Expert panel sits at the center of this dementia and brain health question.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appointed a new Chair and 10 new members to the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services on January 29, 2026, marking a significant shift in who will guide the nation’s Alzheimer’s strategy. Michelle Branham, Secretary of Florida’s Department of Elder Affairs with over 25 years of experience in Alzheimer’s disease public policy and public health, assumes the role of Chair—a position that directly influences how federal resources and research priorities are allocated across the country’s aging population.
This appointment signals a renewed commitment to reshaping how the United States approaches Alzheimer’s care, research, and services during a critical moment when the disease affects millions of Americans and their families. The new council brings together experts spanning neurology, hospital leadership, policy, patient advocacy, and adult protective services. Rather than relying solely on academic researchers, the panel now includes voices from the front lines of dementia care—people who understand both the clinical challenges and the real-world barriers families face when accessing treatment and support. This article examines who these appointees are, what their expertise brings to national planning, and what their priorities mean for Alzheimer’s disease policy in 2026 and beyond.
Table of Contents
- Who Are the New Council Members and What Expertise Do They Bring?
- What Is the Advisory Council’s Role in Shaping National Alzheimer’s Strategy?
- How Does This Panel Compare to Previous Council Leadership?
- What Are the Council’s Immediate Priorities?
- What Do These Appointments Mean for Dementia Care and Family Caregivers?
- How Will the Council’s Work Translate Into Real-World Impact?
- Looking Ahead – What’s Next for National Alzheimer’s Strategy?
- Conclusion
Who Are the New Council Members and What Expertise Do They Bring?
The January 2026 appointments represent a deliberate diversification of the council’s composition. Beyond Chair Michelle Branham and Vice Chair Katheryn newkirk, LGSW-DC, the panel now includes Dr. Samuel S. Giles, a practicing neurologist and Chief Medical Officer at Memory Treatment Centers, who specializes in diagnosis and disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s patients. John D.
Couris, President and CEO of Florida health Sciences Center and leader of Tampa General Hospital, brings healthcare system management experience. Kristi Putnam, who served as Secretary of Arkansas’s Department of Human Services from January 2023 to July 2025 under Governor Sarah Sanders and holds 25+ years of policy experience in aging and adult protective services, rounds out the publicly identified members. What distinguishes this group is the balance between clinical expertise, administrative experience, and policy knowledge. Branham’s background is particularly notable—her tenure in Florida, a state with one of the oldest populations in the nation, means she understands the pressure Alzheimer’s care systems face in real time. Unlike previous councils that tilted heavily toward academic researchers, this panel includes people who run hospitals, manage state aging services, and work directly with patients navigating dementia diagnosis and treatment. However, with only a few members named publicly at appointment, the full composition of all 11 new members extends beyond what’s immediately visible, suggesting the council may include additional patient advocates or caregivers whose roles haven’t been detailed in official announcements.
What Is the Advisory Council’s Role in Shaping National Alzheimer’s Strategy?
The Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s research, Care, and Services was established in 2011 under the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), giving it formal authority to advise the HHS Secretary on reducing the burden of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. The council meets quarterly—roughly every three months—to review research priorities, evaluate care delivery systems, examine service gaps, and recommend policy adjustments to federal officials. These recommendations flow directly into the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease, a comprehensive federal strategy that shapes research funding, care standards, and support programs across all 50 states. The council’s actual influence, however, operates within clear limitations.
While the body can recommend priorities and identify gaps, implementation depends on Congressional funding, agency budgets, and state-level adoption of federal guidance. A recommendation from the council doesn’t automatically become policy—it must navigate the federal bureaucracy and compete for resources alongside other health priorities. That said, when a council includes heavyweight figures like a state department secretary and hospital CEOs, those recommendations carry more institutional weight. Branham’s appointment, in particular, signals that the 2026 council’s advice will come from someone who understands how federal guidance translates—or fails to translate—into actual care delivery at the state and local level.
How Does This Panel Compare to Previous Council Leadership?
The shift in 2026 reflects a deliberate change in direction from previous advisory councils. Since the council’s establishment in 2011, it has evolved from a largely research-focused body to one increasingly focused on care infrastructure and service delivery. Branham’s appointment as Chair specifically breaks from a pattern of academic leadership, replacing previous chairs with someone whose expertise centers on the public health and policy dimensions of Alzheimer’s disease rather than basic science research. This matters because the priorities council leadership emphasizes shape which topics receive deeper investigation and resources.
A research-focused council might prioritize emerging biomarkers or clinical trial recruitment. Branham’s leadership, combined with Putnam’s background in adult protective services and Newkirk’s social work credentials, suggests the 2026 council will likely emphasize access gaps, quality of care in residential settings, and support for family caregivers. Florida and Arkansas both have significant populations of older adults, so Branham and Putnam bring hands-on experience managing Alzheimer’s care demand in high-prevalence states. This represents a maturation of national Alzheimer’s strategy—moving from asking “what should we research?” to asking “how do we ensure people actually receive good care?”.
What Are the Council’s Immediate Priorities?
The council held its first 2026 meeting on February 9, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., when new members were officially sworn in and the agenda for the year began taking shape. During 2025 and 2026, HHS and federal partners committed to working with the Advisory Council to amend the goals and strategies of the National Plan to reflect progress over the previous 13 years and to establish a vision for the next phase of national Alzheimer’s efforts. This is not routine annual business—a 13-year review represents a major recalibration of the entire federal approach to Alzheimer’s disease.
The 2026 National Plan amendments will likely reflect significant changes in Alzheimer’s science and care since 2013. The approval of disease-modifying monoclonal antibody therapies, increased diversity in clinical trial recruitment, expanded telemedicine options, and growing awareness of health disparities in dementia diagnosis all represent topics the council may address. However, amending a national plan is a lengthy process requiring consensus across multiple federal agencies, academic institutions, advocacy groups, and state representatives. The timeline from February’s first meeting to finalized amended goals could easily span several months, meaning concrete changes may not fully materialize until late 2026 or early 2027.
What Do These Appointments Mean for Dementia Care and Family Caregivers?
For the millions of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and their families, these appointments are significant because council priorities eventually influence federal funding streams, research initiatives, and care standards that cascade down to the state and local level. If the council emphasizes caregiver support, for example, that emphasis might translate into expanded funding for adult day programs or respite care initiatives. If the council prioritizes health equity in Alzheimer’s diagnosis, recommendations might lead to new screening programs in underserved communities.
One important limitation, however: the Advisory Council can recommend but cannot mandate state action. A state government can receive federal guidance on best practices for dementia-friendly communities or caregiver support programs and choose not to implement them fully. Florida and Arkansas, both represented by new council members, are not necessarily positioned to implement recommendations faster than other states—though their representatives’ direct experience may make them more credible advocates for certain priorities. Additionally, even with a council actively recommending changes, federal funding for aging services and dementia care has not kept pace with the growing population of older adults with cognitive decline, so new recommendations may face implementation barriers due to resource constraints.
How Will the Council’s Work Translate Into Real-World Impact?
The quarterly meeting schedule means the council gathers four times per year to review progress, hear expert testimony, and draft recommendations. These meetings are open to the public—Federal Register notices announce meeting dates and agendas, and stakeholders from patient advocacy organizations, care providers, and researchers attend to provide input. The council’s work products—formal recommendations submitted to the HHS Secretary—then become part of the official record and inform policy discussions within federal agencies responsible for Medicare, Medicaid, research funding, and aging services.
A concrete example of council impact: in 2023 and 2024, previous advisory councils recommended that Medicare coverage decisions account for real-world effectiveness data, not just clinical trial outcomes. That recommendation influenced how CMS evaluated approval criteria for disease-modifying Alzheimer’s treatments, ultimately shaping which patients could access expensive monoclonal antibody therapies through Medicare. The new council, with Branham and Putnam’s policy experience, is likely to continue pushing for recommendations that center on implementation and care access rather than only research advancement.
Looking Ahead – What’s Next for National Alzheimer’s Strategy?
The appointment of a new council during HHS Secretary Kennedy’s tenure signals a shift in how the federal government approaches Alzheimer’s disease. Previous councils operated under longstanding national plan guidance; this one will actively reshape that guidance based on 13 years of accumulated evidence, policy lessons, and clinical advances.
The broader context is important: Americans age 65 and older will comprise nearly 23% of the population by 2060, and the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease is projected to continue rising significantly in coming decades. The council’s work will help determine whether the nation’s Alzheimer’s strategy addresses this growth proactively or reactively. Will the updated National Plan emphasize early detection in primary care? Will it recommend changes to how states fund long-term care and residential facilities for people with dementia? Will it address the shortage of geriatric specialists and neurologists in rural areas? These are questions the 2026 council will tackle, and the direction it sets will influence federal policy for years to come.
Conclusion
The January 2026 appointment of Michelle Branham as Chair and 10 new council members represents a deliberate recalibration of national Alzheimer’s strategy toward implementation, care delivery, and real-world health equity. This council brings together people with deep expertise in public health policy, clinical neurology, hospital management, and protective services—a composition that reflects where the nation’s Alzheimer’s strategy is headed. Rather than focusing exclusively on research breakthroughs, the new council is positioned to ask harder questions about whether those breakthroughs reach the patients who need them and whether care systems can support growing numbers of people living with dementia.
For families navigating Alzheimer’s disease, the impact of these appointments will unfold gradually through 2026 and beyond as the council’s recommendations shape federal funding, care standards, and research priorities. The 13-year review of the National Plan is an opportunity to course-correct based on evidence and experience. Staying informed about the council’s quarterly meetings and recommendations—available through Federal Register notices and HHS announcements—allows patients, families, and care providers to understand how national strategy is evolving and to weigh in on priorities that matter most to their communities.
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