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Program Faculty
Christina L. Master, MD, FAAP, CAQSM, FACSM
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Dr. Master is Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Associate Program Director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship at CHOP with over two decades of experience in clinical pediatrics. Dr. Master graduated from Princeton
University in 1989 with a degree in molecular biology and obtained her medical degree summa cum laude from University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She completed her residency and chief residency at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia from 1993-1997. She was Vice Program Director of the Pediatric Residency Program at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 17 years and subsequently completed a sabbatical year of fellowship training in primary care sports medicine at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Master is board-certified in pediatrics and brain injury medicine with additional qualification in sports medicine and treats over a thousand youth with concussion annually in her outpatient practice. She is co-founding director of Minds Matter, the concussion program for children at CHOP that provides clinical care, community outreach and conducts research in youth concussion and the founding course director for the CHOP Minds Matter Concussion Conference. Her particular research emphasis has been describing the epidemiology of pediatric concussion and identifying vestibular and visual deficits following concussion as a target for intervention for those with prolonged symptoms. Her research on the use of functional near infrared spectroscopy and concussion won Best Overall Research Award, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) in 2017 and is Co-Principal Investigator on the first AMSSM Collaborative Research Network (CRN) grant investigating the role of early exercise following concussion. She enjoys playing the piano, running, swimming and cycling and has completed marathons in Munich, Philadelphia, Budapest and NYC as well as a few triathlons at the sprint and olympic distances. She is the mother of three busy children who participate in activities including ice hockey, basketball, track and field, robotics, debate and HiQ.
Program Faculty
John J. Leddy, M.D.
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As a primary care sports medicine physician, my goal is to provide the best evidence-based evaluation and treatment practices to patients with concussion and post-concussion syndrome and to conduct clinical and physiological research on these conditions. I currently serve as medical director of the University at Buffalo Concussion Management Clinic, which is located at UB South Campus. This is the first center in the United States to use a standardized treadmill test to establish recovery from concussion and to use exercise in the rehabilitation of patients with prolonged concussion symptoms. I’m also the director of outcomes research for the Department of Orthopaedics and program director for the UB Primary Care Sports Medicine fellowship.My primary research interest is the investigation of the basic mechanisms of the disturbance of whole body physiology in concussion and how to help to restore the physiology to normal to help patients recover to safely return to activity and sport. I have published in the fields of orthopedics, sports medicine, physiology, nutrition, concussion and post-concussion syndrome.As a professor of Clinical Orthopaedics, Internal Medicine, and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, I enjoy educating the next generation of physicians. I am proud to say that the educational experience at UB exposes young physicians to exceptional patient care based upon the latest research and that their experience is informed and enhanced by immersion in the research experience itself.
Source: University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Source: University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Program Faculty
Dustin J. Fink, MS, ATC
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Dustin is a certified athletic trainer (ATC) licensed in the state of Illinois and has been practicing as an outreach athletic trainer for hospitals and secondary schools for the past 20 years. Dustin received his undergraduate degree from Colorado State University - Pueblo in Biology (Sports Medicine emphasis) and went on to achieve his Masters in Health & Exercise Science from Colorado State University. During his formative years of a high school athletic trainer Dustin gravitated to concussions as an issue he was seeing. Not only the injury itself, but the treatment and recovery from.
Dustin has endured many concussions being an athlete and skier growing up. This led him to creating his website, theconcussionblog.com, where he aggregated all the common information for the assessment and treatment of concussion to keep “everyone on the same page”. Dustin has spent over 7,000 hours researching and understanding concussions including continual education on the matter. His ability to be a conduit between the scholarly information and the actual patient and their caregivers make him unique in this field.
Dustin has endured many concussions being an athlete and skier growing up. This led him to creating his website, theconcussionblog.com, where he aggregated all the common information for the assessment and treatment of concussion to keep “everyone on the same page”. Dustin has spent over 7,000 hours researching and understanding concussions including continual education on the matter. His ability to be a conduit between the scholarly information and the actual patient and their caregivers make him unique in this field.
Program Faculty
Brenda Eagan-Johnson, EdD, CBIST
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Brenda Eagan-Johnson Ed.D., CBIST has over two decades of experience in the field of pediatric brain injury, education, and neuro-developmental issues in children. Dr. Eagan-Johnson is instrumental in the creation, ongoing development, and daily oversight of the nationally recognized Pennsylvania statewide child and adolescent brain injury school consulting program, BrainSTEPS – Brain Injury School Re-Entry Consulting Program. She also serves as a consultant for a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded study related to BrainSTEPS outcomes led by CWRU and OSU. Through her work, Dr. Eagan-Johnson regularly trains medical, rehabilitation, and school staff on the identification, symptoms, and educational treatment methods to improve cognitive, executive function, behavioral, social, and communication skills, as well as transition strategies, for students who sustain acquired brain injuries.
Dr. Eagan-Johnson received her master’s degree in transition special education specializing in pediatric brain injury from George Washington University, where she has served as an adjunct instructor since 2015. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Mind, Brain, and Teaching (educational neuroscience) from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Eagan-Johnson serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists under the Brain Injury Association of America. In this position, she is helping to write the pediatric portion of a new national concussion certification. She has held a Certified Brain Injury Specialist certification since 2008 and is a CBIS Trainer. Dr. Eagan-Johnson has three teaching certifications and serves on three national advisory boards. Dr. Eagan-Johnson is published in pediatric brain injury, regularly presents at the national and international levels, and has received multiple awards for her work. She was the co-lead for the 1st Concussion Return to Learn Consensus for the National Collaborative on Children’s Brain Injury, which is endorsed by 12 national organizations. Spearheading development and creation of Pennsylvania’s Return to Learn Concussion Management Team Model, now endorsed by two State Departments of Education, Dr. Eagan-Johnson has trained over 3,000 school-based concussion teams since 2013.
Dr Eagan-Johnson has been asked to speak many times for Pennsylvania’s Legal Aid Network and Neighborhood Legal Services. Over the past decade, she has been an invited speaker numerous times for the federal organization that oversees state civil legal aid in Washington, DC, including Congressional and Senate panel briefings and audiences of supreme court justices, where she advocated for legal aid for victims of IPV & child abuse. Dr. Eagan-Johnson served on the board for her local Crisis Shelter and is a member of the ENIGMA Brain Injury IPV group. Her passion in this field began when she was 14 years old and her 13 year old brother sustained a severe TBI.
Dr. Eagan-Johnson received her master’s degree in transition special education specializing in pediatric brain injury from George Washington University, where she has served as an adjunct instructor since 2015. She holds a Doctor of Education degree in Mind, Brain, and Teaching (educational neuroscience) from Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Eagan-Johnson serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists under the Brain Injury Association of America. In this position, she is helping to write the pediatric portion of a new national concussion certification. She has held a Certified Brain Injury Specialist certification since 2008 and is a CBIS Trainer. Dr. Eagan-Johnson has three teaching certifications and serves on three national advisory boards. Dr. Eagan-Johnson is published in pediatric brain injury, regularly presents at the national and international levels, and has received multiple awards for her work. She was the co-lead for the 1st Concussion Return to Learn Consensus for the National Collaborative on Children’s Brain Injury, which is endorsed by 12 national organizations. Spearheading development and creation of Pennsylvania’s Return to Learn Concussion Management Team Model, now endorsed by two State Departments of Education, Dr. Eagan-Johnson has trained over 3,000 school-based concussion teams since 2013.
Dr Eagan-Johnson has been asked to speak many times for Pennsylvania’s Legal Aid Network and Neighborhood Legal Services. Over the past decade, she has been an invited speaker numerous times for the federal organization that oversees state civil legal aid in Washington, DC, including Congressional and Senate panel briefings and audiences of supreme court justices, where she advocated for legal aid for victims of IPV & child abuse. Dr. Eagan-Johnson served on the board for her local Crisis Shelter and is a member of the ENIGMA Brain Injury IPV group. Her passion in this field began when she was 14 years old and her 13 year old brother sustained a severe TBI.
Program Faculty
Lenore Herget, PT, DPT, SCS, MEd, CSCS
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Dr. Herget is a Senior Physical Therapist, Board Certified Sports Clinical Specialist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified Clinical Instructor and Certified Emergency Medical Responder at the MGH Sports Medicine Center. She is a member of the New England Patriots Medical Staff and serves as the Concussion Rehabilitation Consultant to the Boston Bruins, Boston Red Sox, New England Revolution, Boston Celtics, Home Base Program, Special Operator Program and the MGH Sports Concussion Clinic.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Psychology from Wheaton College in 2000, her Masters in Education degree from SUNY in 2005, her post baccalaureate pre-med certificate from Hunter College in 2006 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2009.
Dr Herget’s practice includes rehabilitating athletes who have sustained a sports concussion, most specifically evaluating and treating high school through professional level athletes with concussions and assisting in their safe return to play. Her clinical expertise is in the cervicogenic contributions and visuo-vestibular treatment of athletes and military personnel who sustain concussions as well as the progression of exercise through exertional protocols. Her research has focused on management of athletes with post-concussion syndrome and the efficacy of pre-season and post-season visuo-vestibular testing to aid in return to play decision making, differentiating between concussion and cervicogenic symptom presentation, alternative exercise testing protocols, atypical mTBI presentations and considerations in the military population. She has lectured nationally on the topics of concussion and the non-acute management of athletes with post-concussive syndrome.
She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre and Psychology from Wheaton College in 2000, her Masters in Education degree from SUNY in 2005, her post baccalaureate pre-med certificate from Hunter College in 2006 and her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2009.
Dr Herget’s practice includes rehabilitating athletes who have sustained a sports concussion, most specifically evaluating and treating high school through professional level athletes with concussions and assisting in their safe return to play. Her clinical expertise is in the cervicogenic contributions and visuo-vestibular treatment of athletes and military personnel who sustain concussions as well as the progression of exercise through exertional protocols. Her research has focused on management of athletes with post-concussion syndrome and the efficacy of pre-season and post-season visuo-vestibular testing to aid in return to play decision making, differentiating between concussion and cervicogenic symptom presentation, alternative exercise testing protocols, atypical mTBI presentations and considerations in the military population. She has lectured nationally on the topics of concussion and the non-acute management of athletes with post-concussive syndrome.
Program Faculty
Jessica B. Schwartz, PT, DPT, CSCS
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Dr. Jessica Schwartz PT, DPT, CSCS is an award winning orthopedic residency trained doctor of physical therapy, a National Spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association, Founder of Concussion Corner Academy®, host of the Concussion Corner Podcast, and a post-concussion syndrome survivor, advocate and concussion educator.
After spending a full year in rehabilitation, experiencing the profound dichotomy of being both doctor and patient, Dr. Schwartz identified the gaps in concussion treatment and management in the global healthcare community. Her role has been to identify the cognitive blind spots for healthcare providers, physicians to athletic trainers, focusing on comprehensive targeted physical examinations, rehabilitative teams, and concussion care management.
Her vision is to facilitate collective competence across the healthcare continuum in order to better identify, treat, and care for the concussion patient of today while putting the "care back into healthcare" for this underserved patient population.
Dr. Schwartz hopes that by educating each other about the multi-system nature of these injuries and the scopes of practices of the multidisciplinary providers that have access to and have the ability to care for this cohort of patient, she will be able to facilitate a better patient-clinician encounter.
By speaking candidly about her experience with post-concussion syndrome, she hopes to facilitate learning from provider to provider, patient to provider, and caregiver to provider honing in on the power of storytelling and collegial communication from a place of candor, curiosity and enthusiasm.
After spending a full year in rehabilitation, experiencing the profound dichotomy of being both doctor and patient, Dr. Schwartz identified the gaps in concussion treatment and management in the global healthcare community. Her role has been to identify the cognitive blind spots for healthcare providers, physicians to athletic trainers, focusing on comprehensive targeted physical examinations, rehabilitative teams, and concussion care management.
Her vision is to facilitate collective competence across the healthcare continuum in order to better identify, treat, and care for the concussion patient of today while putting the "care back into healthcare" for this underserved patient population.
Dr. Schwartz hopes that by educating each other about the multi-system nature of these injuries and the scopes of practices of the multidisciplinary providers that have access to and have the ability to care for this cohort of patient, she will be able to facilitate a better patient-clinician encounter.
By speaking candidly about her experience with post-concussion syndrome, she hopes to facilitate learning from provider to provider, patient to provider, and caregiver to provider honing in on the power of storytelling and collegial communication from a place of candor, curiosity and enthusiasm.
Program Faculty
Becky Bliss, PT, DPT, DHSc
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Becky Bliss, PT, DPT, DHSc has been actively practicing in the field of Physical Therapy for over two decades with specialization in concussion management since 2006. Her research interests include dysfunction of the vestibular ocular reflex following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) as well as early detection of impairments that lead to post-concussion syndrome. She currently has several active studies specific to higher level motor control deficit identification in the sport athlete. Dr. Bliss is active within the Academy of Neurological Physical Therapy and serves on the Knowledge Translation Committee for the Concussion Clinical Prediction Guideline (CPG) while serving on part of the core committee of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Concussion CPG Revision group.
Dr. Bliss is a Clinical Assistant Teaching Professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program at the University of Missouri and is a board certified in Neurological Physical Therapy. She also serves the role of Program Coordinator for the Neurological Physical Therapy Residency. She holds her Certificate in Vestibular Rehabilitation from the APTA, as well as Advanced Vestibular Certificate and is an Impact Trained Physical Therapist. Dr. Bliss graduated from Ithaca College Department of Physical Therapy with a combined undergraduate-graduate Master of Physical Therapy in 2001. She completed her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Des Moines University in 2014 and her Doctor of Health Science from the University of Indianapolis in 2019.