Theresa L. Bender Pape, Dr.PH, MA, CCC-SLP/L, FACRM
Dr. Theresa L. Bender Pape, Dr.PH, MA SLP/L, FACRM is a Research Professor at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation where she contributes her expertise in neuroplasticity and neuroscience. With a clinical background in Speech-Language Pathology, she specializes in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and disorders of consciousness (DoC) and focuses on developing therapies to enhance daily function. A leading investigator in groundbreaking studies, including the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with TBI, she is recognized for advancing personalized medicine in neurorehabilitation. Dr. Pape also lends her Neurorehabilitation measurement expertise to develop the capacity to accurately detect meaningful treatment effects during clinical trials at behavioral and neurophysiological levels. Dr. Pape is dedicated to bridging the gap between the laboratory and the clinic.
Katie Kestner, PT, DPT, NCS
Dr. Catherine Kestner, PT, DPT, NCS, holds a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree and is board-certified as a Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS). Dr. Kestner works as a clinical research manager for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation within the NNR lab and is based at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Dr. Kestner also serves as Associated Faculty in Northwestern University’s Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences program. Dr. Kestner is dedicated to advancing the recovery and her research interests focus on advancing neuroplasticity-driven rehabilitation techniques, improving mobility and functional outcomes, and enhancing the quality of life for patients with neurological conditions. She regularly contributes to professional conferences and publications, fostering a deeper understanding of neurorehabilitation strategies. Dr. Kestner’s expertise encompasses the treatment of complex neurological disorders, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. She provides cutting-edge, patient-centered care, utilizing innovative rehabilitation technologies and evidence-based practices to optimize outcomes. Dr. Kestner is also deeply involved in education and mentorship. At Northwestern, she teaches and mentors DPT students, preparing the next generation of physical therapists to excel in the field. Her commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration ensures that her students and patients benefit from a holistic and comprehensive approach to care.
Sherri Livengood, PhD
Dr. Sherri Livengood is an accomplished auditory neuroscientist where she focuses on advancing our understanding of how the brain processes sound and its applications in neurorehabilitation. With a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Northwestern and extensive training in auditory perception and neural plasticity, Dr. Livengood’s research bridges basic science and clinical innovation to improve therapeutic outcomes for individuals with neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury (TBI). Dr. Livengood’s expertise lies in investigating how auditory stimuli influence neural networks associated with attention, memory and emotional regulation. Her work has contributed to the novel interventions, such as the Familiar Auditory Sensory Training (FAST) program, which uses personalized auditory content to enhance neural function and emotional well-being. She collaborates closely with interdisciplinary teams to ensure that her research findings are translated into practical, evidence-based therapies. Through her innovative work, Dr. Livengood continues to make significant contributions to the field, advancing personalized approaches to improve the lives of individuals with neurological challenges.
Dr. Ana Durand-Sanchez, MD
Dr. Ana Durand-Sanchez, MD is a Brain Injury Specialist and the Medical Director of Moody Neurorehabilitation Institute. With a deep commitment to the field of neurorehabilitation, Dr. Durand-Sanchez and Dr. Pape co-founded the Moody-Northwestern COllaborative REsearch for Traumatic Brain Injury (CORE-TBI), which is a collaborative research effort dedicated to developing and delivering TBI-specific treatments that enable the restoration of daily life skills. Dr. Durand-Sanchez has dedicated her career to helping individuals recover from traumatic brain injuries and other neurological conditions. She is known for her expertise in developing and overseeing personalized rehabilitation programs that incorporate the latest advancements in brain injury treatment. At Moody Neurorehabilitation Institute, Dr. Durand-Sanchez leads a multidisciplinary team focused on delivering comprehensive, patient-centered care aimed at maximizing recovery and improving quality of life. Her leadership and innovative approach have made her a respected figure in the field of brain injury rehabilitation.
Jeffrey T Rado, MD, MPH
Dr. Rado is a Psychiatrist at Stone Mental Health Outpatient Clinic and Department of General Internal Medicine Integrative Behavioral Health Program. In addition to providing mental health services, he is responsible for teaching and supervising students and residents as an associate professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences (General Psychiatry) and Medicine (General Internal Medicine). Based on his clinical expertise and strong record of clinical trial research in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Dr. Rado is a valued member of this interdisciplinary lab.
Stephan Schuele, MD, MPH
Dr. Stephan Schuele, MD, MPH is Head of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Northwestern University since 2006 and the Medical Director of the Neurological Testing Center at Northwestern Memorial Hospital since 2012. He holds an appointment as Professor of Neurology at Feinberg School of Medicine and a joint appointment for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab. Dr. Schuele graduated from Witten/Herdecke University in Germany and completed his Neurology residency and a two-year fellowship training in Clinical Epilepsy/ Neurophysiology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. Dr. Schuele is Board-Certified in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy and earned a Master of Public Health from Ohio State University. His research focuses on seizure semiology, surgical epilepsy and sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology and Vice President of the National Association of Epilepsy Centers.
Joshua M. Rosenow, MD
Dr. Joshua M. Rosenow, MD, is the director of Functional Neurosurgery and Professor of Neurosurgery, Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery. He specializes in the surgical treatment of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, tremor, and dystonia, as well as the surgical treatment of epilepsy, neuromodulation for chronic pain, and neuromodulation for neurorehabilitation. His research revolves around restorative neurosurgery and precision neurological interventions. This includes neurostimulation (deep brain, cortical), brain-machine interface (both cortical chip and EEG-based), gene therapy methods, and transcranial magnetic stimulation.
Todd Parish, PhD
Dr. Todd Parrish, PhD, director of the Northwestern University Neuroimaging Research Laboratory, is a founding member of the Northwestern Cognitive Brain Mapping Group (CBMG), a team dedicated to investigative brain research. Dr. Parrish’s role in the CBMG is to employ state-of-the-art technology, an understanding of MRI physics, and a strong collaboration with other departments to tackle the technical, philosophical and practical problems of brain mapping. His expertise has been pivotal in the execution of the NNR lab’s mission by enabling complex, innovative neuroimaging studies and analyses to facilitate understanding of neuromodulatory treatments after traumatic brain injuries and other neurological diagnoses.
Dulal K. Bhaumik, PhD
Dulal is a Professor of Psychiatry, Biostatistics and Bioengineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He received his BS in Statistics from Calcutta University, his MS in Statistics from the Indian Statistical Institute, and his PhD in the same field from the University of Maryland. Before joining UIC, he served as a Professor of Statistics in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at University of South Alabama. Professor Bhaumik is a long standing contributor to the lab.
Dr. Heather Beaudoin, PT, DPT
Dr. Heather Beaudoin, PT, DPT holds an advanced clinical degree, a Doctor of Physical Therapy. As a physical therapist, Dr. Beaudoin works clinically and as a research study coordinator for the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation within the Neural Plasticity in Neurorehabilitation (NNR) lab while also serving as Associated Faculty in Northwestern University’s Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences program Dr. Beaudoin’s clinical experience primarily includes management of patients with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, and lower-limb amputation in inpatient rehabilitation. She also has experience working in outpatient physical therapy and acute care settings with a variety of patients who have diverse orthopedic and neurological conditions.
Meredith D. Brown, PT, ATP, CBIS
Meredith D. Brown, PT, ATP, CBIS is the Clinical Operations Manager at Moody Neurorehabilitation Institute in Houston, Texas. She graduated from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston with her degree in Physical Therapy in 1992, then added an Assistive Technology Professional certification in 2021 and a Certified Brain Injury Specialist credential in 2024. After 28 years in direct care as a Physical Therapist in various hospitals, home health agencies, and school districts, Meredith changed to an administrative position with Moody Neuro in June 2022. Part of her role as the Clinical Operations Manager is project managing the current research studies in which Moody Neuro participates. She is a key member of the Moody-Northwestern COllaborative REsearch for Traumatic Brain Injury (CORE-TBI) team and is excited to be implementing at Moody in Houston, under the supervision of Dr. Ana Durand-Sanchez, Dr. Pape’s study titled ‘Neuromodulation and Neurorehabilitation for Treatment of Functional Deficits after mTBI plus PTSD study. This collaboration has been and continues to be an incredible opportunity for Meredith and the Moody Neuro clinical team.