Who We Are

NDWS brings together more than 40 national experts in dementia clinical care, survey research methodology, the health care workforce, qualitative and mixed-methods inquiry, bioethics, and implementation science. They represent multiple university and non-profit partners including the University of Michigan; University of California, San Francisco; Brown University; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; University of Pennsylvania; Yale University; and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Other partners include Mathematica, RTI International, DLH,  Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Association (PALTmed), and several consultants, including PHI, a nonprofit direct care industry organization.

Work is carried out by five Core Teams: Administrative, Survey Design, Data Linkage, Data Collection, and Pilot Grants.

Leadership

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    Donovan Maust

    Principal Investigator

    Donovan Maust, MD, MS
    Professor and Willard C. Blackney Jr. and Geraldine LaTendresse Blackney Research Professor in Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Michigan

    Also Co-Lead of Administrative Core

    Donovan Maust is a geriatric psychiatrist at the University of Michigan and VA Ann Arbor and a health services researcher. As a practicing clinician, he is particularly interested in how the health care system provides care to persons living with dementia and the extent to which this care is determined by the clinicians who happen to be providing the care. His research frequently uses national surveys and linked administrative data, with a particular interest in psychotropic prescribing.

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    Joanne Spetz

    Principal Investigator

    Joanne Spetz, PhD
    Professor, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco

    Also Co-Lead of Administrative Core and Survey Design Core

    Joanne Spetz is an internationally known expert on the health workforce who leads the UCSF Health Workforce Research Center on Long-Term Care and the NIA-funded AWARD (Advancing Workforce Analysis and Research for Dementia) Network, focused on the direct care workforce for persons living with dementia.

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    Rachel Tocco

    Managing Director

    Rachel Tocco, MA
    Senior Administrative Manager, Psychiatry, University of Michigan

    Also Co-Lead of Administrative Core

    Rachel Tocco is a master’s-level research professional at the University of Michigan with more than 20 years of health services and population science research experience. She has dedicated her career to helping research teams conduct high-quality science in service of patients living with conditions that include dementia, cancer, traumatic brain injury, kidney and liver disease, and more. 

NDWS Staff

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    Julie Hendrickson
    Julie Hendrickson, MPA
    Research Administrator Senior

    Julie Hendrickson is responsible for pre-and post-award research administration-related activities for NDWS, including reconciliation of grants and contracts to ensure compliance according to award guidelines and yearly projections. Her entire career has been in higher education and includes extensive experience in financial management, budgeting, and grant administration. 

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    Danielle Norman
    Danielle Norman, MSW
    Program Manager

    Danielle Norman oversees organizational and logistical support for NDWS, including coordination of project timelines, regulatory matters, and day-to-day activities. She brings more than six years of experience in project coordination and management of health services research projects, including various CMS-funded projects.

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    Martha Pennington
    Martha Pennington, BA
    Communications Specialist

    Martha Pennington is responsible for the communications presence of NDWS, including communication plans, website content, and education and training materials. She has extensive experience in higher education, including more than ten years in marketing and communications. 

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    Joanie Rothstein
    Joanie Rothstein, MPP, MPH
    Senior Program Manager, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco

    Also a member of the Survey Design Core

    Joanie Rothstein is a program manager for NDWS, focused on survey development. She has extensive experience in education and health care. Her skills include strategic planning, policy, partnership building, and designing/evaluating programs to improve health and opportunities for children, families, and communities.

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    Kristen Zuck
    Kristen Zuck
    Senior Administrative Assistant

    Kristen Zuck provides administrative support to the NDWS team. Prior to joining NDWS, she spent ten years at a mid-Michigan health system, where her efforts focused on practitioner credentialing and enrollment for their clinically integrated network. She brings more than 20 years of administrative experience in the health care community, the medical insurance field, and workforce analytics. 

NIA Representatives

John Phillips, PhD
Program Officer
Acting Deputy Director and Branch Chief, Division of Behavioral and Social Research (DBSR)
Priscilla Novak, PhD
Program Scientist
NIA Division of Behavioral and Social Research (DBSR)

NDWS acknowledges the following people for their previous contributions:

  • Becky Clive, Regulatory Specialist, University of Michigan Medical School
  • Lisa Holland, Survey Research Center, University of Michigan
  • Gregg Peterson, formerly of the Survey Research Center, University of Michigan
  • Amber Rose, former Research Analyst, University of California, San Francisco