Registration is Open! Get to Know our Morning Session Speakers

Join us at the Making Headway Conference March 28 and have the opportunity to hear from informative, must-see speakers. This year’s morning session is focused on topics to assist persons with brain injury, family members, and caregivers (the afternoon is focused on topics to assist professionals). Srdjan Velickovic from NeuroRestorative will start the day, followed by Jim Sergneri, from VCU health, a training and support management professional with a strong focus on healthcare software and custom EHR applications (EPIC). Then, engage with a research panel filled with important information designed to create conversation around topics you are interested in.

The panel consists of the following professionals:

Cynthia R O’Donoghue, PhD, CCC-SLP
Cynthia is a Professor Emerita of Communication Sciences and Disorders at James Madison University, Virginia. She has an adjunct professor appointment at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA. Dr. O’Donoghue continues to teach graduate courses and conduct research in neurogenic communication disorders. Notable affiliations have included National Advisory Council member for ETS PRAXIS for Speech-Language Pathologists, past Board of Trustees President for Crossroads to Brain Injury Recovery, Inc., Vice-Chair of the Virginia Brain Injury Council, and voting membership in the
Dysphagia Research Society, Academy of Neurologic Communication Disorders and Sciences, American Congress of Rehabilitative Medicine, and ASHA. Dr. O’Donoghue has also been awarded the Fellow in Scholarship from the National Academies of Practice (F-NAP).

Amol M. Karmarkar
Dr. Karmarkar is a Professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine, at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the Director of Research at Sheltering Arms Institute (SAI), a 114-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Dr. Karmarkar also has a secondary appointment at Central Virginia Veterans Healthcare System (Richmond VA Medical Center). Dr. Karmarkar is a health services researcher, clinically trained as an Occupational Therapist, with advanced training in public health and Epidemiology. His research expertise is related to health services research, focusing on the utilization of health services in acute, post-acute, and community-based settings and the outcomes associated with receiving these services. Dr. Karmarkar utilizes Medicare, Medicaid, commercial claims, all-payer claims, Electronic Health Records from both civilians and Veterans for his research work.

Nicole Stark
Dr. Stark is a Research Assistant Professor in the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab. She is a Research Biomedical Engineer specializing in head impacts and injury biomechanics, particularly in concussion and injury detection. Dr. Stark leverages deep learning and computer vision technologies to detect head impact occurrences in care facilities and develop strategies to mitigate the severity of head impacts resulting from falls. With a passion for injury prevention and safety innovation, she combines technical expertise with real-world applications to develop solutions that reduce the risks associated with traumatic brain injuries.