Maricruz Rivera-Hernandez is a gerontologist and health services researcher deeply committed to a career in health and healthcare disparities research, examining disparities for vulnerable older adults. After completing her doctoral education in social gerontology at Miami University in Ohio), she began an AHRQ T32 – fellowship at the Center for Gerontology at Health Care Research at Brown University. She is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Health Services, Policy and Practice at Brown University and received funding by the Advance-Clinical Translational Research Mentored Research Award to understand issues about choice among Medicare Advantage enrollees. Rivera-Hernandez currently funded by the NIA with a K01 (Mentored Research Scientist Development Award) to study Medicare Advantage plan choice and selection among racial and ethnic minorities and low-income seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. In addition, She has an R03 to explore nursing home disparities among Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries with dementia.