Sarah Song, MD, MPH, FAAN
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Sarah Song is an associate professor and vascular neurology fellowship director in the division of cerebrovascular diseases in the department of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. Dr. Song is the editor-in-chief of Brain & Life and has also served on the editorial board for the Residents and Fellows Section of the journal Neurology, as special section editor for Stroke, and on the editorial board for Stroke and Vascular Neurology. She is presently vice chair for the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Advocacy Engagement Subcommittee and serves on the AAN Committee on Public Engagement. She is the co-founder and past president of the Illinois State Neurological Society and is past faculty and moderator of the AAN Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum.
David C. Spencer, MD, FAAN
Deputy Editor
Dr. David Spencer is professor of neurology at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, OR, and director of the OHSU Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and OHSU Epilepsy Fellowship program. Dr. Spencer has been involved in many areas of neurology and epilepsy education, including serving as editor for the patient section of the journal Neurology. Dr. Spencer is the editor of the Brain & Life Books series. He has served on education committees for the American Epilepsy Society (AES) and American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and is a fellow of the AAN and AES. Dr. Spencer’s research interests include neuroimaging, electrical stimulation as a treatment of epilepsy, and neurology education. He maintains an active epilepsy practice and enjoys both medical and surgical management of epilepsy.
Daniel José Correa, MD, MSc, FAAN
Podcast Editor
Dr. Daniel José Correa is an assistant professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and deputy chief of neurology at the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. His clinical neurology work includes inpatient neurology and epilepsy services. He also supports the epilepsy/neurophysiology lab at Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx for the NYC Health Hospitals system. Dr. Correa complements his clinical work with community outreach and education efforts. His work to promote public engagement has included collaborations with individuals with various neurologic conditions, caretakers, patient advocacy organizations, researchers, and clinicians in various areas of neurology. In addition to working with the Brain & Life magazine, Dr. Correa is also the editor and host of the Brain & Life podcast.
Katy Peters, MD, PhD, FAAN
Podcast Deputy Editor
Dr. Katy Peters is a professor of neurology and neurosurgery and director of Supportive Care at the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. She completed her medical school training at Stanford University and completed neurology residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. She received specialty fellowship training in neuro-oncology at Duke University. She, along with her fantastic team of nurses and advanced practice providers, actively sees and cares for patients with primary brain tumors. Her research interests are in the service of patients with brain cancer, including supportive care and exploring cognitive dysfunction, physical function, and activity. While she runs clinical trials to treat primary brain tumors, her key interest is in clinical trials focusing on improving patients' quality of life and cognition. Dr. Peters teaches medical school students, residents, fellows, and advanced practice providers and is the Program Director of the neuro-oncology fellowship and Vice-Chair of Education for the Department of Neurology. She is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties for neuro-oncology.
Joseph I. Sirven, MD, FAAN
Spanish Section Editor
Dr. Joseph (Joe) Sirven is professor of neurology and chair emeritus of the department of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and currently practicing at the Mayo Clinic in Florida. He is the editor of Brain & Life en Español. He is currently chair of the AAN Education Committee and previously served on the board of directors for the American Brain Foundation. He has served in various leadership roles for the American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation. Dr. Sirven is Cuban American and served as chief medical contributor for NBC Latino, an English-language website for Latinos. He is currently host of What’s Health Got to Do with It? on WJCT- NPR North Florida. Previously he served as the medical commentator for KJZZ Radio in Phoenix, the NPR affiliate for Phoenix and Tucson Arizona in addition to KTBS TV 3. He also is creator and a co-moderator for the podcast We Need to Talk—Tough Conversations in Healthcare produced by Arizona State University. In addition to being a neurologist, Dr. Sirven is a certified aviation medical examiner and a consultant to the Federal Aviation Authority on pilot and passenger health.
Dr. Sirven has published extensively on epilepsy and its treatment. His interests in epilepsy include status epilepticus, surgical therapy for epilepsy, epilepsy in older adults, and psychosocial issues, particularly those involving Hispanic populations and transportation. His articles have appeared in numerous medical journals, and he has edited nine textbooks. He is currently a neurology core clerkship director for Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Dartmouth Medical School.
Olivia Begasse de Dhaem, MD, FAHS
Dr. Olivia Begasse de Dhaem is founder and medical director of the Institute for Headache and Brain Health in Stamford, CT. She is a Columbia-trained neurologist, Harvard-trained headache specialist, and an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Connecticut. Her career has been enriched by numerous activities with the American Academy of Neurology such as the Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Program, the Global Advocacy Leadership Program, the Practice Leadership Development Program, and serving on the Brain Health Committee. Dr. Begasse de Dhaem has also served on the International Headache Society Education Committee and on the American Headache Society Advocacy Committee. She is a passionate advocate who strives to support people living with neurological disorders in the workplace. She has authored over 30 peer-reviewed academic papers and co-edited and contributed to books. Her work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review. She serves as executive editor for the Pain Medicine journal.
Bruce H. Cohen, MD, FAAN
Dr. Bruce H. Cohen is director of the NeuroDevelopmental Science Center and director of scientific affairs and clinical trials in the Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute at Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, OH. He is professor of pediatrics at Northeast Ohio Medical University. Dr. Cohen’s clinical practice is centered on caring for children and adults with mitochondrial disorders, neurogenetic illness, and brain tumors. Dr. Cohen’s academic career has mainly involved clinical trials for treatment of brain tumors in infants and children, as well as in the emerging field of mitochondrial medicine. He developed an interest in health care economics and practice management in the early 1990s. Dr. Cohen has held senior leadership positions with the Mitochondrial Medicine Society, the American Academy of Neurology, the Child Neurology Society, and the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation. He has also participated in the education of dozens of neurology residents and fellows, lead over a dozen international symposia, organized and conducted investigator-initiated clinical trials in brain tumors, neurofibromatosis, and mitochondrial disorders, and has authored 130 peer-reviewed manuscripts and delivered over 650 invited lectures.
Jori Fleisher, MD, MSCE, FAAN
Dr. Jori Fleisher is an associate professor of neurological sciences at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, IL. She is the director of the Lewy Body Dementia Association Research Center of Excellence, CurePSP Center of Care, Rush Advanced Interdisciplinary Movement Disorders Supportive Care (AIMS) Clinic, and co-director of the Parkinson’s Foundation Center of Excellence. Her clinical, research, and educational efforts are focused on developing novel models of care and support for individuals and families affected by neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Fleisher has additional training in global health equities, health services research, implementation science, and palliative care. Supported by the National Institutes of Health, foundations, and philanthropy, Dr. Fleisher has several studies underway focused on interdisciplinary home visits, telemedicine, and peer mentoring to improve the lives of patients and families living with advanced movement disorders. Dr. Fleisher is a graduate of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Emerging Leaders Forum, a graduate, advisor, and faculty member in the AAN’s Palatucci Advocacy and Leadership Forum, and a mentor in the Women Leading Neurology program. She has received numerous awards, including the CurePSP 2020 Standout Achievement Award, and has delivered regional, national, and international lectures on Parkinson’s Disease and related disorders for scientific and public audiences.
Barbara S. Giesser, MD, FAAN
Dr. Barbara Giesser is a staff physician at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, and Professor Emeritus of Clinical Neurology at the David Geffen University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Medicine. She received her BS degree from the University of Miami, an MS degree from the University of Texas at Houston, and her MD from the University of Texas Medical School at San Antonio. She has specialized in the care of persons with MS since 1982 and trained at the MS Research and Training Center of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine under the direction of Labe Scheinberg, MD, FAAN. In addition to her clinical activities, Dr. Giesser has been active in developing educational materials about MS for trainees and peers, as well as client and professional education endeavors for the National MS Society. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and American Neurological Association ( ANA) and is active in AAN educational and advocacy efforts.
Michael S. Jaffee, MD, FAAN
Michael S. Jaffee, MD, FAAN, is the Bob Paul Family Professor of Neurology at the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, where he serves as the vice chair of the department of neurology and the director of the Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, and Neuroresilience (BRAIN) Center. He is the founder of the UF Interdisciplinary Concussion and TBI Clinic, which has been lauded nationally as a model of clinical care, as well as director of the UF Neurology Sleep Clinic. Dr. Jaffee is board certified in neurology, psychiatry, sleep medicine, and brain injury medicine. He has additional certifications in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry, as well as neural repair and rehabilitation.
Melissa W. Ko, MD, MBA, FAAN
Dr. Melissa W. Ko is a professor of neurology and ophthalmology at Indiana University School of Medicine, where she is a neuro-ophthalmologist for adult and pediatric patients. Dr. Ko’s clinical, research, and educational efforts focus on developing innovative models of care delivery to support individuals affected by visual impairment/blindness due to neurological disease. She has received recognition for her patient-focused care and was awarded a faculty Leonard Tow Humanism Award in Medicine and inducted into the Gold Humanism Honor Society. New York State Assemblymember Pamela Hunter selected Dr. Ko for the 2017 Exceptional Woman in Medicine Award.
Dr. Ko is an executive board member and current president-elect of the North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society (NANOS). Within the AAN, she is a Palatucci Advocacy Leadership Forum graduate, Neurology on the Hill participant, and has served on the Advocacy, Membership, Publication, and BrainPAC committees. She is the current Editor-in-Chief of AAN e-news.
Jennifer Rose V. Molano, MD, FAAN
Dr. Jennifer Molano has been a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati since 2010. After obtaining her undergraduate degree in psychology and Latin at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, she completed both medical school and neurology residency training in her home state at West Virginia University. She received further training in behavioral neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and in sleep medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Her career has also been enriched by numerous activities within the American Academy of Neurology. She is very interested in the evolving interface between sleep and cognition, and she continues to enjoy teaching to medical students, residents, and the community.
Teshamae Monteith, MD, FAAN
Dr. Teshamae Monteith is an associate professor of clinical neurology, chief of the Headache Division, and the headache medicine fellowship director at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. Throughout her training and career, Dr. Monteith has developed an appreciation for the brain and an enthusiasm for the potential of clinical advances to improve quality of life. She has also developed a comprehensive approach to headache management. Dr. Monteith has served as a peer reviewer for several journals and grants, and she has also given regional, national, and international lectures on migraine and other headache disorders. In addition to serving as a member of the Brain & Life editorial board, she is also on editorial boards for the American Migraine Foundation and the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN’s) Neurology Journal. She is a senior host for the AAN’s Neurology Podcast and the Neurology Minute and associate editor of Continuum Audio. Dr. Monteith is a recipient of the Wolff Award; the Dean’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award at the University of Miami; the Torch Award at Florida International University; and co-recipient of the Palatucci Advocate of the Year Award. Dr. Monteith is president-elect of the Florida Society of Neurology and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the International Headache Society (2021-2023).
Maisha T. Robinson, MD, MS, FAAN
Dr. Robinson is on staff at Mayo Clinic Florida where she established the clinic’s first neuropalliative care program, and she currently serves as the chair of the division of palliative medicine. Impacted by patients with chronic and terminal neurologic diseases whose cases involved complex symptom management, end-of-life care, and existential suffering during her medical school and neurology training, Dr. Robinson pursued a hospice and palliative medicine fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. In an effort to integrate the principles of palliative care into the management strategies for patients with neurologic diseases, she completed a neurohospitalist fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. With a passion to pursue a career in the subspecialty of neuro-palliative care, Dr. Robinson was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship in health services and health policy research through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholars Program at UCLA, where she earned a master of science degree in health policy and management and is engaged in research focused on the intersection of neurology and palliative medicine. She was selected for the American Academy of Neurology’s Emerging Leaders Forum in 2012 and as an NIH/NMA Academic Medicine Fellow in 2014.
Joel Salinas, MD, MBA, MSc, FAAN
Dr. Joel Salinas is founder and chief medical officer of Isaac Health, an at-home memory clinic that works with patients and families to prevent, diagnose, and manage conditions related to brain health and dementia. Dr. Salinas is a Harvard-trained behavioral neurologist, scientist, speaker, and writer. He is an expert in practical clinical approaches to brain health and has led NIH/NIA-funded research to understand its psychosocial determinants and harness these insights to preserve healthy cognitive function at the population level. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed academic papers and contributed to eight books on the evidence-based practice of neurology. His work has been highlighted in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes. He is assistant professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine. Prior to NYU, he was assistant professor in neurology at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General and was clinical director of the McCance Center for Brain Health.
Allan D. Wu, MD, FAAN
Dr. Allan D. Wu is professor at the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and director of applied clinical informatics at Stanley Manne Children’s Research Institute in Chicago, IL. He is a member of the American Academy of Neurology’s Practice Management and Technology Subcommittee and Informatics Workgroup. Dr. Wu’s academic interests include care coordination of health care teams, the growing field of clinical informatics, and the application of health information technology to improve the care of patients affected by neurologic disorders.