Sixth Annual Northern Kentucky
Traumatic Brain Injury Conference
“American Pride – TBI Resilience & Restoration”
March 23, 2012
Speaker Biographies
Stephanie Ciccarella, PT, MPT – Ms. Ciccarella serves at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center in outpatient services.
Stephanie works in various areas of outpatient care including: TBI / Polytrauma team services, weight loss management in
the MOVE! program, and general outpatient Physical Therapy services. She graduated with a Masters in Physical Therapy
from the College of Mount St Joseph and is working toward her Doctorate degree at the University of Indianapolis.
Richard A. Falcone, Jr, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACS - Dr. Falcone is director of Trauma Services at Cincinnati Children’s
Hospital Medical Center. He earned his medical degree at the New York University School of Medicine and a master’s in
public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Falcone completed a general surgery residency at the
University of Cincinnati, and a pediatric surgery fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is board
certified in general surgery and pediatric surgery. Dr. Falcone has participated in many research studies; he is currently
active in research related to the improvement of care and outcomes for injured children and the prevention of injuries.
Rachel Garvin, MD – Dr. Garvin is a board certified emergency physician, practicing at the University of Cincinnati. She
graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2006 and completed her residency
in Emergency Medicine at the University of Cincinnati in 2010. This year she will complete a two year fellowship in
neurocritical care at the University of Cincinnati. Following fellowship, she plans to focus her career on neurocritical care
in an academic setting with a focus on resident education.
R. Lanahan Goodman, JD – Obtained his B.S. degree from Xavier University in 1968 and his juris doctorate from
Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law in 1974. He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in1974 and to
the Kentucky Bar in 1988. He has authored a number of articles and text books and is a frequent presenter at Ohio and
Kentucky seminars on the topics of Personal Injury, Medical Negligence and Products Liability.
Colleen Gribben – Ms. Gribben is a single mother of 5 special needs children. Her children have a variety of
diagnoses/disabilities including but not limited to traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, autism, diabetes, cardiac
conditions, genetic syndromes, cerebral palsy, lung disease and a whole host of psychiatric and mental health diagnoses.
She is a foster/adoptive parent who continues to provide respite for other families with special needs children. She works
closely with other parents to offer support and advocacy with the goal of giving them the tools and resources needed to
successfully meet the medical, psychological and rehabilitative needs of their children. Colleen is on the Board of
Directors of BRIDGES, Inc. Her main area of focus is the awareness and prevention of childhood TBI. She is also an
occupational therapist who currently is working in the home care setting. Colleen has also worked as a special educator for
the hearing impaired, sign language interpreter, and case manager for the hearing impaired population.
Teri Hogan, MS, CRC, CBIS-T – Ms. Hogan is the Deputy State Director of NeuroRestorative Carbondale in Carbondale,
Illinois. Ms. Hogan has been working in the field of brain injury rehabilitation for over 18 years. She is a graduate of the
Rehabilitation Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor. Ms. Hogan
also holds a current teaching certificate in the state of Illinois and works closely with the Adolescent Integration team from
NeuroRestorative to provide education and transition services to children and adolescents with disabilities.
Francoise Kazimierczuk, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, CSCS – Ms. Kazimierczuk received her bachelor’s degree in
exercise science with a double major in psychology from Concordia University, a master’s degree in exercise physiology
from Illinois State University, and a master’s degree in dietetics with a double major in chemistry from Ball State
University. Currently, she is in the process of completing an interdisciplinary doctoral degree focusing on minority health
disparities.
Shelley Kelch BSSW – Ms. Kelch graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Science of Social
Work. Her first position was working for Catholic Social Services in Sidney, Ohio. She was involved with the development
and implementation of Ohio’s first Medicaid Waiver Program pilot – Waiver I. As waiver programs expanded in Ohio,
Shelley moved to Cincinnati and began working at the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio. During her 20 years at the
Council, Shelley has assisted with the development and supervision of the PASSPORT Waiver, Residential State
Supplement Program, Service Coordination along with numerous other programs. In 2008, Shelley accepted the
Associate Director of NKADD/Case Management Division position with the Northern Kentucky Area Development
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District. Shelley’s department oversees the Consumer Directed Option Waivers, Geriatric in home services, Service
Coordination and is the Food Bank for the Northern Kentucky counties.
James F. Phifer, Ph.D. – Dr. Phifer is the founder and CEO of Radical Rehab Solutions, LLC, a community re-entry
program/supported living program with offices in Huntington WV, Ashland, KY, Lexington, KY and Louisville, KY. He
maintains a private practice in clinical and forensic neuropsychology. He received his Ph.D. from the University of
Louisville and completed an internship in rehabilitation neuropsychology at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center
in Chicago and postdoctoral training at the University of Alabama Medical School. Prior to entering private practice, he
was an assistant professor and director of the Cerebrovascular Disease program at the University of Alabama Medical
School. He currently teaches neuroanatomy at West Virginia University Medical School. He is the author of numerous
journal articles and scientific studies and has presented both nationally and internationally.
Susan Rose, MD – Dr. Rose is Professor of Endocrinology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the
University of Cincinnati. She has clinical expertise and research interests in hypothalamic pituitary function, thyroid
hormone disorders, and in disorders of growth or puberty. She has a special interest in the effects of central nervous system
injury on hypothalamic-pituitary function. Such conditions include head injury, cranial radiation (as in oncology and bone
marrow transplant survivors), anoxia (as in cerebral palsy, Fanconi anemia, sickle cell disease), iron overload (as in chronic
transfusion syndromes—bone marrow failure, thalassemia). Her overall professional goal is to find ways to optimize the
ability of children to achieve and function to their potential.
Tarvez Tucker, MD - Dr. Tucker is currently a fellow in Neurocritical Care at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to her
fellowship she was Associate Professor of Neurology and Director of the Headache Centers at Case Western Reserve
University and the University of Kentucky. She has been Chairperson of the American Headache Society's Committee on
Medical Student Education and has published extensively on the topics of headache diagnosis, pathophysiology and
treatment.
David A. Twillie, MD – Dr. Twillie is the Program Director for the Blanchfield Army Community Hospital’s Warrior
Resiliency and Recovery Center (WRRC) for traumatic brain injury at Fort Campbell, Kentucky home of the 101 st Airborne
(Air Assault) Division. Dr. Twillie served in the United State Army as a primary care physician for more than 15 years
primarily with the 101st and has deployed multiple times to combat environments in Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, Korea and Iraq.
Since leaving active military service he has continued to serve soldiers and their family as senior staff physician at
Blanchfield focusing on deployment related issues and in particular traumatic brain injury. He is a national recognized
leader in the field and has been faculty on numerous expert panels. Dr. Twillie’s work has been featured on nationally
syndicated programs to include CNN and National Public Radio (NPR). He is a graduate of Virginia Military Institute
where he received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in biology and went on to study medicine at the prestigious Johns
Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. He has also studies at Oxford University in Oxford, England and at
the American University in Paris, France. He lives in the Nashville area and has been married for 20 years to his wide, Dr.
Joy Twillie, also a physician.
Sarah Wagers, MD - Dr. Wagers is a specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She completed her undergraduate
degree, medical school and residency at the University of Louisville. She has a special interest in patients with acquired
brain injury in both the civilian and veteran populations.
Chad Walters, DO - Dr. Walters graduated from West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, WV. He
completed his Residency training with the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of
Kentucky. He is Board Certified with the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and currently serves as
Medical Director for Radical Rehab Solutions.
Nancy Wylie, MS, OTR, CDRS – Ms. Wylie is an Occupational Therapist who works in the Home Base Primary Care
services for the Cincinnati VA where she provides in-home therapy for our Veterans. She graduated with a Masters in
Occupational Therapy from the University of Indianapolis and has attended Indiana State University and the University of
Alabama, Birmingham to further her education. Nancy is a Certified Driver Rehab Specialist and has a certification in Low
Vision. Nancy has worked in Driver Rehab for more than 10 years. She initially established the driving program at
Margaret Mary Community Hospital in Batesville Indiana, but has since opened her own driver rehab company, ADAPT
Therapeutic Services. Nancy’s driving program works with special needs drivers, provides safe driver evaluations,
completes vehicle modification evaluations, and training on adaptive driving equipment. Nancy is an approved provider of
driving services for the Indiana Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and is an approved Bioptic Driver Trainer for
Indiana.
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Vicki Zaborowski, LCSW – Ms. Zaborowski is the Polytrauma Clinic Coordinator at Robley Rex, Louisville KY, VA
Medical Center. She earned a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSSW) from the University of Louisville in 1986. She has
earned numerous awards from both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
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