2023 Annual Conference Speakers

Xenia Larin Andrzejewski, P.T.

Mrs. Xenia Larin Andrzejewski holds a Master's in Physical Therapy from Florida International University and has a diverse clinical background, with over 15 years of experience as a Physical Therapist and Rehab Professional. Highlights of her career include working with U.S Armed Forces and Military Families providing concussion and vestibular care and being part of the team that established the 1st traumatic brain injury clinic in an overseas medical treatment facility for U.S forces in Germany. Additionally, she has worked with weekend warriors, elite athletes, pediatric and geriatric populations in outpatient clinics and Sports Rehab. Mrs. Larin Andrzejewski has also worked in different settings to include Skilled Nursing, Home Health, and School-based physical therapy providing rehab services and expertise to multidisciplinary teams. She has recently been providing telehealth Physical therapy being at the forefront of recent world, business, and rehab trends in offering digital and telehealth services to vulnerable populations. Mrs. Larin Andrzejewski has been a virtual speaker with NORA for the last 2 years and is looking forward to her in-person debut with her brilliant teammates.

J. Wesson Ashford, MD, PhD

Dr. Ashford is the Director of the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, California site (WRIISC CA) at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System and a Clinical Professor (affiliated) at Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.  Dr. Ashford received his undergraduate degree from University of California-Berkeley and his medical degree, psychiatry training, and PhD in neuroscience from the University of California-Los Angeles.  His PhD dissertation examined the responses of neurons in the Occipital Cortex and Inferotemporal Cortex to visual stimuli, including an alerting flash and a color, which had to be recalled in the context of a “delayed match-to-sample” task.   Dr. Ashford has published more than 180 peer reviewed articles which address a wide range of topics, including Alzheimer’s disease, TBI, PTSD, epilepsy, and alcohol effects.

Delia Cabrera DeBuc, Ph.D.

Delia Cabrera DeBuc received her Ph.D. in Applied Physics (2002) from the University of Michigan. She is a Research Associate Professor of Ophthalmology at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami. She is a biophysicist specializing in medical image processing and imaging biomarker development, emphasizing ophthalmology, vision science, data science, and neuroscience. Her research group investigates novel ocular imaging biomarkers in neurodegenerative diseases of the eye and the central nervous system, such as diabetic retinopathy and Alzheimer’s Disease.

Dr. Cabrera DeBuc is also devoted to Artificial Intelligence applications for disease diagnosis, runs a multidisciplinary lab, and collaborates extensively with national and international investigators. Dr. Cabrera DeBuc is an external advisory board member of the EU-funded Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network, “CLARIFY – CLoud ARtificial Intelligence For pathologY” She is also appointed to the FDA’s Digital Health Network of Experts and is the co-founder of iScreen 2 Prevent LLC (DBA Multinostics), a spin-off company from the University of Miami. Dr. Cabrera DeBuc is also an Associate Editor of the IEEE TMI journal (10+ years), an editorial board member of Scientific Reports (Nature), a fellow SPIE member, and a Fulbright U.S. Scholar.

Kenneth J. Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A, FARVO

Dr. Kenneth J. Ciuffreda, OD, PhD, FAAO, FCOVD-A, FARVO is a Distinguished Teaching Professor (Emeritus) at the SUNY College of Optometry.  He has conducted research and taught in a range of areas including eye movements, amblyopia, and brain injury.   He has over 450 publications including 10 books.  Dr. Ciuffreda is the recipient of numerous awards including 3 from NORA, as well as COVD and the American Academy of Optometry where he is a Research Diplomate in binocular vision.  He has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally.  He has also taught how to write a research paper to summer research students for 30 years. 

Kathryn Coleman, OTR/L

Kathryn Coleman, OTR/Lis a Neuro-IFRAH certified Occupational Therapist at Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Memphis Tennessee. She received a BFA in Dance from The University of Memphis and a Master of Occupational Therapy from Texas Women’s University in Dallas Texas. At Encompass Health, Katy works as a preceptor to OT staff and host to OT and SCO students. Katy is fortunate to have the opportunity to collaborate with Southern College of Optometry in order to achieve the best possible outcomes for the individuals she serves on a daily basis.

Kyla Demers M.Sc., CAT(C), Ost.

Graduating from athletic therapy at Concordia University in 2004, Kyla Demers began her career in sports medicine, working alongside the provincial rugby programs and at the National Circus school. Passionate about sports and meticulous about her manual therapy skills, she obtained her diploma of Osteopathy in 2012. Since then, she has been a part of the medical team twice at the Canada Games and at the Vancouver Olympic Games. She has also been a consultant in junior major hockey and is a recognized health care professional with the National Sport Institute.

A rugby and hockey player, collegiate level coach, Kyla has not only suffered concussions, but she has managed and treated concussions for several years. In 2015, she began her journey to develop an interprofessional collaboration project for concussions. In 2019, she completed a master's degree at Concordia University where she found a significant link between mobility restrictions of the cervical spine and cranial bones and the persistent symptoms of a concussion. Concerned about the great need for care, she founded an integrative rehabilitation center, Vertex Commotion.

Margaret Fahnestock, Ph.D.

Dr. Fahnestock received her Honours B.Sc. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from University of California, Berkeley. Following postdoctoral work in Endocrinology at Baylor and in Neurobiology at Stanford, she moved to Stanford Research Institute, where her team developed base-by-base DNA sequencing, the basis for today’s DNA sequencing machines. After a sabbatical in Neurology at UCSF, Dr. Fahnestock moved to McMaster University in 1991. She is now a Full Professor in McMaster’s Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences Department, an Associate member of the Biology Dept., and a member of the Neuroscience and the Medical Sciences graduate programs. Dr. Fahnestock, a molecular neurobiologist, is internationally recognized for her work on neurotrophic factor biosynthesis, regulation, expression, and signaling, and the roles of neurotrophins in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurological disorders.

Debby Feinberg, OD, FAAO

Founder & Director of Clinical Instruction
NeuroVisual Medicine Institute

Dr. Debby Feinberg , the founder of NeuroVisual Medicine, has developed transformative clinical protocols for the treatment of Binocular Vision Dysfunction (BVD) and Vertical Heterophoria (VH), utilizing the clinical application of microprism lenses, tints and noise-canceling devices.

Since 1995, in her private practice, Vision Specialists of Michigan, she and her NeuroVisual optometric colleagues have successfully treated over 30,000 patients suffering from BVD & VH, achieving an average of 80% reduction of symptoms in an average of 6 weeks.

Her team's foundational research has been presented both nationally and internationally, and in peer reviewed publications ranging from the TBI and neuro-otologic to optometric literature. Since 2013, over 50 optometrists have successfully completed the NeuroVisual Medicine Training Program under her guidance, equipping them to provide exceptional microprism care to tens of thousands of patients worldwide.

Gerard Gianoli, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Neurotologist, Clinical Associate Professor
Ear & Balance Institute, Tulane University School of Medicine

Dr. Gerard J. Gianoli specializes in Neuro-otology and Skull Base Surgery. He is in private practice at The Ear and Balance Institute, located in Covington, Louisiana but is also a Clinical Associate Professor in the Departments of Otolaryngology and Pediatrics at Tulane University School of Medicine. He pioneered treatments for Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence and other vestibular disorders. His private practice has a worldwide reach, with patient referrals coming from all over the United States and from around the world.

He has received numerous awards, including the American Academy of Otolaryngology’s Honor Award, and has been named in America’s Top Doctors and America’s Top Physicians every year since their inception in 2001 and 2003 respectively. Dr. Gianoli practices all aspects of neuro-otology but has a special interest in vestibular (balance) disorders. He has researched, lectured and published extensively on the topic of vestibular disorders.

Janie Guimond B.Sc, O.T.

Janie Guimond obtained her degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Montreal in 2007. She also completed a post-graduate degree in kinesiology before pursuing her greatest passion, volleyball. For 8 years she proudly represented Canada on the national volleyball team.

Having suffered several concussions, Janie wishes to develop the services and support she didn't receive while she was injured. Her main objective is to help people with their daily difficulties and to find concrete goals with the patient to recover in the best ways possible. She attributes great importance to the relation of trust she develops with her patients and their support network gravitating around them. Janie has many vocational training in chronic disorders that make her comfortable to treat many health care problems. She also contributed to the recent book "Un Cancer en Cadeau, from Sophie Reis" to give advice about the "chemo brain" and ways to deal with it.

John Hatch DC, DACNB, FABBIR

Dr. Hatch is a board-certified functional neurologist and chiropractic physician. He is also a successful business owner and the co-founder of the Brain Rehab Clinic, a full-service functional neurology center in Orem, Utah, as well as part owner and creator of Cognuro, a brain functionality assessment equipment company. Dr. Hatch is not only extensively trained but he is consistently inspired and creative in his approach to treating his patients. His tireless efforts to expand his work for the benefit of others have led to multiple patents pending, multiple brain-enhancing supplements, and many other innovative diagnostic and therapeutic devices. He is also the author of two books, The Basis of Brain Rehab and Brain Rehab and the Patient Experience.

Michael Hull, BS

Michael Hull graduated from Auburn University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Logistics. He has worked in the banking industry for the last 18 years. He and his wife, Lindsey, have two daughters, Reese and Kate. The family attends St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. Michael enjoys exercise and nutrition. He has run various half marathons and three full marathons. After a knee injury in 2019, he began cycling. This later led to his interest in triathlons. In the last year, he has completed two Ironman 70.3 triathlons and plans to complete a full Ironman this fall.

Nancy M. Mackowsky, OD, FCOVD, FNORA

Dr. Nancy Mackowsky is a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University of Health Sciences. She is a fellow of both the College of Optometrists in Vision Development and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association (NORA). In 1995, she was one of the developers of The Center for Visual Learning for the corporate group, Doctors Vision Center. In 2010, she founded The Mackowsky Visual Learning and Rehabilitation Clinic in Raleigh, North Carolina and is the sole owner. Her practice is devoted solely to providing neuro- optometric rehabilitation and vision therapy to her patients.

Dr. Mackowsky’s most recent publication, “The Role of Gait Analysis, Egocenter and Yoked Prism in Parkinson's Disease” can be found in the April 2018 edition of the Optometry & Visual Performance journal. Dr. Mackowsky has served on the COVD International Certification and Examination Board and is currently a member of the NORA Fellowship Committee. She lectures to many area groups/hospitals about the specialty of neuro-optometric vision rehabilitation.

Shannon McGuire, BHSc (PT)

Shannon McGuire graduated from McMaster University in 1996 and is a physiotherapist on the Outpatient Acquired Brain Injury Program at Parkwood Institute. More recently she has been involved with the development and implementation of the new St. Joseph’s Health Care Post-Acute COVID Rehab Program. Shannon is also Clinical Associate for the Faculty of Health Sciences School of Physiotherapy at the University of Western Ontario and does her best to leverage student placement and practicums to help innovate and do unfunded clinical research and program evaluation. She has spent most of her career working in rehabilitation with clients with neurological injuries including acquired brain injury and spinal cord injury and has particular interest in recovery of walking and balance, the role of the vision system in rehabilitation as well as managing individuals with persistent symptoms after mild traumatic brain injury.

Shannon was instrumental in the initiation and development of NeuroTrauma Rehab’s Locomotor Training Program at Parkwood Institute and the development of an innovative circuit training program for mild TBI patients called BrainEx 90. When the pandemic stopped the ability to provide BrainEx 90 in person she developed and successfully implemented a virtual version of the program.

Shannon has been a member of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association’s Board of Directors and continues to teach workshops at their annual conference. She has presented at national and international conferences and in 2012 started a business teaching Concussion Management Workshops to help health care professionals with assessment and treatment of this complicated patient group.

Vahid Mohammadzadeh, M.D.

Vahid Mohammadzadeh, M.D. completed his Ophthalmology residency at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.  He has  performed an international Glaucoma fellowship at UCLA and is currently an Ophthalmology resident physician at the University of Louisville. 

Mario Marroquin BS

Mario Marroquin is a skilled and compassionate Vision Therapist, holding the role of Head Vision Therapist at Vision Development Center in Laguna Hills, CA.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior from the University of California - Davis, he further pursued an MBA focusing on Healthcare Administration from Excelsior University in 2023. His work involves not only expertise in visual-motor and perceptual-cognitive treatment programs and hands-on experience with NVPT (Neuro-Visual Postural Therapy), but also interdisciplinary collaboration with Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists. This collaboration enhances the alignment between vision and body posture and supports comprehensive patient care.

He has also been a fervent advocate for vision health in academic settings, ensuring that students and educators understand the vital role vision plays in learning. His career is characterized by personalized care and rehabilitation of vision-impaired individuals ranging from ages 2 to 70+, specializing in various visual conditions and unique needs. His extensive education, diverse therapeutic skills, and collaborative approach have allowed him to improve visual abilities and quality of life for countless individuals. His commitment to patient focused care and innovation, honed over his 8 years in the field, positions him as a respected leader in the field, dedicated to advancing visual health.

Raquel Munitz-Goldfeder, MS

Raquel Munitz Goldfeder, graduated from the School of Psychology of the Faculty of Philosophy and Literature in 1969. She has dedicated herself to the study of visual perceptual processes and to the normal and abnormal development and its manifestation in functions. She holds certifications in: Instructor in the Adult Reading/Writing Method Laubach Method Sensory integration, Neurodevelopment treatment / Bobath Treatment of Infants, Infants and Adults and in early detection of Neurological Disorder through the observation of the activity Motorboat Espontanea del Bebe, Dr. Heinz Prechtl. She is currently working part-time to give informative conferences and to give training courses in the specialty of Neuro-Visual Postural Rehabilitation as an interdisciplinary approach.

Amanda Nanasy, OD

Dr. Amanda Nanasy is co-owner of The Eye Center of Pembroke Pines and Director of its subsidiary, The Florida Institute of Sports Vision, where she specializes in sports vision enhancement and neuro-optometric rehabilitation following concussion. She is a team physician for the Miami Dolphins, Inter Miami CF, Miami HEAT Check gaming and several other NCAA programs including her alma mater, UCF. She sees patients in a second location within the Sports Medicine Department of Holy Cross Hospital as a part of the concussion care team.

Dr. Nanasy is a past-Chair of the American Optometric Association Sports and Performance Vision Committee and was an appointed member of the AOA TBI Task Force. In 2017 she co-wrote and instructed the Sports Vision elective course for Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry and transitioned her 5-year partnership with NSU athletics to the College of Optometry to further student education opportunities. Dr. Nanasy is a Sports Vision Pros (SportsVisionPros.com) partner with a career goal to help ensure that vision care is viewed as an integral part of every sports medicine program through student, athletic trainer and public awareness/education.

Cedrick Noel, DC, DACNB

Dr. Cedrick Noel is co-owner and founder of NeurdSolutions, a company that provides clinical tools and education to clinicians involved with neuro rehabilitation. He has been in active practice since 2002 and specializes in Chiropractic Neurology. In 2022 he co-founded a multidisciplinary clinic in Roswell GA called Brain & Body Rehabilitation Specialists. Dr Noel is certified with the American Chiropractic Neurology Board and obtained a Fellowship of the American Board of Childhood Development.

Amy Pruszenski, OD, FCOVD

Amy Pruszenski, OD, FCOVD graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Brain and Cognitive Science. She graduated from the New England College of Optometry in 1993. She has been providing help for brain injury patients for the past 19 years, collaborating with other health care providers to ensure a coordinated approach to rehabilitation. She practices in private clinical settings at Harbor Eyecare Center and Visual Victory Training in Portsmouth, NH.

For the past few years, Dr. Pruszenski has been a featured speaker for the Society for Brain Mapping & Therapeutics, Maine Osteopathic Association, Maine Brain Injury Association, Vermont Brain Injury Association, the New Hampshire Brain Injury Association and the Wentworth-Douglass Hospital Concussion Symposium. Topics include “Post Traumatic Vision Syndrome: Managing Double Vision, Field Deficits and Dizziness;” and, “Visual Rehabilitation: A Missing Link to Recovery.”

April Spurling, OD

Dr. April Spurling focuses her practice on Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation. She works with patients who have experienced visual changes following a neurological event such as a stroke, cerebral vascular accident, traumatic brain injury, MS and Parkinson's disease among others. She also works with children and adults who have vision related learning difficulties and strabismus.

Dr. Spurling is a graduate of Western University College of Optometry. She completed a fellowship in Neuro Optometric Rehabilitation at the Padula Institute of Vision Rehabilitation under Dr. William Padula. She is the recipient of the Padula Institute of Vision Rehabilitation Award and the OEP clinical curriculum award.

Eric Sugarman, ATC

Eric Sugarman spent 25 years working as an athletic trainer in the National Football League (NFL). He, most recently, was the Vice president of Sports Medicine and Infection Control Officer for the Minnesota Vikings. During his tenure with the Vikings, Sugarman supervised the evaluation and care of all injuries sustained. He and his staff were instrumental in helping many players return from severe injury by creating or enhancing rehabilitation protocols. In 2009, ESPN Magazine recognized him as the NFL’s Most Irreplaceable Athletic Trainer. In 2010, Sugarman and former Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress were co-winners of the American Optometric Association’s Eagle Award, which recognizes a professional athlete, coach or trainer who promotes sports vision and vision training to the public and contributions to the field of sports vision.

Vincent R. Vicci, Jr. OD, DPNAP, FNORA

Dr. Vicci is a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry and is in private practice in Westfield, N.J. He is a co-founder of the vision clinics at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and the JFK / Johnson Rehabilitation Institute – Edison, N.J. – and consultant at a number of hospitals and rehabilitation centers for patients with stroke, concussion and other traumatic brain injuries. He is a co-founder of the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association. Dr. Vicci is a biannual guest lecturer for Seton Hall University Graduate Medical Education (1999-present) Dr. Vicci has been accepted as an expert in the field of Neuro- Optometric Rehabilitation in all New Jersey county courts as well as out of state appointments.

Doug Villela, OD

Doug Villella is a graduate of the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, a member of NORA and the College of Syntonic Optometry. Three years ago he left primary care optometry to exclusively practice neuro-optometric rehabilitation and vision therapy. His passion is assisting the recovery of patients with post-concussion syndrome. Doug is executive director of Vision for the Poor. For the past 30 years he has helped develop 10 social service eye hospitals in eight developing countries. He is currently co-leading a $54 million project to bring eye care to the entire population of Guatemala. He is most appreciative to the many mentors in NORA and CSO who have selflessly shared their clinical wisdom.

Melissa Zarn, OD, FAAO

Melissa Zarn Urankar is an Assistant Professor of Optometry at Southern College of Optometry (SCO). She attained a BS in Engineering Science and Mechanics from Virginia Tech and an OD from Illinois College of Optometry. After completing residency training in Vision Therapy, Rehabilitation, and Pediatrics at Pacific University College of Optometry, she worked at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center where she helped to establish Optometry and Vision Therapy services in the multidisciplinary traumatic brain injury clinic.

Dr Zarn evaluates and manages patients with traumatic and acquired brain injuries (TBI/ABI) at the SCO clinics as well as at local rehabilitation hospitals. She has been a member of NORA since 2008 and is working toward her FNORA. She is the faculty advisor for SCO’s Student NORA Chapter and has coordinated the NORA poster session during the annual meeting since 2012. She has presented workshops on evaluating and managing TBI/ABI at the American Academy of Optometry meetings since 2015. At SCO, she is the Director of Interprofessional Education (IPE). She is the lead instructor for the Interprofessional Education series and is engaged in curriculum development to enhance IPE and collaborative practice opportunities for students at SCO.

Through this work she has helped create a network of health professions educators in the Memphis, TN area who are developing unique opportunities in health professions education. She is a member and founding Chair of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) IPE and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) Special Interest Group, Co-Chair of Tennessee Interprofessional Practice and Education Consortium’s (TIPEC’s) Membership and Communications Working Group, and previous Co-Chair of the American Interprofessional Health Collaborative Program Committee’s Mentoring Program Workgroup.

Deborah Zelinsky, OD

Deborah Zelinsky, OD is founder of the Mind-Eye Institute. For the past 35 years, Dr. Zelinsky’s optometric practice has been devoted to the development of new methods for assessing brain function, with emphasis on the often-untested linkage between eye and ears. Her patented research in retinal processing and novel uses of retinal stimulation has been described in publications and courses worldwide.

Dr. Zelinsky’s ground-breaking efforts in assessment of brain function are described in Clark Elliott, PhD,’s 2015 book,The Ghost in My Brain: How a Concussion Stole My Life and How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Helped Me Get It Back.Dr. Zelinsky also is known for her campaign to further the field of optometry from 20thCentury “eye care” to 21stCentury “brain care.”

Dr. Zelinsky is a reviewer for various optometric journals and also a fellow in both the College of Visual Development and the Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association. She is a member of the American Optometric Association and is the newly elected President of the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (www.worldbrainmapping.org) - the first optometrist to hold that position in the prestigious medical and research group.