MARIA SHRIVER

In 2003, Maria Shriver’s father, Sargent Shriver, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a disease about which she and her family knew very little. Putting her skills as an award-winning journalist and best-selling author to work, Maria has since become one of today’s most internationally recognized Alzheimer’s advocates and a force behind getting the disease recognized as a women’s issue.

She founded the nation’s preeminent organization for women and Alzheimer’s, the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM), which in 2022 joined Cleveland Clinic to become WAM at Cleveland Clinic. In collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, Shriver also initiated the opening of the first Alzheimer’s prevention clinic designed specifically for women. The WAM Center for Alzheimer’s Prevention, Health and Research is housed at the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas. As a Strategic Partner on Women’s Health and Alzheimer’s, Shriver continues her leadership in women’s health at Cleveland Clinic and uses her voice and platforms to support women and women’s health. She also serves as an outside strategic advisor to President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden on the White House initiative on women’s health research, which Maria helped create.

Whether as journalist, author, activist, former First Lady of California, mother of four or grandmother to two, Maria’s singular path to bring Alzheimer’s and brain health into the open has had a profound impact on the lives of those living with the disease and their loved ones.

HIGHLIGHTS

• WHITE HOUSE INITIATIVE ON WOMEN’S HEALTH RESEARCH: Maria helped instigate the creation of this initiative signed on November 13, 2023, and continues to act as an outside strategic advisor to President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
• WAM AT CLEVELAND CLINIC: In February 2022, WAM partnered with one of the world’s leading medical and research institution to become WAM at Cleveland Clinic. Maria becomes a Strategic Partner for Women’s Health and Alzheimer’s at the Cleveland Clinic.
• CA GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE ON ALZHEIMER’S PREVENTION AND PREPAREDNESS: In 2019, Shriver was appointed Task Force Chair by CA Governor Gavin Newsom. Under Maria’s leadership, the Task Force is charged with developing recommendations to the Governor on how local communities, private organizations, businesses, government and families can prevent and prepare for the rise in the number of cases of Alzheimer’s disease and forge a bold path forward for an aging state and its families. (2019-2020)
• COLOR YOUR MIND: In 2017, Shriver published Color Your Mind, the first-ever coloring book for people with Alzheimer’s and the people who love them.
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: In March 2017, The Alzheimer’s Association awarded Shriver with its first-ever Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her for using her voice and her platforms to significantly move the needle on the public’s awareness of this disease.
• THE WOMEN’S ALZHEIMER’S MOVEMENT: The Challenge evolved into the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, focused on the disproportionate impact that Alzheimer’s has on women both as those who suffer from it and those who care for their loved ones with it.
• GLOBAL MOVEMENT OF WOMEN: In 2015, Maria launched the Wipe Out Alzheimer’s Challenge, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, challenging a global community of women to get educated, empowered, and engaged in the fight against Alzheimer’s.
• FIRST WOMEN’S ALZHEIMER’S RESEARCH FUND: Maria and The Shriver Report inspired the Alzheimer’s Association to create the first-of-its-kind Women’s Alzheimer’s Research Fund where 100% of the proceeds support women’s brain research. (2015)
• “STILL ALICE” EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Maria executive produced Sony Classic Picture’s Academy Award winning “Still Alice” and used that moment to talk about the misperception that Alzheimer’s is just a disease that affects an aging population. (2014)
• “SHRIVER REPORT: A WOMAN’S NATION TAKES ON ALZHEIMER’S”: In partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, Maria Shriver released groundbreaking findings and stories that forever changed the narrative of Alzheimer’s disease. It reported for the first time the disproportionate effect Alzheimer’s has on women. (2010)
• MARIA SHRIVER’S MARCH TO END ALZHEIMER’S: Maria organized the first ever March to End Alzheimer’s, a multigenerational 5K “march” in Long Beach, CA. The inspiring event raised over $270,000 dollars for the Alzheimer’s Association and served as the kick-off to The Women’s Conference, then the nation’s premier gathering of women. (2010)
• CONGRESSIONAL TESTIMONY: Maria testified before Congress on Alzheimer’s disease alongside Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, which preceded passage of the groundbreaking National Alzheimer’s Project Act.
• HBO “ALZHEIMER’S PROJECT”: Maria executive produced the Emmy award winning, multi-platform series “The Alzheimer’s Project” with HBO. The segment, “Grandpa, Do You Know Who I Am?” received the Television Academy’s “Outstanding Children’s Nonfiction Program” award. (2009)
• BESTSELLING CHILDREN’S BOOK: Maria authored the bestselling children’s book “What’s Happening to Grandpa” to help young children understand the disease’s devastating effects.