Troiani-Sweeney Endowed Fund Lecture Series Continues on October 30 with Presentation on Advancing Alzheimer’s Care

Yvonne Troiani-Sweeney '78 always had passion for the well-being of her patients. She dedicated her life to her nursing career that spanned 30 years after earning her bachelor's degree in nursing from East Stroudsburg University and a graduate degree in nursing from Villanova. Her colleagues and patients became her second family. Nursing led her to leadership roles at what is now the Lehigh Valley Health Network, Franklin Square Hospital in Maryland, Albert Einstein Medical Center, and the Geisinger Health System. Wherever her occupation led her, she became an inspiration to others for the incredible level of care she delivered every day.

All of that changed for Sweeney and her family when she was diagnosed with a form of early onset dementia called posterior cortical atrophy. She set aside her career and focused her energy on the daily challenges she faced, alongside her loving husband, Chris, and her two sons, Christopher III and Michael.

Support came in many ways from Sweeney's family. Her sister, Linda Niedbala '83 and Linda's husband, Sam Niedbala '82, started the Troiani-Sweeney Endowed Fund Lecture Series at ESU, which kicked off in March 2014. The Niedbalas wanted this initiative to be a lasting tribute to Sweeney's devotion to others while making a significant contribution to the education of health care professionals and the community-at-large about the cognitive impairment associated with dementia and other diseases of a similar nature. Sweeney passed away in May 2025.

The lecture series will continue, for the 13^th year, on Thursday, October 30 with a keynote address by Nathaniel Chin, M.D. titled "Advancing Alzheimer's Care: Science, Therapies, and the Power of the Team."

Dr. Nathaniel A. Chin is an associate professor with the University of Wisconsin Department of Medicine and Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology. Dr. Chin evaluates and cares for patients in the UW Health Memory Clinic where he also serves as the associate program director. His clinical focus is on the early identification of cognitive impairment, appropriate inclusion of novel biomarkers in the diagnostic process, and the development of a holistic approach to care post-diagnosis.

Dr. Chin is the medical director of the WI Alzheimer's Disease Research Study, the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer's Prevention Study, and the ADRC consortium for Clarity in ADRD Research Through Imaging (CLARiTI). His research focuses on understanding the perceptions and implications of biomarker disclosure as well as the impact of addressing modifiable risk factors. He has created over 200 podcasts on AD research and caregiving topics under his podcast called Dementia Matters.

The Troiani-Sweeney Endowed Fund Lecture will take place in the Niedbala Auditorium located inside Warren E. '55 & Sandra Hoeffner Science and Technology Center at 6 p.m. A reception will follow the presentation. The event is open to the general public at no cost.

"This endowed lecture series is a tremendous gift to the university and to our medical community," said ESU President Kenneth Long.

To register for the event, please visit www.esufoundation.org/troiani-sweeney-lecture-series-2025 or call (570) 422-3332. Space is limited for this event. For more information about the lecture series, please contact the College of Health Sciences at (570) 422-3425 or [email protected]. Those interested in making a gift to the Troiani-Sweeney Endowed Fund Lecture Series may contact the ESU Foundation at www.esufoundation.org/give-now or call (570) 422-3333.