Jordan P Lewis

Jordan P Lewis, PhD, MSW, is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth campus within the Department of Family Medicine & Biobehavioral Health. As a Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team - Health Equity member, Lewis focuses on Indigenous aging and health equity through community-based research.

• Education:
  • PhD in Successful Aging through the eyes of Alaska Native Elders (University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2009)
  • MSW (Washington University St. Louis, 2000)

Lewis' research agenda challenges western biomedical models of aging by developing culturally congruent Alaska Native perspectives on successful aging. This includes:

• Coining the concept of Indigenous cultural generativity (transmission of wisdom across generations)
• Exploring Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) through Indigenous explanatory models
• Addressing caregiver education gaps that delay dementia diagnosis
• Advancing data sovereignty in Indigenous public health systems

Recent publications (2024) demonstrate growing focus on:

• Cyclical migration patterns in Alaska Native Elders
• Genetic research participation in marginalized communities
• Indigenous mentoring programs for STEM faculty

Scientific recognition includes:

• Fellow of Gerontological Society of America
• Leadership roles in American Society on Aging and Indigenous Peoples & Aging Interest Group
• Board membership at American Society for Circumpolar Health

Active grants include NIH-funded projects on Indigenous dementia understanding (2023-2028) and NSF grants for Alaska Native aging research (2021-2025). Lewis works within the Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team, emphasizing collaborative, community-centered approaches to brain health.