Nicole Mendez, MSN, APRN,FNP-BC is a Research Nurse Practitioner at The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s Comprehensive Center for Brain Health. Nicole graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2010 from Louisiana College.  During her accelerated BSN program, Nicole joined a mission’s trip to Mexico where she and other nursing students helped the local doctor provide care to the community of Reynosa. She also acted as a Spanish-English translator. After graduating, Nicole worked as a nurse in the acute care setting in the Progressive Care Unit at Orlando Health. Having worked there for four years, Nicole was a charge nurse and mentored and trained nursing students and new nurse graduates. 

Inspired and encouraged by her own mentor to embark on a new career path, Nicole went back to school for her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Miami. While obtaining her MSN degree, Nicole received the Advanced Education Nursing Traineeship grant. Shortly after graduation, she became licensed as a Family Nurse Practitioner and moved to the Big Apple to work for Comcast NBC Universal in the renowned 30 Rock building. During her four years in their on-site employee health clinic, her team and her cared for 11k employees, including on-air talent. She provided episodic care and emergency services to patients, education on prophylactic travel vaccinations according to the CDC, and interpreted and tracked EKG readings. 

In February 2020, she moved back to the warmth of Florida to be closer to loved ones. There she joined the CBS Sports production crew as a Covid nurse and traveled throughout the US each week providing on-site medical care. 

Nicole feels called to take part in Alzheimer’s and Dementia research because of witnessing her beloved grandfather experience this tragic brain disease. She truly feels honored to be involved in the field of research advancement with such a diverse team led by Dr. James Galvin.

Nicole believes when healthcare providers further educate themselves, they empower their patients with the knowledge to take control of their health and wellness to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

Deirdre O’Shea, PhD, is an Assistant Professor and Clinical Neuropsychologist in the Department of Neurology at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. O’Shea earned her Ph.D. in Clinical and Health Psychology (neuropsychology track) from the University of Florida.  She is a licensed psychologist in Florida (PY11880), with her primary expertise in neuropsychological evaluations of adults. She completed her pre-doctoral clinical psychology internship training at Alpert Brown Medical School where she remained for a two-year clinical neuropsychological fellowship. While at Brown, she also served as the Aging and Dementia Research Fellow in the Department of Neurology (Memory Disorders clinic). She completed her M.S. in Neuropsychology at the University of Edinburgh and undergraduate education in Sociology and Psychology at University College Cork, Ireland where she is a citizen.

Broadly, Dr. O’Shea’s research investigates risk and resilience factors that contribute to variability in cognitive aging and predisposition to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). Dr. O’Shea is currently working on developing novel DNA methylation (DNAm) biomarkers for predicting ADRD risk. These epigenetic markers offer a quantifiable metric of the interplay between genetic and environmental factors over the life course. She is the Principle Investigator of a study titled ‘’Developing a DNAm Biomarker for Cognitive Aging: Addressing Disparities and Promoting Community Engagement’’ which is supported by a  two-year career development award sponsored by the Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute/ National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NIH: 1K12TR004555). Using these DNAm biomarkers, Dr. O’Shea’s research aims to more precisely characterize the relative influence of factors that either bolster cognitive resilience or amplify vulnerability which may lead to enhanced early detection, risk assessment, and personalized interventions for cognitive decline and dementia.

Dr. O’Shea is also a Topic Editor on Epigenetics and Lifestyle in Brain Aging for the journal ‘Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience’ and has served as a reviewer for several leading journals in her field including ‘Neurobiology of Aging’, Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring and Neuropsychology Review. In recognition of her significant research contributions to her field she was granted United States permanent residency status via the National Interest Waiver program in 2022 to allow her to continue her research in the US indefinitely.

A comprehensive list of Dr. O’Shea’s peer-reviewed publications can be found here:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/deirdre.oshea.3/bibliography/public/

Amie Rosenfeld is a licensed Physical Therapist with over 18 years of experience. She is a Board certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist and a member of the American Physical Therapy Association since 2003. She has extensive clinical experience in falls prevention and improving balance of older adults. She is currently completing her Physical Therapy Faculty Residency with Nova Southeastern University. Her roles at the CCBH include serving as a clinical dementia rater and physical performance assessor for research participants, running the Gait Lab, organizing community education and lecture events on brain health and prevention, and collaborating on numerous observational and clinical NIH and privately funded studies that investigate the long term physical and cognitive symptoms and responses to interventions of people with memory and cognitive disorders. She has collaborated on research projects in the past that included Chair Yoga, and Acupuncture, and her research interests are in the effects of exercise and holistic approaches in prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, the roles of dual tasking in diagnosing and treating cognitive disorders, and the education of physical therapists on cognitive screening and neurodegenerative cognitive disorders. She is dedicated to pursuing funding to support clinically relevant studies to benefit individuals with progressive neurodegenerative cognitive disorders, and establishing evidence-based diagnostic, intervention, and preventive services with a focus on exercise and activity.

Gabrielle Tacher is the Office Manager at the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She brings a strong background in academic and professional administration, with experience spanning higher education and legal environments.

Gabrielle holds a bachelor’s degree from Florida Atlantic University and is recognized for her strategic approach to operations, attention to detail, and ability to foster an organized, high-functioning workplace. She plays a key role in supporting leadership and ensuring the center’s day-to-day operations align with its broader mission.

Gabrielle Tacher continues to be a vital force behind the scenes, ensuring our center operates smoothly and efficiently every day.