Future Leaders in Brain Injury Conference
We are excited to announce that the 2025 Future Leaders in Brain Injury Conference: Sports-Related Head Injuries registration is open!
The annual Future Leaders in Brain Injury Conference is a one-day virtual conference that provides opportunities for learners of all levels – from undergraduate to medical students – to explore a variety of career paths focused on advancing the field of Brain Injury. Participants hear from professionals in brain injury medicine, neuropsychology, and physical therapy about their work caring for athletes with head injuries. They will also engage in structured opportunities to network with professionals who can support them in achieving their career aspirations.
The 2025 Future Leaders in Brain Injury Conference will occur on Saturday, April 5th, from 12 PM-5:45 PM EST/9 AM-2:45 PM PST.
Please click here for the registration form!
2025 FLIBI Conference Schedule
12pm-12:15pm EST: Introduction to the Future Leaders in Brain Injury Conference: Sports-Related Head Injuries
Alissa Totman, MD MPH
12:15pm-1pm EST: Tackling a Career in Sport-Related Concussion Research: A Look into My Past, the Present, and Your Future
Aaron J. Zynda, Ph.D., CCRP
1pm-2pm EST: Clinical Management of Concussion
Priyanca Shah, DO, MBA
Kevin Franzese, DO
2pm-2:10pm EST: Break
2:10pm-2:55pm EST: Athlete's Perspective
Amanda Boulier, PWHL
2:55pm-3:55pm EST: Health Professional Panel: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Sports-Related Head Injury
Eric Connors, MD
Rebecca Greenspan, MD
Xavier Brito, PT
3:55pm-4:05pm EST: Break
4:05pm-4:35pm EST: Spotlight Presentations
4:35pm-4:50pm EST: Break
4:50pm-5:40pm EST: Mentoring Sessions
Our 2025 Mentors
Jackson Carney
Resident Physician in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at The Wright Center
Samir Sherali
Resident Physician in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at MetroHealth
Claudia Hentschel
Resident Physician in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Liz Runge
Resident Physician in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Rebecca Greenspan
Brain Injury Medicine Fellow at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Siulam Koo
Brain Injury Medicine Fellow at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Alissa Totman
Attending Brain Injury Medicine Physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Jason Lew
Attending Brain Injury Medicine Physician at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
Janvi Panchal
Occupational Therapist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Anna Dreyer
Physical Therapist at Brigham & Women's Hospital
Nanami Mano
Physical Therapist at NeuroAxis Rehabilitation Services
Meet Our 2025 Conference Speakers!
Alissa Totman, MD, MPH
Alissa Totman, MD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She received her MD from the Stanford School of Medicine, completed her residency in PM&R at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, and her fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Her clinical focus is on optimizing functional outcomes through early multidisciplinary rehabilitation in the acute care setting. She is also invested in educating the next generation of leaders in Brain Injury through her role as Executive Director of Synapse National.
Priyanca Shah, DO, MBA
Dr. Priyanca Shah is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, specializing in the care of patients with stroke and traumatic brain injuries. She is dedicated to optimizing recovery and functional independence through a multidisciplinary approach, with expertise in neurorehabilitation, spasticity management, and concussion care. Dr. Shah is passionate about advancing rehabilitation strategies to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
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Kevin Franzese, DO
Dr. Franzese practices inpatient brain injury, stroke and neurological rehabilitation on a teaching service at UPMC Mercy and is a consultant at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. In his outpatient clinic he sees patients with concussions and more severe brain injuries, strokes and spasticity. His academic interests lie in acute care management of patients with severe traumatic brain injuries and in resident/fellow education and trainee wellness. Dr. Franzese is eager to speak at the 2025 Future Leaders in Brain Injury Conference because he had very little guidance getting into Brain Injury Medicine when he was younger and wishes he had such an experience to shape his career.
Aaron J. Zynda, Ph.D., CCRP
Aaron J. Zynda, Ph.D., CCRP, is a Post-Doctoral Research Associate with the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program and the Concussion Research Laboratory in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned his Doctorate in Kinesiology from Michigan State University in 2023 and his Bachelor of Science in Movement Science from the University of Michigan in 2015. His research focuses on using clinical profiles to guide multidomain assessments of concussion, as well as targeted active interventions and rehabilitation programs aimed at improving recovery outcomes and reducing long-term morbidity. Dr. Zynda is excited to share his journey toward a career in sport-related concussion research, discuss the field’s future direction, and engage with emerging leaders to tackle concussion challenges head-on!
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Rebecca Greenspan, DO
Rebecca attended SUNY Binghamton for her undergraduate studies where she majored in biology and minored in health & wellness studies. She went on to study medicine at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, ME. She completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. She is currently pursuing a fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlestown, MA. She is so excited to engage with this enthusiastic group of young learners and share her passion for brain injury medicine rehabilitation!
Eric Connors, Ph.D.
Dr. Eric Connors is a clinical neuropsychologist who completed his fellowship at Home Base and then worked at the BIDMC Cognitive Neurology Unit (CNU) for three years. In the past year, he was recruited to develop inpatient and outpatient neuropsychology services for brain injury survivors at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. He looks forward to speaking at the conference to shed light on the role of neuropsychology in brain injury recovery and rehabilitation.
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Xavier Brito, PT, DPT
Xavier Brito graduated with a Doctor of Physical Therapy from MGH Institute of Health Professions and is currently a senior physical therapist at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He is a Board-Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist with over 5 years of experience across multiple settings, with a primary focus in the acute care setting. He is excited to speak at the conference because he would like to share his knowledge, emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach in treating brain injuries, and hopefully get others excited to work with this population in the future!
Amanda Boulier, Professional Women's Hockey League Player
Amanda Boulier is an American ice hockey defender for the Montreal Victoire in the Professional Women's Hockey League. She is in her eighth professional season playing in both the NWHL and PWHL. Having endured multiple concussions throughout her professional career, Amanda is deeply passionate about sharing her story and advocating for better care to help other athletes navigate their own concussion recovery.
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Cameran Thompson, Undergraduate
Cameran is a current Senior at the University of Pittsburgh majoring in Neuroscience and Sociology. She currently works as a research assistant in the Rossi lab, studying how fixational eye movements can be used as a biomarker for concussion recovery time. Currently, the members of the concussion team have been studying differences in fixational eye movements between both concussed and control patients, as well as male and female patients.
Dylan Keusch, Clinical Research Assistant
Dylan Keusch is a first-year clinical research assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he also serves as the co-chair of the Neuroscience Family Advisory Council. A proud graduate of Cornell University, his thesis explored brain injury and return-to-learn policies through federal and state legislation. His clinical and research interests include pediatric neuro-oncology, surgical critical care, and cerebrovascular neurosurgery, with his ultimate goal to matriculate into medical school in the near future.
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