Dementia Team
Maribeth Gallagher, NP, MS
Maribeth Gallagher, NP, MS, is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Dementia Program Director. She creates, implements, and evaluates comfort measures to improve quality of life for persons with advanced dementia. She focuses primarily on non-pharmacological interventions that enhance well-being and prevent or minimize challenging behaviors. Her previous experiences include inpatient and outpatient geropsychiatric nursing positions. Additionally, Maribeth 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 with the Dementia Program. She has a special interest in dementia comfort care, specifically with 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 Community Outreach Coordinator with the Dementia Program. She has a passion for improving the quality of care for individuals with dementia. Her previous experience includes teaching family and professional caregivers about dementia, as the Alzheimer's Association Education Coordinator. Rebekah has also been a family caregiver. This experience drives her motivation for educating the community about how to provide comfort and joy for individuals with dementia.
Linda Jensen, MSW
Linda Jensen, MSW, is the Behavioral Placement Resource Coordinator. Linda brings years of experience in both geriatrics and mental health. She also has a background in public relations.
Corina Inez Nunez
Corina Inez Nunez is the Administrative Assistant for the Dementia Program. She has extensive managerial and accounting skills and is currently studying to become a family counselor.
Gillian Hamilton, MD, Ph.D.
Gillian Hamilton, MD, Ph.D. is an experienced geriatrician and is also the Administrative Medical Director at Hospice of the Valley. 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.
Among other projects, she is the director of a new grant-supported program to provide a required palliative care education rotation for all residents throughout Maricopa County. She also directs the nationally recognized “Palliative Care for Advanced Dementia” program, and is co-director of the Health Care Decisions program, which educates hospitals and the public about advance directives. Dr. Hamilton consistently is awarded Best Docs of America and Phoenix Magazine's Best Docs of Phoenix, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including National Library of Congress's Local Legend award for 2005.