About us

The Alzheimer’s Association -Greater Maryland Chapter

In 1980, when the Alzheimer’s Association was established, there was little printed information about Alzheimer’s disease. There were no available treatments, and health care professionals knew very little about the illness. Families caring for loved ones with this illness were essentially on their own. The Alzheimer’s Association was established to fill a support and information gap for families and to advocate for research for treatment and prevention.

Since 1980, the Greater Maryland Chapter, which began as a support group at Johns Hopkins, has grown to an organization with 27 staff and over 300 volunteers. The organization services 14,000 people a year through a full array of essential services including over 50 support groups, a 24-hour Helpline, respite care grants, Safe Return and educational programs. Through its advocacy and public policy efforts, the Alzheimer’s Association is a vital force for enhancing the quality of dementia care, for promoting supportive services for caregivers and for increasing federal funding for Alzheimer’s research.

Together with families, health care providers, policy makers, researchers and donors, the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Maryland Chapter, strives for excellence- to ensure better care, to develop better programs, to advance knowledge and understanding about this illness, and to achieve its goal of creating a world without Alzheimer’s disease.

VISION
A world without Alzheimer’s disease

MISSION
To eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research;
to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and
to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

CORE VALUES
The core values of the Alzheimer's Association are the standards that drive our priorities, commitments and organizational decisions. They guide our behaviors and judgments, including how we carry out our mission and determine our goals and objectives. They inspire us to act.

Integrity
We seek and embrace the truth, and fulfill the trust others place in us.

Commitment to Excellence
We lead through innovation and constant improvement in all we do.

Inclusiveness
We search out and welcome the power that comes from diversity.

Consumer Focus
We seek always to understand, learn from and meet the needs of individuals with dementia, their families and caregivers.

Accountability
We keep our commitments and make measurable progress to achieve our mission.

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Financial information

The Greater Maryland is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donor-supported organization. Programs and services are made possible through contributions from individuals, corporations and foundations. The chapter uses 78% funds raised for programs, services and research efforts.

Statements of Activities and Changes in Net Assets
Years ended June 30, 2009 and 2008

Statements of Financial Position
June 30, 2009 and 2008

Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt for Income Tax

Financial Statements FY '09

Highlights of FY '09

View chapter highlights

Strategic plan

Click here to view our strategic plan

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Board of directors – Greater Maryland Chapter

Officers

Eric Nichols, President
M. Chad Malkus, Esq., Vice-President
Robert A. “Mike” Reitz, Treasurer
John F. Schulze, Jr., Secretary

Directors 
  
Reginald Avery, Ph.D.
Craig Cash 
Melinda Fitting, Ph.D. 
Donna Gaver 
Ernestine Jones Jolivet
Karen Kauffman, Ph.D., CRNP, BC
Rebecca Li, CPA
Sylvia Mackey
Mark McElwee
Robert McNutt
Lisa Mertensotto
Veronica Mozzano
Cathy Neuman
Chiadi Onyike, M.D., M.H.S.
Howard L. Pollinger
Samuel Ross, MD, MS
Brian J. Scheinberg
Marianne Shaughnessy, MSN, PhD

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Staff listing

Cass Naugle, Executive Director  

Timonium Office:  

Teri Bennett, Helpline Coordinator
Robert Devilbiss, Clerk
Alexandra Doumani, Receptionist
Sally Drumm, Volunteer Coordinator
Meredith Heinen, Communications Manager
Kathryn Heise, Development Associate
Jose Jimenez, Program Director
Veronica McCotter, Office Manager
Shelley Northern Jennings, Family Care Coordinator
Rolanda Oliver, Special Events Coordinator
Judy Peterson, Accountant
Amanda Sciukas, Special Events Manager
Jessica Suriano, Development Director
Jill Thompson, Operations Coordinator
Lisa Williams, Information Manager
Robert Winneberger, Finance Director
Diane Wit, Education Director
Carol Wynne, Early Stage Program Coordinator

Frederick Office:

Tracy Breslin, Office Assistant
Mary Ann Farr, Education Coordinator
Cathy Hanson, Program Coordinator
Talmadge Payton, Office Manager
Kristen Weddle, Development Coordinator

Salisbury Office:

Jennifer Fitzpatrick, Education Consultant
Damian Magarelli, Development Coordinator
Amy Schine, Education Consultant

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Our history

In the process of working with families of persons with Alzheimer's Disease, the staff at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions recognized that most of the caregivers were not only heavily encumbered but considered themselves as having a unique burden. The staff arranged for these family caregivers to meet and discuss individual problems and coping strategies. Those involved found this excellent therapy and readily responded to the suggestion that the "self-help support group" concept be extended to others outside of the Johns Hopkins arena.

After several informal discussions with a number of caregivers, the Johns Hopkins staff arranged for an organizational meeting in the fall of 1979. Interim officers were selected and the nucleus of a formal group was formed. By-laws were written and the group was officially incorporated in the State of Maryland on the 25th of February 1980. Within a few months initial IRS approval was obtained. The principal goals of the organization were concern for persons affected and their families, the education of the medical community as well as the public and the pursuit of research. The name of the group was the Alzheimer's Disease Association of Maryland (ADAM).

At about the same time that ADAM was forming there was a move on the part of several existing groups around the country to form a National organization, the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, to speak with one voice on behalf of persons with Alzheimer's and their families.  A member of ADAM attended an initial meeting in New York City and shortly thereafter ADAM sent a letter of intent to join the nationwide group. The organization was accepted in June of 1980 and has been an affiliated chapter ever since.

From 1980 to 1985 the Association was operated by a volunteer board of caregivers and health care professionals. In 1985 the Association obtained donated office space at Dundalk Senior Center and hired the first staff person. The organization moved to larger quarters on 25th Street in downtown Baltimore in December in 1986. At that time the organization experienced rapid growth and quickly outgrew this space. In December of 1989 the offices were moved to Belvedere Square and again to our present quarters at 1850 York Road to accommodate the growing programs. 

The organization currently has 28 staff and over 250 volunteers who carry out the work of the Association. The organization budget has grown from $50,000 in 1986 to over $2.1 million in 2000. The Association offers a full array of services to families including support groups, family care coordination, respite care, Helpline, the Safe Return program and education and training programs.

There are currently over 89,000 persons with Alzheimer's disease in Maryland. The Alzheimer's Association, both locally and nationally, strives to be the primary resource for information and support for families coping with Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

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Maryland NonProfits Standards for Excellence

The Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Maryland Chapter, is certified under the Maryland NonProfits Standards of Excellence. In 1999, the year of the certification’s inception, the Alzheimer’s Association was one of the first seven non-profits in Maryland to reach the stretching standards of the Standards of Excellence program. To meet the rigorous requirements for this certification, the chapter scrutinized every aspect of operations and submitted lengthy documentation demonstrating compliance with 55 Standards for Excellence. A panel of independent peer reviewers conducted an “ethics review” of the chapter’s programs, management, fundraising and financial practices.

For the third time since 1999, the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Maryland Chapter, has been awarded the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organization’s Seal of Excellence for successfully completing the Standards for Excellence re-certification program. Once again, the Alzheimer’s Association voluntarily opened itself to scrutiny by a “jury of its peers.”  The peer review team examined the Alzheimer’s Association for compliance with the Maryland Nonprofits Standards for Excellence: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector.

The Standards for Excellence are based on fundamental values such as honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, trust, responsibility, compassion, and accountability. The Alzheimer’s Association’s programs and services, management, fundraising and financial practices were re-examined in depth before the certification was again awarded.

Cass Naugle, Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association comments, “Once again submitting to the scrutiny required for certification under the Standards for Excellence wasn’t easy, but it was a worthwhile process. This seal shows we have continued to take every step to ensure we’re serving the community and operating in an ethical and upright way and we’re proud to wear it. We will continue to strive for excellence -  to ensure better care, to develop better programs, to advance knowledge and understanding about this disease and to achieve our vision of a world without Alzheimer’s disease.”

This certification allows the organization to display the Seal of Excellence on chapter publications for a three-year period, a symbol that identifies the Alzheimer’s Association as an ethical and accountable organization, dedicated to upholding the highest level of excellence within the nonprofit sector in management, finance, fundraising and service delivery.

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