The International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA²) is thrilled to share the great news that Kelsey Donnellan will serve as our Director of Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease Projects. She is an interdisciplinary and public health practitioner with over 10 years of experience prioritizing participatory and indigenous-led processes in her work. Her background is in brain health, health equity, and healthy aging. Prior to joining IA², she worked at the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), where she worked closely with the IA² team to develop the first edition of the Healthy Heart, Healthy Brain communication materials, served as a reviewer of the first Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) Road Map for Indian Country, and facilitated a learning collaborative on heart health with tribal and state partnership teams.
Kelsey also founded the Little Pineapple Collaborative, a consulting firm that promotes health equity and improves quality of life through interdisciplinary strategic planning, facilitation, and program implementation. The company name is in honor of her grandmother, who taught her how to build inclusive communities and care for Elders. Outside of work, Kelsey lives in Baltimore with her dog, Olive, and is currently learning Hindi.
