About Healthy Brain Moments
Healthy Brain Moments are a series of one-minute interviews exploring how everyday choices can support long-term brain health and reduce the risk of dementia.
Read more about the presenters of this series.
Miia Kivipelto, MD, PhD, is a scientist and global leader in brain health, aging, and dementia prevention. In 2025, she joined the Yale School of Nursing (YSN) as the Rodman Family Endowed Professor of Gerontology and an inaugural director of YSN Center for Aging Well, with a secondary appointment at the Yale School of Medicine.
Dr. Kivipelto is best known for leading the landmark FINGER study, the first large clinical trial to show that dementia risk can be reduced through a combination of lifestyle changes—such as healthy diet, physical activity, cognitive training, and cardiovascular risk management. Her work helped shift the field away from the idea that cognitive decline is an inevitable part of aging. She also developed the CAIDE dementia risk score, now used worldwide to identify people at higher risk for cognitive decline years before symptoms appear. Building on this work, she founded the World-Wide FINGERS Network, which now spans more than 73 countries and supports global collaboration on dementia prevention.
Currently, Dr. Kivipelto is leading an implementation study in partnership with YSN faculty and LiveWell (resource and activities as well as residential care center for people with memory loss) in Southington, Connecticut, translating proven dementia risk-reduction strategies into real-world care.
Prior to Yale, Dr. Kivipelto served as Professor of Clinical Geriatrics at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and led major research programs at Karolinska University Hospital, while collaborating internationally with teams across Europe and the UK. She has authored more than 400 scientific publications and is among the most cited researchers in her field. Her research and leadership have been recognized with numerous international honors, including the Melvin R. Goodes Prize and the Ryman Prize, among others. At Yale, Dr. Kivipelto is focused on advancing precision approaches to healthy aging—helping people maintain cognitive health and independence across the lifespan.
Craig Manbauman, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a Family Nurse Practitioner who earned his degree at the Yale School of Nursing (YSN) and currently serves as a faculty member at YSN and practitioner of the Brain Health and Dementia Prevention Clinic at LiveWell. His deep, personal commitment to veteran health is rooted in his prior service as a U.S. Air Force Aerospace Medic. Craig has extensive experience as a trauma-informed facilitator, including his role as the Regional Class Coordinator for DE-CRUIT, where he leverages the arts and theater to create supportive and therapeutic spaces for veterans. Craig’s approach integrates clinical expertise with lived experience, and he passionately advocates for policy change and structural solutions to improve health outcomes for veterans, marginalized communities, and the dedicated healthcare workers who serve them. His work emphasizes holistic well-being across the continuum of care.
Tyler McCaully is the Director of Fitness and Movement at LiveWell, holds a BS and MBA and personal training certifications through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), National Sports Performance Association (CSAC), and a second level Resistance Training Specialist (RTS II). Tyler has been involved in the Fitness and Wellness industry in a variety of ways for the past 27 years. As a Personal Trainer, Health Club Owner and Manager and Executive Director, he believes in the ability of all bodies regardless of age, to flourish given the right support. He has had the privilege of training diverse populations; Olympic athletes, celebrities, older adults and those living with physical disabilities as well as some of the top orthopedic professionals throughout his career. Tyler is passionate about creating opportunities to challenge stereotypes around physical fitness and aging.
Betsy Mintz is a Facilitator at LiveWell, an ambassador of the Empowering Partnership Network, and an individual living with cognitive changes. Betsy understands the importance of community firsthand. She began her journey as a volunteer at LiveWell with a simple, powerful goal: to give to others what she hopes to one day receive herself. This mission drives her work every day, ensuring that no one walks their path of brain health and cognitive change alone. Betsy was an inaugural participant in LiveWell’s first Healthy Brain Course and helped inform the curriculum for future semesters. Outside of the LiveWell community, Betsy stays active by coaching her kids' sports and spending quality time with her spouse and family. Whether she’s hanging out with friends or tending to her animals, Betsy’s life is defined by connection and heart.