Our Team
Carmen Castañeda Sceppa, MD, PhD, FGSA
Dean of the Bouvé College of Health Sciences and Professor of Health Sciences at Northeastern University. Dr. Sceppa received her medical degree from Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala City, Guatemala, where she was born and raised. She received her PhD in Nutrition from The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Sceppa is a clinician, researcher, educator, mentor, and leader. Her research seeks to understand the role of lifestyle interventions on advancing health and quality of life among older adults. She examines the role of physical activity, exercise and nutrition as health promoting interventions for underserved and vulnerable populations, particularly Hispanics and African Americans older adults and the elderly. Dr. Sceppa’s research has provided evidence-based information to transform the way we think about healthy lifestyle from personal choice to preventive medicine. Dr. Sceppa serves as senior faculty mentor for the Network of Minority Research Investigators at the National Institutes of Health, the GSA Board of Directors, and member of the American Society for Nutrition.
Tamara A. Baker, PhD, FGSA
Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is an appointed member of the US Department of Veterans Affairs’ Geriatric and Gerontology Advisory Committee and the NIH’s Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee. Dr. Baker is also the Editor-in-Chief of Ethnicity & Health (Taylor & Francis Group). She is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America (GSA), and founder member and co-convener of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Collaborative Interest Group. Her background in Gerontology, Psychology, and Biobehavioral Health has evolved into an active research agenda that focuses on understanding the behavioral and psychosocial predictors and outcomes of chronic pain and symptom management among older adults from historically marginalized populations. Specifically, she examines health disparities and inequities in access and availability to pain management resources among older Black adults.
Lisa L. Barnes, PhD, FGSA
Alla V. and Solomon Jesmer Professor of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine and a cognitive neuropsychologist within the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center. She is also the Associate Director of the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Her research interests include disparities in chronic diseases of aging, cognitive decline, and risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. She is the Principal Investigator of the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), which has been funded by NIA since 2004, and the Clinical Core Leader for the Rush ADRC. She has extensive experience mentoring junior scholars under-represented in medicine including sponsoring K-series fellows, and junior faculty with diversity supplements, small pilot grants, and investigator-initiated foundation awards.
Patricia M. D’Antonio, BSPharm, MS, MBA, BCGP
Vice President of Policy and Professional Affairs for the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and a board-certified geriatric pharmacist. Ms. D’Antonio directs GSA’s policy initiatives and is responsible for developing relationships with organizations in the aging arena. She represents GSA on several policy coalitions and serves as co-chair for the Adult Vaccine Access Coalition, president of the board of the Protecting Access to Pain Relief, and a member of the steering committee for several federally focused coalitions. Ms. D’Antonio is also the executive director for the National Center to Reframe Aging, the central hub to advance the long-term social change endeavor designed to improve the public’s understanding of what aging means and the many ways that older people contribute to our society. She received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from Duquesne University and her Master of Science in Health Finance and Master in Business Administration with a concentration in health care from Temple University. She completed a residency in administration and finance at The Philadelphia Geriatric Center.
Blake Harris, MA
Program Manager for the RCMAR National Coordinating Center. Blake joins the RCMAR National Coordinating Center from American University where he worked as an Academic Program Assistant. He worked in the School of Communication where he oversaw division budgets, managed scheduling, and fulfilled various administrative needs. Blake holds an MA in History from American University, where he conducted research on race and immigration in the United States, focusing specifically on the development of racial and ethnic identity among minority groups. He also worked with minority populations to record oral histories and support access to museum collections and archives. Blake supports cross-center collaboration, promotes the work done by RCMAR scientists and centers, and manages the development of RCMAR National Coordinating Center infrastructure.
James C. Appleby, BSPharm, MPH, ScD (Hon)
Chief Executive Officer of The Gerontological Society of America (GSA), the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. The Society works to advance innovation in aging and disseminate information among scientists, clinicians, policy makers, and the public. He is leading the Society’s current initiative to “reframe aging” in America by fostering accurate narratives of aging to replace the outdated “conventional wisdom” that dominates public understanding. The 5,500-member Society is advancing major initiatives related to improving adult immunization rates, earlier detection of cognitive impairment, improving oral health, and demonstrating the impact of the longevity economy. Appleby also is currently serving a four-year term on the National Advisory Council on Aging after being appointed by the U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services, and he additionally serves on the National Alliance for Caregiving Board of Directors. Prior to joining GSA, he had a 17-year career with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) where he served in a variety of roles before being appointed Chief Operating Officer. Before joining APhA, he was on faculty at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS). Appleby holds a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy from PCPS and a master of public health degree from Temple University. He has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.