OUR PEOPLE
A team filled with expertise, humility, and heart – together guiding meaningful change in memory care.
OUR TEAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Diana Shulla Cose
Founding Executive Director, Lorenzo’s House
wife, mom, care partner, entrepreneur, strategist, educator, school leader, fundraiser
Diana, former primary carepartner to her husband, mom of two sons, entrepreneur, visionary, strategist, innovator and proven fundraiser.
After her husband was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s, Diana recognized a massive connection and resource gap for younger families affected by dementia. She set out to solve this societal problem and founded Lorenzo’s House in 2021, a virtual non-profit social impact organization designed to empower younger families walking with dementia.
With a focus on young carers, Lorenzo’s House aims to shift the narrative and cure isolation, build community and drive forward dementia justice.
She leveraged her past career as educator, school leader, and for 24 years, founder & president of a network of public schools in Chicago. Diana led the scaling of an idea from a single classroom of 2 teachers with 35 students – to over 250 staff, 2,300 students across 5 campuses.
Diana brings passion, experience, sincerity and insight to her new venture.
Tessa Garcia McEwen, AM, LSW,CDP
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Certified Dementia Practitioner
Certified Grief Educator
Care Navigation & Family Support Services
Tessa has been connected to Lorenzo’s House since day one, helping to both curate and facilitate its youth and care partner spaces, while serving as a Board Member for its broader global vision.
She identifies as a fierce advocate and clinician for unheard voices, professionally walking alongside patients, care partners, and families navigating brain changes and dementia care, including at The Memory Center at UChicago Medicine for over the last 8 years.
Tessa unique career journey over 20 years brings a deep understanding of multiple losses and complex challenges, and she is interested in helping folks ‘see’ one another through a compassionate, trauma-informed lens across intergenerational lines and identities.
Tessa loves to engage with the community and speak on education and justice in dementia care. She encouraged the founding of Dementia Friendly Hyde Park, the first recognized community in the City of Chicago, and enjoys creating social engagement opportunities for care partners and those living with cognitive impairment.
Jonny Imerman
Jonny is a young adult cancer survivor who co-founded Imerman Angels, a non-profit organization that connects a cancer fighter (or carepartner) with someone who has fought and survived the same cancer. Imerman Angels carefully matches and pairs up a person touched by cancer (a cancer fighter or survivor) with someone who has fought and survived the same type of cancer (a Mentor Angel).
Imerman Angels was chosen as “Top 3 Most Innovative Creator Idea in Midwest of 2017” by WeWork (2017 Creator Award), “Top 25 Most Innovative Programs of 2015” by National Journal / Atlantic Media, and #1 Charity in Chicago by Haute Living in 2010.
It has been featured by numerous media outlets including The Wall Street Journal, Harpo Radio’s “Oprah and Friends” with Dr. Oz, CNN, and TEDx. Jonny received a 2015 Michigan Avenue Magazine ‘Chicago’s Leading Men’ Award; 2015 ‘The 100’ Award from Mass General Cancer Center; 2012 CNN Hero Award as well as many other awards.
Imerman Angels taught Jonny and his team how to brand a cause–their supporters love to wear t-shirts/apparel and build brand awareness. So, they created CLOZTALK to share and scale what worked for Imerman Angels to help ALL great nonprofits.
CLOZTALK is an online directory of 250+ vetted nonprofits like Feeding America. CLOZTALK sells high-quality, logo t-shirts & apparel that are made on-demand & drop-shipped— at no cost to any nonprofit.
Jonny grew up in Bloomfield, MI, and lives in NYC
Leslie Knight
Leslie’s passion for helping older adults thrive is demonstrated in over 35 years’ experience at LeadingAge, a national nonprofit organization based in Washington DC. LeadingAge is dedicated to advocating for older adults, increasing awareness of issues, and improving lives by working to solve problems and create new opportunities.
She served as VP for Member and State Relations when she transitioned from the organization in 2017. This role involved, member retention, recruitment and engagement, and liaising with state associations. Previously she was Regional VP, where she established regional structure and acted as liaison to 14 state associations; developed and managed SHARE (State Home Association Review & Evaluation) process; planned and facilitated state association board retreats and managed disaster relief for Hurricanes Katrina & Rita–$1.2 million distributed (2005).
Leslie is a Senior Advisory Board member for Embodied Labs, an organization providing virtual-reality training programs to providers of care and services to older adults. Through this training, staff and carepartners can “embody” an older adult with dementia, bringing better, more compassionate care. Leslie is a board member at CMSS as of 2021.
Leslie resides in Chicago and Michigan
Bill Lowe
Bill Lowe has over 40 years of experience in the nonprofit health care industry. For more than 30 years, he has been a part of the leadership team for Chicago Methodist Senior Services (CMSS), serving as the President and CEO since 2005. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University, Bill has skillfully led CMSS through a period of slow and steady growth, allowing the agency to thrive because of its diversification of service offerings.
CMSS is committed to enhancing the lives of older adults by empowering them to experience life with dignity and respect. Located in the heart of Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, CMSS offers memory care in both assisted living and skilled nursing communities; short-term sub-acute rehabilitation; long-term skilled nursing; paraprofessional home care services; and low-income senior apartments. In addition, CMSS supports older adults living independently in the community, with a drop-in center located in Bellwood, IL that also hosts one of the only suburban support groups for LGBT older adults in the country, and a volunteer-based program that matches volunteers one-on-one with an older adult who requests a volunteer. Under Bill’s leadership, CMSS and its subsidiaries have entered into many joint ventures and strong partnerships including vertical integration initiatives, wherein CMSS has become a client owner of services that were previously provided to CMSS by unrelated parties.
Committed to innovation in memory care, CMSS has built exciting partnerships with Embodied Labs, White Crane Wellness Center, and Lorenzo’s House, each cutting edge organizations bettering the lives of people with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias.
Bill resides in Chicago, IL
Rhonda Hopps
Rhonda Hopps, CFA is a seasoned executive with over 36 years of experience, including chief executive, board, and advisory roles.
She has extensive experience investments, financial structuring, non-profit leadership, for-profit and non-profit board service. Rhonda is a proven and trusted advisor to senior executives with extensive corporate governance experience including service as member of and chair of investment and finance committees and is qualified to serve on audit committees as a financial expert.
Prior to becoming a non-profit leader, Rhonda developed deep expertise in real estate and finance. She was Senior Portfolio Manager with Allstate Insurance Company for 11 years and a Director for Red Mortgage Capital’s Chicago, Illinois office. Rhonda received her MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and her BA from Northwestern University with dual majors in math and economics. She is a 1998 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow.
Rhonda currently serves on the investment, loan and new business committees of CIB Marine Bancshares, Inc. (OTCQX: CIBH) and is the finance committee chair of the pilotEd Foundation University, Mercy Housing Lakefront and the Board of Lorenzo’s House. Previously she served on the boards of Clune Construction Company, Perspectives Charter Schools, The Illinois Network of Charter Schools, LEARN Charter Schools (Finance Committee), National Louis.
Rhonda resides in the Greater Chicago Area, IL
Kitty Rothschild is a social impact strategist and Chief Operating Officer who partners with social entrepreneurs and non-profit leaders to optimize their business practices and bring their big ideas to life.
An accomplished and charismatic business leader, she designs operations, financial systems, and communication & marketing initiatives to maximize impact for her clients and help their ideas matter more.
Her consulting practice, Practical Matters, LLC, is currently supporting operations for a variety of clients, including Integrity Media Group, ParenTeach Institute, Uniting Voices Chicago, and The Goldie Hawn Foundation|MindUp. Rothschild has served on numerous boards and advisory committees, including CelloBello, Lorenzo’s House, Perspectives Charter Schools, Andrew Levitt Center for Social Emergency Medicine, the Francis W. Parker School, Aspen Music Festival and School Alumni Group.
She resides in Chicago, IL
Alisha Stickney
Alisha often refers to herself as daughter of Alzheimer’s. Her mother was her best friend and her everything until she was 11 – when she wasn’t. Alisha’s mom began to change in ways that confused her and broke her heart. Alisha’s mom was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s that year, and passed away when she was 21. Her Dad, younger brother and her experienced 10 years of unthinkable suffering in very different ways. Though the one thing they all shared was that they had virtually no resources to lean on. It was not until May of 2022, when she met Diana and I felt someone heard – understood – and was going to stand beside her. Alisha found Lorenzo’s House and was not alone anymore. Immediately she became a part of this beautiful community – our Lorenzo’s House family. She resides in Tusla, OK.
Marc Wortmann
Marc Wortmann was CEO of Marc Wortmann Consultancyin the Netherlands, supporting chronic disease and aging organizations globally in strategy, advocacy and fundraising.
He was Executive Director of Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) from November 2006 till June 2017.
Marc studied Law and Art in the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands and was a member of the Parliament of the Province of Utrecht and worked closely with various charities and voluntary organizations. He became Executive Director of Alzheimer Nederland in 2000. Marc joined ADI by the end of 2006 and was responsible for external contacts, public policy (especially towards World Health Organization and United Nations), and fundraising. He was a speaker at multiple events and conferences on these topics and has published a number of articles and papers on dementia awareness and public policy.
As a consultant, he was primarily involved in the Alzheimer’s and dementia movement worldwide, but also in other chronic disease areas and the philanthropic sector.
In Memoriam: A Loving Tribute to Our Beloved Board Member Marc Wortmann
INNOVATION, MEDICAL & SCIENCE ADVISORS
Dr. Neelum Aggarwal
MD, FAMWA, Department of Neurological Sciences, RUSH Alzheimer’s Disease Center
Dianne Campbell
Founder and former Executive Director, The Village Chicago
Walt Dawson
Co-Director,
Oregon Center for Behavioral Health & Aging
Dr. Fayron Epps
PhD, RN, Associate Professor, Emory Founder Alter Dementia
Judy Holstein
M.S., L.P.C., R.D.T, Board Secretary, Institute for Therapy Through the Arts
Berna Huebner
Co-director film and editor book, I Remember Better When I Paint
Lori La Bey
Founder and CEO, Alzheimer’s Speaks
Dr. Robert Luby
MD, The Institute for Functional Medicine
Angela Lunde
Alzheimer’s Disease Research
Center at Mayo Clinic
Dr. James Mastrianni
MD, PhD – The Memory Center at UChicago Medicine – Director, Professor of Neurology
Darby Morhardt
MSW, LSW, Rush University Medical Center
Daniel C. Potts
MD, FAAN, Neurologist at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Adria Thompson
Speech language pathologist & Founder of Be Light Care
David Troxel
Founder, Best Friends
national memory care model
Dr. Raj C. Shah
MD, RUSH University Medical Center Alzheimer’s Disease Center-Chicago
Carrie Shaw
CEO & Founder, Embodied Labs; young adult carer
Nicole Will
WillGather Founder,
Think Tank Co-Founder
Wendy Weidner
Head of Research & Policy, Alzheimer’s Disease International
STRATEGIC PARTNERS & COLLABORATIONS
Special gratitude to Bill Lowe, CEO of Chicago Methodist Senior Services (CMSS) for his entrepreneurial spirit and vision. When I shared the Lorenzo’s House vision with Bill, it was his idea to bring it to life through a strategic affiliation with CMSS and serve as VP of Philanthropy.
It is Bill’s integrity and commitment to equity that drew me to work beside him – and is an honor to be affiliated with CMSS. Bill and his extraordinary team of professionals have provided support, expertise and so much kindness to me and Lorenzo’s House.
I am sincerely grateful to my partners in Bill and his team.
