UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program
Our Dementia Care Specialists work closely with referring providers to create customized care plans for patients and families living with dementia.
The UCLA Health Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program (ADC Program) provides support for patients who have already received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Our Dementia Care Specialists are nurse practitioners trained to provide comprehensive and collaborative dementia care within the UCLA healthcare system and the local community.
Highlights of our program include:
Comprehensive dementia care: When patients first establish care with the ADC Program, their Dementia Care Specialist will conduct a comprehensive evaluation. Each patient and family are given a personalized care plan, including recommendations for their medical, behavioral, and social needs. Care plans are modified over time to meet the evolving needs of our patients.
24/7 access: For established patients and families, we provide 24/7 telephone access to a provider. This benefit helps reduce emergency department visits and hospitalizations while providing extra support and guidance.
Caregiver Resources: We offer extensive caregiver education and support, both within the UCLA healthcare system and partnered with local community-based organizations.
Meet our team
Medical Director
David Reuben, MD
Preferred Name: Dave Reuben
- Past President of the American Geriatrics Society
- Past President of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs (ADGAP)
- Past Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Board of Internal Medicine
- Chief, Division of Geriatrics Medicine at UCLA
Dr. Reuben is Director, Multicampus Program in Geriatrics Medicine and Gerontology and Chief, Division of Geriatrics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Center for Health Sciences. He is the Archstone Foundation Chair and Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Director of the UCLA Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center and the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program.
Dr. Reuben sustains professional interests in clinical care, education, research and administrative aspects of geriatrics, maintaining a clinical primary care practice of frail older persons and attending on inpatient and geriatric psychiatry units at UCLA. His bibliography includes more than 220 peer-reviewed publications in medical journals, 39 books and numerous chapters.
Dr. Reuben is lead author of the widely distributed book, Geriatrics at Your Fingertips. Dr. Reuben is a past President of the American Geriatrics Society and the Association of Directors of Geriatric Academic Programs. He served for 11 years on the Geriatrics Test Writing Committee for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and for 8 years on the ABIM's Board of Directors, including as Chair from 2010-2011.
Dementia Care Specialists
Michelle Panlilio, DNP, GNP-BC
Dr. Michelle Panlilio is the National Lead Dementia Care Specialist (DCS) in the UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) Program, where she has been a DCS since 2013. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in nursing from Mount St. Mary's College and completed her Master's and Doctoral Degree from UCLA. Prior to joining the ADC Program, Dr. Panlilio worked in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Dermatology, and clinical research trials for Alzheimer's Disease. While Dr. Panlilio continues to see patients in the Westwood and Santa Monica offices, she serves as the National Lead DCS for the dissemination efforts of the UCLA ADC Program funded by The John A. Hartford Foundation. She is also the Lead DCS for the Dementia Care Aware Initiative, which is a collaborative effort with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and several University of California Healthcare systems, funded by grant developed in response to Senate Bill 48.
Kemi Reeves, MSN, RN, GNP-BC
Kemi Reeves, MSN, RN, GNP-BC, is the Lead Dementia Care Specialist for the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program and volunteers as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCLA School of Nursing. She serves as a lecturer and clinical preceptor, mentoring students specializing in the Adult-Gerontological Nurse Practitioner Program. Kemi is one of the founding members and inaugural chair of the Unity in Diversity Council. This nursing professional governance council implements initiatives to establish an authentic environment of equity, diversity, and inclusion for patients, trainees, and staff. Kemi's areas of clinical interest include Integrating Cultural Humility into Healthcare, Dementia, Transitions of Care, Post-Acute/Skilled Nursing Facility Care, Hospice, and Palliative Medicine.
Leslie Chang Evertson, DNP, RN, GNP-BC
Dr. Leslie Evertson has been a Dementia Care Specialist for the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care (ADC) program since 2012 and is a geriatric nurse practitioner with experience in primary and long-term care. She graduated from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences with a Master of Science in Nursing as an Adult/Geriatric Nurse Practitioner and Forensic Clinical Nurse Specialist. Dr. Evertson obtained her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the Northern California State University Consortium.
Winnila May Escalante, ANP-C, ANP-BC
Winnila May Escalante graduated from University of the City of Manila (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila) in Manila, Philippines with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing in 2005. She then moved to the United States and worked in the inpatient setting as a bedside nurse handling adult and geriatric population. In 2014, she completed her Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) with Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANP) specialty at Azusa Pacific University. As a nurse practitioner, she focused more on Primary Care and Internal Medicine to care for the adult and geriatric population. She finds the overall impact of memory disorders and dementia both fascinating and challenging. She is hoping to maintain and/or improve the quality of life of the patients and families she will encounter, therefore looking forward with enthusiasm in working with the UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program.
Kristine Lee, AGPCNP-BC
Kristine Lee is an ANCC board certified Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Roseman University of Health Sciences in Nevada in 2012, then went onto get her Master’s in Nursing from UCLA, graduating as a Nurse Practitioner in 2017. Prior to joining the UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program, her work experience includes adult internal medicine and geriatric primary care in home, long-term care and skilled nursing home settings.
Ivette Jimenez, MS, AGNP-BC
Ivette Jimenez (pronouns: she/her/ella) was born and raised in Los Angeles. Ivette attended the University of California, Los Angeles for her undergraduate degree and the University of California, San Francisco for her Masters and Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner degree. At graduation, she received an extra certification in Diabetes Management due to her extensive training in diabetes. Afterwards, she continued her education at the San Francisco VA Medical Center where she completed her NP Residency.
Since then, she has worked as a Primary Care Provider at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and as the associate co-director of the NP Residency Program at the San Francisco VA. Most recently, she led a Gerontology NP house call program. Currently, she is part of the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care team. She is passionate about delivering family and patient centered care to all the communities she is part of.
Ivette continues to be clinical faculty at UCSF and is active in community outreach to help BIPOC students choose careers in STEM.
Ivette loves to run marathons and is proud of her Zapotec indigenous roots.
Social Worker
Vanessa Myrie, LCSW, MSG
Vanessa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with dual master's degrees in Social Work and Gerontology from the University of Southern California (USC) and a bachelor's degree in Sociology from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). Before joining the ADC team, Vanessa worked with diverse adult populations at UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital. She provided individual and group therapeutic services to adults with acute and persistent mental illnesses in outpatient and inpatient settings. Vanessa also has over 12 years of experience in the healthcare field, working primarily with the geriatric population as a caregiver, care coordinator, and medical social worker. She strives to promote older adults' safety, dignity, and independence. As part of the ADC team, her unique role as a social worker is to spot, anticipate and address psychosocial issues that impact a patient's overall medical care plan. Vanessa is passionate about aging, dementia, and elderly care. Her goal as a social worker is to support older adults and their caregivers by providing them with the resources needed to minimize the negative impacts of aging, ensure their safety and increase their overall quality of life.
Dementia Care Assistants
Andrea Centeno, MS- Project Manager/Lead Dementia Care Assistant
Andrea received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Gerontology and Master of Science degree in Health Policy and Management from Mount St. Mary’s University. Before joining the ADC, Andrea had experience in skilled nursing facility social services and case management. She has been with the ADC program for over four years and now splits her time as the lead Dementia Care Assistant with the local program and as a project manager for the ADC national dissemination efforts.
Casey Wang
Casey has been working in the healthcare industry for over 8 years. Prior to joining the ADC, she worked in a community pharmacy helping a diverse range of patients across Central and Southern California. She enjoys getting to know her patients and finding solutions to their concerns. Casey is excited to join the ADC and wants to continue her passion to improve the quality of care and life for patients in the ADC program.
Esther Campos
Esther is of the Dementia Care Assistants with UCLA’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program. She graduated from CSUN with a Bachelors’ Degree in Health Administration in 2020 and started with UCLA shortly after. She chose to pursue a career in healthcare to positively impact and contribute to the growing, complex, and ever-changing organization. She hopes that along the way, she is able to create welcoming environment for any and every patient. During her free time, she enjoys spending time with family/friends and watching the LA Dodgers. She is California-raised but enjoys the cold weather.
Dora Waight
Dora is veteran of the USAR where she served as a Medical Specialist for eight years. She has spent the last 6 years working as an Administrative Assistant, at Easterseals Southern California Autism therapy clinic for children affected by Autism and behavioral challenges. In addition to her role as administrative assistant; she sourced and developed additional programs, which provided families with helpful resources and discounts. These discounts and resources provided access to local beauty/barber shops, optometrist, doctors, dentist, and indoor play facilities that cater to children and adults with special needs. In addition, she is also a certified First Aid and CPR Instructor for the American Red Cross. Among her other talents and skills, she has a heavy background in marketing, sales and digital photography. In her spare time, she likes to spend time with her family, line dance, cycle, ski, roller skate, and travel. She joins the UCLA Health team bringing with her creativity, her attention to detail, organizational skills, and team playing attitude
Kirstin Kemp
Kirstin is a Dementia Care Assistant with UCLA's Alzheimer's and Dementia Care program. She graduated from Cal State Dominguez Hills with a Bachelor of Science degree in healthcare management. Before joining the ADC program, Kirstin worked at Kaiser Permanente and with patients in skilled nursing facilities. She is passionate about health care and is continuing her education to obtain her master's degree. She is a mother of three and is involved in her children's sports and dance activities in her spare time. She is excited to join the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program, where she can assist with improving patients' lives.
Contact us
Call 310-319-3222 to request an appointment with a geriatric medicine dementia care specialist at UCLA Health.
Helpful Links
Caregiver Videos
To view the caregiver videos, please visit: Caregiver Training Videos - Dementia Care | UCLA Health