CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Dinner Keynote, Friday, March 8

Gary Busey

GARY BUSEY is enjoying a 43 year career in Hollywood. In fact, 2013 marks the 35th Anniversary of “The Buddy Holly Story” which garnered Busey a BAFTA win and an Academy Award nomination for "Best Actor" both for his performance in the title role of Buddy Holly. He also returns to NBC this year for the new show -- "All Star Celebrity Apprentice," playing for his non-profit charity, www.BuseyFoundation.com.

Busey's other notable film credits include his memorable roles in "The Firm," "Under Siege," "Point Break," "Big Wednesday," “Straight Time,” and "Lethal Weapon." Busey became a household name and ratings sensation with TV audiences, too, in his recent starring roles on Celebrity Wife Swap and the 11th Season of Celebrity Apprentice. Busey's other TV roles of note are his multiple appearances on HBO's Entourage as well as a recurring role on the syndicated sit-com, Mr. Box Office, and a special guest-star role on "Two and a Half Men" when Busey played himself.

On December 4, 1988, Busey was severely injured in a motorcycle accident in which he was not wearing a helmet. His skull was fractured, and doctors feared he suffered permanent brain damage. This near-fatal motorcycle accident resulted in the enactment of stricter helmet laws in the state of California.

Keynotes Friday

Dr. Muriel D. Lezak - Dr. Lezak joined the staff of the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Portland, OR in 1966 where her work with brain damaged patients led to VA funded research on their cognitive problems. This evolved into a study of emotional/psychosocial consequences of traumatic brain injury for which she developed the precursor of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory (www .tbims.org/combi/mpai/M2Pi.pdt). In 1985 she moved to Oregon Health & Science University; she is now Professor Emerita (Neurology). She is the author of Neuropsychological assessment (NY: Oxford University Press), first published in 1976; the fifth edition (M.D. Lezak with D.B. Howieson, Erin Bigler, Dan Tranel) was published in 2012. She edited Assessment of the behavioral consequences of head trauma (AR Liss, 1989) and was book review editor of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society (1995-2004).

Teaching faculties on which Dr. Lezak has served include the University of Oregon (Eugene), the West China University of Medical Sciences (Chengdu, Sichuan Province), and the Cape Cod Institute of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Professional Psychology in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Neuropsychology, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Div. 40), and a past president of the International Neuropsychological Society,

Anat Baniel, clinical psychologist, dancer and leader in the field of NeuroMovement has developed a revolutionary movement based clinical approach that is supported by recent brain plasticity research. Her work with Brain Injury patients, both adults and pediatrics, is supported by leading experts in the field of neuroplasticity such as Norman Doidge, MD (author The Brain That Changes Itself) and Martha Herbert, MD of Harvard Medical School (author The Autism Revolution) She is currently involved in a pilot study on TBI with Dr Michael Merzenich. She is the author of best selling Move Into Life and the highly acclaimed Kids Beyond Limits.

Keynotes Saturday

Dr. Larry Sherman is a Professor in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and in the Neuroscience Graduate Program at the Oregon Health & Science University. He is also the President of the Oregon Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience. He has over 80 publications related to brain development and neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. He serves on a number of national scientific review panels for the National Institutes of Health, the Congressionally-Directed Medical Research Programs, and others. He has made numerous television appearances, discussing various topics related to neuroscience. He has also given hugely popular talks and performances (including playing the piano) around the globe on topics that include music and the brain, the neuroscience of pleasure and love, and a deeply personal presentation dealing with his recently discovered biological family and exploring the contributions of genes and environment to brain development and personality. The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry and Portland Monthly Magazine recognized Dr. Sherman as one of the most innovative people in the State of Oregon. He was also the 2012 Teacher of the Year at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

Eddie Black , B.S. Psychology and Philosophy, is an Infantry instructor with the Oregon National Guard who served in Iraq in 2004-2005. Eddie Black specializes in R3SP - Risk Reduction, Resiliency, and Suicide Prevention. The Resiliency portion follows the guidance from the Army's CSF Program - Comprehensive Soldier Fitness - in making stronger, resilient soldiers able to adapt and bounce back from obstacles that occurs in different phases of deployment, training, and life.

Speakers

Dr. Aaron DeShaw, Esq. is a trial lawyer in Portland Oregon, primarily handling traumatic brain injury cases. He has individually, and in cooperation with other law firms, obtained settlements and verdicts for his clients in excess of $400 million. He was named as one of Oregon's Superlawyers, a peer reviewed selection of the top 5% of all lawyers in a state. DeShaw is author of several books and videos on traumatic injuries and insurance. He is a resource for national media such as CNN, MSNBC, BusinessWeek, A.M. Best, and others on the topic of insurance. He has lectured for both physician and legal professionals including at AAJ, ATLA, OTLA, the Spine Research Institute of San Diego, and the Brain Injury Association of Oregon, as well as private seminars before the nation’s top insurance bad faith lawyers. He is a former Doctor of Chiropractic, and uses his education on the brain, and nervous system in trying serious personal injury cases. DeShaw handles serious personal injury cases including brain injury cases, catastrophic injuries, and wrongful death claims.

John DenBoer, PhD, Clinical Neuropsychologist/Psychologist, Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation

David Dubats founded Second Step in 1989. He is the inventor of the Gait Harness System ®, holds four US and International Patents on the System®, and is an advocate for “Helping People Walk Again” ™. The Gait Harness System® is 100% made and manufactured in the USA. Mr. Dubats is a US Veteran, having served in the Logistics Division of the United States Air Force. Subsequently, Mr. Dubats worked several years in the Spacecraft Software Division – Mission Control Building, at NASA, Johnson Space Center, in Houston Texas. Mr. Dubats received a Partner in Research award from the APTA Foundation for Physical Therapy in 2005.

At Second Step, helping people walk again, more independently, is our passion and our mission. The most commonly reported goal that clients in rehabilitative programs report is to be able to walk again. Right now, there are hundreds of thousands of people who are confined to beds and wheelchairs that need to have proper healthcare equipment to walk and stand. Whether they can re-establish quality of life often depends on whether they have opportunity, and access, to break confinement and compensatory patterns, reaching effective therapy and equipment.

Mr. Dubats has spent the past 23 years helping people walk again following accident, illness, and injury. Many severely injured individuals who are using the GHS, and who were unable to walk in the 5, 10 and 20 plus years post their injuries, are now beginning to stand and walk again for the first time. Today, the GHS is used with clients living with a broad spectrum of medical conditions, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke/CVA, developmental disability, lower extremity amputation, and other neurological disorders of the central nervous system. The GHS is used world-wide in a broad spectrum of out-patient, in-patient, and home enriched environments. Second Step is dedicated to high customer satisfaction by keeping users and caregivers safe, simultaneously facilitating healthy, functional therapy outcomes.

Bittin Dugan, , MA, BFA, has expansive education in Whole Systems Design, combined with her personal recovery from TBI, makes her a leader in presenting on holistic rehabilitation methods – body, mind and spirit. Western medical practice can be augmented with healing modalities of creative expression, a whole foods nutritional practice, alternative healing methods, and more.

Kathryn Dunn, MS ATR, a Clinical Pediatric Art Therapist at Randall Children's Hospital, has a background in Psychology and the Fine Arts. She received a Master's of Science in Art Therapy from Eastern Virginia Medical School in 2004. Since then, Kathryn has worked with child and adolescent psychiatric patients, child victims of domestic violence, adult male perpetrators of domestic violence and with women seeking counseling surrounding pregnancy options and loss. Currently her primary focus, passion and expertise surround medically ill children and their families. For the past six years Kathryn has been a full time Pediatric Art Therapist at Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel in Portland, Oregon. She works with Hematology and Oncology patients, children suffering from chr9nic illness, eating disorders, burns, acute psychiatric episodes, brain injury, acute trauma and paralysis as well as any other medical condition, episode or hospital experience that may cause undue distress and/or trauma. Kathryn also provides bereavement counseling and counseling at the end of life at Randall Children's Hospital.

Lillieth Grand, MS, MT-BC, Executive Director has been a music therapist for over 18 years specializing in working with children who have neurological impairment, traumatic brain injury, autism, developmental disabilities, and chronic health conditions. She is passionate about the field and holds several regional and national positions with AMTA and WRAMTA. As well-known speaker on music therapy, she has been keynote speaker at the Utah Brain Injury Association and presents at nearly every music therapy conference. Lillieth has been trained in neurologic music therapy, NICU music therapy, Music Together, level 1 of the Bonny Method of Music and Imagery and more. Her master’s degree is in special education. She has a vision of seeing that all persons in Oregon who suffer a brain injury have access to and use of a music therapist. Lillieth is the single mother of three boys, ages 12, 10, and 1. Her middle child being severely neurologically impaired and brain injured makes her appreciate them all the more. Her major instrument is voice.

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.

Jacek (Jack) A. Haciak, Psy.D.. is a licensed psychologist practicing in Oregon at Oregon State Hospital (OSH) and as a psychologist consultant in the community. His training and experience in cognitive rehabilitation and the related neuropsychological practices first began with Dr. McKay Moore-Sohlberg and Dr. Catherine Mateer at the Center for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Washington State, and he is currently developing a set of cognitive rehabilitation services at OSH. Dr. Haciak also provides services to individuals experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and has provided outpatient services to returning veterans and their families through a contract with the Veterans Administration.

Nancy Irey Holmes, DPSY PHD CBIS practices Clinical Psychologist in Portland and Madres OR

Ruth Jenkins, MS, CCC/SLP, received her Master's degree from Portland State University in 1995. She completed her CFY in the public schools and has since been employed by the Providence Health System working in acute care, rehab, outpatient (both pediatric and adult) and for the last 14 years in home health settings with adults. She is a former President of the Oregon Academy of Speech Pathology and Audiology and has taught classes similar to this for that organization and for the Oregon Speech Language Hearing Association as well as to other groups of SLP’s including those involved in both pediatric and adult practices. She has also taught workshops relative to dysphagia in RCF/ICF settings, and speech/ language/cogntive workshops to Parkinson’s groups and to hospice volunteers. Prior to entering this field, Ruth had a BFA in acting and was employed as an actress with various repertory companies. For the last 25 years she has performed with ComedySportz, a national improvisational comedy troupe. She and her husband founded the ComedySportz troupe in Portland and she is an active player and workshop teacher for improvisational skills and group unity training seminars. She teaches improv and directs plays for elementary and middle school children as well.

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.

Marilyn Lash, M.S.W. With over 35 years of experience working with persons with disabilities and their families in medical, rehabilitation, educational and vocational settings, her primary interests are supporting families and developing community programs. She works closely with Operation Homefront, Hope for the Home Front, and the Wounded Warrior Project to address the emotional trauma of the wounds of war among families. She is President of Lash and Associates Publishing/Training, located in NC, a leading publisher of information on traumatic brain injury; former Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina; and former Chair of the Brain Injury Advisory Council for North Carolina.

Arthur D. Leritz received his degree in Political Science from the University of Washington in 1996, followed by his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Willamette University College of Law in 1999. Prior to joining ADLER ♦ GIERSCH PS, Mr. Leritz represented and defended insurers for nearly 11 years, handling a wide variety of complex insurance and personal injury cases. It was through his legal representation of at-fault defendants and insurance companies that Mr. Leritz realized his true calling was to advocate, protect, and defend those with traumatic injuries. Mr. Leritz is a contributor to From Injury to Action: Navigating Your Personal Injury Claim (2011), and is a contributor to the firm's Advocate newsletter on insurance and injury issues. He has also lectured to attorneys and healthcare providers. Mr. Leritz is licensed to practice law in federal court and all jurisdictions in the state of Washington. He is a participating member of the Washington State Bar Association, the Washington State Association for Justice-Eagle, the American Association of Justice, and the Brain Injury Association of Washington. Mr. Leritz has been selected and served as court-appointed arbitrator in King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties to resolve personal injury and insurance cases.
Kathy Moeller, BA, CBIS, experienced a TBI in 1990. After receiving 14 months of intensive cognitive rehabilitation, she applied what she learned in rehab to create and distribute the BRAIN BOOK® Life and Work Management System. In 2010, a team of graduate-level software engineering students at Seattle University selected her program for their “Cognitive Bionics” project and created the foundational software for My Bionic Brain®, which has since been turned into an iPad-delivered cognitive prosthetic that is distributed to Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and VA facilities across the country. Ms. Moeller was named “Clinician of the Year” in 1996 by the Oregon Brain Injury Association and her service to the community was most recently recognized when she was named a 2012 finalist in the Oregon Ethics in Business competition.

Edward A. Neuwelt, M. D., after receiving his medical degree from the University of Colorado Medical School, Denver, in 1972, Dr. Neuwelt completed his Neurosurgery residency at the University of Texas Southwest Medical School in Dallas. He continued his medical education by completing his Neurosurgery fellowship at the Queen Square Hospital in London, England. His special interests include neuro-oncology and microsurgery. Dr. Neuwelt currently serves as the director of the Blood Brain Barrier Program, and the sponsoring physician for OHSU ThinkFirst Oregon Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Prevention program. Dr. Neuwelt received his MD at the University of Colorado Medical School, Denver, 1972; Residency: Neurosurgery-University of Texas Southwest Medical School, Dallas; Fellowship: Neurosurgery-Queen Square Hospital, London, England.

Laurie Ehlhardt Powell, PhD, CCC-SLP, Associate Research Fellow, Center on Brain Injury Research and Training, at the Teaching Research Institute, a division of Western Oregon University.

For more than 12 years, she has conducted research and trainings in the area of evidence-based instruction applied to assistive technology for cognition (ATC) for individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). Dr. Ehlhardt Powell has published a number of papers on ATC and was lead author on a comprehensive literature review of research conducted in the area of instruction for individuals with ABI. She is also a speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience working with adults diagnosed with acquired cognitive-communication impairments due to ABI, across the continuum of care, including inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and vocational settings.

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, is the Education Specialist Administrator for the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Program at Madigan Army Medical Center. She has been with the TBI program for almost 4-1/2 years, where she leads the education team, including an ombudsman, a nurse educator, and an administrative assistant. As a team, they plan and deploy TBI/PSTD Symposia; develop and implement curricula for interdisciplinary providers, nurse, and specialists; train Soldiers, medical personnel and Command before and after deployment about traumatic brain injury, as well as provide annual updates; and reach out to community members and organizations regarding TBI education. She brings 19 years of experience in higher education, including faculty and curriculum development. She also has post-graduate certificates in strategic leadership & planning, and in project management. She has completed 3 Civilian Education Systems Leadership and Supervisory courses and is awaiting her residency for the intermediate leadership class. For her work in Traumatic Brain Injury Education, Ms. Pughe has been awarded the Department of the Army, Commander's Award for Civilian Service, and the Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service.

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.
Bill Thornton, MPT, specializes in spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, Clinical Director, Co-Owner of Level Eleven Physical Therapy, Holly, MI. and Director of Physical Therapy at Irvine Head Injury Clinic. Bill Thornton, a medically trained professional is two credits shy of a doctorate at Wayne State University.
Level Eleven Physical Therapy offers neurological, orthopedic, physical, occupational and speech therapies. The facility promotes improvements by providing a positive, enriched environment for clients. The facility touts whole body vibration therapies, all-terrain ambulation and crawling, and sensory-evoked neuromuscular stimulation. Upon entering the 26,000-square-facility, people are greeted by bright blue decor, basketball nets and natural light from large windows. Workout equipment throughout the gym allows clients to practice everything from boxing to basketball. Level Eleven takes pride in removing the stigma that goes along with physical thereby being monotonous and medical. “Our clinic is really designed to move beyond what has always been known as a dry environment,” partner Brian Sheridan said. “If you’re going somewhere where you feel like an athlete, it makes you more energized,” he said. “If you can make it feel like it’s not even therapy, then you found the magic’‘. That fun approach promotes clients with the ability to continue their progress once treatment has completed.

Douglas Wingate, MAcOM,L.Ac, received his Masters Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine and certification as a Natural Health Practitioner from the Alternative Medicine College of Canada. <br> He draws from both the traditional and modern to create a personalized treatment to help rediscover your health and well-being. Having studied various styles of acupuncture he meets your needs with the approach that will best address your concerns, whether a direct trigger-point therapy or a more subtle Japanese meridian approach is best for you. His focus is on emotional and neuro-cognitive conditions in adults.

Bruce R. Wojciechowski, O.D, FCOVD, received his Doctor of Optometry in 1981 and has practiced in the Portland area since completing his education. He is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD) and is a member of the American Optometric Association (AOA), Optometric Extension Program (OEP), and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA). Dr Bruce serves as an executive board member for the Brain Injury Association of Oregon and is an adjunct professor for the College of Optometry at Pacific University. Dr. Bruce has lectured nationally to professionals involved in the treatment of head injured patients. He also lectures to non-professionals groups, such as stroke support groups and other community organizations.


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