Healthy Brain Strategies Conference
Guarding the Gates
KEYS TO OUR HEALTH & WELLNESS
Langston University - Tulsa Campus
Saturday, September 27, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
On behalf of the Alzheimer’s Diversity Outreach Services, Inc. Board of Directors and staff, we invite you to our Second Healthy Brain Strategies Conference. Our theme, "Guarding the Gates, Keys to our Health & Wellness,” is essential for a vibrant, fulfilling life at every age. We invite you to explore practical strategies and supportive resources designed to enhance your well-being, promote mental clarity, and boost physical vitality. Taking proactive steps today can lead to a healthier tomorrow, empowering you to face daily challenges with strength and resilience. Guarding the Gates: Keys to Our Health & Wellness will address key issues related to being prepared, recognizing that Alzheimer’s disease and other life-debilitating diseases affect people from all backgrounds, but experiences can differ among cultural and ethnic groups. Understanding these differences enables the provision of more effective care tailored to each person’s specific needs. Understanding culture helps healthcare workers and caregivers communicate effectively, build trust, and support individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families more effectively.
As we move through 2025, the focus on protecting and maintaining our health, especially cognitive health, remains critically important. Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias continue to present challenges to individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Understanding the key strategies for safeguarding our mind and body can help us better protect the gateways to long, healthy lives.
Addressing Health Disparities and Promoting Equity
Guarding the gates to our health means confronting disparities that affect vulnerable populations. There is growing recognition that social determinants such as education, socioeconomic status, and access to healthcare profoundly impact risk and outcomes related to Alzheimer's and other dementias. Efforts targeting diverse communities aim to enhance awareness, improve early diagnosis, and ensure equitable access to resources and support networks.
Innovation and Research Frontiers
2025 brings promising developments in therapeutic research, including novel medications, gene therapies, and personalized medicine approaches. Emphasis on data sharing and inclusive clinical trials ensures that findings benefit a broad spectrum of populations. Technology, including wearable devices and AI-driven monitoring, provides new tools for maintaining independence and safety.
Protecting our health requires a multifaceted approach spotlighting prevention, equity, support, and innovation. As we guard the gates of our wellbeing in 2025, informed choices and collective action remain our strongest keys," emphasizes the importance of understanding the unique genetic makeup of the BIPOC population and its impact on health. This conference invites participants to examine the genetic factors that contribute to health disparities, explore advancements in genetic research, and discuss strategies for promoting health equity, particularly within African American communities.
At Alzheimer’s Diversity Outreach Services, Inc., we are deeply committed to enhancing the education and well-being of families across the BIPOC community. The urgency of the situation is underscored by the 2024 Alzheimer’s Association Facts and Figures report, which reveals a concerning trend: older Black and Hispanic individuals are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In response to many pressing needs, we are proud to announce the 2025 Healthy Brain Strategies Conference, dedicated to promoting the health and wellness of our communities.
This conference will offer enriching sessions designed to equip families and medical professionals with essential knowledge and skills to address the constant challenges facing our families comprehensively. The sessions will cover a range of vital topics intended to provide practical solutions and empower our participants. Additionally, new research will be presented, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis and potential treatments for emerging health issues.
Register for the Conference
The Healthy Brain Strategies conference is scheduled for Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Langston University Tulsa Campus, 914 N. Greenwood Ave. Tulsa, OK. 74106.
Starting 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
We Welcome:
Dr. Stephanie Johnson
Dr. Stephanie Johnson is a licensed clinical and research neuropsychologist with a private clinical practice in the Washington, DC area, where she specializes in assessing and diagnosing neurocognitive disorders. She has served as a consultant for the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute, UW-Madison, and the Stroke Disparities Program with Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Johnson received extensive training in the differential diagnosis of cognitive disorders while completing a postdoctoral fellowship at the Joseph and Kathleen Bryan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (Bryan ADRC) at Duke University Medical Center.
Ajay Joseph MD
Ajay Joseph is a cardiologist and lifestyle medicine specialist in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is recognized for his contributions to preventive cardiology, health equity, and workplace wellness. He founded the first lifestyle medicine program in Oklahoma at Saint Francis Health System. He is also a musician, having played drums in a band during medical school and residency.
Mathew Jean
Matthew Jean, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, is committed to the cause of mental health awareness and fighting stigma through his entrepreneurial efforts. Mathew supports the community through his in-person and virtual trainings on topics such as parenting, specifically fatherhood, infant mental health, and emotional regulation, to name a few. In addition, he has many years of public and motivational speaking to various audiences, he a 4x published author, a recording artist, a husband, a father of 7 beautiful children, a co-a direct for Race Realities Costa Rica (a retreat designed for men of color); however, his passion is in Black Male Wellness and Relational Intimacy. Mathew's motto is "I am the therapist I needed in my youth.".
Sherri Smith-Keys
Dr. Sherri Smith-Keys is the Associate VP of Clinical Affairs and the Executive Director of the Langston University Tulsa campus; she assumed this role in August 2023. She has 40 years of experience in clinical nursing, nursing management/administration, and nursing education. She is highly motivated to provide multilayered access to higher education students through an intentional focus on growth and program expansion. Her work philosophy is to be constantly challenged, especially in aspects of her job; she loves learning new things, seizing new opportunities, and collaborating with diverse people. She received her BSN from the University of Texas at Arlington, MSN from Regis University, and DNP from Walden University. She is married to her best friend, and she has four adult sons.
Why Donate
Why Donate
Your generous donation plays a critical role in advancing our mission to educate and support individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's. Your contribution ensures continued access to crucial resources, programs, and support services for those in need. Every donation, big or small, makes a profound impact on the lives of those navigating the challenges of Alzheimer's.