Janice Boyd-Layne is a Community Engagement and Retention Coordinator for several studies in the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center. Her primary focus is to retain participants of color in the longitudinal studies on memory and aging. She is also the treasurer for One Roof Chicago whose organizational mission is to build intergenerational housing for LGBTQ seniors and youth on Chicago’s south side. She has been a freelance writer for over 20 years contributing to Windy City Media family of papers, the Chicago Defender, Fisk University Almanac of Popular Culture, to name a few. With a passion for how music and sports intersect with cultural behavior, her library of reading has expanded around sports, hip hop music, and its impact on successive generations.

Janice has worked in social marketing on sexual health and behavioral actions to help inform and empower youth and adults in making educated choices by creating interactive workshops and materials that were relatable.  To date, she has given over 350 educational talks to people of various cultural backgrounds and sexual orientations. Janice plans to use the tools of social marketing to help make Chicago a more peaceful place to live. She has an insatiable curiosity, enjoys photography, videography and exploring the city’s architectural and public art installations.