Welcome to Brain Injury Association of Oregon (BIAOR)

Return to 2012 Conference Page

Keynotes Friday

Joey Harrington

Larry Sherman, PhD, is Senior Scientist in the Division of Neuroscience and an Associate Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and in the Neuroscience Graduate Program and the Program in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the OHSU School of Medicine. He received a B.A. in 1986 and an M.A. in 1987, both in Biology from Reed College, then went on to receive a Ph.D. in Cell Biology and Anatomy from OHSU in 1993. He conducted post-doctoral research at the Institut für Genetik at the Forschungszentrum in Karlsruhe, Germany, then became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in 1998. He joined the center in 2002. He serves on a number of national grant review boards, is on the editorial board of the journal GLIA, and is the President of the Oregon Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience.

Key Publications
Back, S., Tuohy, T., Chen, H., Wallingford, N., Craig, A., Struve, J., Luo, N., Banine, F., Liu, Y., Chang, A., Trapp, B., Bebo, B., Rao, M. and Sherman, L. (2005). Hyaluronan accumulates in demyelinated lesions and inhibits oligodendrocyte progenitor maturation. Nature Med.11:966-972.

Matsumoto, S., Banine, F., Struve, J., Adams, C., Liu, Y., Metzger, D., Chambon, P., Rao, M. and Sherman, L. (2006). Brg1 is required for murine neural stem cell differentiation and gliogenesis. Dev. Biol. 289:372-383.

Su, W., Xing, R., Guha, A., Gutmann, D. and Sherman, L.(2007). Mice with GFAP-targeted loss of neurofibromin demonstrate increased axonal MET expression with aging. Glia. 55:723-733. Back, S. and Sherman, L.(2008). A GAG reflex prevents repair of the damaged CNS. Trends in Neurosci.31:44-52.

Keynotes Saturday

Jeff Snell, Ph.D., Clinical Neuropsychologist ,holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a Masters in Psychometrics Psychology from Louisiana University. He completed his doctorate in Psychology at the University of Southern Mississippi, with a specialization in Clinical Psychology. The Louisiana native transplanted to Nebraska and joined the staff at QLI in 1998. In addition to working with patients from across the nation who have suffered a brain injury or spinal cord injury, Dr. Snell also serves as Coordinator of Research and Cognitive Rehabilitation Services at QLI. Dr. Snell brings extraordinary talent in developing compensatory strategies that are critical for the successful long-term living for his patients and their families.

Elizabeth Hovde, had a skiing accident on Mt. Hood on January 11. 2011. Her fall caused a traumatic brain injury and a coma that kept her in the hospital for two weeks, and then a rehabilitation center for another three weeks. Elizabeth grew up in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood, home of lutefisk and bad driving. Her parents moved to the South Pacific when she was in high school, but Hovde stayed behind, got roommates and ended up living in just about every Seattle neighborhood chasing cheap rent and odd jobs. These nomadic years prompted Hovde to apply for college so she could use student loans to keep her bed in one place. She graduated from Western Washington University in 1996. Before becoming a Sunday columnist for The Oregonian, Hovde worked for a decade as an editorial writer and columnist for The (Vancouver) Columbian, winning several Society of Professional Journalists awards. She started her newspaper career writing community columns for The Bellingham Herald and is a former communications director for the nonprofit Washington Family Council, working with former Seahawk turned visionary Jeff Kemp. Hovde is mom to two boys and has been married for 16 years. Her husband is a public high school counselor and running coach.

Speakers

RICHARD H. ADLER is an honors graduate of Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., where he received his Juris Doctorate degree in 1980. He was called to the Bar in Washington State that same year.

Mr. Adler is the founding principal for the law offices of Adler Giersch, which is exclusively dedicated to representing victims of traumatic brain, spinal, and musculoskeletal injuries. Mr. Adler volunteers his time with the Brain Injury Association of Washington having served as its President (2006-2009) and current serves as its Chairman of the Executive Board. He is credited with turning around the BIAWA’s organization with initiatives to implement BIAWA’s mission of prevention, education, support, and advocacy for brain injury survivors and their caregivers. In 2009 he organized a powerful coalition of healthcare, businesses, and community partners to enact the “Zackery Lystedt Law,” names after this client, that requires medical clearance before a young athlete can return to competition or practice following concussion.

Mr. Adler has authored many publications on traumatic injuries for attorneys, healthcare providers, and the injured. His most recent book, Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Survivors and Families (2006) joins prior top-rated writings, The Medical-Legal Aspects of Soft Tissue Injuries, and Spinal Trauma and the Personal Injury Case. He is currently writing From Injury to Action: Navigating Your Personal Injury Claim, scheduled for release in the latter part of 2009.

Mr. Adler has co-produced several educational and instructional videos for doctors on testifying at deposition and trial. Also, he writes and edits the law firm’s monthly newsletter, “The Advocate,” which focuses on various medical-legal-insurance aspects of personal injury claims. Frequently, he lectures on traumatic brain injury, personal injury and insurance law to attorneys, medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, and psychologists.

Mr. Adler and the law firm of Adler Giersch PS are “AV” rated, the highest rating available, as established in a confidential survey of other attorney conducted by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2005, Mr. Adler was inducted into the Million Dollar Advocate Forum, an organization of the top trial lawyers in America. He has also received the Pro Bono Award from the Washington State Bar Association for his commitment and leadership in providing legal services to those in need every year since 2003. In 2008, Mr. Adler received the President’s Award from the American Massage Therapy Association, an award that is reserved for those who have advanced the profession of massage therapy statewide. In 2009, he received an award from the American College of Sports Medicine for “protecting the health and safety of young athletes,” in establishing the “Zackery Lystedt Law.”

Mr. Adler is licensed to practice law in federal court and all jurisdictions in the State of Washington. He is a participating member of the Washington Bar Association, Washington State Association of Justice (Eagle Status), American Association for Justice, and Brain Injury Association of Washington.

Brian V. Baker, JD, is the Lead Resource Attorney with Youth, Rights & Justice, Attorneys at Law, formerly the Juvenile Rights Project, Inc. Brian has been employed with YRJ since 1994 as a children’s attorney and he coordinates education advocacy services through the SchoolWorks grant project at YRJ. Brian’s YRJ education advocacy has included developing extensive special education training materials for parents and advocates, presenting training statewide to foster/adopt parents, state child welfare caseworkers, CASA staff, juvenile court counselors/probation officers, attorneys and judges, and juvenile department directors. Brian regularly attends IEP meetings and school disciplinary hearings on behalf of clients. He has also participated in state department of education workgroups regarding administrative rule changes under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); drafted and lobbied for education stability legislation in Oregon; testified before the Oregon State Legislature regarding education services for dependent and delinquent children and youth; participated in an Oregon Law Commission statutory drafting workgroup on education; and presented on education law issues at continuing legal education seminars for the Oregon State Bar and Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Brian received his BA in History/Political Science from,Rutgers College, Rutgers University, with Honors and Phi Beta Kappa, 1989; JD--Willamette University College of Law, 1992.

Anat Baniel, bestselling author of Move Into Life, MA in Clinical Psychology with background in the Sciences and Dance. She has worked for over 30 years with infants, children, and adults suffering from TBI and other conditions, focusing on brain change and developing techniques to take advantage of brain plasticity with outstanding outcomes. Dr. Michael Merzenich wrote, “Baniel has developed powerful, practical strategies for improving abilities and building a better, stronger brain that are supported by the neuroscience of brain plasticity.” Currently Ms. Baniel and Dr. Merzenich are at the beginning stage of a joint pilot study employing her method with veterans suffering from TBI. Anat’s new book, Kids Beyond Limits (Penguin) is coming out March 27, 2012.

Eddie Black is an Infantry instructor with the Oregon National Guard who served in Iraq in 2004-2005.

Joseph D Bradford, M.P.A., QMHA is a Readjustment Counseling Therapist for the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs Readjustment Counseling Services Vet Center in Eugene. He has been a counselor since 1987. He was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. He is a graduate form the University of Washington, Seattle, with a double major in Psychology and Ancient African History (June 1988) and has a Master's in Public Administration from the University of Oregon, Eugene (2001) and is a Qualified Mental Health Associate (QMHA). He is currently serving in the Oregon Army National Guard as an Infantry Captain. Upon his return from his most recent deployment, he has received the 2010 Minute Man Award at the Loyalty Day Parade in Land Beach, WA or his military service in Afghanistan (2006-2007) and Iraq (2009-2010).

CHERYL F. COON, JD, was born in Los Angeles in 1952. She received a BA magna cum laude from Bryn Mawr College in 1974 and a JD cum laude from Boston University School of Law in 1977. In 1981, she received a Master of Laws degree from the University of Washington School of Law. Cheryl spent her early practice as a litigator with Drinker, Biddle and Reath of Philadelphia. She practiced for a decade with the Oregon Department of Justice. Her legal practice over the last thirty-four years has included trial work in federal courts, administrative practice before state and federal agencies, and six years working in the United States Congress as legal counsel and staff director for committees of the Congress. She has taught at the Lewis and Clark Law School. Cheryl is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, United States District Court for Oregon and the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. Cheryl leads the social security disability and veterans disability benefits practice at Swanson, Thomas & Coon. She is admitted to practice in Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. She is accredited by the Veteran's Administration and is a member of NOVA, OSCCR and NOSCCR. Cheryl is a member of the Board of the Brain Injury Alliance of Oregon (BIAOR) and is a past founding board member of the Children's Diabetes Network. She lives in Portland with her husband Jim Coon.

Dr. Paul J. Cordo Senior Scientist , Ph.D. , Graduate Training Faculty member, Neuroscience Graduate Program and Biomedical Engineering Program, President, Oregon Chapter, Society for Neuroscience Founder & Chief Technical Officer, Agilis Medical Inc., Portland, OR, 1979, SUNY Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, BS, Biomedical Engineering, 1970, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Director, Neurological Sciences Institute, OHSU, Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Neurology, Dept. of Physiology & Pharmacology

The Cordo Lab

Dr. Cordo investigates motor coordination in humans, from a technical perspective, using psychophysical, electrophysiological, and kinesiological approaches. Many of the methodologies used in this laboratory are unique, involving one-of-a-kind pieces of equipment developed by Dr. Cordo and several engineers employed in his laboratory (e.g., ref. 2, below). The work carried out in this laboratory includes basic research on healthy human subjects and clinical research on patients with neurological disorders.

Research in the Cordo lab covers 3 different areas within the field of motor coordination:

Proprioceptive control of movement: Single unit recordings of proprioceptive afferents are obtained from peripheral nerves of alert human subjects (“microneurography”) to understand how these afferents encode kinematic information. Psychophysical techniques are then used to determine when and how this information is used by the central nervous system to perceive and to control voluntary movement.

Coordination of axial movement: Kinesiological and biomechanical techniques are used to investigate the control of postural tone and voluntary movement in the neck, trunk and pelvis of the human. Tone in healthy humans and in those with Parkinson’s disease is investigated with a device that imposes torsional strain on the body axis while resistive forces and muscle activity are recorded. Voluntary movement is investigated in subjects performing sit-ups, a movement that requires a high level of coordination because of unfavorable mass distribution and leverage.

Stroke rehabilitation: Applied and clinical approaches are used to investigate mechanisms of cortical plasticity in individuals with motor disabilities due to stroke. We have developed a novel approach to rehabilitation involving assisted movement and enhanced sensation (AMES) using a computer-controlled passive range of motion device with tendon vibrators. Research investigates the extent to which AMES improves recovery of motor and sensory function in acute and chronic stroke patients.

Selected Publications:
Cordo P, Gurfinkel VS, Bevan L & Kerr GK. "Proprioceptive consequences of tendon vibration during movement." J. Neurophysiol. 74:1675-1688 (1995) Cordo P, Nashner LM (1982) Properties of postural adjustments associated with rapid arm movements. J Neurophysiol 47: 287-302. Provides a detailed description of postural adjustments that anticipate balance disturbances due to voluntary movements. Control of anticipatory postural adjustments is modeled for the first time.

Cordo P, Gandevia SC, Hales JP, Burke D, Laird G. (1993) Force and displacement-controlled tendon vibration in humans. EEG Clin Neurophysiol 89: 45-53. Tendon vibration is a specific and powerful stimulus for muscle spindle Ia afferents. The paper describes the design of a tendon vibrator in which the pulse shape, amplitude, and background force is controlled and the sensitivities of muscle spindle Ia afferents to vibratory stimuli with different frequencies, amplitudes and background forces.

Cordo P. (1987) Mechanisms controlling accurate changes in elbow torque in humans. J Neurosci 7:432-442. Describes feedback regulation of voluntary motor activity by vision, breaking the motor activity down into open-loop, feedforward, and feedback control.

Cordo P, Carlton L, Bevan L, Carlton M, Kerr GK (1994) Proprioceptive coordination of movement sequences: role of velocity and position information. J. Neurophysiol 71: 1848-1861. Proprioceptive input related to dynamic joint position (during movement) and velocity is used to trigger successive components of movement sequences.

Cordo P, Inglis JT, Verschueren S, Collins JJ, Merfeld DM, Rosenblum S, Buckley S, Moss F. (1996) Noise in human muscle spindles. Nature 383: 796-770. First demonstration of stochastic resonance in human sensory afferents.

Cordo P, Flores-Vieira C, Verschueren S, Inglis JT, Gurfinkel V. (2002) Position sensitivity of human muscle spindles: single afferent and population representations. J. Neurophysiol. 87: 1186-1195. Demonstrates that muscle spindle responses to movement contain a number of features that may independently encode several kinematic parameters related to joint position.

Cordo P, Gurfinkel V, Smith RC, Hodges PW, Verschueren S, Brumagne S. (2003) The sit-up: complex kinematics and muscle activity in voluntary axial movement. J. Electromyogr. Kinesiol. 13: 239-252. Describes kinematics and muscle activity associated with voluntary axial movement.

Cordo P, Gurfinkel V. (2004) Motor coordination can be fully understood by studying complex movements. Prog. Brain Res. 143: 29-38. Presents the case for studying more complex movements in order to understand all of the components of coordination.
Sasha Correia, M.S., CCC-SLPis on the polytrauma team from the Portland VA hospital. She is the speech pathologist on the polytrauma team and her focus is providing speech pathology and cognitive rehabilitation for veterans. She received my Master’s degree in speech language pathology from California State University Northridge and undergraduate degree from California State University Long Beach. She worked in a variety of settings in California, Oregon, and Washington with both pediatric and adult populations.

From 1997-99, Jeff DeLeon was serving in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electrician working on F/A-18 fighter jets. He loved his job and the sailors with whom he worked. It was May 10, 1999 when DeLeon and a few of his ship mates were headed out for a drive. The car they all were riding in left the road and rolled over. No one was killed, but DeLeon was severely injured. The accident resulted in broken bones in his spine. He could now feel anything below his sternum. He was paralyzed. DeLeon’s treatment and rehabilitation in a military hospital lasted until he was honorably discharged in 2000. At age 20, his outlook on life at that time was sketchy, but mostly positive. In 2002 he was a Seattle to Portland participant, has won 7 National Veterans Wheelchair Games medals and will try any sports recreation event. He also traveled with the Paralympic Military program through the spring of 2010 and won 3 gold medals. Mr. DeLeon is now the president of the Paralyzed Veterans of America Oregon Chapter and is devoted to serving all severely disabled persons.
Gwendolyn C. Ford, MD, FAAN, is currently a neurologist in the Traumatic Brain Injury Program at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington. She also serves as an assistant professor of Neurology at the Uniformed Services University of the Heath Services, Bethesda, MD. Dr. Ford received her medical degree from the Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University in Providence, RI. She completed her internship and neurology residency at the National Navel Medical Center and a fellowship in Clinical Neurophysiology at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. She is board certified in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and Electrodiagnostic Medicine. Her clinical interests include the education of medical students, residents, and patients; patient advocacy promoting a holistic approach to medical care; care of TBI patients and neurophysiology diagnostic techniques.
Frederick G. Flynn, DO, FAAN, presently serves as the Medical Director of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program at Madigan Army Medical Center, Ft. Lewis, WA. He also serves as the Chief of Neurobehavior at Madigan. He is a also Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Washington, School of Medicine. Dr. Flynn received his DO degree from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Bioscience in Kansas City, MO. He also has MS in Human Anatomy/Neuroanatomy from the Medical College of Virginia-VCU, Richmond, VA. Dr. Flynn performed his internship and Neurology residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC, and his Neurobehavioral Fellowship at the UCLA School of Medicine. During Dr. Flynn's assignment at Madigan he served as the Program Director of the Neurology Residency, Chief of Neurology, and for four of those years was also the Army's Neurology, Consultant to the Surgeon General. His most recent positions prior to his retirement included the Chief of Neurology and the Neurology Residency Program Director at Madigan, as well as the Neurology Consultant to the Army Surgeon General. Dr. Flynn retired from the military in 2006 at the rank of Colonel. His clinical interests include the neurobiological basis of the mind, dementia, and traumatic brain injury.

Jonathan Gray is the Business Unit Manager for Clarity. Jon is responsible for the strategic planning, sales, & product development for State Equipment Distribution Programs, Special Needs Distributors and Hearing Healthcare Professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Jon joined Clarity in 2009 after spending 7 years as the Outreach Manager for Florida Telecommunications Relay Inc., administrator for the State of Florida’s equipment distribution program and relay service, giving him a unique perspective from both the manufacturing and consumer sides of the industry. Jon has over 15 years of experience in sales and marketing and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from Florida State University.
John N. Hatfield, PhD received a Ph.D. in Adult and Community Education, with an emphasis in learning disabilities, from The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma in 1984. His BA and MA degrees were awarded by Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, majoring in arts & sciences and secondary education. Dr. Hatfield has an Indiana lifetime teacher's license in secondary education. Since 1966, Dr. Hatfield has provided cognitive rehabilitation and development services to more than 750 clients, ages 3-84, who sustained significant cognitive deficits secondary to traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, strokes, developmental delays, chemo-brain, drug and alcohol addictions, and other brain-based anomalies. Prior to 1966,Dr. Hatfield served in various administrative positions in New York State Education Department, HEW-OE Region V, Rogers State College, Oklahoma City Public Schools-Adult Basic Education, Community Education Consortium for Lifelong Learning, Bacone College, and Fort Wayne Community Education System-ABE & MOTA. After leaving Rogers State College in Claremore, Oklahoma, Dr. Hatfield and his wife, L. Marie Hatfield, RN, BS, recognized the need for cognitive rehabilitation for individuals living in rural America. The Center for Disease Control released a statement stressing the lack of rehabilitation services in rural areas, stating that only 20% of traumatic brain injuries patients receive any cognitive rehabilitation after being dismissed from in-patient hospitals. This need gave birth to the CSI-Teletherapy System, making cognitive therapy available to all survivors, regardless of their locations.
Leland Jurgensmeier, CCM, RN, CBIS, is a certified case manager, who has been working in the Madigan Traumatic Brain Injury Program for four years. He spent the previous 30 years serving the Army Nurse Corps, retiring at the rank of Colonel. His education includes a Bachelor's degree in Zoology from the University of Nebraska, a Bachelor's degree in Nursing from Creighton University and a Master's degree in Nursing from Marquette University. He has certifications as a Brain injury specialist and a Chronic Care Professional. He ais a member of the Nebraska Nurses Association and is a life-time member of the Federal Health Care Executive Institute.
Andrea Ingrid Karl MD completed medical school at OHSU followed by residency at the University of Washington Medical Center and is a board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She has worked in this community as a physiatrist at Kaiser Permanente with a focus on neurologic rehabilitation and spasticity management. Currently, she is the director of the Portland VA Polytrauma program, whose mission is to care for returning service members with brain and other impairing traumatic injuries.
Tom Keating, Ph.D. is Director of Eugene Research Institute and Cognitopia Software, in Eugene, OR, focusing on development of cognitively accessible software for community living support, including the Picture Planner™ visual scheduler and ScanDo! video modeling app. Dr. Keating is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Computer and Information Sciences Department of the University of Oregon. Dr. Keating's work over the past fifteen years has focused on the role of assistive technology in the lives of students and adults with cognitive and physical disabilities, on human interface design and development of cognitively accessible software for activities of daily living, and on intelligent systems for remote caregiving.

Ellen Kessi, LCSW has been a social worker at the Portland VA Medical Center for the past 15 years. She has worked as an inpatient social worker on the med/surg teams. She worked with cancer patients for several years as the hospital oncology social worker. Ellen has also been working for the VA Home Based Primary Care program, conducting home visits. For the past 4 years she has been the social work case manager for the polytrauma team, providing psychosocial case management for this special population. She has helped develop and co-facilitates support groups at the VA for veterans with TBI and their caregivers.

Dennis A. Kelly, PhD, has been a Clinical Neuropsychologist since 1991. He earned an AB from Princeton University and a PhD fro Ohio State University, both in Psychology. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Neuropsychology at the University of Washington. Dr. Kelly was a Clinical Psychologist/Neuropsychologist in the Navy from 1977 until he retied in 2003. He has been at the Madigan Army Medical Center since 1997, currently in the Traumatic Brain Injury Program. Dr. Kelly conducted a Brain Injury Support Group at Madigan for over 10 years. He has publications on suicidal behavior and sleep disorders and has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at various institutions that include the US Naval Academy, the University of Maryland, and Pacific Lutheran University.
Charles S. Madison presently serves as the Traumatic Brain Injury Program Ombudsman at Madigan Healthcare System. Joint Base Lewis McChord. He also served as the Directorate of Emergency Services Sergeant Major for Fort Irwin, CA. He served as the first ever Iraqi Highway Police Liaison and designed the station layout, wrote decision briefs to the Minister of Defense. He managed over 58 Humanitarian projects with 22 different contractors and over $1.25 million dollars of OIF funds. Under the direction of the Secretary of the Army Designee he professionally planned, coordinated and successfully completed two VIP escorts of 8 Afghanistan Soldiers, who were injured during Operation Enduring Freedom. He was responsible for providing security for Mr. L. Paul Bremer (The Interim Iraqi President) during OIF I resulting in no injuries for deaths during 26 engagements with insurgents. He created, implemented, and established the security plan for Walter Reed and the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.
Mary Mangione-Lambie, PhD, graduated from the California School of Professionals Psychology in 1994 with specialties in health and child psychology. She is a retired Army Psychologist and has worked with soldiers and their families since 1982, first as a platoon leader and company executive officer, then as a Psychologist during Desert Storm and now as a civilian at Madigan Army Medical Center and now as a civilian at Madigan Army Medical Center, in the TBI clinic. she has a history of working with soldiers and their families in many different settings to include the Hematology/Oncology clinic, medical in-patient and out-patient clinics, within military command , out-patient mental health, developmental pediatrics and school. prior to, during and following deployments. She also has 9 years experience as a mental health consultant to SSI and WA State CSO in disability determination. She is well skilled in diagnosis and treatment of individuals with co-morbid chronic illness, cognitive deficits and psychological issues.
Anthony (or Toney) Louis Marx was born in Oregon City. He was raised and currently lives in Salem. He entered the Navy after graduating high school in 1980. He was a third class petty officer when he sustained a catastrophic injury that left him a C-5 quadriplegic, and was soon after discharged from the service in 1982. In 1987 he started advocating for the disabled and began volunteering for Paralyzed Veterans of America both locally and nationally. Toney worked with the Veterans Administration to help develop a hub and spoke concept for specialized care for the Spinal Cord Center in Seattle that is now used nationwide. He also helped develop the first comprehensive handicapped parking regulation which passed in 1989. Also in 1989, he received the Meritorious Service Award from the President for his efforts to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. Other projects he has worked on in the last two decades include the Model Building Codes, Standards for Fire and Safety that addressed Emergency Egress for People with Disabilities, integration of guidelines into the Oregon State Building Codes, and the Solutions 2000 document sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In 2011 he was selected to serve on the Oregon State Rehabilitation Council and began working as a Mobility Consultant with R & J Mobility Service. These are just a few highlights of the twenty-five years of service that Toney has dedicated to improving the quality of life of others.

Edward A. Neuwelt, M. D., is a Professor in the Department of Neurology at the Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) and the Portland VA Medical Center and holds an appointment in the Division of Neurosurgery (Department of Surgery). He divides his time between the clinical and laboratory programs which constitute the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) program of which he has been director since coming to OHSU in 1981. Dr. Neuwelt's clinical interest relates primarily to brain tumors and neuro-oncology. He has published over 200 peer reviewed articles and edited three books dealing with basic science and clinical aspects of the Blood-Brain Barrier. DDr. Neuwelt currently serves as the director of the Blood Brain Barrier Program and is the Sponsoring Physician for OHSU ThinkFirst Oregon Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention Program.

Jon Pearson, is Director of Third Dimension Services with Quality Living, Inc. (QLI). For over 15 years, Mr. Pearson’s talent and leadership has helped hundreds of survivors of catastrophic injury and their families begin the acceptance process and learn to rebuild a sense of purpose and passion in their lives. Mr. Pearson’s natural ability to connect with and lead people has made him an in-demand speaker both regionally and nationally in the brain injury and spinal cord injury communities. Jon holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Psychology with a recreation emphasis from Bemidji State University. Additionally, Mr. Pearson is a consultant and presenter with the leadership training program, MindSet LLC.
Dr. Jane Plagge is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of comorbid chronic pain and PTSD at the Portland VA Medical Center. Her research and clinical interests include treatment engagement, chronic pain, PTSD, and women’s health.
Susan Powell, OT, ATP, CBIS, is an occupational therapist for the Madigan TIB program. She has a BS/Occupational therapy degree from the University of Kansas, an MS/Psychology degree from the University of Phoenix. She is enrolled in Creighton University's Occupational Therapy doctorate program. She worked over ten years for Veterans Administration healthcare system in Kansas.

Bronwyn G. Pughe, MA, MFA, has served as the Education Specialist to the Traumatic Brain Injury Program, Madigan Healthcare System since October 2008. Previously, she served in higher education as a professor and professional staff member for 20+ years. She as presented across Washington State on Traumatic Brain Injury and Stigma, and will be presenting, with Susan Powell, at the national Occupational Therapy conference (AOTA) this April. She is dedicated in interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

Russell C. Spearman M.Ed. is the Project Director for Idaho's Traumatic Brain Injury Partnership Implementation grant from the Health Resources Services Administration, Maternal and Children's Health Bureau. Since August 2000 Russ has been employed by the Institute of Rural Health at Idaho State University- Boise. Prior to this Russ was responsible for developing and implementing all aspects related to Idaho's 1915 C Medicaid Home and Community Based Services Waiver for adults with a traumatic brain injury. He is the former Executive Director for Idaho's Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities. He is the lead author of "The Use of Medicaid Waivers and Their Impact on Services". Russ was instrumental in developing and transitioning Idaho's nationally recognized Home of Your Own Initiative, a single family secondary mortgage program, that today has assisted over 75 people with disabilities realize their dream of home ownership and received national recognition for his vision and leadership in this area in 1997. Russ received his undergraduate degree from Manhattan College and his Master's degree from the College of Idaho. He is married with two children, one who experienced a traumatic brain injury in 1993. Russ was recognized by the National Association of Social Workers - Idaho Chapter in 2002 as the public citizen of the year for his work with people with disabilities. For the past twenty two years Russ along with his wife Terry, have served as adult family home providers to a gentleman with a developmental disability who is competitively employed.
Kiersten Smith MOTR/L received her Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2001 from Eastern Michigan University and Bachelors of Science in Health and Fitness from Portland State University in 1997. She currently works for the Portland VA Medical Center as an Occupational Therapist specializing in Polytrauma.
Joy St. Peter is the founding director of The Joys of Living Assistance Dogs, a non-profit public benefit organizations dedicated to the breeding , training and placing of highly skilled assistance dogs for people living with disabilities. The Joys of Living has been in business in Keizer, Oregon since 2004 and is a totally volunteer operation. They work with Partnership of Community Living in Monmouth, Oregon, conducting interactive dog therapy session for adults who are developmentally disabled. In addition to working with Partnership for community Living Joy is also working with the Oregon Paralyzed Veterans of America to provide assistance dogs to veterans through the Help for Heroes program. The Joys of Living Assistance Dogs mission is to provide a skilled, devoted, companion to support and assist a person with disabilities, creating a cohesive team focused on building a life of greater freedom and independence.
Steven A. Stiens MD, MS, has worked as an academic physiatrist for twenty three years. He has always had a strong interest in the success of persons with SCI through rehabilitation and beyond. His research work has included projects in the area of cardiac rehabilitation and SCI, neurogenic bowel dysfunction, and recovery of gait of persons with incomplete spinal cord injury. Recent work has included collaboration with the Consortium for Spinal Cord Medicine on the National Guidelines and development of a Consumer Guide for Neurogenic bowel which is scheduled to be published in the next two months. He is a widely known educator in spinal cord injury and has coauthored the Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Study Guide on the topic of spinal cord injury. For consumers, he has completed a manual on constipation after SCI, and is working on a video to educate persons with SCI and their caregivers about assisted bowel care. He is a consumer with SCI himself; and provides a perspective to students and others that cannot be easily matched.