Karen Coppola, RDH, CDP, EAL has been selected as NCCDP’s 2025 Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) of the Year—an honor that reflects what so many families, caregivers, and community partners already know: Karen brings rare steadiness, creativity, and heart to dementia care.
In Karen, we recognize a practitioner whose work lives at the intersection of clinical insight, lived caregiver experience, and practical innovation—and whose presence consistently restores dignity, connection, and confidence for people living with dementia and the care partners who walk beside them.
A steady guide when families need it most
Karen was nominated by Dr. Jeanine McCleod, who shared how she first connected with Karen through the Veterans Administration (VA) Caregiver Support Program, where Karen serves as a Peer Mentor. In a season marked by rapid change and uncertainty, Karen’s calm clarity, insightful counsel, and nonjudgmental support became a lifeline—helping a family find steadier footing, and later extending that same humility and consistency to countless others.
Innovation that brings partners back together: It Takes a Herd™
Karen’s trailblazing work is perhaps best known through It Takes a Herd™ (ITAH), a trademarked, dementia-friendly equine-assisted program that blends dementia care expertise, Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL), and a deeply person-centered approach. Through structured, meaningful activities with horses—paired with a robust, research-informed curriculum—Karen intentionally supports both the person living with dementia and the care partner, creating space for connection, confidence, and shared purpose.
Not a doctor’s appointment—an experience that restores connection
The impact of Karen’s work is especially visible when participants describe it in their own words. In a Boston 25 News segment filmed at Strongwater Farm in Tewksbury, Massachusetts, viewers see caregivers and loved ones engaging side-by-side in hands-on activities with horses—an experience that is social, skill-building, and emotionally grounding. Karen’s approach meets a real gap: support that truly serves both members of the caregiving partnership.
Leadership beyond the arena
Karen’s contributions extend far beyond equine programming. She holds certification as a Dementia Support Group Facilitator; serves in advisory and speaker roles (including with the VA Medical Center’s Caregiver Support Program and regional Councils on Aging); facilitates equine-assisted Memory Cafes; and is intentional about expanding access for veteran families and others who have historically been underserved. She is also recognized for translating clinical concepts into down-to-earth, actionable strategies that families and community programs can apply immediately.
Building the evidence—and a model others can learn from
Karen’s work is helping advance what community-based dementia support can look like. Her It Takes a Herd™ program is being studied through collaborations with academic researchers, including Massachusetts General Hospital and Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine. Early findings shared in the nomination materials note improvements that include quality of life, mood, communication, reduced social isolation, and increased confidence for both care partners and care recipients. Just as importantly, Karen’s model is described as replicable and scalable—offering a framework other dementia practitioners and communities can adapt across diverse settings.
Congratulations, Karen
Karen Coppola is more than a Certified Dementia Practitioner—she is a visionary leader who demonstrates what person-centered dementia care looks like when knowledge meets compassion, and innovation stays grounded in dignity.
From NCCDP and the entire dementia care community: congratulations, Karen, on being named 2025 CDP of the Year. Thank you for elevating the standard of care, strengthening families, and reminding all of us that connection is still possible—at every stage of the journey.
Supporting narrative videos
Sources
- Nomination letter: “2025 NCCDP CDP of the Year – Nomination: Karen Coppola, RDH, CDP, EAL” (submitted to NCCDP by Dr. Jeanine McCleod).
- Boston 25 News (aired July 23, 2025): segment filmed at Strongwater Farm, Tewksbury, Massachusetts.
- Vimeo: “It Takes a Herd Feature” (8 min).
