In this perspective, GBHI Alumni Relations team member Camellia Latta reflects on a recent Leadership Development Meeting in London for Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health alumni, highlighting the event's focus on leadership, community building, and skill development.
Participants of the Leadership Development Meeting gather at the Alzheimer's Society in London, ready to embark on a day of learning, idea exchange, and community building to advance brain health equity. Photo courtesy of Camellia Latta.
What do delicious curries, a convergence of Atlantic Fellows from across the globe and a full day of learning and idea exchange have in common? This combination marked the annual Leadership Development Meeting in London for Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health alumni, held on July 9-10, 2024. Hosted by the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer’s Disease International, the gathering focused on reuniting fellows and building skills to promote brain health equity.
Each year, a group of alumni fellows, invited by the Atlantic Institute to the Global Atlantic Fellows Annual Convening in Oxford, first gather in London for a day dedicated to leadership and learning. Now a mainstay of the GBHI leadership experience for alumni, the meeting brought together 32 recent Atlantic Fellows alumni from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America, along with GBHI faculty and staff. The two fellow-focused events form a substantive pairing of connecting and growth opportunities for Atlantic Fellows at prime moments in their professional path.
Left: Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health alumni engage in group discussion at the Alzheimer’s Society; Right: Victor Valcour, Camellia Latta, Fiona Carragher, Elisabetta Favero, and Brian Lawlor gather at Alzheimer's Society. Photos courtesy of Camellia Latta.
Leading with Purpose
The first evening, our journey through East London’s Shoreditch was more than just a culinary adventure; it was an opportunity to bond and reflect on our shared mission. Our destination, the award-winning City Spice, is committed to social responsibility, resonating with our commitment to equity. The evening was a festive reunion, filled with meaningful conversations and reconnections after a year apart, reinforcing our collective dedication to promoting brain health equity.
The following morning, we set out for the Alzheimer’s Society. We stepped into a humming London morning, ready for the Leadership Development Day. In the modern offices of our colleagues, we passed walls bearing messages of hope in purple and yellow and a well-curated library of publications addressing all aspects of dementia.
The Leadership Development Day emphasized the importance of pausing to explore and enhance our leadership trajectories. We enjoyed a heartfelt welcome from Katherine Gray, Head of Research with the Alzheimer’s Society. Mary Sherrington, Alzheimer’s Society Research Network Volunteer, shared her experience as a care partner, stressing the importance of including those with lived experience in the research and funding process. Victor Valcour, Site Director at GBHI, UCSF, highlighted the long-standing relationship between Alzheimer’s Society and GBHI, noting milestones in the Atlantic Fellows’ achievements in the Pilot Awards program.
Elisabetta Favero and I—the Alumni Relations team—outlined the four key goals we co-designed for the Leadership Development Day:
- Grounding: Reflect on where you’ve been, where you’re going, and the values that guide you.
- Communications: Gain strategies to communicate who you are and what your work is to a broader audience.
- Action: Explore how to propel research into action.
- Listening: Learn new ways to engage in active listening as leaders.
Grounding
“Leadership & Grounding: Reflections on the Reintegration Year” was chaired by Atlantic Fellow Laura Booi (2018). Fellows from the 2022 cohort—including Jake Broder, Alison Canty, Jayashree Dasgupta, Maryenela Ilanes-Manrique and Lucy Stirland—reflected on their experiences, offering insights like, “Listen for what other people don’t say,” and “Approach things with hope when talking about dementia.” The importance of leading with GBHI values—Authenticity, Fairness, Openness, Respect, Courage, and Empathy—was a recurring theme.
Communications
“Leadership & Communications: Communicating Your Work to a Broader Audience,” led by Siân Gregory from the Alzheimer’s Society, was a dynamic and interactive session. Siân encouraged us to speak with excitement and accessibility, asking, “What is the ‘so what’ about your research?” We practiced elevator pitches, refining our ability to convey the impact of our work.
Action
“Leadership in Action: How Can Research Enact Change?” highlighted colleagues' experiences in applying their research to influence the field and policy. Fiona Carragher, dubbed the “Minister of Hope,” emphasized, “We need to be hope agents,” and urged, “Don’t make perfect the enemy of good.”
Areas mentioned by Fiona echoed across the speakers relating to vision, head and heart, and partners. Namely, first, “Have a really clear vision. Enthusiasm inspires.” Then, “Get the heart and head involved. Meaning, get evidence and bring the heart along with this through storytelling.” Finally, “Find the change agents. These might be the partners or coalitions.” The speakers also encouraged, “Be a disruptor. Bring dementia out of the shadows.”
Cherie Nyota, Senior Research Grants Officer with the Alzheimer’s Society, chaired the session that also included Wendy Weidner, Director of Research & Publications, Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI); and Atlantic Fellows Doyin Ogunyemi Macarena Espina Díaz, and Yared Zewde (2022).
After a lively “Brain Boost” dance session led by Atlantic Fellows Aline Haas and Anusha Yasoda-Mohan (2022), Brian Lawlor, Site Director at GBHI, Trinity, provided a thoughtful reflection on the panel highlights and facilitated small group work, encouraging us to roll up our sleeves and consider practical steps to effect change in our own work and research. Ideas ranged from building coalitions and communities of interest, facilitating the involvement of people with dementia and their families, including dissemination plans in our budgets, adapting storytelling for policymakers when conveying research findings, and recognizing the importance of the arts in advancing the implementation of ideas and interventions.
Listening
“Leadership & Listening: What Do the Creative Arts Teach Us About Active Listening & Leadership?” wrapped up the day, led by Atlantic Fellows Mike Hanrahan and Cathy Correa Lopera (2022). Mike performed a song, “A River Rolls On,” inspired by his mother’s experience with vascular dementia, moving several in the room to tears.
Onward
A tremendous sense of gratitude filled the room in recalling moments from the day and thanking our fabulous hosts at the Alzheimer’s Society. In these moments to pause, practice, and put in place new leadership approaches it was clear: while the work on brain health equity is as needed as ever, the future feels full bright. Atlantic Fellows together with additional members of our GBHI community are harnessing their hearts, hands, and heads to innovate and bring hope on the ground. As we boarded the bus for Oxford to join over 200 members of our Atlantic Fellow global community dedicated to equity-focused work, Chuck Feeney’s words resonated: “When it comes down to it, it’s always people.”
Authors
Camellia Latta, MLA
Program Director for Alumni Relations & Special Initiatives, GBHI at UCSF
