DAA Advisory Board

Monica was a Special Education Teacher for 19 years.  She lives in Georgia with her husband, Dean, of 27 years.  They have two sons (29 and 17).  Monica enjoys cooking, listening to Audiobooks, and taking care of her houseplants.

After noticing she was having trouble with simple tasks such as calculating tips and multitasking, she was tested and diagnosed with MCI in 2016.  She was 46 years old at the time.  Her cognitive issues worsened and she was diagnosed in Frontotemporal Dementia in 2020.  That diagnosis has since been changed.  Her neurologist now thinks that her Lupus could be the cause of her Dementia.

Craig was born and raised in Southeastern Wisconsin. His job as a Correctional Sergeant with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections moved him and his wife to Northern Wisconsin in 2010. Since Craig was an avid hunter and fisherman, this move was a perfect fit. Craig married his wife Lynn in 1980.  Lynn does a wonderful job as Craig’s care partner overseeing his seemingly now ever changing life. Craig and Lynn have two adult boys, one Grandson, and three granddaughters who are the joy of their lives.

In 2014 when the neurologist diagnosed him with Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson’s disease he was forced to retire. He and His wife Lynn returned to southeastern Wisconsin for better neurological care and to help take care of his now 96-year-old mother.

Craig’s most recent diagnosis is Unspecified Dementia. He is living well with dementia. Craig is involved in His church as an Elder, Stephen Minister, usher, and enjoys playing in the handbell choir. He is also involved in the Lions Club International. Craig is a strong dementia advocate, including he leads and is a host for our Faith, Hope, and Love.

Deborah grew up on a farm in Sacketts Harbor, NY. She was a career nurse working at Blue Cross and Shield in Syracuse NY for 20 years. Deborah moved to Washington DC and worked in the health insurance industry for many years before returning to her love of geriatric nursing. She was an in-home private duty nurse until needing to stop due to her symptoms of dementia.

Deborah was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2017. She said her life changed completely that day. She lost her driver’s and nursing license. For someone who thrived on helping others throughout her life, this was a shattering blow. As her Lewy body symptoms increased, she moved back to New York state to live near family.

Deborah lives alone with her cat, Adah. She loves to read, do jigsaw puzzles, adult coloring, work in her garden and make ‘junk journals’. She feels she found life after diagnosis through DAA. ” I have found my ‘purpose’ through DAA. “

Stephen retired from a career in banking in 2017 due to symptoms of dementia.  He began noticing cognitive changes in his mid-fifties and was diagnosed as having Mild Cognitive Impairment.  At age 59 Stephen was diagnosed with vascular dementia and early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

Stephen has had an interesting life including radio announcing and production, working as a researcher, and world travels including studying abroad. He’s happily married and has a daughter with his wife and care partner, Susan.  They both love traveling and flower gardening together and are also cat lovers with three furry feline family members.

Since learning he is living with dementia, Stephen has been an active and vocal advocate for better understanding dementia and awareness of its many forms.  He has spoken at numerous events and served on committees for DAA, his local Dementia Support and Action Groups – Community Dementia Alliance of Bloomington, as well as Dementia Friendly Indiana.

He is a living example of the friendships, growth, activities and engagement DAA develops and spreads through its many programs!

Mark was 48 when he retired in 2016 after being diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s Disease. A tax accountant for over twenty years, his work focused primarily on trusts, estates, and non-profit entities.In the early 1990s, he led a local chapter of the U.S. Jaycees. He was twice elected President and honored with many awards, including the Granite Statesman Award, the highest award given to a member of the New Hampshire Jaycees.

Today, Mark uses the skills he honed in the Jaycees to work with the Dementia Action Alliance and help eliminate the stigmas associated with a dementia related diagnosis. His own diagnosis has most recently been changed to unspecified dementia.

He enjoys photography, genealogy, and advocates for causes related to dementia, mental health, and homelessness.

Jack is a native of northern Michigan and is on his second “tour” of Ohio, where, in 1989, he met his wife, and (now) care partner, Susan.  For 37 years, Jack held a variety of management positions in various manufacturing industries, and was fortunate to have traveled several times to ten different countries during his career. He went on disability in 2017 after receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Jack started having symptoms of cognitive issues in 2004 when he was 48 years old. But it wasn’t until 2016, when Susan, a Special Education teacher, noticed a significant problem with Jack’s thought processes and behaviors. This began a journey taking four years, eight different diagnoses and many long road trips to many specialists to finally hear the words-behavioral variant Frontal Temporal Degeneration (bvFTD).

In 2021, Jack’s diagnosis was “confirmed” when he was genetically tested and found to be carrying a rare hereditary gene mutation that causes FTD, in addition to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).  Today, Jack is an ambitious participant in FTD research, contributing to finding a cure and prevention for future generations.  He is applying his leadership skills through DAA to help others live well with dementia.

Julie has had a lifelong love of learning from hikes with her father to a friendly competition in collecting associate degrees with her husband, to homeschooling her daughter Mackenzie, to both paid and volunteer positions in education.

As a child Julie watched her great grandmother battling a non-specified dementia, then her grandmother to a brain tumor. As an adult she shared providing care for her father and was her mother’s care partner though that generation’s battle with Alzheimer’s.

Julie was diagnosed at 53 in the spring of 2024 with MCI with Alzheimer Pathology. She is in a UCI Mind drug study, U TX Pause 2 Thrive study, a willed body including brain flagged for Alzheimer’s study program (medical research after death), and a dementia advocate for her state. She is working with dementia groups to connect both people living with and care-providers with resources. She is using her experiences with dementia as an adult and having epilepsy since childhood to speak out with personal understanding and knowledge about hidden disabilities.

Julie has firm beliefs that if you want something in the world to get better you need to volunteer for the cause. Her hobbies include, Toastmasters, cycling, kayaking, jogging, ushering, literacy tutoring, dog rescue, and watercolor.

Pauline resides with her husband Dennis, their son Conor, and Lilly (super sweet dog).

Pauline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and dedicated many years working with Developmentally Disabled Adults in different settings. Pauline was also an advocate for her son who was diagnosed with Dyslexia and ADHD. Pauline made sure he received all the services needed and the education he deserved! Pauline trained in Orton Gillingham and Executive Function Deficits to assist her son at home. This training also helped the individuals she worked with.

Pauline enjoys attending Dementia Action Alliance groups during the week, various art classes, scrapbooking, participating in Stories in the Moment, chatting with family and friends, and visiting family in Pennsylvania. 

In 2023, Pauline was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. 

Laurie was diagnosed with young onset dementia in August of 2013 at the age of 55. Unable to continue a professional career she turned her focus towards helping others through their dementia journey. Laurie and her husband Roy work continuously to identify triggers that cause her confusion and they make adjustments to overcome obstacles. Laurie is a Dementia Mentor and is active in many support groups. On her website, dementiadaze.com, Laurie shares her feelings, challenges, symptoms, and adjustments in hopes of encouraging other individuals and families living with dementia to explore ways to live beyond dementia.