Kissimmee clinical research leader turns personal loss into dementia advocacy

Maria Reynoso, director of clinical research at Kissimmee Clinical Research, is using her experience as a caregiver and researcher to push for more awareness and study of frontal lobe dementia. She is also writing a book about her journey while continuing to lead clinical trials in Kissimmee, Florida.

Why it matters: - Maria Reynoso’s work sits at the intersection of clinical research and caregiver advocacy. - Her focus on frontal lobe dementia highlights a condition she says is often overlooked in public understanding and research. - Her experience may resonate with families navigating dementia care and with researchers looking for better awareness around less-recognized diagnoses.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Maria Reynoso, director of clinical research at Kissimmee Clinical Research in Kissimmee, Florida. - Reynoso has more than six years in senior leadership and more than a decade in clinical research. - She oversees clinical trials from initiation through completion. - Her role includes regulatory compliance, scientific accuracy and collaboration with investigators, sponsors and site personnel. - Reynoso started her career as a clinical research coordinator before moving into management and then director-level leadership.

The details: - In July 2022, Reynoso was attending an investigational meeting in Chicago when she learned her home had caught fire while her husband was inside. - Her husband had frontal lobe dementia and was using an oxygen machine that malfunctioned and caused the fire. - After the loss, Reynoso spent more than a year in temporary housing while rebuilding her home and managing grief. - She returned to her rebuilt home in January 2023. - Reynoso continued leading clinical research during that period without interruption. - Reynoso is now writing a book about her experience as a caregiver and healthcare professional. - The book is intended to offer guidance, comfort and practical insight for families facing similar challenges. - Reynoso says frontal lobe dementia is often misunderstood or folded into broader diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s disease. - Reynoso argues that dementia is complex and multifactorial and needs more focused research and public education. - Reynoso says perseverance, resilience, faith and consistency have shaped her career and personal recovery. - Reynoso credits an early-career warning from a former boss with helping her take ownership of her career path and pursue leadership more intentionally.

Between the lines: - Reynoso’s story shows how personal caregiving experience can shape professional priorities in healthcare. - Her advocacy suggests a broader gap in dementia awareness, especially for conditions that receive less attention than Alzheimer’s disease. - Her emphasis on transparency, integrity and emotional endurance reflects the pressures faced by leaders in clinical research and in caregiving roles. - Her message to younger women in the field centers on patience, persistence and long-term confidence rather than quick results.

What's next: - Reynoso plans to continue leading clinical research in Kissimmee while advancing awareness of frontal lobe dementia. - Her book project could expand her reach beyond the clinic and into caregiver education. - Reynoso also sees room for better diagnostic understanding, stronger support systems and more research into dementia care. - More information is available through Maria Reynoso’s Influential Women profile.

The bottom line: - Reynoso is pairing clinical trial leadership with personal advocacy, using her experience to push for more attention to a misunderstood dementia diagnosis.