Advancing the Science of Brain Health

This presentation will focus on the highlights in brain health and the latest research efforts into risk reduction for dementia and lifestyle interventions.

Intended audience: This presentation is intended for general interest and may be of particular relevance to policy makers and advocates.

Presenters: Sara Kofman and Walter Dawson, PhD

Sara Kofman joined the Alzheimer’s Association’s Oregon Chapter in 2015 as the Public Policy Director. In her role with the Alzheimer’s Association, she guides and supports the development of state policy priorities and manages grassroots advocacy activities in Oregon. She also serves as a policy leader in her region providing strategic guidance to the Association’s policy staff in the northwestern states. Sara serves on Oregon’s governor-appointed Quality Measurement Council and is a board member of the Oregon Gerontological Association. She has more than 15 years combined experience in health policy and health advocacy work. Sara early career was grounded in health care and public policy, working as a Legislative Assistant for U.S. Senator Ron Wyden.

Dr. Walter Dawson is an Assistant Professor at the at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Layton Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease Center. His research interests focus on global health policy, long-term services and supports financing, and interventions to better support people living with dementia including improved cognitive screening and dementia detection. In addition to an appointment at the OHSU School of Medicine, Dr. Dawson is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health with the Global Brain Health Institute at the University of California, San Francisco and faculty at Portland State University’s Institute on Aging. Dr. Dawson has extensive direct experience in national and state-level public policy. As staff at the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, he worked on provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to increase access to long-term services and supports. He is the chair and co-founder of the ISTAART Health Policy Public Interest Group. 

 Registration Fee

• OGA members: Free!
• Non-members: $10
• Non-member students/seniors and registrants with limited financial means: $5

Why do we ask for a fee?

OGA is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. Events and donations are our main sources of income to fund our educational and networking programs.

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