professional speaker, and the Director of Storytelling and Engagement at Project Drawdown, where he helps everyday people engage in community-level climate change solutions. He hosts Drawdown's Neighborhood, a short documentary series featured by the Weather Channel, National Geographic, Pinterest, and more, spotlighting climate leaders in cities across the U.S. Previously, Matt led global community storytelling for NASA’s International Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest problem-solving hackathon, engaging 100,000+ participants in 150+ countries. A two-time NASA award winner, he has also worked with organizations including the Australian Government, Melinda Gates’ Pivotal Ventures, USAID, the UN, Nike, Walmart, and the Obama White House. He also founded Let’s Care, through which he’s interviewed 100+ changemakers and produced the film 20s & Change: San Francisco, recognized at three film festivals.

Kim is a Los Angeles–based community builder who brings people together through humor, creativity, and shared experiences. She works in product marketing for technology companies, helping teams communicate clearly and thoughtfully, and she brings that same intentionality to her community work. Kim co-hosts and produces a backyard comedy series that uses comedy as a way to combat loneliness and build real-world connection, donating all proceeds to Alzheimer’s research and prevention through Hilarity for Charity. With a B.A. in Theater from Duke University and a lifelong love of comedy, she is especially interested in how storytelling and laughter can create belonging and inspire generosity. She resides in Los Angeles with her husband, two incredible daughters, and the greatest dog in the world, Afi.

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. 

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.

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!

Carrie Topiel is a writer living in Los Angeles, CA. She’s worked on projects for companies including Amazon, Netflix, Sony, Warner Brothers, HBO Max, Lionsgate, Hulu, and NBC Universal. In her writing, Carrie unpicks life’s more complicated knots while providing an escape for audiences. With a focus on exploring family dynamics, queerness, and mental health, she creates grounded characters dealing with relatable problems in intriguing, fun, and often fantastical worlds. She’s a proud Boston Terrier and runs the Boston University in Los Angeles internship program.

Carrie has been a part of HFC since 2015 and has loved every second of supporting HFC’s mission. She works with HFC in memory of her Grandma Rose and in honor of her amazing caregivers. 

In her spare time, Carrie plays a lot of kickball and pickleball. She also enjoys participating in covert international dog rescue missions and hanging with her own little rescue pup, Lady Sybil Stonecold.

Katie Ziegler is Director of Event + Trade Marketing at The Wall Street Journal | Barron’s Group in Providence, RI. She believes that passion drives change! Katie was formerly involved with HFC when she was in NYC, and is excited to keep the involvement and excitement going. Katie has been in the global event marketing industry for about 15 years for corporations like People, WSJ and IBM. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her husband and dapper furry dude, Ikie!