This abstract describes how the South Texas ADRC and the RGV AD-RCMAR work together through a shared administrative model to advance Alzheimer’s research and health equity in the Rio Grande Valley. Rather than operating separately, the two centers combine their strengths: the RCMAR builds community trust, supports workforce development, and engages underserved Hispanic populations, while the ADRC provides the clinical and scientific infrastructure needed for advanced biological research. Together, this “dual-system” approach helps connect community-based engagement with high-level research, creating a scalable model for recruiting underrepresented populations and strengthening both local research capacity and the national Alzheimer’s disease data pipeline.