Angel C. Duncan, PhD

 

 

Angel C. Duncan, PhD, MFT, ATR is an internationally recognized leader in gerontology, counseling psychology, art therapy, and clinical research. For over two decades, she has advanced phases I–IV clinical trials in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as in cardiac, oncology, and psychiatric disorders. Her expertise spans clinical patient care, study design and coordination, patient recruitment and retention, educational outreach, program development, and multi-million dollar grant writing. She has built key partnerships among research sponsors, CROs, medical providers, and patient advocacy groups, bridging science and community to improve care and trust.

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Dr. Duncan earned her PhD in Psychology with a specialization in Gerontology, graduating with distinction and in the top 5% of her class at NorthCentral/National University’s JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences. She also holds dual master’s degrees in Counseling Psychology (Marriage and Family Therapy) and Art Therapy from Notre Dame de Namur University, where she was a President’s Graduate Scholarship recipient. Her early research at Stanford University focused on medical procedural anxiety in pediatric oncology patients.

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She has held leadership roles with the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California–Northern Nevada, the University of CA- San Francisco (UCSF)) Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute, and Sequoia Hospital, as well as academic appointments at Albertus Magnus College and the University of Tampa. She co-founded the Arts in Mind program at the Yale University Art Gallery and served as Research Associate and Director of Education at the Neuropsychiatric Research Center of Southwest Florida. Currently, she is Program Manager, Clinical Trials and Education for Life Molecular Imaging, a company of Lantheus, specializing in amyloid/tau PET biomarker imaging for neurodegenerative diseases.

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Dr. Duncan serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Cognitive Dynamics Foundation and Alzheimer’s Education Resource Services (AERS). She is a scientific peer reviewer for Frontiers in Psychology and the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Her expertise has been featured on multiple podcasts and other diverse media including The Los Angeles Times, The Star Ledger, CBS news, NPR, Huffington Post, and Neurology Now (Brain & Life). Widely published in academic and professional journals, she is also a sought-after speaker and consultant, working with leading organizations on brain health, dementia care, and aging-in-place initiatives.