Meeting of the
CONSUMERS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm
MINUTES
Committee Members Present: John Schoepp (Co-chair), Charmaine Graham (Consumer-at-Large), David Klotz (Governmental Co-chair), Lisa Best, Gus Angelopoulos, Paul Carr, Billy Fields (Finance Officer), Lawrence Francis, Newton Francis, Yves Gebhardt, Ralph Henderson, Charmaine Graham, Natasha Martin, Annette Tomlin, Rob Walker
Staff Present: Michael Navejas, Abraham Omeyoma, Doienne Saab, Laura Moya Adames
Guests Present: Samantha Eiger, Annalee Mueller
Agenda Item 1: Welcome/ Moment of Silence/Minutes
John opened the meeting and welcomed attendees. Billy led a moment of silence, reflecting on current challenges.
The minutes of January 20, 2026 were approved with no changes.
Agenda Item 2: Presentation: STREAM 2.0 (Supportive Technology to Reinforce
Everyday Activities and Memory)
a) understand the everyday activities and experiences of aging adults with diverse cognitive impairments
b) identify, develop, and evaluate innovative technology solutions that support engagement in community life and daily living
c) ensure that these solutions are usable by aging adults with cognitive challenges.
Samantha noted that STREAM 2.0 is a needs‑assessment study conducted through a one‑time interview.
CC members engaged with the presentation, asking detailed questions about study exclusions, incentives, and the consent process. Annalee responded thoroughly, clarifying that participants must be at least 60 years old, that there are no penalties for withdrawing after beginning the study, and that participants receive a $50 incentive for completing the interview. She reiterated, along with Samantha, that this is a needs‑assessment study and that results will be made publicly available once findings from the realized study are published.
Committee members raised concerns about the difficulty of securing medical appointments at Weill Cornell. Samantha and Annalee were receptive to this feedback and agreed to share these concerns with clinical providers, while noting that their roles are in research rather than direct service delivery.
The presenters committed to following up with additional information regarding whether caregivers may be present during the assessment, whether transportation support is available, and how participants can access providers at Weill Cornell.
Agenda Item 3: Update & Discussion: Immigrant Health Survey Data
Michael provided a brief review of the immigrant health survey results developed by members of the Consumers Committee. The findings included preliminary results from both the English‑language survey and the provider survey. Only limited information from the Spanish‑language responses was available, as that portion of the data had not yet been fully reviewed.
The presentation generated substantial member participation and a lively discussion. Several members raised concerns about the low number of Spanish‑language responses and the implications for representation. In response, the presenter noted that fear around completing surveys—particularly concerns related to immigration status and potential contact with ICE—may have contributed to the lower response rate among Spanish‑speaking participants.
Members were informed that results from the Immigrant Health Survey would inform the Needs Assessment recommendations for supporting immigrant clients.
Agenda Item 4: Consumers Committee Next Steps
For next steps, Marcelo proposed creating an Immigrant HIV Health Subcommittee to continue this work in a more focused way, reaching out to Spanish speaking immigrants with HIV to increase their survey response and have better representation. Many members expressed strong support for the idea, and the committee agreed to move forward with establishing the subcommittee.
Agenda Item 5: Public Comment
No public comments were made.
Agenda Item 6: Adjournment
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
The next meeting of the Consumers Committee will be virtual, on Tuesday, March 17st, 2026 2-4pm via Zoom.
