41st Annual Conference Schedule • Information About the Conference
Directions to Marriott NW Hotel and Conference Center • Online Registration •
Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Information • Cancellation Policy
Online registration closes at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 21
You may register in person at the Marriott NW on Thursday.
Conference Schedule
8 - 9 a.m. - Registration and Exhibits Open
- Exhibits are open daily 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
8:45 - 9 a.m. - Opening Remarks
9 - 10:30 a.m. - Keynote Address
- Current and Emerging Standards for Concussion Identification and Management
Steven Broglio, PhD, ATC, Director, University of Michigan Concussion Center
This keynote will compare the Concussion in Sport Group consensus document with the National Athletic Trainers Association position statement on concussion management. Dr. Broglio will highlight a shared emphasis on immediate removal from play, the integration of a bio-psycho-social model of care, and graduated return-to-learn and return-to-play protocols. He will discuss how these guidelines align with current research and the ways clinicians can apply them to strengthen concussion identification and management.
Dr. Broglio is a Professor of Kinesiology, Neurology, and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He completed his training at the University of Georgia and began his faculty career at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign before joining the University of Michigan in 2011. He is currently Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs for the School of Kinesiology and Director of the Michigan Concussion Center, overseeing clinical care, education, and multidisciplinary research focused on prevention, identification, diagnosis, management, and outcomes. He is a Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Academy of Kinesiology, and currently serves as president of the international Concussion in Sport Group.
10:30 - 11 a.m. - Break and Exhibits Open
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Breakout Sessions I
- From Science to Sidelines: Insights from the Concussion Assessment, Research, and Education (CARE) Consortium
Steven Broglio, PhD, ATC, Director, University of Michigan Concussion Center
This session explores the CARE Consortium, the largest longitudinal study on sport-related concussion. Dr. Broglio reviews major findings on the natural history of concussion; factors influencing recovery; risk factors; and the identification of at-risk athletes and military service members. He bridges cutting-edge research insights and practical application, demonstrating how CARE data informs evidence-based recommendations for assessment, management, and on-field decision-making.
- Brain Injury and Corrections
Alec Wendelboe, BS, Education and Community Outreach Coordinator, Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance
In this presentation, Alec Wendelboe examines the intersection between acquired brain injury and incarceration. Research indicates that approximately sixty percent of incarcerated individuals have a history of ABI compared to 8.5 percent in the general population. ABI survivors also face increased odds of incarceration due to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional challenges that often go unrecognized within correctional settings due to the invisible nature of the injury. The session focuses on the barriers these individuals experience and offers guidance to professionals seeking to reduce recidivism and support justice-aligned outcomes.
- More Than a Test Score: Supporting Real-World Work Participation After TBI
Kelsey Des Marais, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist, Hennepin Healthcare
Adam Terrell, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist, Hennepin Healthcare
This session explores why individuals with TBI may appear to perform within expected cognitive ranges yet experience repeated challenges with returning to work. Marais and Terrell discuss factors such as cognitive fatigue, reduced endurance, contextual demands, and shifting identity expectations. They describe the role of speech-language pathology in providing education, counseling, compensatory strategy training, and functional support to promote sustainable return-to-work and optimize endurance and participation.
- Evidence-Based Fall Prevention for Older Adults in Minnesota
Ericka Welsh, Injury and Violence Epidemiology Unit Supervisor, Minnesota Department of Health
Erin McHenry Wolf, Arthritis Program Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Health
This presentation reviews current data on hospital-treated fall injuries among older adults, a leading cause of TBI in Minnesota's aging population. Welsh and Wolf outline proven fall-prevention strategies, emphasizing that falls are preventable and that proactive intervention can significantly reduce risk.
- Physician Office Visits: How to Prepare Your Clients with Brain Injury
Robert Karol, PhD, ABPP-RP, CBIST-R, President, Karol Neuro + Rehab Consulting
Dr. Karol will discuss common challenges brain injury survivors encounter during medical appointments and will discuss guidance for improving the effectiveness of these often less-than-satisfactory office visits. The presentation will addresses how providers across disciplines can help clients plan for appointments and maximize the value of their time spent in appointments.
12 - 1 p.m. - Lunch
1 - 2 p.m. - Breakout Session II
- Traumatic Brain Injury Can Be Different in Older Adults
Diane Mortimer, MD, MSN, FAAPM&R, Medical Director, Inpatient Brain Injury and Polytrauma Rehabilitation, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Kristina Keillor, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Annie Dahlquist, MSW, LICSW, Program Coordinator/Senior Social Worker, Minneapolis VA Health Care System
Older adults who experience TBI often present differently than younger adults because most already live with medical, physical, mental health, or functional changes that significantly affect outcomes. Older adults with a history of TBI may also develop symptoms that evolve over time as chronic effects, normal aging, and late-onset complications intersect and impact health and functioning. Veterans face additional challenges shaped by military injuries and environmental exposures that can impede both acute and long-term healing. Clinicians can help older patients and their families focus on healthy aging by optimizing brain health and recovery, overall wellness, and functional independence.
- Interventions and Support for Individuals with Brain Injury Across the Continuum of Recovery
Erwin Concepcion, PhD, Licensed Psychologist 2485, Clinical Services Director, Minnesota Direct Care and Treatment/MHSATS Division
This session provides an overview of common post-injury challenges and describes how support and interventions can be tailored across stages of recovery. Dr. Concepcion discusses support strategies for co-occurring conditions such as mental health symptoms, substance use disorders, and behavioral concerns, offering a framework for working with individuals throughout the continuum of care.
- Still Reading, Reading Differently: Understanding Changes in Reading Habits After TBI
Katy H. O'Brien, PhD, CCC-SLP, Senior Scientific Advisor, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, Allina Health
Natalie V. Covington, PhD, CCC-SLP, Assistant Professor, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities
Natalie Becker, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech-Language Pathologist, Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, Allina Health
This presentation explores how reading habits change after TBI. Research shows that many people with TBI continue reading but often move from leisure reading toward functional materials and report low reading confidence. The presenters discuss ways to support meaningful reading engagement during rehabilitation and community reintegration.
- TBI: A Tale of Missed and Misdiagnosis
Mandi Dickey, MSN, FNP-BC, RN, CBIS, Nurse Practitioner, Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology
This session will address the high rate of concussions that go undiagnosed or get misdiagnosed as something with overlapping symptoms. Ms. Dickey will explain how this phenomenon can delay proper care and contribute to prolonged difficulties. During this session she will outline strategies for distinguishing concussions from other diagnoses and highlight the consequences of missed diagnoses and misidentification.
- Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Post-Traumatic Headache in Individuals with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Pilot Study
Amanda Herrmann, PhD, Research Investigator, HealthPartners Institute
This session covers Herrmann’s randomized pilot study that evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for individuals experiencing chronic post-traumatic headache following mild TBI. Thirty-eight participants received either five or ten treatments over five weeks. Both groups reported significant reductions in headache frequency and severity, suggesting that acupuncture is safe and promising as a treatment option.
2 - 2:30 p.m. - Break and Exhibits Open
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. - Breakout Session III
- Further Dive into Autonomic Dysfunction in the Setting of TBI: Rehab Focused
Megan Meyer, Doctorate of Physical Therapy, Physical Therapist, Hennepin Healthcare
This presentation explores the role of rehab therapies in the assessment and management of autonomic dysfunction following traumatic brain injury. Attendees will gain an overview of the autonomic nervous system, how TBI can disrupt autonomic regulation, common clinical AD presentations, and evidence-informed therapy interventions, clinical decision-making, and progression of care. This session is designed to support clinicians in recognizing autonomic dysfunction and integrating targeted strategies into rehabilitation to improve function, participation, and quality of life after TBI.
- Sports and a TBI: A Double Edged Sword
Joe Lampe, Production Manager and Database Administrator, Promet Optics
Joe Lampe is a former St. John’s University baseball player and, due to an aggressive brain stem cavernous malformation, a three-time brain surgery survivor. In this session, Joe explores the intersection of athletics and traumatic brain injury, showing how a brain injury can reshape an active lifestyle and create physical, psychological, and emotional challenges for athletes as they recover and adapt. He also covers how athletes adjust to changes in coordination, reaction time, endurance, memory, and mood while incorporating his personal experiences and practical strategies. For athletes, families, coaches, healthcare professionals, or anyone interested in navigating a sports-centered life disrupted by a TBI.
- Neuro-Optometry: CONCUSS Study - Vision Therapy Protocol
Michael Wallerich, Doctor of Optometry, Residency Trained in Brain Injury Vision Rehabilitation, Neuro-Optometrist and CEO, Swoop Eye Care
Dr. Wallerich will present the CONCUSS study, a randomized multi-site clinical trial examining multidisciplinary treatment for post-concussive vision disorders (accommodative dysfunction and convergence insufficiency). He will outline the office-based vergence/accommodative therapy with movement (OBVAM) protocol that provides a therapeutic roadmap for patients with post-concussive symptoms. The session will emphasize the value of early intervention in reducing post-concussive visual symptoms and improving functional outcomes.
- Communicating about Brain Injury, and Finding a Roadmap for Recovery
Thomas F. Bergquist, PhD, ABPP-CN, LP ACRM, Associate Professor of Psychology, Mayo Clinic
Katrina Meyer, MSW, Community and Social Media Relations Coordinator, Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance
Life after brain injury can be complicated and some survivors may recovery quickly, while others experience lasting effects. This session will provide additional context on how clear and consistent communication can reshape public attitudes and expectations about life after brain injury. This session will also take a look at common complications that can arise after brain injury, and the approach the MN Brain Injury Alliance’s Resource Facilitation Program takes in navigating this variable road with survivors and their caregivers.
- The Caregiver You Don’t See Is Still in the Room
Debbie Vick, Lived Experience as TBI Caregiver; Founder, Your TBI Ally; Leader, TBI Caregiver Connection Support Group
This session addresses how caregivers’ contributions, challenges, and limits are often invisible, despite them being critical partners in patient care. Ms. Vick explores the hidden demands caregivers shoulder, and offers strategies for healthcare professionals to recognize caregiver needs and build collaborative relationships that support both survivors and the families who care for them.
Post Conference - 3:30 p.m.
Please join us in the Great Room immediately following the Conference for a casual farewell to our outgoing CEO David King. Light food and non-alcoholic refreshments will be served from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. as we honor and celebrate David's 18 years leading the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance.
