STEPHANIE ROGERS
A Lot on the Mind: Epilepsy
What is Epilepsy?
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Stephanie Rogers got her BA from University of Pennsylvania and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She is currently a PhD Candidate at NYU Neuroscience Institute studying how we can manipulate brain activity in healthy and epileptic brain tissue. She is also an Adjunct Instructor at Fordham University, teaching her students human health and empowering them to make better health decisions. She is passionate about using her experience to raise awareness.
SIMON CHAMBERLAND, PHD
A Lot on the Mind: Epilepsy
What is CBD and How Does it Work
Dr. Simon Chamberland is currently a postdoctoral fellow at New York University. His research work is directed by a central question: How does synaptic transmission shape information transfer in the brain? Before coming to New York City, Dr. Chamberland obtained his PhD from Université Laval (Québec, Canada). He is currently working with Dr. Richard W. Tsien (NYU) on the modulation of brain circuits. His current project aims to understand a fundamental question: how does cannabidiol (CBD) alter hippocampal circuits? CBD is a non-psychoactive component of cannabis that has been shown to decrease epileptic seizures in human patients. However, CBD’s mechanism of action remains misunderstood.
ALYSSA D'AMICO
A Lot on the Mind: EpilepsyÂ
Life and Poetry with Epilepsy
Alyssa D’Amico was born and raised in Queens, New York City. At the age of 6, she was diagnosed with epilepsy and started writing poetry soon after. Her work has been published by Albany Poets in Up the River, New York University F.A.C.E.S., the National Epilepsy Foundation, and the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York. She has been a featured poet at the Queens NYC Lit Festival with Inspired Word in 2016, 2017 and was a featured poet with Inspired Word 2018. Alyssa’s goal is to help people with epilepsy, and neurological disorders, including to believe in themselves. She would also like to make people who are not familiar with epilepsy more aware.
LISA SHULMAN, MD
A Lot on the Mind: Autism
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Dr. Lisa Shulman is a graduate of Brown University and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She has served as Director of Infant/Toddler Service at the Rose F. Kennedy Children's Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center. She is also the director of RELATE program, a state of the art evaluation and treatment program for children with autism spectrum disorder. She has been appointed as the CDC Act Early Ambassador to New York and her research interests include early identification of autism and overcoming healthcare disparities
REBECCA JONES, PHD, M.PHIL
A Lot on the Mind: Autism
How New Tech Can Improve Treatment
Dr. Rebecca M. Jones is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain and the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Jones’s research focuses on the development of the social brain. She uses computational, behavioral, and neuroimaging methods as well as mobile technologies to discover how social behavior develops and can be disrupted in those with autism, with the goal of informing how to target interventions for clinical disorders of social behavior. She has received numerous awards including the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, the Rising Star Award from the Association for Psychological Science, and the Women in Technology Award from the Westchester County Association for her innovative research.
RONALDO BYRD
A Lot on the Mind: Autism
Art and Expression with Autism
Ronaldo Byrd was born in Brooklyn, NY and began painting at the tender age of three. While living in New York City as a child, he was accepted to and attended the Art Instruction School, which boasts graduates such as Charles Schulz of "Peanuts" fame. Ronaldo was then accepted to and attended the High School of Art and Design before moving to Burlington, NJ with his family. Byrd went on to earn his diploma in Graphic Arts from The Burlington County Institute of Technology. Byrd and his artwork have been featured in several magazines and newspapers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer. He has also been featured on CBS 3 Eyewitness News. Byrd is also a philanthropist who dedicates his time and talents by volunteering for Autism Speaks.
LEORA FOX, PHD
A Lot on the Mind: Huntington's
What is Huntington's Disease
Leora Fox joined the HDSA as Manager of Research and Mission Programs in August 2017. She obtained her PhD in Neurobiology and Behavior at Columbia University, where she studied how brain cells clear away deposits of harmful huntingtin protein. Previously a medical writer and contributing author at HDBuzz, Dr. Fox supports HDSA’s efforts towards funding research and communicating science. She maintains HDTrialfinder.org by reaching out to clinical researchers throughout North America, works closely with HDSA fellows to support their progress, and creates oral and written materials to explain the science behind current trials. She is passionate about communicating science to the HD community so that families can keep abreast of scientific progress and make informed decisions about participating in clinical research.
GREG YOUDAN
A Lot on the Mind: Huntington's
HD, Movement, and Physical Therapy
holds an MA in Motor Learning and Control from Teachers College and a BA in Dance from Hofstra University. Greg is currently a PhD student in Kinesiology at Teachers College, Columbia University where is concurrently pursuing an MS in Applied Statistics. He is an instructor/lecturer in the Department of Biobehavioral Sciences and is the lab manager of the Neurorehabilitation Research Laboratory working under Dr. Lori Quinn. His research focuses on gait and balance impairments in people with neurological diseases, including Huntington’s disease. He also holds an appointment as a research assistant in the Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center.
Much of his dance career was spent with Heidi Latsky Dance, where is now on the board of the directors.
JUSTIN GOLDBERG
A Lot on the Mind: Huntington's
Huntington's and Dance
Justin William Goldberg is a native New Yorker, product of the public school system and graduate of Staten Island Technical High School. Justin earned a Bachelor's of Computer Science and MBA from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute.
Justin is a skydiving instructor with thousands of jumps and hundreds of students trained. Over his years of instructing he has trained everyone from moms and grandpas to West Point Cadets and Qatari princes.
Justin currently works for Microsoft in their media and entertainment industry vertical. Justin previously worked in the new technology group at Walt Disney Attractions and in various advertising technology startups.
Justin lives on Staten Island with his boyfriend of six years, Matt. He has an adopted brother, AJ, and his father, Jack, who has been living 30 years with Huntington’s. Justin is positive for the mutation that causes HD.