Central Iowans Recognized as Volunteers of the Year for the Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter

Four Central Iowans have been recognized for their dedication and support in the fight to end Alzheimer’s as 2025 Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter Volunteers of the Year.

DES MOINES, IA, April 21, 2025 – The Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter has awarded Dani Dunham of Ames as Advocate of the Year; Keith Piscitello of Des Moines as Community Educator of the Year; Dawn Wirtz of Des Moines as Spokesperson of the Year; and Jonna Wisnieski of Des Moines as Gala Volunteer of the Year. All four volunteers have gone above and beyond during their time as volunteers to help get one step closer to a world without Alzheimer’s and dementia.

• Dani Dunham of Ames has helped improve Alzheimer’s and dementia care and support in Iowa and across the nation as an Alzheimer’s Impact Movement advocate for many years. She has participated in Alzheimer’s Association state advocacy day many times and is always willing to reach out to her state and federal legislators to move legislative priorities forward. In addition, she has participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Ames for many years too.
• Keith Piscitello, Founder and Lead Planner of Simply Sophisticated Wealth Planning, LLC, has been volunteering for the Alzheimer’s Association as a Community Educator for years. He is able to use his financial background to help people understand the financial challenges and considerations when preparing or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s or dementia.
• Dawn Wirtz, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Des Moines, was named Spokesperson of the Year because of her passion for raising awareness by sharing her story of being a caregiver with her father for her mother who is living with Alzheimer’s. She inspires and helps many other caregivers to not feel so alone through the difficult caregiving journey and emphasizes how important it is for caregivers to care for themselves too.
• Jonna Wisnieski, Director of Market Research at LCS, has been Chair of the Purple Soirée gala in Des Moines since its inception in 2019, and she has been instrumental in leading the planning committee to increase the number of sponsorships, attendees and funds raised each year. She lost both of her parents and many other family members to Alzheimer’s disease and has spent countless hours volunteering to support the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and the Purple Soirée.

The Alzheimer’s Association Iowa Chapter thanks Dunham, Piscitello, Wirtz and Wisnieski for their service, passion, and dedication as volunteers. All Alzheimer’s Association volunteers are passionate, inspired and want to make a difference in the fight to end Alzheimer’s. Visit alz.org/iowa/volunteer to learn about volunteer opportunities and how to become a volunteer.

There are 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Iowa alone, there are over 62,000 people living with the disease and nearly 100,000 caregivers.