UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Names Danielle Carnival, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer; Co-Founder George Vradenburg Continues as Executive Chairman
Appointment builds on momentum and urgency in the fight to end Alzheimer’s
Press Release Disclaimer: This is a press release distributed through the XPR Media network. It has not been independently verified by our newsroom.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — UsAgainstAlzheimer’s (UsA2) today announced the appointment of Danielle Carnival, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer, effective January 4, 2027. A neuroscientist with a record of tackling major health challenges, building bipartisan coalitions, and translating scientific advances into policy outcomes, Dr. Carnival will strengthen the organization’s efforts to end Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr. Carnival will be responsible for UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and its corporate roundtable, the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease (CEOi). George Vradenburg, who co-founded and built UsAgainstAlzheimer’s into a disruptive advocacy powerhouse, will continue to serve as Executive Chairman.
“UsAgainstAlzheimer’s growing impact on preventing Alzheimer’s and related dementias requires greater executive capacity,” said George Vradenburg, Co-founder, current Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “Danielle’s appointment is a reflection not only of where this organization is today — our strength, our visibility, our impact — but also a signal of the increased impact we expect to have in the coming years. There has never been more optimism about our ability to end this disease, and I look forward to partnering with Danielle as we find more innovative approaches to advance our mission: ending Alzheimer’s and related dementias.”
Experience in science, policy, and patient advocacy
Dr. Carnival earned her doctorate in neuroscience from Georgetown University and has spent her career at the intersection of science, policy, and patient-driven movements. Most recently, she served as Chief Executive Officer of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network Foundation (UDNF). Prior to UDNF, she was the inaugural CEO of I AM ALS where she spearheaded the patient advocacy campaign that led to the passage of bipartisan legislation to expand patient access to ALS therapies. She also worked to increase investment in ALS research while building a patient-led advocacy model recognized nationally. She then led the White House Cancer Moonshot from 2021 to 2025, driving more than 125 federal actions and securing commitments from more than 250 private-sector organizations to improve outcomes for people facing cancer.
Turning scientific progress into patient impact
Dr. Carnival joins at a moment of significant momentum: the first disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s have reached patients, significant progress has been made in diagnostics with the identification of new biomarkers, and the federal government’s commitment to investment in research on Alzheimer’s and related dementias has never been stronger. Science is now breaking down some of the most fundamental barriers to understanding and treating this disease, and the breakthroughs ahead will be the most consequential yet.
Importantly, this scientific progress must translate into meaningful improvement in the lives of American families affected by Alzheimer’s. That impact must include expanded access to new diagnostics, treatments and risk-reduction strategies for all Americans, including those in communities that have historically been medically underserved and disproportionately impacted by Alzheimer’s.
More than 7 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease and tens of millions report having Alzheimer’s or related dementia in their families; UsAgainstAlzheimer’s will not rest until this disease is conquered.
A shared commitment to ending Alzheimer’s
“Beating Alzheimer’s is a mission I have prepared for my entire career and why I became a neuroscientist,” said Danielle Carnival, incoming Chief Executive Officer of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. “The science is advancing, the coalitions are strong, and the path forward is clear. I am committed to this mission and to the patients and families living with and fearing this disease who are counting on us to keep moving faster than ever.”
“I have spent more than two decades fighting Alzheimer’s as a caregiver and an advocate. For families confronting this disease, urgency is not an abstraction,” said Meryl Comer, Co-founder of UsAgainstAlzheimer’s and Member of the Board Search Committee. “In Danielle, we welcome a leader with the scientific depth, the skill to inspire and unite diverse coalitions around a common purpose, and tenacity to turn our shared urgency into progress that changes lives.”
Strengthening operational leadership
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s also announced that Catherine Patterson will become Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Patterson has served as Acting Chief Operating Officer for the past eight months.
About UsAgainstAlzheimer’s
UsAgainstAlzheimer’s is engaged in a relentless pursuit to end Alzheimer’s, the sixth leading killer in America. Our work centers on prevention, early detection and diagnosis, and equal access to treatments regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity. We give voice to patients and caregivers and partner with government, scientists, the private sector, and allied organizations—the people who put the “Us” in UsAgainstAlzheimer’s.
Contact: Chantez Bailey, Cbailey@usagainstalzheimers.org
Media gallery