Her program of research, funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging (NIH/NIA) and the Alzheimer’s Association, is focused on the influence of multi-level factors on physical activity, cognitive health, cardiovascular health and sleep among Spanish-speaking older Latinos with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD); and on changing the culture of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) clinical trials to be more inclusive.

​

Dr. Perez is a bilingual/bicultural Scientist at the Center for Improving Care Delivery for the Aging, Penn’s Resource Center for Minority Aging Research (RCMAR) and a board-certified Adult Nurse Practitioner at Mercy LIFE, providing community based long-term care for diverse, frail elders who reside in North Philadelphia. She served as Policy Advisor of the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), Public Policy Committee; and was selected as a Congressional Fellow supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy Aging Program to work with Latino city planners, local policymakers, stakeholders, and residents to inform environmental policies that promote healthy aging.

​

Adriana was awarded the 2021 Research Recognition Award from the National Hispanic Council on Aging and 2018 Senior Service America, Senior Scholar Award for Research Related to Disadvantaged Older Adults by the Gerontological Society of America. She is a Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing, where she served as Chair of the Expert Panel on Aging. She earned her Bachelor’s, Master’s, doctoral education, and Claire M. Fagin Post-doctoral Fellowship from Arizona State University, College of Nursing and Health Innovation.