Dementia Team
Maribeth Gallagher, NP, MS
Maribeth Gallagher, NP, MS, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner and director of the Dementia Program. She creates and evaluates comfort measures to improve quality of life for persons with advanced dementia. She focuses on enhancing well-being and minimizing challenging behaviors without using medication. Her previous experience includes geropsychiatric nursing positions. Maribeth has been a featured speaker at national and international conferences, published articles in professional journals and appeared in national and local news reports. She also has been a family caregiver, sharing the journey with her loved one with dementia from diagnosis to death.
Amy McLean, ANP, MS
Amy McLean, ANP, MS, is an adult nurse practitioner. She has a special interest in dementia comfort care, improving pain assessment and treatment for patients with moderate to advanced dementia. She has a background in palliative care nursing at Mayo Clinic Hospital.
Rebekah Wilson, MSW
Rebekah Wilson, MSW, is the program's community outreach coordinator. In her previous experience as education coordinator for the Alzheimer's Association, Rebekah taught family and professional caregivers about dementia. Rebekah also has been a family caregiver. This experience motivates her to educate the community about how to provide comfort and joy for individuals with dementia.
Gillian Hamilton, MD, Ph.D.
Gillian Hamilton, MD, Ph.D. is vice president for education and innovation. She is recognized as a national leader in the fields of dementia care and palliative medicine, is board certified in internal medicine, geriatrics, and palliative medicine, and is on the faculty of the University of Arizona, College of Medicine.
Dr. Hamilton directs educational fellowships to teach community physicians and physicians-in-training, nurses, social workers and chaplains about hospice and palliative care. She also directs the nationally recognized "Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia" program. Dr. Hamilton is listed in "Best Doctors of America" and Phoenix magazine's "Top Docs." She has won numerous honors, including being named a "Local Legend" in the National Library of Medicine's award competition honoring exceptional women physicians.