Dr. Michael Alosco

Clinical Neuropsychologist

Boston University, USA

Dr. Alosco is a clinical neuropsychologist and Associate Professor of Neurology at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, where he serves as the Vice Chair of Research and Co-Director of Clinical Research at the BU CTE Center. His career has been devoted to study methods to detect and diagnosis neurodegenerative diseases, particularly chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). He has >230 peer-reviewed publications in this field and is the PI of multiple NIH-funded grants. His research has laid the foundation for the development and validation of ways to detect pathologies from repetitive TBIs during life. He hopes his work will ultimately lead to the development of strategies to treat and prevent CTE and Alzheimer’s disease.

Presentation Topic: New Insights into the Detection of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy During Life

Dr. Paul van Donkelaar

Clinical Neuroscientist

University of BC, Canada

Dr. Paul van Donkelaar is a Professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC – Okanagan. He has over 30 years of research experience investigating the sensorimotor, neurocognitive, and pathophysiological effects of brain injury. Over the last 8 years he has focused his efforts on better understanding brain injury (BI) in intimate partner violence (IPV). Together with his partner, Karen Mason, he co-founded Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research (SOAR) – Canada’s only non-profit organization focusing specifically on the issue of IPV-BI. Together with colleagues in Canada and internationally, SOAR has helped raise awareness of the links between IPV and BI with the goal of better supporting survivors in their efforts to break free from abusive relationships.

Presentation Topic: Intimate Partner Violence-Caused Brain Injury: Physiology, Sensorimotor Control, and Knowledge Translation

Dr. Carrie Esopenko

Psychologist

Mount Sinai New York, USA

Dr. Carrie Esopenko is an Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion Center at the University of Utah, as well as in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Her research focuses on understanding the effects of neurotrauma and mental health conditions across populations and developing patient-specific and community-based intervention strategies for trauma-exposed populations. She is the Lead Investigator of the ENIGMA Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Working Group seeking to increase IPV brain injury research collaborations worldwide, and co-leads ENIGMA IPV Global Knowledge Exchange Network, which works to provide education and training supports to service providers and advocates working with IPV-related brain injury. Dr. Esopenko’s work has been supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Department of Defense, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research. She was also awarded the 2024 National Neurotrauma Society’s Rosalind Franklin award, recognizing her impactful scientific contributions to neurotrauma research and her work improving advocacy and education for intimate partner violence-related brain injury.

Presentation Topic: Understanding Intimate Partner Violence-Related Brain Injury as a Distinct Brain Injury Phenotype

Dr. John J. Leddy

Sports Medicine Physician

University of Buffalo, USA

Dr. John J. Leddy is a Professor of Clinical Orthopedics and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, and of the American College of Physicians. He is the Director of Outcomes Research for the UBMD Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine. He is a Division 1 team physician and Medical Director of the University at Buffalo Concussion Research and Management Center. He is a Member of the Expert Panels for the Fifth and Sixth International Consensus Conferences on Concussion in Sport. In conjunction with Dr. Barry Willer, he developed the Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test.

Presentation Topic: Aerobic Exercise Treatment for Sport- Related Concussion

Dr. Jennie Ponsford

Neuropsychologist

Monash University, Australia

Jennie Ponsford, AO, BA(Hons), MA (Clin Neuropsych), PhD, MAPsS, FCCN is Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor of Neuropsychology in the School of Psychological Sciences at Monash University. She is Director of the Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre at Epworth Healthcare. Over 44 years she has conducted clinical work and research with individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI), investigating outcomes and the efficacy of rehabilitative interventions, with over 500 publications, including two books. She is Past-President of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS), International Association for Study of TBI and Australasian Society for the Study of Brain Impairment. She has received the Robert Moody prize for Distinguished Initiatives in Brain Injury and Rehabilitation (2013), INS Paul Satz Career Mentoring Award (2015), IBIA Jennett Plum Award for Outstanding Clinical Achievement in Brain Injury Medicine (2023) Australian Psychological Society Award of Distinction in Psychological Science. and in 2017 was made Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished contributions to neuropsychology and diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of TBI. In 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 she was named as Australia’s leading researcher in Rehabilitation Therapy. She serves on editorial boards of seven journals and is an Associate Editor of Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

Presentation Topic: Treatment

Prof. Hugh Scully

MD, Surgeon

Toronto, Canada

Dr. Hugh E. Scully, BA, MD, MSc, FRCS(C), FACS, FRCC, FACC, FAHA, FIACS, is a distinguished surgeon, professor, and leader in medical policy and motorsport safety. He is Professor Emeritus in both Surgery and Health Policy, Management & Evaluation at the University of Toronto. His academic journey includes studies at Queen’s University (Kingston), the University of Toronto, and Harvard University.

Dr. Scully has had a long and respected affiliation with the University Health Network (UHN), serving as an Honourary Member in the Division of Cardiac Surgery at Toronto General Hospital and as a member of the UHN Foundation Senate.

Beyond the field of surgery, Dr. Scully has played a pivotal role in the medical oversight of motorsports. He is the Co-Founder (1968) and President of Ontario Race Physicians at Mosport Circuit (CTMP) and serves as Medical Director for the Canadian Automobile Sport Clubs (CASC). Internationally, he co-founded both the FIA (World) Medical Commission in Paris (1981) and the FIA Institute for Motorsport Safety & Sustainability (Paris 2004). Additionally, he co-founded the International Council of Motorsport Sciences (ICMS) in 1988 and remains its Chair Emeritus, overseeing collaboration across 19 countries.

Dr. Scully’s expertise has been integral to Formula 1 (Canada) from 1968 to 2009 and CART/INDYCAR Toronto (1984-2019) & Edmonton (2005-2008) as Medical & Safety Director. His contributions to motorsport safety and medical innovation have been recognized through his membership (since 2000) and tenure as Chair (2011-2022) of the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

Furthering his commitment to brain health and injury prevention, Dr. Scully is a member of the Advisory Board for the Canadian Concussion Centre (CCC), where he contributes to research and policy development on concussion-related issues.

Presentation Topic: The Role of Doctors in Treating Motorsport Injuries (Focus on Concussion)

Dr. Allen Sills

Neurosurgeon, NFL Chief Medical Officer

Vanderbilt University, USA

Dr. Allen Sills, MD, FACS, FAANS is a neurosurgeon and the first ever Chief Medical Officer for the National Football League (NFL). He is also Professor of Neurological Surgery, Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee and is a founder of the Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center. Dr. Sills has previously served as a neurological consultant to the NFL, the NCAA, the International Equestrian Foundation (FEI) and is a member of the Concussion In Sport Group which publishes the worldwide standards for concussion care. He has served as consulting neurosurgeon to many college and professional sports teams including those in the NFL, NBA, NHL, professional baseball, and international Olympic competitions. Dr. Sills was previously section editor for sports for the journal Neurosurgery and remains actively engaged in research on new methods of concussion assessment and treatment, along with minimally invasive spine surgery in athletes.

Dr. Sills is a fellow of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and the American College of Surgeons and is extensively involved in concussion education outreach events throughout the US and abroad. He also remains active as a surgeon and consultant for athletic teams at the youth, high school, and college level, and has served as a youth sports coach for over 25 years.

Presentation Topic: Coming Soon

Dr. Willie Stewart

Neuropathologist

University of Glasgow, UK

Prof. Stewart is Consultant Neuropathologist at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow and holds Honorary Professor status at the University of Glasgow and the University of Pennsylvania. He leads an internationally regarded research laboratory engaged in multiple programs investigating the pathologies of acute and long-term survival from traumatic brain injury (TBI). Working with the unique and comprehensive Glasgow TBI Archive, Prof Stewart’s research describes the complex pathology of brain injury across a range of injury exposures and survival intervals, with particular reference to the link between brain injury and neurodegenerative disease. He also directs internationally regarded research programs providing first insights into dementia risk in former contact sports athletes and has been directly responsible for player welfare changes in multiple global sports.

Presentation Topic: Game Changer: Translating Pathology Research to Brain Health Interventions in Sport.

Dr. Carmela Tartaglia

Neurologist, MD, FRCPC (Symposium Co-Chair), Krembil Clinician Investigator

Krembil Research Institute (Krembil)

Dr. Carmela Tartaglia is a professor and Clinician- Scientist at the University of Toronto. She received her medical degree from McGill University, completed her residency at the University of Western Ontario and did three years of clinical/research fellowship in cognitive /behavioral neurology at the University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Centre. She maintains a cognitive/behavioral clinic where she sees people with neurodegenerative disease and post-concussion syndrome within the UHN Memory Clinic. Her clinical and research interests lie in neurodegenerative diseases with a focus on frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) and possible chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Presentation Topic: WSIB – Return to Work

Anna Maria Tremonti

Journalist

Public Forum Panel Moderator, Toronto, Canada