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NTG Leadership

National Task Group

The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices is 501(3)(c) not-for-profit tax exempt corporation and licensed for charitable solicitations under the laws of the State of Maine.

 

The NTG is governed by a Board of Directors and has a subsidiary Advisory Body, made up of NTG associate members, and a Scientific Consultative Panel.  Its mission is to advocate for services and supports for people with intellectual disability and their families who are affected by Alzheimer's disease and dementias.

Board Announcements

NTG Board Meeting

Thursday, April 20, 2023

7:00 - 8:30pm EDT

upcoming 2023: 5/18, 6/18, 8/17

NTG Officers

Co-President: Matthew P. Janicki

Co-President: Seth M. Keller

Vice President: Kathleen Bishop

Treasurer: Ley Linder

Secretary: Kathryn Service

Our Staff

image_50736641 - photo.JPG
Kathryn Pears, MPPM
Director of Operations

Ms. Pears has been professionally involved in the field of dementia for over 30 years and served as the Director of Programs and Policy for the Alzheimer's Association's Maine Chapter. She previously served on the NTG's Steering Committee and Board of Directors.  

NTG Board of Directors

Marianne Barbera  (NY)

Kathleen Bishop, Ph.D. (FL)

Lucille Esralew, Ph.D. (CA)

Colleen Hatcher, M.Ed. (MD)

Adel Herge, OTD  (PA)

Matthew P. Janicki, Ph.D. (ME)

Nancy S. Jokinen, Ph.D. (BC)

Seth M. Keller, MD  (NJ)

Risley 'Ley' Linder, MA/MEd (SC)

Christina Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D.  (MI)

Philip McCallion, Ph.D. (PA)

Dawna Torres Mughal, Ph.D. (PA)

Nancy Murray, M.S. (PA)

Rick Rader, MD  (TN)

Kathryn Service, FNP  (MA)

Helen E. Stepowany, MS  (NY)

Board Members on Federal Councils

  • Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Care, and Services - Matthew P. Janicki, Ph.D.

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  • National Council on Disability - Rick Rader, MD (past member)

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  • RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council - Nancy Murray, MS  (past co-chair)

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NTG Scientific Consultative Panel

Lucille Esralew, Ph.D. California Department of Developmental Services, Sacramento, CA - CHAIR

Brian Chicoine, M.D., Adult Down Syndrome Center, Lutheran General Hospital, Park Ridge, IL

Matthew P. Janicki, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago

James Hendrix, PhD, Denver, CO

Julie Moran, D.O., Tewksbury Hospital, and Instructor in Medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA

​Micheal Rafii, M.D., Ph.D., Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

Shahin Shooshtari, Ph.D., University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada

Karen Watchman, Ph.D., University of Stirling, Scotland

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Other panel appointments are currently in process.

Past Board Members
   Paula Gann (CA) 2020-2021
   Jadene Ransdell (FL) 2020-2022
   Nicole Cadovius (CT) 2020-2022

   Andrew Griffin (TX) 2020-2022
   Marissa Parnell (NC) 2020-2022

   Kathryn Pears (SC) 2020-2023

From 2011 to 2020, the NTG was managed by a steering committee composed of the following NTG members:

  • Kathleen Bishop, Ph.D.  (NY/FL)

  • Nicole Cadovius, MBA  (CT)

  • Melissa Disipio, MSW  (PA)

  • Lucille Esralew, Ph.D.  (CA)

  • Lawrence T. Force, Ph.D.  (NY)

  • Paula Gann  (CA)

  • Andrew Griffin, Ph.D.  (TX)

  • Rachel Grimm  (DC)

  • Ashley Helsing  (DC)

  • Adel Herge, Ph.D. (PA)

  • Mary Hogan, MAT  (ME)

  • Matthew P. Janicki, Ph.D. (Co-Chair)  (ME)

  • Nancy Jokinen, Ph.D.  (BC)

  • Seth M. Keller, M.D. (Co-Chair)  (NJ)

  • Ronald Lucchino, Ph.D.  (NM)

  • Christina Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D.  (MI)

  • Philip McCallion, Ph.D.  (PA)

  • Julie Moran, D.O.  (MA)

  • Dawna Torres Mughal, Ph.D.  (PA)

  • Leone Murphy, M.S.W.  (NJ)

  • Melissa Parnell, Ph.D.  (NC)

  • Kathryn Pears, MPPM  (SC)

  • Rick Rader, M.D.  (TN)

  • Mike Rafii, M.D.  (CA)

  • Jadene Ransdell  (FL)

  • Kathy Service, FNP  (MA)

  • Baldev Singh, M.D.  (NY)

  • Kathy Srsic-Stoehr, MSN  (VA)

  • Helen Stepowany, MS  (NY)

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