Brain Injury Conference Coming to West Orange
WEST ORANGE, N.J.—“Brain Injury: The Challenge of Change,” a conference for individuals with brain injury, will be held on Friday, October 11 at Kessler Conference Center—1199 Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange, N.J.—from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The conference is presented by the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System (NNJTBIS) and sponsored by Kessler Foundation and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.
“A traumatic brain injury impacts a person’s life forever,” said Nancy Chiaravalloti, Ph.D., director of NNJTBIS. “Through this conference, individuals with brain injury and their loved ones can gain insights into staying healthy and maintaining social relationships to enjoy life.” Dr. Chiaravalloti is also director of Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and TBI Research at Kessler Foundation. She has a faculty appointment at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
“Brain Injury: The Challenge of Change” is a free conference but space is limited and registration is required. For more information, contact Angela Smith at 973-324-8448 or [email protected].
Scott Chesney, a professional Life Coach and president of the Raise Hope Foundation—an organization that trains, mentors and places people with disabilities and veterans in competitive careers in financial services—will serve as the keynote speaker. The Brain Injury Support Group will present, “The New Normal: Developing Yourself after Brain Injury.” Dr. Chiaravalloti will provide an update on TBI research studies at Kessler Foundation.
Guest lecturer Bernadette Coleman, CEO and executive director of Advice Interactive Group, will present, “Rehab Continuum thru Social Media.” She is also founder and chair of TryMunity, a nonprofit social network for survivors and supporters of TBI. Janna Leyde, certified yoga instructor and author of He Never Liked Cake—a memoir about brain injury, will discuss “Yoga for Brain Injury: Feel, Move, Think.” Michael Greenwald, Ed.M., will host his popular audience participation session—Mike-at-the-Mike—for which he chooses a thought-provoking topic about living with brain injury, fields questions from the audience and presents them to an expert panel along with his own insights as a TBI survivor. The topic for this conference is “Relationships after Brain Injury.
Individuals with brain injury, caregivers, family members and friends as well as rehabilitation professionals, students and other interested individuals are invited to attend. The goals of the conference include gaining a greater understanding into establishing and maintaining connections after brain injury, finding new resources for health and wellness and networking with other individuals impacted by brain injury. Resource booths will provide additional information. A continental breakfast and lunch will be served.
About the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System
The NNJTBIS is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) and is a collaborative effort of Kessler Foundation, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Hackensack University Hospital and University Hospital. NNJTBIS is part of a network of 16 federally funded model systems that promote collaborative research, find solutions to issues that affect individuals with brain injury and improve the standard of care. Kessler Foundation is one of only six centers in the U.S. to have model systems of care for both TBI and spinal cord injury. “Brain Injury: The Challenge of Change” is a consumer outreach initiative of the NNJTBIS.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
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Contacts:
Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, [email protected]
Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, [email protected]
