CAUSES

ALZHEIMER'S ADVOCACY 

national activist

Throughout her childhood, Alissa's grandmother, Mary Fran Anderegg, struggled with Alzheimer's disease. While growing up, Alissa quickly realized that the Alzheimer's community lacked a voice for what she now calls "the forgotten generation" of Alzheimer's: the child caregivers. Since 2006, she has become one of the nation's leading Alzheimer’s advocates with her mission to encourage young caregivers to educate, empower and activate for the cause.

During her 20+ years of Alzheimer’s activism, Alissa has shared her story to millions across the world in the Emmy-winning HBO documentary The Alzheimer’s Project, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, AOL, The Huffington Post, National Public Radio, Larry King Live, a nationwide keynote speaking tour, and as a contributor to the book  Alzheimer’s In America: The Shriver Report on Women and Alzheimer’s alongside former President Joe Biden, Barbra Streisand, former First Lady Barbara Bush, and more.

In 2016, as a result of a decade-long partnership with Maria Shriver's Alzheimer's advocacy efforts, Alissa was selected as a Woman Leader of the national campaign, Maria Shriver's Wipe Out Alzheimer's Challenge. In 2017, it was rebranded as The Women's Alzheimer's Movement in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association, My Brain, and A Woman's Nation. Alissa and leading advocates from around the world including Anne Romney, Brooke Shields, Shonda Rhimes and Senator Barbara Mikulski were featured as "inspirational women who have stood on the front lines of the fight against Alzheimer’s."

Throughout her years of advocacy, Alissa has lobbied in Washington D.C. for the Alzheimer's Association, used her social media expertise to support the association's inaugural Social Media Leadership Team, and donated her time as an Executive Board Member and Director of Marketing for The Youth Movement Against Alzheimer’s (acquired by Seth Rogen’s Hilarity for Charity). As Miss World America, she served as a National Champion for CaringKind: The Heart of Alzheimer’s Caregiving, and in 2026 she was chosen as one of the organization’s 100 Women of Impact. For the past several years, Alissa has also served as a member of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation’s Young Professionals Committee and co-chaired various New York City events and galas benefitting Alzheimer’s research.

THE SHRIVER REPORT

contributing author

The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Takes on Alzheimer’s is a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary anthology of every facet of Alzheimer’s disease—medical, sociological, political and economic. The academic core of the report is composed of expert reviews of issues and trends, with analysis backed by the nationwide Alzheimer’s Association Women and Alzheimer’s Poll of 3,118 adults, including more than 500 Alzheimer’s caregivers.

But there’s more to Alzheimer’s than numbers. This report includes original photography by award-winning photojournalist Barbara Kinney and a kaleidoscope of personal essays. Contributors include Barbra Streisand, Terrell Owens, Soleil Moon Frye, ABC News “Nightline” anchor Terry Moran, CBS News correspondent Barry Petersen, former First Lady Laura Bush, President Ronald Reagan’s daughter Patti Davis, Alzheimer’s Study Group chairs Newt Gingrich and former Sen. Bob Kerrey, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Vice President Joe Biden. In addition, extraordinarily honest and moving essays by a diverse group of Americans—including teenage caregivers and women who are living with the disease today— further illustrate the toll Alzheimer’s is taking on the American landscape."