Debra Tann, EdD

Dr. Debra Tann is originally from Sacramento, California, but refers to Valdosta, Georgia, as her home. Dr. Tann has 30+ years of educational experience. She began her career in higher education teaching political science at the community college and university levels. After many years in higher education, Dr. Tann launched Genesis Christian School, where she was at the helm for 14 years.

Dr. Tann began her current educational chapter as a Certified Dementia Educator and nationally certified Virtual Dementia Tour coach. She currently works at the local level as the CEO of Reminiscent, a brain health organization. At the state level, Dr. Tann is a collaborator for Georgia Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (GARD) Collaborative. At the national level, she is a congressional team member assigned to Senator Jon Ossoff for the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement (AIM). She is a champion for the ENACT act which is making its way through Congress.

Dr. Tann is moving the needle in rural south Georgia by conducting quarterly dementia and brain health education events. She is a strong advocate for caregivers, debunking myths associated with dementia, and erasing stigma and misunderstanding around dementia. Moreover, Dr. Tann is working tirelessly to eradicate health care disparities as it relates to diagnosis rates, access to early treatment, quality care, clinical research, and trial participation rates among Blacks and Latinos.  

Dr. Tann is a lecturer at Georgia State University’s gerontology department and serves on the clinical research team, which is conducting research in Alzheimer’s with an emphasis on the prevention of slips, trips, and falls. Dr. Tann is also a published author on the subject of dementia. Her book, The Race of Dementia, is currently used in the nursing program at Texas Christian University and Georgia State University’s gerontology department. She also facilitates an online support group designed for caregivers and hosts a local monthly Memory Café for those living with memory loss. Dr. Tann is a national and international speaker and a trained Memory Care Screener. She serves on the board of directors for Dementia Action Alliance.

In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling domestically & internationally, Bible study, and she loves to celebrate the Arts. Dr. Tann volunteers her time with community projects, as she is a firm believer in servant leadership.