The Elected Board concerns itself with matters of vision and mission of the organisation. It approves the strategy and the annual business plan and budget. It supports and questions the work of the CEO and acts as a sounding board on matters of key importance to the organisation.
Board members are volunteers chosen on the basis of their background to ensure that they can understand all issues related to the organisation’s values, operations and management. They are also chosen on the basis of geographical balance to ensure ADI represents the global voice on dementia. Board members also represent ADI whenever necessary. The Board has committees including the Finance and Risk Committee and the Membership Committee, which discuss issues between Board meetings and make recommendations back to the Board.
Meera Pattabiraman, India – Chair
Meera is a postgraduate in business administration. She entered the field of social work after she lost her father to Alzheimer’s disease. She is the Chair of the Alzheimer’s & Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI) and has been associated with the organization for over 24 years. Under her guidance, the Dementia India strategy report leading to a country plan was prepared. She is a member and trustee of the World Dementia Council and Chair of the Asia Pacific Regional office of ADI. Meera joined ADI as an elected Board member in 2020.
Maree McCabe, Australia – Vice Chair
Maree is an accomplished CEO with extensive experience in mental health and aged care. She unified Alzheimer’s Australia into Dementia Australia and developed groundbreaking technologies like the Virtual Dementia Experience, EDIE, and BrainTrack app. In June 2021, Maree was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to people living with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and to the aged care sector. She was also included in the COVID-19 Honour Roll for her contributions to Australia’s pandemic response and secured a $229.4 million allocation for dementia in the 2021 Australian Federal Budget. Maree serves as Chair of the Australian Aged Care Quality & Safety Council, advising the Federal Government on aged care policy. She is also a Director on the Board of the International Federation of Ageing, former Chair of the ADI Nominations Committee, and the ADI Asia Pacific Regional Committee. Maree was elected to the ADI Board in 2024.
Prof Miia Kivipelto, Sweden – Chair of MSAP (Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel)
Miia Kivipelto, MD, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Geriatrics at Karolinska Institutet, Center for Alzheimer Research, and serves as Senior Geriatrician and Director of Research & Development at Theme Aging, Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden.
Miia’s research focuses on the prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Her work has identified key modifiable lifestyle and vascular risk factors, explored interactions with genetic risk, and advanced understanding of the underlying mechanisms of cognitive decline.
She is the Principal Investigator of the groundbreaking FINGER trial and the founder and scientific leader of World-Wide FINGERS, the first global network for dementia prevention. A highly cited scientist with over 510 publications and an H-index of 96, she has received numerous prestigious awards and is frequently invited to speak at leading international dementia conferences and serve on global expert panels.
Richard Davies, UK – Treasurer
Richard has headed risk management functions across a number of international investment banks over a 30 year career, mainly in the City of London. Previously a board member of a subsidiary of a large Japanese bank, he is currently a chief risk officer helping to define the risk appetite and framework across a diverse product and business model. He holds a BSc in Mathematical Physics and Astrophysics and Ph.D in Mathematical Physics and undertook academic research at King’s College, London and the University of Genova, Italy (working in collaboration with NASA on remedying errors in the Hubble Space Telescope) prior to moving into quantitative roles in the City.
Bill Yeates, Australia – Dementia Advocate
After graduating in Pharmacy, William (Bill) Yeates spent over 35 years teaching senior Physics and Chemistry and working as a school administrator. In 2019, at the age of 59, he was diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer’s disease. Determined to live a more enjoyable and meaningful life, Bill created a holistic, person-centred approach called The Tree of Awakening Your Positivity and shares his experiences through his website, national/international speaking engagements, and advocacy work. A passionate surf lifesaver and master’s athlete, Bill is currently involved in producing a short film series, Navigating Life with Dementia and a Re-ablement App.
Bill is a Living Experience Associate Consultant for HammondCare, a non-executive director of MADEC Ltd, and an active member of multiple advisory panels, including Dementia Australia’s Advocate Program and the World Health Organization’s Global Dementia Observatory Knowledge Exchange. He is also involved in dementia research as an Associate Investigator and co-author. In 2025, Bill was elected as a Board member of ADI.
Rosa Farrés, Mexico
Rosa Farrés studied Special Education and always wanted to work with people with language or learning disabilities. As such, Rosa has always collaborated with organisations for people with physical or mental illnesses. However, she first got involved with Alzheimer’s disease close to thirty years ago when her mother was diagnosed. She and her mother went to the Asociacion Mexicana de Alzheimer y Enfermedades Similares (Mexican Association of Alzheimer’s and Similar Diseases) for guidance and training, and from there, a new journey began. Since 2002, she has been part of the Mexican Federation of Alzheimer’s, having been the President from 2018 until 2022.
Dr Jesús Rodrigo Ramos, Spain
Jesús has spent the majority of his professional life in the Third Sector within non-profit organisations. Since October 2005, he has been the Executive Director of Confederación Española de Alzheimer (CEAFA). Jesús was a member of the committee that led the development of the Neurodegenerative Diseases Strategy of the Spanish Ministry of Health, and the National Dementia Group, charged with the elaboration of Spanish National Dementia Plan. He was a Board member of Alzheimer Europe until 2020, and presently sits on the Board of Alzheimer Iberoamérica (AIB). Jesús was elected as a Board member of ADI in 2021.
Prof Lotus Shyu, Taiwan
Prof Yea‑Ing Lotus Shyu is a Distinguished Professor at the School of Nursing at Chang Gung University in Taiwan. Her work has focused on improving the lives of people living with dementia and their families through research, education, advocacy, and global collaboration. She has published more than 230 scientific papers in the field. Lotus has held various governance and leadership positions in Taiwan Alzheimer’s Disease Association (TADA) since its establishment in 2002. In these capacities, she has worked to strengthen international engagement, promote dementia-friendly practices, and contribute to dementia policy in Taiwan. Lotus was elected to the ADI Board in 2026.
Dr Ameenah Sorefan, Mauritius
Ameenah has been the focal person for Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Dementia and the Global Dementia Observatory in Mauritius, working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO). She has prepared and developed policies within these areas, as a member of a number of task forces. Since 2018, Ameenah has been the President of Association Alzheimer Mauritius, having previously been a volunteer at the association. She helped organise the first ADI African Meeting in Mauritius in 2012. Ameenah was elected as a Board member of ADI in 2021.