Secretary Kennedy Appoints New Chair and Ten New Members to Federal Alzheimer’s Advisory Council

WASHINGTON - January 29, 2026 - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. today announced the appointment of a new Chair and 10 new public members to the Advisory Council on Alzheimer's Research, Care, and Services. Established in 2011 under the National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA), the Advisory Council meets quarterly to advise the Secretary on reducing the burden of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

The newly appointed members bring a broad range of expertise and lived experience, including individuals with senior leadership experience in aging services, public health, and dementia advocacy, as well as a patient advocate living with dementia. Their perspectives will support HHS and its federal partners as the Department continues work to update the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease.

The new Chair is Michelle Branham, Secretary of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in 2021, Secretary Branham leads the state agency serving nearly 6.5 million Floridians. She brings more than 25 years of experience in Alzheimer's disease public policy, public health, and public relations.

"I welcome this accomplished group of new members to the Advisory Council," Secretary Kennedy said. "Alzheimer's disease devastates families, robbing people of their memory, independence, and dignity while placing heavy burdens on caregivers. We will not accept a future without answers. HHS is committed to pursuing real solutions with the help of these experts."

In addition to public members, the Advisory Council includes representatives from federal agencies across HHS, as well as the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense and the National Science Foundation. The 2024 NAPA Reauthorization Act expanded membership to include the Social Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Department of Justice.

Alzheimer's disease currently affects nearly seven million Americans and is projected to affect more than 20 million by 2050. Through NAPA, HHS coordinates efforts to accelerate research, improve care, and strengthen long-term services and supports for individuals living with dementia and their families.

Chair - Michelle Branham
Michelle Branham was appointed by Governor DeSantis four years ago and serves as Secretary of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, leading statewide initiatives that support more than 6.5 million Floridians age 60 and older. With more than 25 years of experience in public policy, public health, and advocacy, she is a recognized leader in aging and dementia policy. Her leadership is deeply focused on strengthening support for families, caregivers, and individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Her background includes nine years as Florida Vice President of Public Policy for the Alzheimer's Association and service as past Chair and current advisor to the State of Florida Alzheimer's Disease Advisory Committee. Under Secretary Branham's leadership, Florida has emerged as a national leader in dementia innovation, expanding caregiver supports, advancing evidence-based policy, and launching the Florida Alzheimer's Center of Excellence.

Vice-Chair - Katheryn Newkirk
Kate Webb Newkirk is a Licensed Graduate Social Worker and Geriatric Care Manager with Aging and Amazing, LLC, holding a Master of Social Work with a clinical concentration from The Catholic University of America. Her experience spans case management, public policy, nonprofit work, and direct care, from supporting residents in long-term care communities to lobbying for Alzheimer's legislation. As a TimeSlips Creative Storytelling Certified Practitioner, she is committed to advancing non-pharmacological interventions and enhancing quality of life for the elderly through advocacy, storytelling, and person-centered care.

John D. Couris
John D. Couris serves as President and CEO of the Florida Health Sciences Center, leading Tampa General Hospital, the primary teaching hospital for the University of South Florida Health Morsani College of Medicine. Under his leadership, Tampa General has grown into one of the nation's top integrated academic health systems, expanding access to academic medicine statewide while ranking among the top 20% of academic medical centers nationally for quality and safety. Couris has championed innovation in care delivery, including the development of TGH at Home and the use of advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence to improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. He was named one of Modern Healthcare's 2025 "100 Most Influential People in Healthcare" and serves as a trusted advisor to policymakers and industry leaders on health system transformation and access to care. Couris holds a doctorate in business administration from the University of South Florida and resides in Tampa with his wife and two children.

Samuel S. Giles
Dr. Samuel S. Giles MD is a practicing neurologist, chief medical officer, and medical director at Memory Treatment Centers, a group of community-based practices specializing in the timely diagnosis and safe implementation of disease modifying therapy for Alzheimer's disease patients. Dr. Giles has led the real-world diagnostic and treatment efforts for Alzheimer's disease and has been instrumental in the navigation of industry obstacles within this growing national infrastructure. He serves as founder and director of CerebraLinked, an Alzheimer's treatment-based platform providing streamlined interconnectivity, safeguards, and best practices across administrative, clinical and patient-centric domains. Dr. Giles is a thought leader in the area of real-world clinical approaches to safe treatment practices, having overseen the treatment of nearly 1200 Alzheimer's disease individuals with anti-amyloid therapy. He additionally has served as an advisor for the development of practical solutions to reach the underserved Alzheimer's disease community (among other neurological diseases) through the founding of Cerebrus Health Ventures. He earned his medical degree from Tufts University School of Medicine and residency training at the University of Florida in Jacksonville, where he was awarded the Golden Apple Teaching Award in addition to the Key Patient Advocate Award-awards that reflect his dedication to patient care and empathy. Dr. Giles resides in the Jacksonville area where he lives with his wife and 5 children.

Ricardo A. Hanel
Ricardo A. Hanel, MD, PhD, serves as Director of the Baptist Neurological Institute, Co-Director of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Surgery, and Endowed Chair of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Surgery at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, where he also directs the Cerebrovascular Fellowship. A nationally recognized neurosurgeon, Dr. Hanel specializes in innovative, minimally invasive endovascular treatments for stroke and cerebrovascular disease, including advanced aneurysm therapies. He earned his medical degree and PhD from Universidade Federal do Paraná in Brazil and completed advanced neurosurgical fellowships at SUNY Buffalo and the Barrow Neurological Institute. Dr. Hanel has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed publications, served as principal investigator in over 100 clinical trials, is a pioneer in lymphatic surgical flow augmentation for Alzheimer's disease, and is an active leader within national and international neurosurgical organizations.

James Hartsell
James S. Hartsell is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, currently serving as Executive Director of the Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs. He served in the Marine Corps with honor for 37 years of active and reserve duty, retiring in 2018. Concurrent with his reserve military career, General Hartsell completed a successful 22-year civilian career in the Healthcare Industry where he provided leadership in Marketing, Product Management, U.S. and Global Business Development, and Hospital Administration. He is a former elected president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs (NASDVA), where he championed the care of residents in State Veterans' Homes.

Michael Mayo
Michael A. Mayo, DHA, FACHE, serves as Executive-in-Residence for Baptist Health in North Florida, from which he recently retired as President and CEO. Baptist Health is a large integrated health system with a focus on quality patient care and community well-being. Dr. Mayo was responsible for over 15,000 team members and 2,900 medical staff, guiding Baptist Health to multiple recognitions for workplace excellence, diversity, and healthcare quality. With more than 32 years in healthcare leadership, Mayo chairs regional and state healthcare boards and committees, contributing to policy, quality, and patient safety initiatives. Mayo holds a Doctor of Healthcare Leadership & Management from Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Texas Woman's University, Denton, TX, and a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL.

Kristi Putnam
Kristi Putnam has more than 25 years of policy and hands-on experience in human services, early childhood services, aging and adult protective services, education, workforce development, and health policy in both the Executive and Legislative branches, and has helped lead numerous transformative statewide policy initiatives in Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, and others across the country. Most recently, Kristi served as Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Human Services under Governor Sarah Sanders from January 2023 - July 2025. She returned to Kentucky in late 2025 to be closer to family and currently is serving as Senior Policy Advisor to the Kentucky House of Representatives and as a Senior Fellow with the Cicero Institute, as well as serving in an advisor or board capacity for several social safety net leadership organizations. She believes in the power of connection to others as a transformational force, and in benevolent disruption of the status quo in government systems.

Steve Waterhouse
Steve Waterhouse is chair of the Alzheimer's Association of Central and North Florida and a recognized advocate at the state and national levels. His involvement with the organization began after his wife, Gina, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016. Professionally, Mr. Waterhouse built a career as an electrical engineer, author, consultant, and international speaker.

Gina Waterhouse
Gina Waterhouse was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2016 and subsequently participated for two years in the successful Aducanumab clinical trial. She remains an active advocate with the Alzheimer's Association at both the state and national levels. Mrs. Waterhouse previously worked as a television director and was a business partner with her husband, Steve Waterhouse, in a diverse range of entrepreneurial ventures.

Jonathan Weiss
Jonathan Weiss is an entrepreneur and business strategist focused on turning innovative technologies into real-world, system-level solutions. In his role as a senior executive at Insightec, Jonathan leads key industry partnerships supporting the advancement of non-invasive focused ultrasound therapy for neurological and neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease. In all aspects of his work across varying industries, Jonathan brings hands-on experience building and scaling initiatives in complex, high-stakes environments.

Continuing Member:

Randall Bateman
Randall Bateman is the Director of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU), a practicing neurologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, and the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology. Dr. Bateman's research focuses on the pathophysiology and development of improved diagnostics and treatments of AD. He was selected for the American Brain Foundation Potamkin Prize in 2019 and elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2020 for his many contributions to the understanding of this brain disease, such as developing a blood test which detects the earliest stages of AD. He is a key leader in the field and is particularly gifted at making research findings understandable for people with dementia and their families.