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.
NTG Officers
Co-President: Matthew P. Janicki
Co-President: Seth M. Keller
Vice President: Kathleen Bishop
Treasurer: Helen Stepowany
Secretary: Kathryn Service
Our Staff
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, M.S. (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, M.D. (NJ)
Christina Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D. (MI)
Philip McCallion, Ph.D. (PA)
Mary Milnamon, M.S.S. (NY)
Teresa Moro, Ph.D. (IL)
Dawna Torres Mughal, Ph.D. (PA)
Nancy Murray, M.S. (PA)
Rick Rader, M.D. (TN)
Kathryn Service, FNP (MA)
Helen E. Stepowany, M.S (NY)
Board Members on Federal Councils
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Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Disease Research, Care, and Services - Matthew P. Janicki, Ph.D. (past member)
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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)
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, Ph.D., 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
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
Ley Linder (SC) 2021-2023
From 2011 to 2020, the NTG was managed by a steering committee composed of the following NTG members:
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Kathleen Bishop, Ph.D. (NY/FL)
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Nicole Cadovius, MBA (CT)
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Melissa Disipio, MSW (PA)
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Lucille Esralew, Ph.D. (CA)
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Lawrence T. Force, Ph.D. (NY)
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Paula Gann (CA)
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Andrew Griffin, Ph.D. (TX)
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Rachel Grimm (DC)
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Ashley Helsing (DC)
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Adel Herge, Ph.D. (PA)
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Mary Hogan, MAT (ME)
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Matthew P. Janicki, Ph.D. (Co-Chair) (ME)
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Nancy Jokinen, Ph.D. (BC)
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Seth M. Keller, M.D. (Co-Chair) (NJ)
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Ronald Lucchino, Ph.D. (NM)
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Christina Marsack-Topolewski, Ph.D. (MI)
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Philip McCallion, Ph.D. (PA)
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Julie Moran, D.O. (MA)
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Dawna Torres Mughal, Ph.D. (PA)
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Leone Murphy, M.S.W. (NJ)
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Melissa Parnell, Ph.D. (NC)
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Kathryn Pears, MPPM (SC)
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Rick Rader, M.D. (TN)
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Mike Rafii, M.D. (CA)
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Jadene Ransdell (FL)
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Kathy Service, FNP (MA)
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Baldev Singh, M.D. (NY)
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Kathy Srsic-Stoehr, MSN (VA)
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Helen Stepowany, MS (NY)