Jung-Ah Lee, PhD, RN, FAAN

Jung-Ah Lee, a Professor and Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the University of California, Irvine’s Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing, is a nurse scientist specializing in gerontology and healthcare systems. Her research focuses on improving care delivery and quality of life for older patients and caregivers, with a particular interest in addressing racial and ethnic disparities. Dr. Lee’s work emphasizes culturally sensitive approaches to care delivery, especially in chronic diseases including dementia. Currently, Dr. Lee leads a NIH/NIA funded study aimed at supporting ethnic minority caregivers of people with dementia. This study, as the primary principal investigator, evaluates a community health worker-led, culturally and language-specific home-based intervention. This intervention includes stress reduction techniques such as mindful breathing, compassionate support, and caregiving education, all aimed at enhancing caregiver health, wellbeing, and positive interactions with individuals with dementia. The study holds promise in reducing health disparities in dementia care, empowering underserved caregivers in self-management, and enhancing their quality of life. Dr. Lee has contributed significantly to the field, publishing her work in 64 peer-reviewed journal articles and delivering over 100 presentations at scientific meetings including keynote speeches and invited talks on dementia caregiving for underserved communities. Additionally, she serves as President of the American Asian/Pacific Islander Nurses Association and sits on the Board of Directors for the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurses Associations, actively working to improve health equity for all. Dr. Lee is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and the American Academy of Nursing.