kessler foundation's 2012 annual report
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ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Changing the lives of people with disabilities
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Financial Highlights 2
President’s Letter 3
Changing Lives Through Research 4
Bridging the Gap to Employment 8
Kessler Foundation News 2012 12
Kessler Society 14
Board of Trustees 15
Corporate Directory 15
ANNUAL REPORT STAFF Contributing writers: Carolann Murphy, Lauren Scrivo
Photographer: Jody Banks-Smith
Photo contributors: Richard Titus, Carolann Murphy
Graphic design: Satellite Advertising & Design, Inc.
ABOUT KESSLER FOUNDATIONKessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org.
OUR VISION Kessler Foundation leads the way in linking science and grantsmanship so that people with disabilities can lead more productive, independent, and fulfilling lives.
OUR MISSION The mission of Kessler Foundation is to improve quality of life for people with disabilities through discovery, innovation, demonstration, application, and dissemination.
INSIDE THE QR CODESThroughout Kessler Foundation’s 2012 Annual Report are QR codes, where you can find more information
on grants, publications, research, employment initiatives, and personal stories. To access this information,
download a QR code scanner or reader app on your mobile device. Open the app and place your mobile
device over the QR code. Scan the code on the right, or visit kesslerfoundation.wix.com/2012annualreport,
to view the online version of the annual report.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Since 1998:• $143 million invested for
research and other programs
• $28 million expended for employment and other grants
These funds improve the lives of people with disabilities!
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ANNUAL REPORT STAFF Contributing writers: Carolann Murphy, Lauren Scrivo
Photographer: Jody Banks-Smith
Photo contributors: Richard Titus, Carolann Murphy
Graphic design: Satellite Advertising & Design, Inc.
Dear Friends, In 2012, Kessler Foundation achieved new milestones in rehabilitation research and employment initiatives that are changing the lives of people with disabilities. Restoring function and ensuring meaningful jobs for individuals with disabilities are crucial to self-sufficiency and community involvement. In an important step toward achieving this goal, Kessler Foundation hired a Director of Employment and Disability Research to seek opportunities for collaboration between research and funded employment programs. Our researchers secured $11.7 million in new grant funding for our research—our highest annual total to date—so more discoveries can be made to improve the daily function of individuals with traumatic
brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, and stroke, which also affirms the caliber of our work. With the renewal of the five-year federal grant for the Northern New Jersey Traumatic Brain Injury System, Kessler Foundation became one of only eight centers to have federally funded model systems in both spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. Our new director of Human Performance & Engineering Research increased our ability to explore new avenues of research. The addition of an assistant director of Stroke Rehabilitation Research is expanding Kessler Foundation’s translational research in improving mobility and cognitive deficits in stroke survivors. In 2012, the Foundation awarded $2.1 million in grant initiatives that create or expand employment opportunities for people with disabilities. For the second consecutive year, Kessler Foundation’s Signature Employment Grants were awarded to disability employment programs across the nation. Since 2005, more than $28 million in grants were distributed to job training and employment initiatives, leading to more than 3,000 people with disabilities receiving job training and earning paychecks. Kessler Foundation also received the distinct honor of being named one of the 50 Best Places to Work in New Jersey by NJBIZ. This is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our employees and Board of Trustees. We share a commitment to improve the lives of people with disabilities because we know the great contributions they can make to society when given the opportunity. Through research that improves function and the funding of disability employment initiatives, we are part of providing that opportunity. While 2012 was a time for accomplishments, it was also a time to help others. We at Kessler Foundation pledged our support to the recovery efforts for individuals with disabilities affected by the storm through our Hurricane Sandy Emergency Fund. Many lost wheelchairs, medical equipment, modified vehicles, and access to accessible housing. In essence, they lost their means of independence. With our grants, organizations that serve people with disabilities are resuming operations and helping as many individuals as possible. Our upcoming plans include the opening of our state-of-the-art Neuroimaging Center solely dedicated to research. With neuroimaging, researchers can objectively assess changes to the brain and spinal cord after a tested treatment. The Center will advance the pace of research discoveries and increase national and international collaborations in cognitive and mobility research. In addition, our research facilities are under renovation to accommodate more innovative equipment. We also anticipate our funded disability employment initiatives being rolled out at large national businesses. Thank you for your support of Kessler Foundation. Together, we can change the lives of people with disabilities. For more information on the research and employment programs supported by Kessler Foundation, visit us online at KesslerFoundation.org.
Sincerely,
Rodger L. DeRose President & CEO
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“RESEARCH AT KESSLER FOUNDATION HAS HELPED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES IMPROVE THEIR MEMORY, MOBILITY, SPATIAL PERCEPTION, AND OVERALL HEALTH, AS WELL AS OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO EMPLOYMENT. THESE ADVANCEMENTS LEAD TO GREATER INDEPENDENCE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AS THEY REJOIN THEIR COMMUNITIES.”
CHANGING
LIVES
THROUGH RESEARCH
— JOHN DELUCA, PHD, VP FOR RESEARCH & TRAINING
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Cognitive research at Kessler Foundation improves thinking, learning, and memory in people with TBI, multiple sclerosis (MS), and other conditions. Researchers also examine how the brain changes after treatment. Highlights include: • With a $44,000 grant from the National MS Society, Research Scientist Victoria Leavitt, PhD, is studying the effects of intellectual enrichment on cognitive decline in people with MS. Individuals use iPads to engage in home-based activities, such as reading, puzzle solving, and games, for 12 weeks. Dr. Leavitt correlates improvements in cognition with changes in brain activity. Previously, Research Scientist James Sumowski found that individuals who have a history of a mentally enriching lifestyle are better protected against cognitive decline associated with MS—known as the theory of cognitive reserve. “While we typically build cognitive reserve during school years, the study will examine if people with MS can build their reserve after diagnosis,” said Dr. DeLuca. The findings may prove that intervention can prevent the effects of decline.” • Dr. Chiaravalloti found increases in brain activation in people with MS after just ten weekly sessions of cognitive rehabilitation. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to document brain activation patterns before and after memory retraining, she found that greater activation was associated with improved memory performance. These findings may support third-party reimbursement for cognitive rehabilitation.
Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, and Trevor Dyson-Hudson, MD, were appointed directors of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Research, respectively. Dr. Chiaravalloti also serves as director of Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Research and project director of the Northern New Jersey TBI Model System (NNJTBIS). Her research interests include finding treatments to improve memory, learning, and processing speed. Dr. Dyson-Hudson also serves as director of Outcomes and Assessment Research at the Foundation and project co-director of the Northern New Jersey SCI Model System (NNJSCIS). His interests include restoring function and mobility as well as preventing further complications of SCI. Both have faculty appointments at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
ADVANCING COGNITIVE RESEARCH
IN 2012, KESSLER FOUNDATION SCIENTISTS SECURED $11.7 MILLION IN NEW EXTERNAL GRANT FUNDING — THE MOST FUNDING IN ONE YEAR TO DATE — TO ADVANCE COGNITIVE AND MOBILITY RESEARCH STUDIES AND CHANGE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
Kessler Foundation welcomed Guang Yue,
PhD, as director of Human Performance
and Engineering Research as well
as Mooyeon Oh-Park, MD, as assistant
director of Stroke Rehabilitation
Research—an inaugural position.
Dr. Yue is interested in how the brain
controls movement as well as how the
central nervous system reacts to injury,
disease, and medical intervention.
Dr. Oh-Park has expertise in investigating
the impact of mobility problems on
function in aging and in the
methodology of gathering self-report
and self-awareness data after stroke.
ADVANCING RESOURCES
Scan to view the research grants received in 2012.
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ADVANCING COGNITIVE RESEARCH CONTINUED...
• With a two-year, $366,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Yue uses MRI to study the cognitive effects of chemotherapy. “We anticipate that this research will yield significant information regarding structural and physiological causes of the neurological side effects of chemotherapy,” said Dr. Yue. “This will help us devise better ways to manage symptoms...and may encourage the development of safer drugs.”
• Director of Stroke Research A.M. Barrett, MD, Research Scientist Peii Chen, PhD, and colleagues advanced research on the effects of prism adaptation on treating spatial neglect—a perceptual problem caused by a disconnect between the brain and the eye that affects up to 70 percent of stroke survivors. With a three-year, $595,800 grant from NIDRR, Dr. Barrett looks to establish clinical guidelines to better detect and manage spatial neglect, which is likely to reduce accidents and optimize independence among affected patients. The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey also awarded a $145,000 grant to provide home-based prism therapy to stroke survivors in the Newark, NJ-area.
Mobility research focuses on improving movement, balance, and walking pattern in people with SCI, stroke, and other conditions. Some individuals have even taken their first steps since their injuries. Highlights include:
• Kessler Foundation is part of a large study designed to maximize independence among wheelchair users with SCI, titled, “Collaboration on Mobility Training (COMIT).” The study is part of a five-year, NIDRR-funded SCI Model Systems Multi-site Collaborative Research Project that examines the impact of web-based training and group sessions on wheelchair skills and maintenance in 500 individuals. “For many people with SCI, the wheelchair is the single most important factor in their ability to be independent after their injury,” said Dr. Dyson-Hudson. “Our goal is to minimize obstacles to independence caused by environmental barriers and wheelchair malfunction.”
• Research Scientist Karen Nolan, PhD, was nominated for the 2012 Novel Art in Science Award for her work in restoring function to stroke survivors. She is studying the effect of the WalkAide — an electrical stimulation device — in stroke survivors with foot drop.
ADVANCING MOBILITY RESEARCH
Kessler Foundation
was awarded a five-
year, $2.2 million grant
from the National
Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation
Research (NIDRR) of
the US Department of Education to fund the NNJTBIS,
a comprehensive system of care, research, education,
and dissemination aimed at improving quality of life
for people with TBI. NNJTBIS is a cooperative effort of
Kessler Foundation, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation,
St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center, Morristown
Memorial Hospital, Hackensack University Hospital, and
University Hospital. “We are interested in more than
recovery; we want to get people back to school and back
to work as productive members of their communities,”
said Dr. Chiaravalloti, project director of the NNJTBIS.
Research Scientist Victoria Leavitt,
PhD, demonstrated for the first time
that outdoor temperature significantly
impacts cognitive function in people with
MS. Over a calendar year, individuals with
MS scored 70 percent higher on memory
and processing tests during cooler
months. “This information is relevant
to making life decisions and choosing
therapies and evaluating their effects,”
said Dr. Leavitt. Scan to view the stories of individuals whose lives improved from research at Kessler Foundation.
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Assistant Director of Human Performance and Engineering Research
Gail Forrest, PhD, released preliminary findings on Ekso—a robotic,
battery-powered exoskeleton that enables wheelchair users to stand
and walk. Results showed improvements in gait, balance, walking
speed, respiration, heart rate, and muscle firing in the lower leg.
“We’re looking beyond the ability to stand and walk to the potential
long-term effects of these activities on health and well being,”
noted Dr. Forrest. She is conducting long-term research studies to
accurately evaluate the exoskeleton’s effects on the muscles, heart,
and lungs in individuals with SCI.
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Postdoctoral fellow Abhijit Das, MD, DM, and Foundation colleagues Glenn Wylie, DPhil, and Drs. Chiaravalloti
and Botticello found a rise in neurological disabilities in India caused by increases in TBI, age-related
dementia, and stroke. The researchers identified the enforcement of traffic safety measures to reduce TBI,
development of standardized data tools for assessment and accurate statistics, training of more professionals
in neurorehabilitative care, and expanding research in neurorehabilitation as a way to curb the epidemic.
“Neurologic Disability: A Hidden Epidemic for India” was published in the November issue of Neurology.
Das’ fellowship was funded through NIDRR’s Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Program.
Kessler Foundation researchers study the effect of disability across racial, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The addition of John O’Neill, PhD, as Director of Employment and Disability Research integrates employment considerations in research studies (see more on page 9). Through his work, and in collaboration with other researchers, Kessler Foundation examines the best methods to keep people with disabilities active in the workforce. Other highlights include:
• Research Scientist Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, and Dr. Chen found that caregivers of stroke survivors have decreased memory. These findings support providing adequate resources to lessen the stress on caregivers.
• With a three-year, $738,216 grant from the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Botticello will study the role of environmental factors in rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with SCI. “We can identify community factors that threaten the physical, psychological, and social gains made in rehabilitation,” she said.
ADVANCING OUTCOMES RESEARCH
Foundation scientists published findings in scientific journals and conducted presentations to share the latest rehabilitation strategies. Stroke researchers, for example, made 18 national and six international presentations in 2012. NNJTBIS also hosted a two-day conference for consumers and professionals to explore advances in care, research, and recovery strategies. Richard Pimentel, a founding father of the Americans with Disabilities Act, was the keynote speaker.
ADVANCING DISSEMINATION
Kessler Foundation is increasing collaborations to improve research and access to rehabilitation around the world. Researchers worked with scientists in China to develop a method for delivering cognitive rehabilitation to people with stroke. In partnership with the Santa Lucia Foundation in Rome, Dr. DeLuca explored its extensive database of patients with MS, correlating clinical symptoms with changes on fMRI.
ADVANCING COLLABORATIONS
JOHN DELUCA, PHD, VP FOR RESEARCH & TRAINING
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“VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND TRAINING ISN’T ENOUGH. IT’S ALSO ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT. BY FUNDING EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVES THAT EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR JOBS, INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ARE REJOINING THE COMMUNITY, LEADING PRODUCTIVE LIVES, AND APPLYING THEIR SKILLS, AND EMPLOYERS ARE BENEFITTING FROM THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS.”
— ELAINE KATZ, VP OF GRANTS & SPECIAL INITIATIVES
BRIDGING THE GAP TO EMPLOYMENT
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In 2012, John O’Neill, PhD, became director of Employment and Disability Research—an inaugural position—in an effort to bridge the gap between rehabilitation research and employment. With more than 30 years of experience in vocational rehabilitation, he is a noted expert on the effects of culture, race, gender, and socioeconomic status on social outcomes after disability. Dr. O’Neill also studies how physical and cognitive function, government assistance benefits, and healthcare coverage impact utilization of vocational services and job seeking by people with disabilities. His research is funded by government agencies, including the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation Research. With the addition of Dr. O’Neill, research has expanded in the area of employment outcomes for individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities. “Our research improves the function of people with disabilities, but we must also consider what comes next,” noted John DeLuca, PhD, vice president for Research and Training. “We are finding ways for individuals with disabilities to enter or rejoin the workforce so they can enjoy greater independence, self-sufficiency, and quality of life.” Highlights include: • Research Scientist Lauren Strober, PhD, is studying factors relating to the 80 percent unemployment rate in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, examines demographics and disease variables as well as person-specific factors, such as personality and coping, which have not been extensively investigated. “The goal is to develop a predictive model of unemployment in MS that can be used as a decision-making tool by practitioners,” said Dr. Strober. “Application of the tool will help people with MS retain jobs, which will positively affect their overall care and quality of life.”
The Northern NJ Spinal Cord Injury
System and Northern NJ Traumatic
Brain Injury System, as well as
Outcomes Research at Kessler
Foundation, assess key indicators—
including employment—that impact
quality of life across various cultural
and socioeconomic communities.
Anthony Lequerica, PhD, and Denise
Krch, PhD, research scientists at the
Foundation, and their model systems
collaborators, are examining the
best ways to evaluate quality of life
among the Hispanic population and
the factors influencing employment
after brain injury.
“I’m eager to contribute my knowledge and skills in employment and disability to the Foundation’s
philanthropic work and ongoing research in stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord
injury,” said Dr. O’Neill. By incorporating employment outcomes into research studies, researchers
can identify treatments and techniques to improve function so people with disabilities can rejoin or
remain in the workforce. Dr. O’Neill is also affiliated with Rutgers University’s John J. Heldrich Center
for Workforce Development and Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT RESEARCH
“OUR RESEARCH IMPROVES THE FUNCTION OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES, BUT WE MUST ALSO CONSIDER WHAT COMES NEXT.”
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Thanks to a Community
Employment Grant
awarded to the Washington
Center for Internships
& Academic Seminars,
Chris Miller interned for
the Administration on
Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities
Administration for Community Living, in the nation’s
capitol, where he developed airport screening materials for
individuals with disabilities and presented to a visiting Chinese
Delegation. “The internship confirmed my professional
goals— to live in Washington, DC, and work in an advocacy
role for people with disabilities,” he exclaimed.
Led by Elaine Katz, Kessler Foundation has distributed more than $28 million in funding to job training and employment initiatives for people with disabilities over the past 7 years. “I’m proud of the diversity in the types of funded programs, as well as the potential of these new collaborations. The impact of our grant funding is clear: When talented individuals with disabilities join the workplace, society sees their abilities instead of their disabilities,” she said. Here are the highlights: • This year marked the second year that Signature Employment Grants—the Foundation’s largest grants—were available to disability employment and training programs across the nation. More than $1.3 million was awarded to organizations in Maryland, Missouri, and Washington, DC, to support initiatives for people with disabilities in distribution and retail centers, social enterprises, and financial services. • In 2011, Kessler Foundation awarded the Boston-based National Telecommuting Institute (NTI) a $250,000 Signature Employment Grant to give people with disabilities with transportation challenges a work-from- home option. In one year, NTI hired 300 individuals with disabilities—from 48 states—as home-based call center agents. “The grant from Kessler Foundation allows us to move forward with our overall mission of creating a true 21st century workforce, inclusive of those with disabilities,” stated Alan Hubbard, chief operating officer of NTI.
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH GRANTS
Kevin Greene found a new career
path after a devastating car
accident resulted in a brain injury
and paralysis from the waist
down. With a love for science, he
completed the laboratory assistant
training program at JFK Vocational
Rehabilitation Department—funded
by Kessler Foundation—and quickly
landed a job where he maintains the
laboratory of a local medical office.
He also volunteers for the NJ chapter
of ThinkFirst, a national injury
prevention program for students,
sponsored for more than 20 years
by Kessler Foundation.
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH NATIONAL AWARENESS
Kessler Foundation disseminates best practice strategies to create employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Kessler Foundation and the Heldrich Center for Workplace Development at Rutgers University released an addition to their series of research briefs on disability employment: “Strategies to Support Employer-Driven Initiatives to Recruit and Retain Employees with Disabilities.”
Scan to view grants awarded to disability employment initiatives in 2012.
Scan to read the personal stories of individuals whose lives improved as a result of Kessler Foundation’s employment grants.
ELAINE KATZ VP OF GRANTS & SPECIAL INITIATIVES
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Kessler Foundation also funds initiatives that increase the participation of people with disabilities in their communities. Among the highlights: • On Memorial Day, racers from all over the world competed in the 12th Annual Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K — the wheelchair division of the Fred d’Elia Ridgewood Run. The competition featured former and current Paralympians, including Jessica Galli and Santiago Sanz who set new course records. • In his first Paralympic appearance in London, 18-year-old Raymond Martin won gold medals in four wheelchair racing events. Ray has been a member of the North Jersey Navigators—an adaptive sports team for junior athletes with disabilities—for more than a decade. Kessler Foundation provided seed funding for the team and continues to support the Navigators. • Kessler Foundation awarded 28 grants, totaling $160,820, to non-profit organizations that help people with disabilities recover from the effects of Hurricane Sandy. The grants address the immediate needs of these organizations to resume operations or fill the needs of individuals who lost necessary equipment or housing in the storm.
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH NATIONAL AWARENESS CONTINUED...
Authors Elaine Katz, MS, CCC-SLP, of Kessler Foundation, Meg O’Connell, PHR, of the National Organization on Disability, and Robert Nicholas, PhD, of the Heldrich Center, explored a growing trend among employers to establish initiatives to increase the participation of workers with disabilities in their workplaces. “These initiatives are resulting in integrated workplaces where people with and without disabilities work side by side and employers are reporting benefits in their workplaces and to their bottom lines,” said Katz.
More than 200 guests came out to
support Kessler Foundation’s
Rebuilding Lives after Hurricane
Sandy: A Benefit for People with
Disabilities. Hosted at The Grove, in
Cedar Grove, NJ, the event had
a Jersey Shore theme. The legendary
Ben Vereen performed highlights from
his show, Steppin’ Out. Comedian and
NJ-native Jeff Norris served as the
emcee. More than $28,000 was raised
for the Foundation’s Hurricane Sandy
Emergency Fund to help organizations
continue to provide services to
individuals with disabilities.
Kathleen Martinez, Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Office of Disability Employment Policy,
visited Kessler Foundation to learn about employment programs supported by the Foundation and
share her view on strategies for successful disability employment policies. “Kessler Foundation is
the gas that fuels the programs that provide job opportunities for people with disabilities,” said Ms.
Martinez. “The Foundation’s creativity, innovation, and team-building [through its grantmaking] serve
as a catalyst for creating sustainable employment options for the disability community.”
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH THE COMMUNITY
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH GRANTS
BRIDGING THE GAP THROUGH NATIONAL AWARENESS
“KESSLER FOUNDATION IS THE GAS THAT FUELS THE PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.”
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KESSLERFOUNDATION
NEWS2012
IN 2012, KESSLER
FOUNDATION
EXPANDED ITS
REACH TO CHANGE
THE LIVES OF MORE
PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES AND
WAS RECOGNIZED
AS A LEADING
ORGANIZATION IN
THE DISABILITY
COMMUNITY.
2012 ESTABROOK DISTINGUISHED
RESEARCH LECTURESHIP:
Edward Taub, PhD, presented Kessler Foundation’s 2012 Estabrook Distinguished Research Lectureship. His thought-provoking lecture—“Constraint-induced (CI) Therapy: A Family of Treatments in
Rehabilitation that Remodel the Brain”—addressed how immobilizing the stronger limb retrains the brain to use the weaker limb. Dr. Taub is director of the CI Therapy Research Group and Taub Training Clinic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a professor in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Taub developed CI therapy, which has been shown to be effective in improving movement in children and adults with stroke, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological injuries.
2012 ROGER G. BARKER DISTINGUISHED
RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION AWARD: Vice
President of Research and Training at Kessler Foundation, John DeLuca, PhD, received distinct honors for his work in rehabilitation research. He was the recipient of the 2012 Roger G. Barker Distinguished Research Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association (APA). Presented annually by Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology) of the APA, this award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding lifelong contribution to rehabilitation psychology through research, conceptual/theoretical development, or both. Dr. DeLuca also received the 2012 Medical Excellence Award by the New Jersey Metro Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He was honored at the Musical Moments for MS — a star-studded event at NJPAC featuring Olivia Newton-John. “It is immensely gratifying to work in this field, contributing to new ways to maximize function for people with disabilities,” said Dr. DeLuca. “My goal is to continue to contribute to rehabilitation research that helps people achieve their best in their personal lives, in the community, and in the workplace.”
2012 KESSLER FOUNDATION JOEL A. DELISA, MD
AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AND
EDUCATION: John Whyte, MD, PhD, received the 2012 Kessler Foundation Joel A. DeLisa, MD Award for Excellence in Research and Education in the Field of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R), which includes a $50,000 unrestricted grant. Dr. Whyte is the founding director of Moss Rehabilitation Research Institute (MossRehab) in Philadelphia and leader of its Rehabilitation Medicine Scientist Training Program. Kessler Foundation funds this annual award to honor Dr. DeLisa’s many contributions to the field of PM&R. Dr. DeLisa is the founding director of Kessler Foundation Research Center.
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DISABILITY MENTORING DAY: On October 17th, Timesha, Moses, and Schneider from Horizon High School in Livingston, NJ, visited Kessler Foundation for Disability Mentoring Day (DMD). The students learned about research and administrative jobs at the Foundation. They learned that their opportunities are limitless and that a disability shouldn’t stop them from achieving their goals.
PRESS CONFERENCE:
Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) and other leaders in advocacy, research, rehabilitation, and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) held a press conference at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation to discuss legislation to better serve Americans with TBI. Rep. Pascrell is co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force. He was joined by John
DeLuca, PhD, vice president for Research and Training at Kessler Foundation; Bruce M. Gans, MD, chief medical officer of Kessler Institute; Neil Jasey, MD, director of Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Kessler Institute; Susan Connors, president and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America; and Tom Grady, director of Advocacy & Public Affairs at the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey.
FOUNDATION OF THE YEAR AWARD: Pathways for Exceptional Children, a NJ organization, named Kessler Foundation its Foundation of the Year for its support of Project Win-Win, a career mentoring program that promotes community integration for young people with disabilities. Kessler Foundation awarded Pathways its first grant in 2008 and has continued to support the program. Students are coached by their peers as they learn about jobs in computer technology, bakery and food service, landscaping and masonry, pet care and grooming, accounting, house painting and woodworking, disc jockeying, and entertainment.
11TH ANNUAL STROLL ‘N ROLL: Thank you to all those who made
Kessler Foundation’s 11th Annual Stroll ‘N Roll a huge success!
More than 400 people of all ages and abilities came out to
Brookdale Park. Special guests included Congressman Rodney
P. Frelinghuysen (D-11), Montclair Mayor Robert D. Jackson,
Bloomfield Mayor Raymond J. McCarthy, Miss Wheelchair New
Jersey Kim Biglin, Miss New Jersey Teen-US Kendal Barrett, model
Selita Ebanks, and former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand.
$85,000 was raised to change the lives of people with disabilities.
“ONLY ABILITIES MATTER” CAMPAIGN: Former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand
and actor John Larroquette lent their time and talent to a series of public service
announcements for Kessler Foundation. The campaign, “Only Abilities Matter,” taught
others to recognize abilities before disabilities. Featured on television stations around
the United States, Kessler Foundation invited everyone to post their abilities on its
Facebook page, www.facebook.com/KesslerFoundation.
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KESSLER SOCIETY
BENEFACTORS
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. Neil DeSena
The Marc Haas Foundation
Ms. Gail Kreitman
Liz and David Lowenstein*
SHARING, Inc.
Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Life Improvement
PATRONS
Ellen and Rodger DeRose*
Emiliani Enterprises
Gibbons, P.C.
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Jacobs
Global Risk Consultants, Mr. and Mrs. David C. Lowell
Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Kessler*
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Mr. and Mrs. Gary S. Lewis*
Mr. and Mrs. David C. Lowell
Mr. and Mrs. Glenn M. Reiter*
The Philip W. Riskin Charitable Foundation
Phyllis J. Roome and Barbara J. Foreman
Mrs. Edythe Rosenthal
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Schinman*
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen G. Sudovar*
SPONSORS
Anne and Victor Ammons
Antonio’s Hair Design
Ms. Barbara Arbesfeld*
C.R. Bard Foundation, Inc.
Bederson & Company, LLP
Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan D. Bell
Bollinger, Inc.
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Borck
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Cannell*
Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Casey
Colonial Consulting, LLC
The Cormac Group
J. Fletcher Creamer Foundation
Dr. and Mrs. Joel A. DeLisa
Mrs. Alice Dillon
Dimensional Dynamics Incorporated
James K. Estabrook, Esq.*
Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association
Barbara and Jeffrey Feiner*
Benjamin Gittlin Foundation
Dr. Michele Green and Mr. Steven Gutwillig
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Greig, III
The Grove
Alyce C. Halchak, Esq.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Herz*
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. Dean Janeway, Jr.
Elaine and Daniel Katz
Nancy and John Lasser*
Mrs. Mary Lasser
Mr. Peter Lasser & Mrs. Cynthia Potter
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Lerner
Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook & Cooper, P.C.
Louis and Tobey Lipschitz*
Donna and Tom Margetts
Mrs. Antonia S. Marotta-Brinton
Ms. Eleonore B. McCabe
Mary Anne McDonald* and Joseph Benning
McLoone’s Boathouse
John and Susan McCallum
Ms. Jacqueline J. McMullen
Anonymous
Mr. and Mrs. David A. Neibart
New Meadowlands Stadium Company
North Jersey Masters Track & Field Club
Platinum Rye Entertainment
TD Bank
Mr. and Mrs. Mark L. Pollard*
Mr. Frank Rea, Jr.
Select Medical Corporation
Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Siegel
Dr. and Mrs. Richard A. Stall
Mr. Leopold Swergold
Mr. Sheamus Toal
Trenk, DiPasquale, Della Fera & Sodono, P.C.
Mr. and Mrs. Guy Tufo*
TSymmetry Inc.
Wakefern Food Corporation
Westminster Hotel
Winning Strategies
Anita and Paul Yarossi
Yukon Graphics
ZIIZ, Inc.
MEMBERS
Amramp
Barnabas Health
Brookdale ShopRite, Inc.
Mr. Joseph Calvo
Mr. William Carroll
Dr. Nancy and Mr. Nicholas Chiaravalloti
Ms. Kathy Creamer
Mr. Fletch Creamer, V
Mr. and Mrs. Vincent P. Donnelly & Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Rue
Mr. and Mrs. James Frank
Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Fraser
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence J. Gelber
Mr. and Mrs. John Giraud
Mr. and Mrs. Howard S. Greenberg
Peter and Michelle Harbeck
Mr. Matthew D. Houston
Mr. and Mrs. W.R. Howell
Ms. Dolly Judge
Mr. Robert A. Kleinert
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Lerner
LMCL, Inc.
The Lockhart-Martinez Family
The Long and The Ward Families
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mangus
Mr. and Mrs. David P. McCarthy
Meadowlink
Anonymous
New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Company
Partners for Health Inc.
Priority Nursing Services
Henry P. Riordan, Esq.
Mr. Peter N. Rudy
Mr. Salvadore R. Salvo
Dr. and Mrs. Donald H. Sebastian*
Anonymous
Mrs. Dolores K. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson Swayne
Mr. Albert Thrower
Mr. Donald H. Voss
LEGACY DONORS
Mr. and Mrs. Gary S. Lewis*
Estate of Debra J. Lezak
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth P. Middleton
Estate of Eugenie H. Recht
Mrs. Edythe Rosenthal
Thank you for your generous support of Kessler Foundation! One hundred percent of your gift funds rehabilitation research and employment initiatives that are changing the lives of people with disabilities.
Individuals and organizations that contribute $500 or more per year are members of the Kessler Society. Every gift counts as, together, we are changing the lives of people with disabilities. Members of the 2012 Kessler Society are listed here.
For a complete listing of all donors, please scan
the QR code. Thank you to everyone who supported our events and made a generous contribution to Kessler Foundation in 2012.
*Board Member
15
KESSLER FOUNDATION
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2012 (AS OF 12.31.2012)
OFFICERS
James K. Estabrook, Esq., Chairman
Robert H. Herz, CPA, Vice Chair
Louis Lipschitz, CPA, Vice Chair
Elizabeth Lowenstein, Vice Chair
Barbara Lewis, Secretary
Anne E. Ammons, Treasurer
TRUSTEES
Bobbie ArbesfeldJohn R. Cannell, Esq.Rodger L. DeRoseRobert E. Dillon Jr.†Jeffrey M. FeinerRichard S. KesslerWilliam F. Owen Jr., MDRobert W. Parsons Jr., PhDMark L. PollardGlenn M. Reiter, Esq.Ryan SchinmanLynn F. Schneemeyer, PhDDonald H. Sebastian, PhDSaul SimonStephen G. SudovarGuy Tufo
TRUSTEES EMERITIDavid F. BolgerJack J. ConfusioneH. Corbin DayRichard C. Fowler Jr.Thomas G. Greig IIIFred M. KolarsickJohn O. LasserW. Thomas MargettsToni Marotta-BrintonWendy M. RichmanAllen SinisgalliFrancis A. Wood, MD
BOARD COMMITTEES
Audit Committee Louis Lipschitz, Chair
Compensation Committee Stephen G. Sudovar, Chair
Development Committee Richard S. Kessler, Chair
Executive Committee James K. Estabrook, Esq., Chair
Finance Committee Robert H. Herz, Chair
Grantmaking Committee Elizabeth Lowenstein, Chair Nominating & Governance Committee Elizabeth Lowenstein, Chair Research Committee Donald Sebastian, PhD, Chair
CORPORATE DIRECTORY EXECUTIVE OFFICES Rodger L. DeRose President & Chief Executive Officer
Richard J. Greene, MD, PhDSusana M. Santos DEVELOPMENTChad Peddicord Interim Chief Development OfficerNoel BarreiraCherie A. GiraudGrace E. Surma OPERATIONS AND GRANTS ADMINISTRATIONJohn L. Giraud Director Marita DelmonicoMalica T. DockEileen KirkDonna S. ServidioMatthew R. Weiner FINANCE OFFICE Anne E. Ammons, CPA Senior Vice President & Chief Financial OfficerElizabeth J. CalascioneEugene G. ForteElena R. GuizaJeannine R. MorelliJeffrey L. MorrisAngela Saporito HUMAN RESOURCESLauri S. Wactlar Director INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYPaul C. Dombrowski DirectorSandra McDonaldBart B. RajchelAlfonso Savastano PROGRAM CENTER Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP Vice President of Grant Programs & Special InitiativesJoan L. Banks-SmithMelia MossCarolann Murphy, PALauren Scrivo
THINKFIRST PREVENTION PROGRAMSusan A. Helmstetter New Jersey Director RESEARCH CENTER John DeLuca, PhD, ABPP Vice President for ResearchDeborah L. Bixler EMPLOYMENT AND DISABILITY RESEARCH John H. O’Neill, PhD Director HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH Guang H. Yue, PhD Director Didier Allexandre, PhDPeter J. Barrance, PhDKathleen M. ChervinJennifer A. ColomboGail Forrest, PhDErica L. GarbariniErik M. JohnsenKaren J. Nolan, PhDArvind RamanujamSandra (Buffy) WojciehowskiMilda WoodsMathew B. Yarossi NEUROIMAGING CENTERGlenn R. Wylie, DPhil Associate Director Bing (Brian) Yao, PhD NEUROPSYCHOLOGY & NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, PhD Director Juliane A. Armstrong Aerielle M. BelkJean Lengenfelder Brenner, PhDChristina M. Broderick Lindsay G. CookJulia H. Coyne, PhDAndrea T. GaglianoYadira GaspardHelen M. Genova, PhDAndrew P. GenualdiDenise D. Krch, PhDSilvio F. LavradorVictoria M. Leavitt, PhDNancy B. MooreDaniela SacchettiAmanda R. SirenoAngela A. SmithJelena Stojanovic-Radic, PhDLauren B. Strober, PhDJames F. Sumowski, PhDLeeann TrimarchiGabriella M. TostoDenise VasquezGlenn R. Wylie, DPhil
SPINAL CORD INJURY/ OUTCOMES & ASSESSMENT RESEARCHTrevor A. Dyson-Hudson, MD Director Amanda L. Botticello, PhDTiara C. Brown Rachel ByrneNicolette CobboldDenise C. Fyffe, PhDGadiz M. GarciaNatalia IkheloaJeanne M. Zanca, PhD STROKE REHABILITATION RESEARCHA.M. Barrett, MD Director Vahid Behravan, PhDPeii Chen, PhDKecia T. ColemanAshley J. HartmanEmma L. KaplanJenny R. MásmelaKristen K. MaulMooyeon Oh-Park, MDKimberly A. RamosKelsea J. Sandefur TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY RESEARCHNancy D. Chiaravalloti, PhD Director Kathy S. Chiou, PhDGabriel FelixAbdullah O. LajideAnthony H. Lequerica, PhDAilya Z. NaqviDennis J. TirriBelinda L. WashingtonStarla M. Weaver, PhD
Scan to view Kessler Foundation’s publications in 2012.
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Changing the lives of people with disabilities
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