Dr. Ritchie is a geriatrician and palliative care physician who has cared for functionally limited, seriously ill patients with dementia and conducted research focused on persons with advanced illness and multimorbidity for over 20 years. She directs the research program in the MGH Division of Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine and directs the Mongan Institute Center for Aging and Serious Illness.

She serves as co-PI of the National Institute for Nursing Research-funded Palliative Care Research Cooperative (PCRC) and the National Home-based Primary Care Learning Network. Dr. Ritchie has longstanding funding from NIH and foundations and is the author/co-author of over 250 publications. She is the recipient of a number of awards, including the Palliative Medicine National Leadership Award and the Coalition for Compassionate Care’s Compassionate Care Innovator Award.

Barbara Moscowitz has worked at Mass General since graduation from Brandeis University, and she later earned her MSW at Boston College. During her tenure, she has staffed the Department of Social Services, and became the founding social worker for the MGH Geriatric Medicine Department through which she designed and directed a program for vulnerable older adults in the neighborhoods surrounding the hospital. She has expertise in the continuum of care from community to acute care and post-acute care options for elders.

She has been frequently recognized for her work. For example, Ms. Moscowitz wrote the DVD and accompanying workbook for Alzheimer’s patients entitled Family Matters- Coming Together for Alzheimer’s, which won the 2006 International Health and Medical Media Award. Additionally, in 2007, she was the recipient of the Compassionate Caregiver of the Year Award through the MGH-affiliated Kenneth B. Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare. Barbara is a frequent speaker to local community groups, college, and social work students and participates in panels regarding the challenges of living with Alzheimer’s and care giving.

A recent graduate from Salem State University’s Master of Social Work Program, Chris is the newest member of the Caregiver Support Program. He began his career in 2011 after completing his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, NJ in the areas of severe & persistent mental health disorders, behavioral health, child welfare, and substance use disorders.

He completed Social Work training at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Department of Behavioral Neurology and completed rotations in Inpatient Palliative Care and Gastro-Oncology. Chris’ role in Behavioral Neurology included counseling for patients/families struggling with neurological diseases, implementing Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapy for patients diagnosed with Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures (PNES) and contributing to work conducted by the Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Treatment (CART).

Judy Willett is a seasoned professional with years of management, marketing, and administrative experience in elder services and related fields. She has served as the President of Springhouse Retirement Community, Director of Newton Cooperative Living, Director of Marketing for Hearthstone Alzheimer’s Care, and worked as a consultant for Rogerson Communities and Chellis Associates.  Judy was the Founding Executive Director of Beacon Hill Village, a pioneering and nationally-renowned “aging in community” option that helps elders stay in their homes.

She then served as the National Director of Village to Village Network, a non-profit that services communities that are operating and creating Villages all over the country and internationally.  Judy then was the Executive Director of ReServe Greater Boston, an Encore career organization that matches people 55+ for social impact to improve their communities and their lives. Currently, she is a Senior Project Manager for the Palliative Care and Geriatric Medicine Division at Mass General Hospital. She works on strategic planning, marketing, and program development with the Dementia Care Collaborative, the Senior Health practice, and the Continuum project.

Gabrielle Rex, AGPCNP-BC joined MGH and the Dementia Care Collaborative in November 2019 in support of the Memory Care Initiative, a pilot program that aims to facilitate robust assessment, care, and support in the primary care setting for individuals and families experiencing memory impairment. Gabrielle began working at MGH as an RN in 2017 with MGH gastroenterology and transitioned to primary care with Bulfinch Medical Group.

She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master of Science in Nursing at MGH Institute of Health Professions focusing on adult geriatric primary care medicine. Prior to attending nursing school, Gabrielle spent a year working at a homeless service center in Los Angeles, CA and three years working with adults with severe mental illness diagnoses in Chicago, IL where she led a team providing holistic community support. She is passionate about working with patients and caregivers affected by dementia and for the past 5 years has led a team in fundraising efforts for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Kelsey Anderson, MSW, LCSW joined MGH and the Dementia Care Collaborative in October 2019 in support of the Memory Care Initiative, a pilot program that aims to facilitate robust assessment, care, and support in the primary care setting for individuals and families experiencing memory impairment.  A licensed social worker, Kelsey earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her Master’s in Social Work from the Boston College School of Social Work, where she specialized in clinical practice with older adults and families. While at BC, she completed her clinical training at Commonwealth Care Alliance and the Alzheimer’s Association, and was a recipient of the Hartford Partnership Program in Aging Education Fellowship.

Before becoming a social worker, Kelsey was a user experience designer and researcher for Athena Health, a Massachusetts-based healthcare technology company, helping to develop software products that improved the delivery of care. Most recently, Kelsey worked as a Care Consultant for the Alzheimer’s Association, where she provided brief counseling, care planning, and community education to families and caregivers.