Lead Investigators:
Angela Hein Ciccia, PhD, CCC-SLP: Dr. Ciccia is the principal investigator for STATBI andan associate professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Ciccia’s research focuses on factors that impact children’s ability to recovery/develop in the presence of a diagnosis of an acquired (i.e., new onset) and/or developmental neurogenic communication disorder with a targeted focus on pediatric traumatic brain injury. Dr. Ciccia is also interested in the use of novel service delivery models (including telemedicine) to enhance access to rehabilitation/support services for these children.
Angela Ciccia –lab link: https://caslabs.case.edu/neurodisorders/
Angela Ciccia –Faculty link: https://psychsciences.case.edu/faculty/angela-ciccia/
Jennifer Lundine, PhD, CCC-SLP: Dr. Lundine is the co-investigator for STATBI and the site lead in Central Ohio. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at The Ohio State University. She is also a clinical researcher at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where she worked as a clinician on the pediatric rehabilitation unit for 12 years. Her clinical, teaching, and research interests include cognitive-communication disorders associated with acquired brain injury (ABI) in children and adolescents. Specifically, her research focuses on improving gaps in access to and utilization of services designed to support children with ABI and identifying specific approaches that would improve assessment and treatment practices following pediatric ABI.
J Lundine lab link: http://u.osu.edu/cabilab
J Lundine faculty link: https://sphs.osu.edu/people/lundine.4
Dr. Drew Nagele is a Board Certified Rehabilitation Psychologist trained in NeuroRehabilitation with a 40 year career in creating and running brain injury rehabilitation programs for children, adolescents, and adults with acquired brain injury. He serves on the Board of Governors of BIAA’s Academy for Certification of Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS) and is developing an advanced practice certification in NeuroRehabilitation. As Clinical Professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine he teaches Neuropsychology, Neuropathology, and Cognitive Rehabilitation. He Co-Chairs the ACRM Pediatric and Adolescent Task Force, and is a Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Central Ohio Research Team:
Erika Hagen holds a BS in Psychology, a minor in Spanish and a M.A. in School Psychology. She practiced as a School Psychologist for 27 years before returning to OSU for her PhD in Speech and Hearing Science in Fall 2021. Areas of interest include assessment, care-coordination and evidence-based protocols which will provide both short and long term supports for children who experience traumatic brain injuries.
Nicole Viola holds a B.A. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Baylor University and an M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of Texas at Dallas. She worked in Texas as a Speech-Language Pathologist in a variety of clinical settings including skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation, home health, and schools. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Speech and Hearing Sciences at The Ohio State University. Her research interests include the assessment, treatment, and long-term cognitive-communication outcomes of children following traumatic brain injury.
Jen Filipkowski is a Clinical Research Coordinator in the Behavioral Trials Office and Center for Biobehavioral Health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Jen received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Dayton with a major in Child Development and a concentration in Social Work. After teaching for several years, Jen transitioned to research at The Ohio State University where she coordinated studies funded by the Institution of Education Sciences (IES) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) focused on improving educational outcomes for under-served children and their families. She joined Nationwide Children’s Hospital in 2021.
Northeast Ohio Research Team:
Libby Crook, M.A., CF-SLP, is a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychological Sciences, Communication Sciences Program at Case Western Reserve University. Libby is a member of the CORE Lab and is under the mentorship of Dr. Ciccia. Her research focuses on long-term academic and rehabilitation outcomes for children with brain injury, with a particular focus in social communication and sociodemographic disparities.
Jessica Salley, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is an assistant professor in Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Maine and a graduate of the CORE Lab. Dr. Riccardi completed her Ph.D. at Case Western Reserve University under the mentorship of Dr. Ciccia. Dr. Riccardi’s research focuses on long-term outcomes after childhood brain injury, particularly in the area of cognitive-communication and in high-risk populations.
Jessica Salley Riccardi- Website Link: https://jxs1654.wixsite.com/jsriccardi
Pennsylvania Research Team:
Kyle Merbach, LPC, CRC, CAADC, obtained his Post Masters in Counseling from Waynesburg University and his Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from Penn State University Main Campus. He has worked the last two- plus decades serving homeless and disabled veterans, clientele with HIV/ AIDS status, clientele with drug and alcohol issues, and clientele with cognitive difficulties. He currently works for the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania as a Research Coordinator.
Joan Steinberg is a Research Coordinator for the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania. She has ACBIS Brain Injury Fundamentals training. She has an adult son who experienced two brain injuries requiring her to become his advocate and caregiver. She has her BA from George Washington University.
Becky Crambert will receive her doctorate in Leadership from Lancaster Bible College in the spring of 2022. She works as a research coordinator on the Student Transition after Traumatic Brain Injury grant project. Becky sustained a moderate traumatic brain injury in 2012 and understands the struggles of returning to the classroom after a head injury. Prior to her head injury, Becky owned and operated a dairy farm.
Pennsylvania/BrainSTEPS Team:
Dr. Brenda Eagan-Johnson, CBIST has worked in the field of pediatric brain injury for over two decades. She is the state Director for Pennsylvania’s BrainSTEPS Brain Injury School Consulting Program, which is a nationally recognized model. For the past 15 years, Dr. Eagan-Johnson has focused on the creation and program development of BrainSTEPS. Her daily work includes program implementation, student/school/team member/healthcare provider consultation, and training for over 300 BrainSTEPS brain injury educational consultants serving 31 BrainSTEPS teams across the state. The Colorado Department of Education adopted the BrainSTEPS model in 2016. Spearheading development and creation of PA’s Return to Learn Concussion Management Team Model, she has trained over 3,000+ school-based teams. Dr. Eagan-Johnson also serves as a consultant for a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) funded study called STATBI investigating BrainSTEPS student outcomes.
She received her master’s degree in Special Education Transition: Brain Injury from the George Washington University (GWU) and her doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in Mind, Brain, and Teaching (educational neuroscience). Since 2015, she has been an Instructor at GWU for the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, teaching brain injury coursework.
Additionally, Dr. Eagan-Johnson serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists under the Brain Injury Association of America and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer. She serves on the executive board for the National Collaborative on Children’s Brain Injury. Dr. Eagan-Johnson is published in pediatric brain injury, regularly presents at the state, national, & international levels, and has received multiple state & national awards for her work.