Check-in for anyone wishing to receive CEU’s for attending the conference.

Kick-off for the 2024 Virtual Alzheimer’s & Dementia Caregivers Conference! 

Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes represents District 37A, which is comprised of both Dorchester and Wicomico counties. She is the second African American and first woman to hold the seat. She served as the Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates from 2019-2024 and is the first African American woman from the Eastern Shore to hold the position. She served as an elector for the 2020 Presidential Election. Delegate Sample-Hughes is a member of the House Judiciary Committee. Nationally, Delegate Sample-Hughes is the Co-Vice Chair of Women in Government and an At-Large member of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators. 

Delegate Sample-Hughes has received several awards including the Rural Maryland Council’s Rural Champion Award, the Daily Record’s Top 100 Women in Maryland and most recently the Distinguished Friend of Electric Cooperatives Award. A graduate of Delaware State University and Wilmington University, Delegate Sample-Hughes holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations, a Master of Science Degree in Management with a concentration in Public Administration and a certification from University of Maryland College Park’s Academy of Excellence for Public Policy. She is currently enrolled in the Mortuary Science program at the Community College of Baltimore County.

Delegate Sample-Hughes is married to Desmond, has two sons: Jordan, and Noah and is Grandmom to Hunter, an Irish Doodle. She has dedicated her life in service to her family, community, and the State of Maryland. She truly lives what she speaks and means it when she says:

“Yours In Service”

Christopher Weber, Ph.D., director, Global Science Initiatives, oversees efforts to advance the scientific agenda of the Alzheimer’s Association, the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer’s research. The Association currently has more than $405 million invested in over 1,100 active projects in 56 countries spanning 6 continents. With over 20 years of clinical research experience, Dr. Weber is responsible for communicating the global research landscape of Alzheimer’s and dementia, including the breadth and reach of the Association’s research programs and the critical need for increased research funding from the public and private sectors.

Dr. Weber directs Association initiatives that convene leaders from across the field to develop, expand and increase the success rate of Alzheimer’s diagnostic tools and drugs to treat and prevent the disease. He manages the Alzheimer’s Association Research Roundtable, a platform that enables international scientific, industry and government leaders to overcome shared obstacles in Alzheimer’s science and drug development. He also oversees the Global Biomarker Standardization Consortium (GBSC), an initiative that unites key researchers and clinicians with industry, regulatory and government leaders to achieve consensus on the best ways to standardize and validate biomarker tests for use in clinical practices worldwide. In addition, Dr. Weber leads the Alzheimer’s Association Business Consortium (AABC), which advances innovation in small- and medium-size biotechnology, diagnostics, medical device and contract organizations through pre-competitive collaborations, knowledge sharing and visibility.

He also manages Association efforts as the convener of the Private Partner Scientific Board (PPSB) for ADNI4, the five-year extension of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) funded by the NIA with the goal of validating biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in clinical trials.

Dr. Weber received his doctorate in clinical psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He holds a master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. In his personal time, he fundraises for Alzheimer’s Association research efforts and has participated in many Ride to End ALZ® events across the United States.

Jennifer Schermerhorn, LCSW, holds her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work from Salisbury University.  She currently serves as the Director of Graduate Field Education and is a clinical associate professor in the School of Social Work at Salisbury University.  Her practice background includes over ten years of experience in long-term care as a nursing home social worker.  Jennifer is a Community Educator volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association, delivering education programs to both the local community and virtually and is the vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center. 

See below for panel discussion presenters and topics.

Amanda Distefano is the current Long Term Services Division Director at the Maryland Department of Aging and will be discussing the vast amount of resources available to Maryland residents through the Department of Aging.

Laura is an applied gerontologist, educator, and care partner. Her goal is to optimize aging outcomes through education, advocacy, and translational research. She believes that meaningful living as well as finding joy in everyday life are key to what matter most, and these can be achieved for all of us. Her roles in the community focus on helping others to navigate a dementia or life course journey, educating on evidence-based best practices and strategies, and advocating for support and positive change.

Lauren J. Blair, MSW, LMSW

Lauren Blair is the Community Relations & Development Manager and Caregiver Academy Moderator at Coastal Hospice. Lauren, a native of Worcester County, received her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Social Work from Salisbury University, where she graduated summa cum laude. Lauren has more than 17 years of experience in the healthcare field, is a Licensed Master Social Worker in the state of Maryland, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Delaware. Prior to coming on board at Coastal Hospice, Lauren spent almost a decade at Salisbury Rehabilitation and Nursing Center where she was most recently the Memory Support Program Director, specializing in dementia care.

Lauren serves on the Board of Directors at the Grace Center of Maternal & Women’s Health and was a nominee of the 2023 Women to Watch of the Chesapeake. She serves as a Subject Matter Expert for the Dementia Care Resources Initiative through the National Partnership for Healthcare and Hospice Innovation, is the co-author of the “Dementia Care Patient & Caregiver Resource Guide”, and is currently co-authoring the “Dementia Care Provider Guide”.

During her time in the healthcare field, Lauren has developed strong relationships with local physicians, nursing homes, hospitals, and assisted living facilities. Lauren is committed to helping providers, patients, and their loved ones recognize how hospice services can help.

Lauren and her husband, Justin, have been married for 13 years and have a 3 year old daughter. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, and the beach.

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Kathy Mutzberg, LCSW-C, graduated with a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland at Baltimore; Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work from Salisbury University; Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Maryland, University College; and an Associate of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice, Corrections from Montgomery College, Rockville. Kathy started her Social Work career at the Life Crisis Center in Salisbury, MD where she began as a Hotline Counselor; developed the Victim of Crimes Over 55 Program; and then developed the Legal Services Program before moving into Maryland State Service. With the state, Kathy started in Wicomico County Child Protective Services and then transitioned into Wicomico County Adult Services. Kathy spent 7 years working at the Holly Center in Salisbury, MD where she managed one of the Residences and then transitioned into Training for Holly Center staff as well as DDA. Kathy returned to Wicomico County Department of Social Services as the Supervisor of Adult Services where she oversees Investigations, Continuing Adult Protection, Guardianship, Social Service to Adults, In Home Aid Service, Project Home Provider, Project Home Resident, and Respite.

From a small town on the Mid Shore, Sandra began her career in radio, where she became comfortable in being part a community and learning their needs. 22 years later, Sandra embarked on a new journey putting those radio skills to use in the community working in the Non-Profit Sector. Now, Sandra continues her passion assisting Seniors in remaining independent and Thriving in their communities. With her role at MAC, Sandra has the opportunity to talk to Seniors daily about how Assistive Technology can change their lives.Toggle Content

Juanita Sutton is Senior Paralegal and Lower Shore Manager for Shore Legal Access. She joined SLA in 2018 and has engaged in promoting and delivering the mission to our community ever since. In addition to being somewhat of a foodie, Juanita enjoys spending time with and cooking for family and friends. She says the favorite dishes she is asked to make are lasagna, Italian braised pork, and her chili. Juanita is a self-proclaimed wannabe gardener and is pleased at seeing how well her herbs and perennials do without too much fuss on her part. She likes traveling and appreciates the diversity and cultures of different people, not to mention the awesome food and incredible scenery that goes with that. Juanita has a positive outlook and says she looks forward to a time when she can swim with dolphins anytime and beckon any bird to her call.

Dr. Umoh holds a bachelor’s degree in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science and a Doctor of Medicine and a Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience from Emory University. She completed her Internal Medicine residency training at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Internal Medicine Residency Program and her clinical fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. 

Her research aims to improve health outcomes for older adults with cognitive decline. She is interested in improving our understanding of the overlap between delirium and dementia in older adults and the social, demographic, and biological factors that influence this relationship. Additionally, she is interested in social connections in older adults and identification of risk and protective factors for social isolation in older adults to decrease this detrimental condition that has been closely linked to dementia. As a part of her T32 training, she plans to combine her prior clinical and research training to use patient biomarker data and survey data available from large national cohorts to better understand the effect of delirium on cognitive decline, and the influence of social and demographic factors on these trajectories.

As a fellow she was awarded the John R. Burton Scholarship, an award designed to encourage interdisciplinary and interprofessional scholarly activities dedicated to improving the care of older adults.  She is an active member of the American Geriatric society and the American Delirium society.