Keynotes

Carl V. Hill, Ph.D., MPH 

Wednesday, April 3 | 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Unforgettable: The Power of Community in the Pursuit of Representation and Equity for Dementia Science

Carl V. Hill, Ph.D., MPH is the chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for the Alzheimer’s Association, overseeing strategic initiatives to strengthen the Association’s outreach to all populations, and providing communities with resources and support to address the Alzheimer’s crisis.

In this role, Dr. Hill is responsible for driving Association-wide messaging and mobilization efforts addressing systemic health inequities in treatment, clinical trials and research. With support from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), Dr. Hill led the Association’s work to convene the first national conference dedicated specifically to addressing disparities and promoting equity in dementia science. AAIC Advancements: Toward Health Equity in Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias brings together researchers from around the world annually to examine disparities in dementia prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Hill also develops cross-functional partnerships with organizations to advance Alzheimer’s and other dementia awareness efforts and to deliver disease education to those who are disproportionately impacted and underserved. As a result of his leadership, the Association has broadened its reach to previously underserved communities with over 30 new national partners such as the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, National Indian Council on Aging, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Human Rights Campaign, National Black Nurses Association, and the National Association of Hispanic Nurses. In addition, under Dr. Hill’s guidance, the Association has extended partnerships with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and SAGE, while also establishing innovative partnerships such as the collaboration with GDavis Productions and Films to develop “Unforgettable,” a community-focused stage play that focuses on a family navigating Alzheimer’s disease and caregiving.

Within the Association, Dr. Hill collaborates with Human Resources to attract talent and develop resources that champion staff diversity and a culture of inclusion. He authored an editorial in the Journal of New England Medicine (JAMA) Neurology highlighting the need for more diverse, representative perspectives to address disparities and pursue equity in dementia science.

Dr. Hill previously served as the Association’s vice president of Scientific Engagement. Prior to joining the Association, he served as director, Office of Special Populations at the NIA, where he led the development of the NIA Health Disparities Research Framework. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, where he trained with the Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture and Health (CRECH) and the Program for Research on Black Americans (PRBA). He is an alumnus of the National Medical Fellowships Inc./W.K. Kellogg Foundation Health Policy Fellowship Program and holds a master’s degree in public health from Morehouse School of Medicine, and he received its Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2019.

Karriem Watson, DHSc, MS, MP

Thursday, April 4 | 8:00 AM - 9:15 AM

Precision Engagement in Translational and Genomic Research: From People to Pipettes to People​

Dr. Karriem S. Watson, DHSc, MS, MPH is the Chief Engagement Officer for the NIH All of Us Research Program. Dr. Watson comes to the NIH after 16 years in academia and community health. He previously served as the Associate Executive Director of a group of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in the Illinois area where he developed a community-engaged and implementation science research program. He was also faculty at the University of Illinois School of Public Health Division of Community Health Sciences. Dr. Watson’s research focused on cancer prevention and control and he previously had a Multi-PI R01 from the NIMHD looking at epigenetics in lung cancer screening among African American men and was funded in a Multi-PI project through the NHLBI UG3/UH3 looking at the implementation of evidence-based tobacco cessation in FQHCs. Dr. Watson also received funding from the NCI to develop a Citizen Science program that engaged African-American men in prostate and lung cancer screening. In addition to his research, Dr. Watson has been recognized as a national leader in community engagement having served as the past chair of Community Campus Partnerships for Health (CCPH) and being recognized by the Lungevity as a Community Champion. He is also passionate about mentoring and training up the next generation of young scientists and was recognized by the Chicago Urban League as an Innovator in STEM.

Elizabeth Drame, Ph.D.

Friday, April 5 | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Leading and Learning from Within: Centering Black Ways of Knowing in Autism Research

Elizabeth Drame, Ph.D. is a special education teacher educator, racial justice advocate, participatory action researcher, traveler, and mother. In her work, she collaborates with Black mothers, community advocates, educators, and students to create spaces where Black people’s narratives drive equity change. She is a Professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she prepares special educators and coordinates the Autism Spectrum Disorders Certificate Program. Dr. Drame teaches courses in the behavioral supports, assessment of students with disabilities, curriculum accommodations, foundations of autism spectrum disorders, action research, and collaborative strategies. In addition, Dr. Drame serves as the Special Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Her research centers on fostering positive educational outcomes for students with disabilities in inclusive schools, and social justice and equity issues in special education locally, regionally, and internationally with a focus on the African Diaspora. She earned her Ph.D. in Learning Disabilities/Communication Sciences and Disorders from Northwestern University. Dr. Drame served as a U.S. Fulbright Senior Research Fellow in the African Regional Research Program from 2011-2012 and 2018-2020 in Senegal, West Africa.

Tara Adams

Friday, April 5 | 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Leading and Learning from Within: Centering Black Ways of Knowing in Autism Research

Tara Adams earned a Data Entry certificate at Milwaukee Area Technical College. She works in disability advocacy and served as a family advocate for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Wisconsin Promise Program, helping families and youth receiving Social Security Supplemental Income to improve post-secondary outcomes. Tara is a scholar, conducting research published in the book, The Resistance, Persistence and Resilience of Black Families Raising Children with Autism published by Peter Lang. She is currently a co-researcher on a research study funded by the Spencer Foundation, titled Cultivating Black autistic youth agency in the context of police encounters in schools and communities. Tara is the proud mother of two young men, one of whom is autistic.