FEATURED SPEAKERS
Rebecca M. Edelmayer, Ph.D.
Vice President, Scientific Engagement, Alzheimer's Association
As Vice President, Scientific Engagement for the Alzheimer's Association, Dr. Edelmayer leads efforts to accelerate the organization's scientific agenda through the creation and delivery of ongoing research education. She provides leadership on several of the Association's national and international initiatives in dementia science uniting researchers and clinicians on topics related to biomarker testing, drug discovery and therapeutic development.
She has more than 20 years of experience as a scientist and educator, spending more than six years as a pharmacologist in the Neuroscience and Immunology Divisions at Abbott and AbbVie. She has lectured, published and led collaborations in areas of neurodegenerative disease, neurophysiology, and pain neurobiology.
She completed her Ph.D. and postdoctoral training in medical pharmacology with a focus on neuropharmacology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. She holds a bachelor's degree in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh, where she also completed a NIMH research fellowship.
Jeffrey Katula, Ph.D., MA
Professor & McDonough Family Faculty Fellow, Director of Graduate Studies,
Executive Director, HELPs, Wake Forest University
Dr. Katula is a Professor, McDonough Family Faculty Fellow, and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Health & Exercise Science at Wake Forest University. He studies the relationships among human behavior and chronic health conditions, particularly in the areas of cognitive and physical functioning in older adults.
He has been PI, MPI, or Co-investigator in numerous single and multi-site health behavior trials in healthy and symptomatic older adults, and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Intervention Oversight Committee of the US POINTER Study. Dr. Katula's primary role in these studies is to design, monitor, and evaluate theoretically-driven interventions for health behavior change.
He is also a co-investigator of the Wake Forest Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and he is the Executive Director of Healthy Exercise and Lifestyle Programs (HELPs), a community-based, medically supervised clinical exercise and chronic disease management program at Wake Forest University.
EMCEES
Paul Lisnek, J.D., Ph.D.
WGN-TV Political and Legal Analyst;
Host, Behind the Curtain
Paul Lisnek is a multi-Emmy, Cablefax, Telly, Communicator, and Beacon Award winning television host and analyst. Paul has been the political and legal analyst for WGN-TV since 2008, appearing on all the station's newscasts. He anchors WGN-TV Political Report on Sunday mornings, and "Behind the Curtain," an in-depth look at theater and the arts airing weekends on the WGN+ TV stream and on wgnradio.com. He is a fill-in host on WGN Radio.
Paul is the author of fifteen books including "Assume Guilt," and "Assume Treason" (the 2022 Finalist for Best Mystery/Fiction by Indie Books) and "Winning the Mind Game" among others.
The Museum of Broadcast Communication in Chicago is home to the Paul M. Lisnek Gallery, a permanent exhibit detailing and honoring Paul's long career in television and radio.
In 2023, the Chicago City Council honored Paul by declaring June 19th "Paul Lisnek Day" in the City of Chicago.
Paul lost his Mother to Alzheimer's Disease and is thankful to honor her memory.
Jeanne Sparrow
On Air Personality, WVAZ (V103) & Author, Fearless Authenticity: Lead Better, Sell More, and Speak Sensationally
Jeanne Sparrow is an author, award-winning speaker, trusted leadership and communication consultant and graduate faculty instructor at Northwestern University. She is also a 7-time Emmy-winning television host, award-winning radio personality and podcast host with over 30 years' experience in broadcasting and media.
Jeanne helps people and organizations amplify their impact and find more success by delivering their unique, authentic value through visionary leadership, effective sales, and inspiring speaking.
You can listen to her podcast Fearless Authenticity with Jeanne Sparrow and find her book, Fearless Authenticity: Lead Better, Sell More and Speak Sensationally at your favorite bookseller.