The Washington, D.C.-based Global Alzheimer’s Platform Foundation announced on July 8 that Snellville resident Tamiko MaGee-Rodgers has been named director of the foundation’s Recruitment and Strategic Initiatives.
The nonprofit GAP was founded to speed the delivery of Alzheimer’s treatments with a commitment to promoting diversity in clinical research and lowering the cost and duration of clinical trials, supporting more than 100 clinical research sites worldwide.
MaGee-Rodgers will be charged with assisting and leading the development, implementation and management of recruiting strategies for foundation-enabled clinical trials through the Inclusive Research Initiative team and expanding the team’s reach with strategic partnerships designed to improve clinical trial participation.
She joined GAP three years ago as associate director of Recruitment and Strategic Initiatives and has worked in aging for more than 15 years. She has served as a mental health clinician and case manager in a psychiatric pavilion for older adults and provided support for a longitudinal Alzheimer’s disease study at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where she engaged in community outreach efforts to encourage recruitment and retention.
MaGee-Rodgers earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Indiana University-Bloomington, a master’s degree in gerontology from the University of Indianapolis, a graduate certificate in health policy and a doctorate of philosophy in organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University.
“Dr. Tamiko MaGee-Rodgers is a talented leader who has made significant contributions to GAP’s effort to improve access to CNS clinical trials for members of traditionally underrepresented communities,” said GAP President John Dwyer in a news release. “Her insights and talent will be a welcome addition to GAP’s leadership team.
“As we know, there are real and perceived barriers to accessing clinical trials for people who have historically been underrepresented, including those who are African American or Hispanic. With Dr. MaGee-Rodgers at the helm, GAP has become a leader in address these disparities by building trust and national and local community partnerships that create lasting pathways to participation. This is a critical next step in GAP’s evolution, as we aim to change the trajectory of inclusion in clinical Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and related neurodegenerative diseases.”