Gretchen Alkema
About Gretchen Alkema
Gretchen Alkema serves as the Vice President of Policy and Communications at The SCAN Foundation, where she has worked since 2009. She has extensive experience in aging, health, and caregiving issues, having held various roles in academia and policy, including fellowships in the U.S. Senate and at the University of Southern California.
Current Role at SCAN Foundation
Gretchen Alkema serves as the Vice President of Policy and Communications at The SCAN Foundation. She has held this position since 2009, contributing to the organization's mission to enhance the quality of life for older adults. In her role, she focuses on policy development and communication strategies that address aging, health, and caregiving issues.
Previous Experience in Policy and Research
Before joining The SCAN Foundation, Gretchen Alkema worked in various roles that shaped her expertise in aging and health policy. She was a John Heinz and Health and Aging Policy Fellow at the U.S. Senate from 2008 to 2009. Additionally, she served as a Research Associate at the University of Southern California Davis School of Gerontology from 2002 to 2009, where she conducted research on gerontology.
Educational Background
Gretchen Alkema holds a PhD from the University of Southern California, which she completed from 2002 to 2007. She also earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Michigan in 1995 and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Colorado Boulder from 1988 to 1992. Her educational background provides a strong foundation for her work in policy and communications.
Initiatives and Collaborations
Throughout her career, Gretchen Alkema has initiated partnerships with major media outlets, including NPR, PBS NewsHour, and USA Today, to enhance media coverage on issues related to aging, health, and caregiving. She has also led efforts to establish a national funder collaborative aimed at improving long-term care financing and has been instrumental in creating a Master Plan for Aging in California.
Leadership in Complex Care Strategies
Gretchen Alkema serves as the executive lead and main strategist for a national complex care funder collaborative. In this capacity, she has developed and refined strategies for person-centered care delivery, integrated care in Medicare and Medicaid, and quality measurement, demonstrating her commitment to improving care for older adults.