Global Community Gathers with UCSF to Celebrate 10 Years of Brain Health Leadership

A week of events at UCSF celebrated 10 years of the Global Brain Health Institute and the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health, bringing together a global community committed to advancing brain health equity.

^{Participants gathered along Feeney Way at UCSF for music, conversation, and community during the GBHI 10-year anniversary celebration.}

A decade ago, the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI) was founded with an ambitious goal: to build a global network of leaders committed to reducing the impact of dementia and advancing brain health equity around the world.

In May, that vision was on display at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), as fellows, faculty, staff, partners, artists, researchers, advocates, and community members gathered to celebrate 10 years of GBHI and the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health program.

The week-long anniversary celebration showcased the breadth of a global community that now spans more than 300 fellows in 66 countries, bringing together expertise in medicine, public health, neuroscience, journalism, policy, education, filmmaking, and the arts.

Science, Art, and Community

The celebration began with public events exploring hopeful and creative approaches to dementia through film, storytelling, and community dialogue. Participants attended screenings of Keys Bags Names Words and Let This Be a Symphony, projects that highlight lived experience, creativity, and co-created approaches to dementia advocacy.

“For me, co-created dementia advocacy moves from speaking for someone to speaking with  them,” said Memran, describing an approach grounded in accompaniment, trust built over time, and amplifying the stories of others.

The anniversary continued with an afternoon focused on science, art, and discovery, featuring poster presentations by current Atlantic Fellows, community art exhibits, and a keynote address from Maria Carrillo, PhD, of the Alzheimer's Association on the evolving landscape of Alzheimer's disease treatment, care, and prevention. She also emphasized the importance of global collaboration in accelerating progress in dementia research and brain health.

Throughout the celebration, art remained a powerful thread connecting participants. Exhibits featured works created through the Creative Minds program at the UCSF Fein Memory and Aging Center and community-based arts initiatives, including artwork from older Latino adults participating in workshops at the de Young Museum through a Pilot Awards Project led by Atlantic Fellow Verónica Rojas, MFA. 

Participants also connected through shared meals and informal conversations, including a community gathering along Feeney Way, named for philanthropist Chuck Feeney, whose support helped launch GBHI a decade ago.

^{Left: A panel discussion following a screening of Let This Be a Symphony explored co-created approaches to dementia advocacy. Right: Atlantic Fellow Verónica Rojas showcased artwork created through her de Young Museum Pilot Awards Project with older Latino adults.}

A Global Celebration Led by Fellows

Led by Atlantic Fellows Dani Macri, Yaohua Chen, Susanne Röhr, Maryenela Illanes-Manrique, and Kiggundu Rodney Erismas, together with teams of fellows and community partners, the Leadership in Action: Global Brain Health Satellite Sessions connected audiences across Argentina, France and Francophone countries, Oceania, Peru, and Uganda. The sessions highlighted fellow-led celebrations developed in partnership with local communities to advance brain health through research, advocacy, creativity, education, and public engagement.

By placing the work of fellows and their communities at the center of the anniversary celebration, the event highlighted the global network that drives GBHI's impact around the world.

Projects included efforts to support a theater-based community dialogue on dementia in Argentina; aa multilingual "Brain Bus" public awareness campaign spanning France and Francophone countries; a gathering exploring nature, sleep, and brain health in Oceania; implementation of Peru's newly approved National Dementia Plan; and an Art and Memory Café in Uganda.

The sessions reflected one of the central themes of the week: creating lasting change in brain health requires collaboration across disciplines, sectors, and cultures.

Reflecting on the Art and Memory Café in Uganda, Erismas described the importance of public engagement, noting that "we can talk about brain health in a way that is more accessible, more friendly, more fun, and more creative as well."

The final day also featured a conversation with physician, activist, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, and former World Bank managing director Mamphela Ramphele, MBChB, PhD, who reflected on leadership, social change, and the importance of building teams capable of addressing complex global challenges. Emphasizing the importance of meeting people where they are, she encouraged participants to recognize local strengths and build change from within communities.

Participants also joined a Brain Boost led by Laura María Calderón Cuevas, MA, and dancers from Canon Kip Senior Center, highlighting the role of movement, creativity, and community in supporting brain health.

The week concluded with a showcase of short films from Atlantic Fellows exploring resilience, caregiving, empathy, identity, and life with neurological conditions across diverse cultural contexts.

^{Left: Atlantic Fellows and their teams connected audiences across five regions during the Leadership in Action: Global Brain Health Satellite Sessions. Right: Laura María Calderón Cuevas and dancers from Canon Kip Senior Center led a Brain Boost celebrating movement, creativity, and community.}

Looking Ahead

The anniversary served not only as a celebration of accomplishments, but also as a reminder of the work ahead. 

"The Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health are the center of everything that we do," said Victor Valcour, MD, PhD, GBHI at UCSF Site Director, emphasizing that fellows are the driving force behind the program's impact around the world.
That spirit was evident throughout the week as people from diverse disciplines, sectors, and communities came together to explore new ways of advancing brain health and reducing inequities across generations and geographies.

As GBHI and the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health enter a second decade, the anniversary celebrations offered both a moment of reflection and a renewed call to action. The events highlighted the power of global collaboration and reinforced a shared vision of a world in which everyone has the opportunity to achieve better brain health throughout life.

Readers interested in exploring the full program, speakers, and event descriptions can also view our earlier announcement of the anniversary celebrations.

A recording of the Leadership in Action: Global Brain Health Satellite Sessions webinar, along with videos from each of the participating satellite sites, is available for those interested in exploring the projects, conversations, and perspectives shared during the celebration. View the playlist.

To hear more of the stories behind the global work highlighted throughout the week, listeners can also explore Brain Bridges, GBHI at UCSF's podcast series featuring Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health sharing personal reflections on leadership, equity, and brain health around the world.

Applications for the next cohort of the Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health program at GBHI at UCSF open July 1, offering a new opportunity for emerging and established leaders to join this global community.

^{Left: Atlantic Fellows, faculty, staff, and partners gathered to celebrate a decade of global collaboration in brain health. Right: The celebration concluded with a closing session reflecting on a decade of global brain health leadership and looking ahead to the future.}