Professor Áine Carroll

Áine is Professor of Healthcare Integration and Improvement University College Dublin/National Rehabilitation Hospital. She is Vice-Chair and Secretary of the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) Board and co-Director of IFIC Ireland. Prior to this, she was National Director of the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division in the Health Services Executive.

Brid Keenan

Brid Keenan is a Gestalt psychotherapist, supervisor and trainer and a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, working with the impact of trauma on individuals, families and communities

Dr. Claire Keogh, (D.Clin. Psych.)

Claire is Senior Clinical Psychologist at the NRH. Claire works in the Spinal Cord System of Care with a specialist interest in resilience and coping.

Dr James Guest

James Guest MD, PhD, FACS has a career long interest in spinal cord injury. He graduated with an MD from the University of Alberta, a PhD from the University of Miami, and completed his neurosurgical residency in Vancouver. He was active in the nascent ICORD during his neurosurgical residency. He then completed fellowship training in spinal surgery at the Barrow Neurological Institute as well as post-doctoral training in cerebellar motor control. After joining the Neurosurgical Faculty at the University of Miami he continued research in Schwann cell transplantation. Together, with colleagues this research has led to clinical trials in both subacute and chronic cell transplantation, the latter with an intensive exercise component. In clinical practice, he focused on chronic compilations of SCI such as syringomyelia. To support clinical translation, Dr. Guest’s research group has developed expertise in large animal models, advanced cell delivery techniques, and biomaterials. The research group is now testing advanced closed loop neuromodulation techniques preclinically with segue studies in human subjects. As well as serving as the Chair of the Spinal Research Strategic Advisory Council, Dr. Guest serves as a consultant to several entities including the FDA and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. He also serves as a PI in the North American Clinical Trials Network and on several committees of the American Spinal Injury Association.

John Lynch, Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist, NRH

John has worked in the NRH for 14 years. He works in the Spinal Cord System of Care with a specialist interest in wheelchairs and seating.

John Tiernan, Seat Tech Manager, Enable Ireland

John has worked as a Clinical Engineer in the area of wheelchairs & special seating for more than 20 years. Our work involves the design and manufacture systems for people with complex physical disabilities. Our objective is to help optimise physical & physiological function by producing seating devices that help correct posture and manage pressure.

Mike and Leona Hennessy, @thestruggleiswheel, Instagram

Mike Hennessy and his wife Leona run the Instagram account @thestruggleiswheel. The couple advocate for accessible adventures throughout the country and when it comes to accessibility awareness within our hospitality sector, they feel that Ireland has plenty room to step up a gear.

@thestruggleiswheel

Olivia Shiel, Patient and Disability Rights Representative

Olivia is a patient and disability rights representative from Drogheda, Co. Louth. Olivia has an incomplete spinal cord injury C4/C5 following a spinal cord tumour. She is a married mothered to three school age children. Olivia is actively involved with disABILITY Louth, a voluntary organisation that promotes the rights of persons living with disabilities. Olivia enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, art, music, swimming and big mugs of tea.

Orla Friel, Senior Physiotherapist in Acquired Brain Injury and in Wheelchair and Seating Clinic, NRH

Orla has worked as a senior physiotherapist in the NRH since 2009. She has a special interest in the protection of body shape including night time positioning and complex seating. She works with OT colleagues and technician support in the NRH Wheelchair & Seating clinic service.

Samantha Ryan, Wheel Reviews, Instagram

Samantha reviews hotels, restaurants or public places from a wheelchair user's perspective to see if the place is actually accessible and recommends places to go to. She travels around Ireland quite a lot so has picked up great knowledge on travelling in a wheelchair and wants to share her tips.

@wheelreviews

Shangdar Maring Ronglo, Senior Occupational Therapist, Spinal Cord System of Care and Seating Clinic, NRH

Shangdar has a BSC (H) Occupational Therapy. She loves the opportunity to work with people living with spinal cord injuries and has a special interest in prevention of pressure injury and seating. She is involved with Pressure Ulcer to Zero working group at NRH.

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