CME Speakers

 

  • John F. Brandsema, MD

    John F. Brandsema, MD

    John F. Brandsema, MD

    Child Neurologist, Neuromuscular Section Head

    John Brandsema, MD, is a child neurologist and the Neuromuscular Section Head at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He has broad clinical and research interests in neuromuscular diseases, with a particular focus in clinical trials of novel therapies for childhood neuromuscular disorders and is enthusiastic about the promise that medical and scientific advances hold for people with these conditions. Dr. Brandsema is involved with clinical trials of novel therapeutics for neuromuscular disorders. His philosophy of care centers around developing strong partnerships with families and empowering parents to understand their child’s medical condition. Outside of the hospital, he is a classically-trained singer and musician and a budding Philadelphia sports fan.
  • Crystal Proud, MD

    Crystal Proud, MD

    Crystal Proud, MD

    Chief of Neurology and Director of Neuromuscular Medicine

    Crystal Proud, MD is the chief of neurology and director of neuromuscular medicine at Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) in Norfolk, Virginia, where she works collaboratively to provide a comprehensive approach to patients with neuromuscular diseases. With her research focused on the development of therapeutic trials for spinal muscular atrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, she is the primary investigator for several clinical trials evaluating novel treatments for patients with various neuromuscular conditions. She also serves as the medical director for the CHKD Novel Therapeutics and Gene Therapy Center, with a commitment to optimizing clinical care and offering participation in clinical research to patients and families affected by rare disease.
  • James Howard Jr., MD

    James Howard Jr., MD

    James Howard Jr., MD

    Professor of Neurology, Medicine and Allied Health

    James F. Howard Jr., MD is professor of neurology, medicine, and allied health in the Department of Neurology at the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. He also directs the Myasthenia Gravis Clinical Trials and Translational Research Unit at UNC, where he has been the lead investigator for several of the recently approved therapeutics for myasthenia gravis. A practicing neurologist for more than 44 years, Dr. Howard is the former James F. Howard distinguished professor of neuromuscular disease and the prior chief of the Neuromuscular Disorders Section at UNC.
  • Pushpa Narayanaswami, MD, FAAN

    Pushpa Narayanaswami, MD, FAAN

    Pushpa Narayanaswami, MD, FAAN

    Vice- Chair, Clinical Operations, Dept. of Neurology & Associate Professor of Neurology

    Pushpa Narayanaswami, MD is associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and vice chair of clinical operations in the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and has received federal research funding from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). Dr. Narayanaswami serves on the Education Council of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America and is part of the international panel that developed consensus guidelines for the management of myasthenia gravis.
  • Monica Parsons, RN, BSN

    Monica Parsons, RN, BSN

    Monica Parsons, RN, BSN

    Director of Clinical Education

    Monica Parsons, RN, BSN is the director of clinical education for the National Infusion Center Association (NICA), where she is focused on developing resources and training material to support infusions and stakeholders. Prior to this, she spent over a decade in infusion therapy roles, starting as an infusion therapy nurse before serving as a clinical resource manager for Ol Infusion Services. She then served as director of quality and compliance at the Ambulatory Infusion Center. Monica has successfully led multiple ambulatory infusion clinics through accreditation, where she learned the value of an accreditation program designed by and for the ambulatory infusion industry.
  • Sarah Harlock, MBA

    Sarah Harlock, MBA

    Sarah Harlock, MBA

    Program Director

    Sarah Harlock, MBA has been working in the field of dementia care for more than 25 years. Her dedication began with her experience in skilled nursing facilities. She then transitioned to the Alzheimer's Association, Western New York Chapter, where she provided community education and implemented an innovative in-home care consultation program addressing dementia behavior management. After receiving her MBA, she became development director, coordinating the fundraising efforts of the local chapter. In her current role as program director of the Center for Cognitive Disorders and Brain Health at Dent Neurologic Institute in Amherst, NY, she oversees the day-to-day operations of a multi-faceted memory disorders program supporting medical providers, patients, and families.
  • Bela Ajtai, MD, PhD

    Bela Ajtai, MD, PhD

    Bela Ajtai, MD, PhD

    Attending Neurologist

    Bela Ajtai, MD, PhD is an attending neurologist at the Dent Neurologic Institute in Buffalo, NY, specializing in memory disorders, dementia, and neuroimaging diagnostics. He is board certified in these specialties by the American Board of Neurology and Psychiatry and by the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties. Within neurology, his main field is cognitive disorders and dementia, with a special focus on Alzheimer's disease. He is the medical director of the Dent Center for Cognitive Disorders and Brain Health. He has also published several articles in peer-reviewed journals and authored and co-authored several book chapters. He serves as principal investigator in several multicenter dementia research studies.
  • David Lieberman, MD, PhD

    David Lieberman, MD, PhD

    David Lieberman, MD, PhD

    Child Neurologist

    David Lieberman, MD, PhD, is a child neurologist at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Lieberman completed his medical and doctorate degrees in Neuroscience at Stanford University School of Medicine. He continued his training at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, completing an internship in Pediatrics and a residency in Pediatric Neurology. Dr. Lieberman remained at Johns Hopkins as faculty for a few years before moving back to the west coast to take a faculty position in the Neurosciences Department at UC San Diego. Dr. Lieberman moved to Boston in 2015 and now serves as the Director of the Comprehensive Rett Syndrome Program at Boston Children’s Hospital where he sees over 100 patients with Rett syndrome and Rett-related disorders each year.
  • Arthur Beisang, MD

    Arthur Beisang, MD

    Arthur Beisang, MD

    Complex Care Pediatrician

    Arthur (Art) Beisang, MD, has been a practicing pediatrician for 30 years. He has focused exclusively on Complex Care Pediatrics since moving to Gillette Children’s Specialty Health Care in 2006. Dr. Beisang was a founder of the Rett and Rett-Related Disorders Clinic at Gillette. He is currently the Clinic’s Co-Director and Co-director of the Aerodigestive Clinic. His clinical goal is to maintain the health of his neurologically complex patients, including managing all aspects of feeding, diagnosing distressing symptoms (including dysautonomia), and managing aspiration and drooling. Dr. Beisang has multiple publications with a focus on Rett syndrome and multiple patents on medical devices. He’s devoted his life to improving the lives of children diagnosed with a rare disease.
  • Henry Hasson

    Henry Hasson

    Henry Hasson

    Child Neurologist

    Henry Hasson, MD is a child neurologist from Brooklyn, NY. After completing an undergraduate degree in chemistry at New York University, he earned his medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. He eventually completed fellowship training at the same institution, where he continued on as an assistant professor of neurology and pediatrics, before opening his private practice in Brooklyn, NY. Dr. Hasson holds board certifications from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in neurology and clinical neurophysiology. He is affiliated with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center, and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
  • Carmen Luna, MPH

    Carmen Luna, MPH

    Carmen Luna, MPH

    Clinical Network Manager

    Carmen Luna joined the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) in 2021 to manage the newly formed Rett Syndrome Center of Excellence Network. Carmen is the Clinical Network Manager for the IRSF. She has over 10 years of research project management experience and worked at the Kaiser Permanente Colorado - Institute for Health Research prior to joining IRSF. As a mother of three, including a 6 year old daughter with Rett syndrome, Carmen is passionate about supporting clinics to facilitate and advance research to treat and cure Rett syndrome. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Louisville.