Skip to Content
    Call Our 24/7 Helpline 800.272.3900
    Northern California & Northern Nevada Chapter
    Change Location

    Chapter Leadership and History

    Chapter Leadership and History

    Our People

    The people of our chapter are dedicated staff and volunteers, all working to make life better for individuals living with Alzheimer's, for their families, and for future generations.

    Chapter Leadership Team
    Ken Toren - Regional Vice President and Executive Director
    Claire Day - Chief Mission and Program Strategy Officer
    Eric Dowdy - Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy 
    Michael Castillo - Senior Director, Marketing & Communications 
    Peining Chang - Senior Community Engagement Manager - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    Shelley Dombroski - Senior Regional Director
    Lynn Duisenberg - Operations Manager

    Chapter Board of Directors
    Our chapter is governed by a volunteer board of directors, responsible for planning, creating and implementing strategies and tactics in service to our mission.

    Kim Steppe, Chair
    Marc Loupe, Board Co-Vice Chair
    Michelle Makino, Board Co-Vice Chair
    Mandy Andrei, CFP, AAMS
    Raul Ayala, MD, MHCM
    Natasha Boissier, LCSW
    Wynnelena C. Canio, MD,
    CMD, AGSF
    Pina Carino, CFP, CRPC
    Gini Cunningham
    Gordon Dean

    Gene Girimonte
    Teresa Mandella
    Donna Petkanics
    Diane Riccio, PhD
    Kelly Rossi
    Kevin Shives
    Todd Smith, MD, MBA
    Charles Stewart
    Valerie Toler, RN
    John Travis
    Randall Yip
    Sophie Zhuang  

    Chapter Medical and Scientific Advisory Council
    The Bay Area is home to three of the nation’s Alzheimer’s disease research centers: UCSF, Stanford, and UC Davis. Scientists and clinicians from these and other highly regarded institutions serve on our chapter’s medical and scientific advisory board.

    Lennart Mucke, MD, chair 
    Charles DeCarli, MD
    Victor Henderson, MD
    Ladson Hinton, MD
    William Jagust, MD
    Frank Longo, MD, PhD
    Tony Wyss-Coray, PhD

    Kristine Yaffe, MD
    Gil Rabinovici, MD
    Kate Possin, PhD
    Mike Weiner, MD
    Yadong Huang, MD, PhD
    Claire Day, Chief Mission and Program Strategy Officer

    Black Alzheimer's Association Advisory Council (BAAAC)

    Daniella Royster
    Sherry Clark
    Lowanda Moore
    Cheryl Johnson
    Nairobi Kenya
    Portia Stewart
    Gloria Brown
    Gwen Gates
    Teri Carlyle
    Roscelyn Garner
    RoseMary Towns
    Micheal Pope
    Nequitha Busby

    Geography and History

    The Northern California and Northern Nevada Chapter consists of 9 offices serving communities as far south as Monterey and Fresno counties, and as far north as the borders of California and Nevada.

    Since its founding in 1981, the Northern California and Northern Nevada Chapter has grown into one of the largest in the Alzheimer’s Association’s® 78-chapter network. Eleven offices serve population centers like Silicon Valley and San Francisco, and smaller communities like Reno, Chico, and Monterey. Each year the chapter serves thousands of families through the 24/7 Helpline, one-on-one care consultations, and more than 150 support groups. In the latest fiscal year, the Northern California and Northern Nevada Chapter raised more than $14 million for Alzheimer’s research.

    Our mission: The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.

    Our vision: A World Without Alzheimer's and All Other Dementia™