Mary Lou Riccio has been involved with clinical research for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias for over 10 years and recently completed her Nursing certification. She is interested in the effects of chronic illness such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, on disease progression. She hopes to make an impact on health literacy and prevention at the community level.
Gabrielle Czerwonko 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 continues to be a vital force behind the scenes, ensuring our center operates smoothly and efficiently every day.
James E. Galvin, M.D., M.P.H. is Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He is Alexandria & Bernard Schoninger Endowed Chair in Memory Disorders, Founding Director of the Comprehensive Center for Brain Health, Director and Principal Investigator of the Lewy Body Dementia Research Center of Excellence, and Chief of Division of Cognitive Neurology for Palm Beach and Broward County leading brain health and neurodegenerative disease research and clinical programs. Dr. Galvin has authored over 300 scientific publications and 3 textbooks on healthy brain aging, cognitive health, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy Body dementia, and related disorders. Dr. Galvin has received over $100 Million in research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Alzheimer’s Association, Michael J Fox Foundation, American Federation for Aging Research, Lewy Body Dementia Association, Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, Missouri, New York, and Florida Departments of Health, and numerous Private and Family Foundations.
The major focus of Dr. Galvin’s clinical and research career has been to improve the clinical care and quality of life for all older adults from diverse backgrounds and their family caregivers who are dealing with neurodegenerative disorders in order to initiate early intervention, alleviate psychosocial burden on the patient and family, reduce the impact of race, language, culture, and class on the delivery of health services, and improve health outcomes. His current research program focuses on four themes: (1) Developing and validating new clinical assessment scales to improve detection of cognitive impairment in multicultural community samples to improve health outcomes; (2) Studying the interaction between race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and multiple chronic conditions on the risk of cognitive impairment; (3) Characterizing the clinical, cognitive, behavioral, and biomarker features of neurodegenerative disorders; and (4) Creating novel precision-medicine based interventions based on individual phenotypic, biomarker, and genomic profiles aimed at ADRD risk reduction and dementia prevention.