Brain Injury Connector

Next up with Bryan is the newest President of the BIAMD Board, Julie Karp. Julie Karp is a psychologist and provides individual and group counseling and cognitive rehabilitation to individuals who have sustained a brain injury. Occasionally, she will work with family members of individuals who have had a brain injury. Counseling often focuses on dealing with the different emotions and life changes...

Joining Bryan from remotely is Barbara Rubin. Barbara Rubin writes this story of joy and sorrow mixed with humor and rage as both mother and advocate for her injured daughter, Jenn. Emotionally invested in this narrative, she had the advantage to write in raw detail about the triumphs and heartbreaks that follow her main character. She witnessed first-hand the battles that come when a person is th...

Joining Bryan from Sunny Florida is Ricke Zeidman.   On November 8, 1987, Ricke's son was in and car accident.  The car hit a tree.  His son suffered a brain injury in that accident. Join Bryan as we learn Ricke's brain injury story.   Learn what happend in 1987, what has happened since then, and what is happening now.     #5Thoughts Friday: Bastille, Brain, and Beisser   For more information you...

Debora Fajer-Smith is dedicated to the overall success of our clients for maximum medical recovery and maximum monetary results, as well as assisting them to return to a successful life after their injuries. The Chair of the Workers' Compensation and Insurance Group at Joseph, Greenwald and Laake, Debora Fajer-Smith has over 35 years of experience in representing people injured in auto or workplac...

Kelly Lang, co-author of The Miracle Child:  Traumatic Brain Injury and Me is a brain injury survivor and caregiver to her daughter who sustained a traumatic brain injury in 2001. Kelly is an Advocate, Author, Communications Trainer, and Public Speaker as well. She is the co-leader of the Brain Injury Association of America's Advisory Council and serves on the Virginia Brain Injury Advisory Counci...

Ariel Johnson is a brain injury warrior. She was in a car accident on Dec 13th 2007. She was in a coma for about a month and a half, intubated, on life support for two weeks, and had two brain surgeries. She had to learn how to walk, swallow, talk etc all over again. She created a mental health blog to normalize having a brain injury, she also has a private Facebook caregiver group, speaks at conf...

Dr. Phil Wagner is the CEO & Founder of Sparta Science, a Movement Health Intelligence company dedicated to helping the world move better. Founded in 2014, Sparta Science applies modern data science techniques that advance industry best practices and optimize how organizations assess, understand, and improve health & well-being. With 4 patents, several more pending, and over 20 published, peer-rev...

At the age of five, James Gardner was invloved in a horrific car crash that almost took his life.  After coming out of a coma, he had severe brain damage and was paralyzed on the left side of his body.  Doctors had little hope for his recovery and believed that he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, unable to care for himself.  He had to relearn how to talk, walk, and live independen...

Zari Weaver is one of the newest BIAMD team members. If you call in to the office, now you'll know a bit about who your are speaking with. #5Thoughts Flashback: Research, Relief, and Race Cars For more information you can visit www.biamd.org or call the free helpline at 1-800-221-6443. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute endorsement of treat...

Brason Lee is a pediatric survivor of severe traumatic brain injury who relearned how to walk and speak, persevered through college, and went on to become a Washington lobbyist for the National Association of Social Workers. He went on to develop a 30-year career in health and public health. He is now a disability advocate. Get your tickets to the BIAMD 40th Birthday Bash. # 5 Thoughts Flashback:...

Nick Prefontaine was named a top motivational speaker of 2022 in Yahoo Finance. He's a Speaker, Founder and CEO of Common Goal a company that inspires and leads motivated people to their common goal. Their Mission is to provide people with the support and tools to achieve their limitless potential. Nick's been featured in Brainz Media, Swaay and Authority Magazine At 14 Nick was in a life threaten...

Larry Griner moved from southern CA back to his hometown of Baltimore to relieve his brother who was caring for his mother Norma, who suffered from Alzheimer's. This temporary plan eventually turned into a long-term commitment as a full time care partner and caregiver. Larry has stepped into the public eye to share their story and journey first for fun, and now for support and inspiration. He bega...

Liana Rosenthal, M.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Rosenthal completed medical school at Johns Hopkins with an internship at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. She completed her neurology residency and movement disorder fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and is board certified in psychia...

With a 20+ year career in entertainment, advertising, marketing, nonprofit, digital health, public policy, life sciences, and broadcast media, Matthew is considered one of the industry's most respected, influential, and visionary voices. Matthew is passionate about putting the patient at the center of every conversation. Why? Because he is one. Diagnosed as a college senior with brain cancer, Matt...

Meet Ruth. Ruth Carlock is the Support Service Case Manager and Public Policy at the Brain Injury Association of Maryland. Her career experience includes time as an ACT case manager, support planner, residential counselor, social work case manager, and PRP specialist. She has worked with a diverse set of populations, from geriatric clients, LGBTQIA+, and clients suffering with mental health diagno...

Carrie Baquie - "As a chronic illness survivor, I know how lonely it feels wondering if anyone really "gets it;" the pain, the exhaustion, and even the invisibility. Well, I get it!  I know what it feels like to have your life swallowed up by your symptoms. I am all too familiar with the overwhelm of trying to keep all the plates in the air while dealing with the impacts of your illness." Carrie's...

Gabriel Rubinstein, Esq. is an attorney with Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) (formerly known as "Maryland Disability Law Center"), the state's designated Protection & Advocacy agency, which is mandated to advance the civil rights of people with disabilities. Gabriel's work focuses generally on access to health care, assistive technology, transportation, as well as issues unique to individuals who...

Bryan goes solo today.   He shares his thoughts on a bunch of topics that are important to him and the Brain Injury Community. Who Are Your Elected Officials? #5Thoughts Flashback: Forty, Forgetting, and Fall Brain Injury Association of MD Brain Injury Association on Instagram For more information you can visit www.biamd.org or call the free helpline at 1-800-221-6443. Disclaimer: This podcast is...

Christina Osheim's life is dedicated to art and community. While a student at St. Olaf College she had a freak accident working grounds crew in 2003. This accident resulted in severe traumatic brain injury, changing her life, but not her focus on art. She has learned to adapt to the lifelong changes TBI has brought. She did a 5th year at the Rhode Island School of Design, was an Associate Artist a...

Suzanne Coyle is a Speach Language Pathologist and the Executive Director of the Stroke Comeback Center. The Stroke Comeback Center is a community of survivors of stroke and other brain trauma committed to living successful and productive lives. A non-profit organization that offers support along the slow road to better. The members, professionals, volunteers, coaches, and families of the Stroke C...

Liz Capone is an advocate and certified expert witness in Special Education. She is a former Special Education teacher of 21 years, where she taught every grade, Pre-K through 12, across DC, Montgomery, Howard, Prince George's, Baltimore, and Fairfax Counties. Join Bryan as we learn about what Liz does and he she advocates for those who need it. Liz Capone's Website #5Thoughts Flashback: Festival,...

Lynne Becker is the CEO and Founder of Power of Patients . Power of Patients has created a novel, FREE, customizable, app to help patients & caregivers track their brain injury symptoms and triggers. Learn what inspired her to use her experience in epidimiology and data collection to contribute to the quality of life of many Traumatic Brain Injury survivors. Power of Patients #5ThoughtsFridayFlash...

Over 25 years ago, while traveling through Egypt, Bittin Duggan suffered a life changing Traumatic Brain Injury.   Now living in Coos Bay, Oregon she joins Bryan to explore how she is still looking for answers, resources, and connections. #5Thoughts Flashback: Fakes, Funds, and Forests Bittin's Facebook Scarecrow Classic Sign Up For more information you can visit www.biamd.org or call the free hel...

Jonathan Dayton is the Executive Director of the Maryland Rural Health Association. (MHRA) The Maryland Rural Health Association (MRHA) educates and advocates for the optimal health and wellness of rural Marylanders at the federal, state, and local levels. Maryland Rural Health Association MHRA Conference BBQ for Brains - Tickets Key Brewery Taphouse For more information you can visit www.biamd.or...

Nicholas Espinosa is Physical Therapist working in the Brain Injury field.  With 5 years of experience, most recently at the University of Maryland, Rehabilitation & Orthopedic Institute , he shares with us what it means to him to be a PT. 5 Thoughts Friday - Thalmus, Trauna, and Twitter American Physical Therapy Association For more information you can visit www.biamd.org or call the free helplin...