Jean Barnas Haratsaris
Jean has worked in Education, Training and Public Policy with the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Michigan Chapter since 2001. She educates and trains care partners, people with dementia, the general community and professionals about Alzheimer's disease and its various implications, hoping to make their journey a little easier to understand. Jean also plays a role in advocacy efforts, discussing key platform issues with legislators for those living with and caring for someone with dementia.
Jean is doing the Ascent in the hope of raising local, national, and international awareness about Alzheimer's disease. She has several family members with various types of dementia so she has an understanding, firsthand, of what this disease can do to the person living with the disease and to family and loved ones.
Jean is the youngest of eight children and (thanks to her Dad) has been hiking during family vacations since she was six or seven years old. She also loves to run and has several half marathons and one full marathon under her belt. Jean is a newlywed. She and her husband Dean love and cherish the outdoors. They camp, hike, ski/snowboard, kayak, and bike all over the United States (and recently Costa Rica on their honeymoon!) together.
If you would like to sponsor Jean on the Ascent for Alzheimer's, please visit her fundraising page at www.gmcascent.kintera.org