Tanisha Hill-Jarrett, PhD, is a neuropsychologist and assistant professor of neurology at the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and the UCSF Edward and Pearl Fein Memory and Aging Center. Her research focuses on how adverse social exposures, such as psychosocial stressors, structural discrimination, and inequitable access to opportunities, impact cognitive aging and increase risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD).
Dr. Hill-Jarrett’s work applies intersectionality theory to examine how the interaction of social and environmental factors influences brain health and aging trajectories. She is particularly dedicated to improving the measurement and tracking of adverse social exposures to better understand their effects on cognitive aging and the development of ADRD. Her research aims to identify mechanisms behind these disparities and inform strategies to advance brain health in medically, economically, or educationally disadvantaged populations.
As both a scientist and clinician, Dr. Hill-Jarrett is committed to making brain health and wellness accessible to all communities. She is an active participant in the Fein Memory and Aging Center’s Black/African American Community Outreach Team, which works to enhance education, awareness, and access to care.
Dr. Hill-Jarrett incorporates Afrofuturism into her community-based work, using it as a framework to inspire hope, empowerment, and new possibilities for brain health. By creating counternarratives and reimagining the future, she helps community members envision and work toward healthier aging experiences.