Press Releases

CLH Senior Director Takes Leadership Role in Northwest Indiana Walk to End Alzheimer's

March 20, 2026

Press Release

Michigan City, IN – 3/20/2026 – After more than a decade of walking in honor of her mother, Lynn Duttlinger, CPA, is taking the next step in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Duttlinger, a Senior Director at CLH, CPAs & Consultants, recently accepted the role of Chairman of the Executive Leadership Team for the Northwest Indiana Walk to End Alzheimer’s. In her new position, she will work alongside business and community leaders to increase awareness and strengthen support throughout the region for the Alzheimer’s Association.

Her leadership comes on the heels of a significant achievement. In 2025, Duttlinger was recognized as the top fundraiser for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Northwest Indiana, including Lake, Porter and La Porte counties, raising over $10,000 for the cause. To date, she has raised over $70,000 for the association. Duttlinger said the accomplishment reflects the strong community support behind her efforts.

For Duttlinger, those efforts are deeply personal. Her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2011.

“I support the Alzheimer’s Association because Alzheimer’s changed my family forever,” she said. “Like so many families, we didn’t understand the disease and the toll it would take on her or the toll it would take on all of us. We thought memory loss was the hardest part. We were wrong. Alzheimer’s slowly took her independence, her confidence, her personality, and pieces of the woman who raised me.”

As the family members navigated the unknown, they continued to find ways to gain a better understanding of their new circumstances. In 2012, Duttlinger noticed a sign for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

“I told my mom about it, and she made me promise something that day,” she said. “She made me promise that I would walk every year until a cure was found.”

Her mother passed away in August 2017 at the age of 79. The promise has continued.

“Every step was for her,” she said. “Today it has been 15 years since my first walk, and my reason has evolved. I still walk for my mom – but now I walk for the future.”

Duttlinger’s team, named Team Hope, has grown steadily over the years as more people join her in the walk. Many participants have been walking beside her since the early years, she noted.

“I keep showing up and that resonates with people,” she said.

In January 2026, Duttlinger stepped into her new leadership role with the Executive Leadership Team, expanding her involvement beyond fundraising.

“It’s the next step in helping the organization. I’m elevating my mission,” she said. “I can share my leadership skills and collaborate with business leaders I’ve known throughout my career so that we can walk forward together to raise funds and community awareness.”

The role is a blend of two passions for Duttlinger. She can advocate for the organization and those affected by the disease while also assisting loved ones who are travelling the same journey she and her family have taken.

“Outside of the walk, I spend a lot of time helping families navigate the course. It’s scary and heartbreaking,” she said. “If I can help families find resources and support, that’s important to me.”

Duttlinger brings over 40 years of professional experience to the Alzheimer’s Association role, establishing herself as a trusted leader with CLH and within the broader business community. In 2023, she was recognized as the Influential Woman of the Year in the Business Category by the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association.

Her professional background has shaped her approach to nonprofit leadership, marked by collaboration, strategy, and community engagement. Her work with the Alzheimer’s Association will now focus on bringing more local leaders into the fight against the disease.

“There are so many industries on the front line of this disease,” she said. “We need to get these people engaged, share resources, and bring fresh ideas on how to support the community.”

At CLH, colleagues note that Duttlinger’s leadership reflects the firm’s broader commitment to community involvement and service.

“Lynn’s dedication to the Alzheimer’s Association reflects the very best of what community leadership looks like,” said Tony Gillisse, CPA, and Partner at CLH. “We are incredibly proud of the leadership she brings both to our firm and to this important cause.”

Team Hope is currently raising funds for this year’s walk scheduled for Oct. 3 in La Porte County. Duttlinger remains dedicated to bringing together families, advocates, volunteers, and business leaders from across the region to help top last year’s fundraising goal. And more importantly, building an army that will continue the march forward in finding an end to Alzheimer’s.

“You just have to show up,” she said. “This disease is relentless, but so are we. And until there is a cure, I will keep walking.”

About CLH, CPAs & Consultants: CLH, CPAs & Consultants is a full-service certified public accounting firm with offices in La Porte, Michigan City, and Valparaiso, IN. CLH, CPAs & Consultants’ commitment to delivering high-quality, creative solutions is rooted in their long history of building strong, personal relationships with their clients.