Casey’s work aims to raise public awareness that aging is not a disease. Aging need not be feared. Age itself is nothing more than a number. Indeed, aging can and should be a beautiful and welcomed part of a life well-lived. Casey is passionate about changing the narrative surrounding aging: breaking down stigmas that threaten wellbeing and instead promoting respect and reverence foe elders, particularly people living with dementia.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic (2015), and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Media Innovation in the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). During an international ethnographic research project in 2015 within European communities of dementia care, Casey discovered the power of community to uphold quality of life for people living with dementia. He was inspired to pivot disciplines away from the molecular genetics of Alzheimer’s disease and toward public health approaches to inclusivity.

Casey now serves as a Graduate Research Assistant within the Dementia Engagement, Education, and Research (DEER) Program in the School of Public Health at UNR, after serving as Coordinator of the DEER Program for two years. The DEER Program-which is the institutional home base for the statewide Dementia Friendly Nevada initiative-aims to help individuals, organizations, and communities build capacity for living well with dementia and spread awareness of brain health and wellness. In Casey’s GRA role, he continues to support the Dementia Friendly Nevada effort as its Program Coordinator. Casey strongly believes that it is only through the integration of diverse perspectives, the partnership of all stakeholders, and an unending commitment to the community that we can achieve a world in which inclusion is truly the norm.