Wanda Smith is a longtime advocate for families affected by neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Her commitment began in the 1980s when, as a young mother, she became the primary caregiver for her mother, who had early-onset Alzheimer’s. This personal experience sparked a decades-long journey of advocacy, research engagement, and support for others facing similar challenges.

Wanda played a key role in raising awareness about Alzheimer’s when her caregiving story was featured in Life Magazine in 1986, one of the earliest national spotlights on the "sandwich generation." Since then, her family has made significant contributions to dementia research, including donating samples that helped identify the role of progranulin (GRN), a protein linked to FTD. These findings are now informing clinical trials for potential treatments.

She is the founder of CureGRN, an organization launched in 2024 to support families impacted by GRN-related diseases, and GRN2connect, a global WhatsApp-based network offering education and updates to affected families. Wanda also co-developed the FTD Clinical Research Learning Institute with the University of Pennsylvania to empower families to engage in research advocacy. She represents District PSA 22 in the California Senior Legislature, where she champions policy and funding for dementia research and senior care.

Throughout her career, Wanda has collaborated with organizations such as AFTD, Alzheimer’s San Diego, and the Milken Institute, and has served as a grant reviewer, policy advocate, and research partner. Her work continues to make a lasting impact on the dementia community by advancing both care and research.