Welcome to the Massachusetts Center for Alzheimer and Dementia Behavioral Research and Innovation (Mass-ENVISION) newsletter, where we highlight the people, projects, and partnerships shaping our work. In this issue, we introduce new Mass-ENVISION RCMAR scientists, share our highlights from the Mass-ENVISION Center-wide annual retreat and the annual RCMAR National Meeting, and spotlight current research projects and work among our community advisory members. You will also meet a member of our research staff and hear about recent accomplishments from Mass-ENVISION alumni. We hope you enjoy this look at the people and work behind Mass-ENVISION!

Esteban Barreto, PhD

Dr. Esteban Barreto is an early-career health services researcher focused on improving access to care for under-resourced populations, including individuals with limited English proficiency and communities experiencing challenges related to social and structural drivers of health. As an industrial-organizational psychologist and medical interpreter by training, Dr. Barreto brings a unique perspective on culturally responsive research engagement. His Mass-ENVISION project will develop a culturally tailored research engagement intervention for Spanish-speaking older adults living with ADRD and their caregivers.

Malena Price, PhD

Dr. Malena Price is a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on adapting mind-body interventions to make them more accessible, relevant, and effective in healthcare and community settings. Her Mass-ENVISION project, Pain Ease and Cognitive Enhancement (PEACE), will engage older Black adults with chronic pain and subjective cognitive decline to inform the development of a culturally tailored mind-body intervention designed to improve accessibility, engagement, and healthy aging.

Mass-ENVISION was well represented at the 2026 RCMAR National Meeting, where three of our RCMAR Scientists - Drs. Carine Davila, Tony Pham, and Natalia Giraldo-Santiago - presented their research alongside investigators from RCMAR programs across the country. The meeting provided an opportunity for the scientists to share their work, receive feedback from national leaders in aging and health disparities research, and build connections with fellow early-career investigators committed to advancing equity in aging research.

The presentations highlighted the breadth and impact of research being conducted through Mass-ENVISION. Participation in the national meeting also allowed scholars to engage in professional development activities, learn about emerging research priorities, and strengthen collaborations within the broader RCMAR network.

Pictured Above: Jin Hui Joo, MD, CLRC Core Lead & Hugo Aparicio, MD, MPH, CLRC Sub-PI

Bringing Community Perspectives to Research

CAB members described their contributions in many ways, from sharing professional and lived experiences to providing feedback on research studies, recruitment approaches, and outreach efforts. Many emphasized that CAB members bring perspectives that researchers may not otherwise encounter. As one member noted, the community input facilitated by a CAB allows researchers to better understand local residents’ needs while also creating opportunities for researchers to explain their work directly to the people they hope to reach. Another CAB member highlighted the value of having lived experience and shared that community members bring “what it is like to navigate [illness] and the systems available for care.” Several members also described their role on the CAB as an opportunity to advocate for their communities and help ensure that research reflects a broad range of experiences and perspectives.

Building Trust and Stronger Partnerships

Trust emerged as one of the strongest themes across members’ reflections. When asked what community members bring to research, one CAB member simply wrote: “Trust, participation, empowerment.” Another reflected on their experience serving on the Board, writing that it helped them recognize that “research NEEDS participant input. Trust is more important than I previously knew.” Other CAB members emphasized the importance of building connections between researchers and the communities they serve. One member described community members as bringing “lived experience, especially as we have completed studies before,” while another said they bring “insight from the [community] and encourage enrollment from others in the community.” Members also described the CAB as a space for

communication and collaboration between researchers and community partners. As one CAB member put it, being part of the Board means “adding eyes and ears to the researchers’ lenses as they seek to understand and deepen their expertise in reaching diverse communities.”

Learning Through Engagement

CAB membership is also a learning experience. Several members reflected on how their involvement has shaped their understanding of research and the people who conduct it. One member shared that participation has “deepened my understanding of ongoing research efforts and the research communities that do the research.”



For others, CAB involvement has provided a clearer understanding of both the research process and the barriers that can limit participation. One member described developing a “better understanding of the research process and the limitations,” while also having “gained insights into the barriers that keep people…from participating in research.”

Looking Ahead

CAB members expressed enthusiasm about the opportunities ahead. Their goals for the coming year include reaching more people, reviewing studies before they are shared with participants, improving outreach strategies, and continuing to provide guidance throughout the research process. Several members also hope to help ensure that research findings are meaningful and applicable to the communities they are intended to benefit. One CAB member expressed hope for “more participants from underrepresented communities,” while another hopes to see “researchers roll out new strategies or outreach techniques and test them out and collect observations about their effectiveness.”

Her interest in the journey from evidence to action eventually took her to the United Kingdom, where she joined the team at Born in Bradford (BiB), one of the world's largest comprehensive longitudinal birth cohort studies. As Program Manager for BiB's Centre for Applied Education Research (CAER), she focused on research translation, helping move evidence beyond academic settings and into schools, local policy, and practice. By connecting researchers, educators, and decision-makers, she supported the use of research findings to inform programs, services, and community priorities.



Working in Bradford proved especially influential in shaping how she thinks about the role of research. She collaborated with researchers, schools, local government, health services, and community organizations to address shared local priorities. Through initiatives such as Act Locally, a community-led approach that uses evidence to inform place-based interventions, she gained firsthand experience navigating the complexities of partnerships among stakeholders with different goals, expertise, and perspectives.

"CAER really changed how I think about the journey between generating evidence and actually using it. It gave me a much deeper appreciation for how complex that process can be," she says. "It's one thing to produce strong research. The more challenging, and often more interesting, part is understanding who needs that information, how it should be communicated, and what it takes to put it into practice."

The experience also reinforced her appreciation for serving as a bridge between different groups. "I enjoy working across disciplines and sectors to understand what each group needs. Researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community members don't always speak the same language or share the same priorities, and it's incredibly rewarding when you can help bring those perspectives together."

Across these varied roles and settings, a common question has guided Mallory's work: how can research and evidence be translated into meaningful action that benefits the people and communities it is intended to serve? Today, she brings that perspective to her role as Program Manager for Mass-ENVISION, where she supports the program's mission to develop the next generation of researchers focused on Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

What she has especially valued about Mass-ENVISION and the RCMAR network is the opportunity to support scientists earlier in their careers as they develop their research questions, expertise, and professional paths.

"I've had the opportunity to work alongside researchers across a wide range of career stages and settings, and what continues to inspire me is the curiosity and enthusiasm they bring to their work. One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is watching ideas take shape, seeing researchers grow in confidence, and knowing that I can play a part in supporting that journey."