Rehabilitation Science Seminar Series
Spring 2026
Friday, February 13, 2026, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Janice Tona PhD, OTR, CLA, FAOTA
Clinical assistant professor and program director
Occupational Therapy BS/MS program
Department of Rehabilitation Science
School of Public Health and Health Professions
University at Buffalo
Elisabeth Thompson BSC OT, OTR/L
Clinical instructor
Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry
School of Dental Medicine
University at Buffalo
Seminar: Small Space, Big Impact: Compassionate Interprofessional Pediatric Dental Care and Its Importance for OT and PT Practice
Location: Farber Hall, G26l, UB South Campus
zoom: https://buffalo.zoom.us/j/99887345296?pwd=Nu55RAvgAXbSpcRrPZ3mI3tkf6LF7u.1
Continuing Professional Education available for OT/OTA/PT/PTas for in-person or zoom attendance.
Bio:
Janice Tona, PhD, PTR, CLA, FAOTA, is an occupational therapist and an educational psychologist, with over four decades of experience as an OTR and three decades of experience in academia. Her research seeks to improve quality of life for children with disabilities and their caregivers, including individuals with Pediatric Acute Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), a post-infections neuropsychiatric disorder. Dedicated to improving primary care experiences for individuals with developmental disabilities, Dr. Tona also practices collaboratively with dental health practitioners to modify the dental environment, improve access, and optimize comfort for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the dental office, and was instrumental in the development of the occupational therapy program at University Pediatric Dentistry in Buffalo.
Elisabeth Thompson OTR/L, is a dedicated Occupational Therapy Practitioner (OTP) with over 24 years of experience. She currently holds a faculty appointment as a Clinical Instructor in the Department of Pediatric and Community Dentistry at the University at Buffalo. In recognition of her excellence in teaching, she received the 2023 Educator Award from the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry. Elisabeth is a contributing and primary author of the National Inclusive Curriculum for Health Education in Dentistry, which focuses on integrating allied health professionals into dental education to enhance care for individuals with special healthcare needs. In 2022, she led the transition of Occupational Therapy services from a pilot project to a practice plan within dental settings—an initiative that has expanded community outreach both in New York State and across other regions in the United States.
Pastor George Nicholas, M.Div.
Friday, March 27, 2026, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Pastor George Nicholas, M.Div.
CEO - Buffalo Center for Health Equity
Location: Farber Hall, room G26
Bio: Pastor George Nicholas, M.Div., is a dedicated advocate for social justice, health equity, and community revitalization. A retired United Methodist pastor, he spent years serving inner-city congregations in Buffalo and Rochester, New York, fostering community-driven solutions to systemic challenges. He is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of the Buffalo Center for Health Equity and a founding member and chair of the African American Health Equity Task Force, leading efforts to address racial health disparities.
Under his leadership, the Task Force launched the COVID-19 Response Project, ensuring that vital resources and information reached Buffalo’s underserved communities during the pandemic. He also played a key role in establishing the UB Community Health Equity Research Institute and the Erie County Department of Health Equity, strengthening research-driven initiatives to combat health inequities. As a member of the Racial Equity Roundtable, Pastor Nicholas helped create the Breaking Barriers Program, which empowers boys and young men of color by providing mentorship, support, and opportunities for personal growth.
His lifelong commitment to advancing health and racial equity has earned him national recognition, including the 2022 Bernard J. Tyson Health Equity Award from the Alliance of Community Health Plans. Through his work, Pastor Nicholas continues to drive systemic change and improve the well-being of communities in Buffalo and beyond.
zoom: https://buffalo.zoom.us/j/98632493511?pwd=pHbw7yH7rAjezaaogf3eXHpIBC9Z3E.1
To Be Announced
Friday, April 10, 2026, 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Location: Farber Hall, room G26, UB South Campus
zoom: https://buffalo.zoom.us/j/98970405533?pwd=4bfrkDYObkr6Dbao66Ohn5Ce4XdWOl.1
Continuing Professional Education available for OT/OTA/PT/PTas for in-person or zoom attendance.
Michael Cammarata, PhD, OTR/L, OT Reg. (Ont.)
Fri., Nov. 21, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Clinical Assistant Professor
UB's Department of Rehabilitation Science
Seminar: Driving Rehabilitation Post-Stroke: the intersection of clinical practice, research, and technology
Kaila Stipancic, PhD, CCC-SLP
Fri., Oct. 24, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Assistant Professor
Director, Buffalo Oromotor, Speech, & Swallowing Lab
UB's Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Seminar: Who cares about speech? Enhancing interpretation of clinical and research outcomes in speech-language pathology
Jill Mayer, PT, DPT, NCS
Fri., Sept. 12, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Clinical Assistant Professor
UB's Department of Rehabilitation Science
Seminar: Walking Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury: What is the Evidence?
Michael Seils PT, DPT, EdD
Fri., Apr. 18, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Clinical Assistant Professor
UB's Department of Rehabilitation Science
Seminar: Management and Exercise Strategies for Medically Complex Home Health Patients
Jessica E. Huber, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Fri., March 14, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Professor, Chair
UB's Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Seminar: Breathing New Life into our Understanding of Speaking
Lisa Keenan Uschold, PhD
Fri., Feb. 14, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Department of Psychiatry, UB's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, ECMC
Seminar: Common Presentations and Adjustment Reactions to Acute Injuries
Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MD
Fri., Nov. 08, 2024
Professor
Department of Neurology
University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Seminar Topic: Clinical Relevance of Exercise in MS
Cheryl Lucas, EdD, LNHA, OTR
Fri., Oct. 11, 2024, 2-3 p.m.
Clinical Associate Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Science
University at Buffalo
Seminar Topic: WHO Rehabilitation 2030
Ana Malfitano, PhD
Friday, September 06, 2024, 2:00-3:00 pm
Associate Professor
Universidade Federal de São Carlos
Seminar Topic: Social Inequalities and Health Professional Roles
Nik Satchidanand, PhD
March 8, 2024, 2:00-3:00 pm
Research Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
University at Buffalo's Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Seminar Topic: Aging and Physical/Cognitive Resilience
Cristian Cuadra, PhD
March 29, 2024, 2:00-3:00 pm
Assistant Professor
DPT Program, Department of Rehabilitation Science
University at Buffalo's School of Public Health and Health Professions
Seminar Topic: The Contribution of Proprioceptive Feedback and Spinal Circuits to Neural Control of Movement: Insights into Neuromodulation
Erin Brunelle, MS, OTR/L, ATP
February 9, 2024, 2:00-3:00 pm
Director, Client Services
Center for Assistive Technology
University at Buffalo
Seminar Topic
Facilitating Effective Use of Screen Readers for Computer Access
November 10, 2023, 2:00-3:00 pm
Renee Madathil, PhD
Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Inpatient Rehabilitation Neuropsychologist
University of Rochester Medical Center
Seminar Topic
Rehabilitation Psychology
October 13, 2023, 2:00-3:00 pm
Dana Emery, OTD, OT/L
Chief of Outpatient OT
University of Rochester Medical Center
Seminar Topic
Brun Care
September 13, 2023, 2:00-3:00 pm
Haley Chizuk, PhD, MS, ATC
Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Coordinator
UBMD University Orthopedics, and the UB Concussion Management Lab
Seminar Topic
Concussion
September 29, 2023, 2:00-3:00 pm
Heather Coles, M.A. CCC-SLP, & Simon Carson, MS, OT/L, MBA
G26 Farber Hall, UB South Campus
Heather Coles, M.A. CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
University at Rochester Medical Center
Simon Carson MS, OT/L, MBA
Occupational Therapist
University at Rochester Medical Center
Seminar Topic
From Concept to Creation, an Interdisciplinary Approach in Developing iPad Cognitive Assessments
David Wack, PhD
Associate professor, Department of Nuclear Medicine
UB Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Seminar Topic
Neuroimaging for research--a primer, with a focus on auditory studies
Kirk Personius, PT, PhD
Clinical associate professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science UB School of Public Health and Health Professions
Seminar Topic
Reprogramming Skeletal Muscle for Enhanced Recovery from Peripheral Nerve Injury
Adam Sheppard, AuD, PhD, and Robert Burkard, PhD
Adam Sheppard, AuD, PhD
Assistant professor, Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
UB College of Arts and Sciences
Robert Burkard, PhD
Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science
UB School of Public Health and Health Professions
Seminar Topic
Threshold and Suprathreshold Measures of Hearing
Christopher Radziwon, PhD
Assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science
UB School of Public Health and Health Professions
Research assistant professor, Department of Medicine
UB Jacobs School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Seminar Topic
Treating Chronic Pain with Behavioral Medicine
Jordana Maisel, PhD
Assistant professor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning
Director of Research, IDEA Center
UB School Architecture and Planning
Seminar Topic
Advancing Inclusive Design: Linking Research to Practice
Amy Martinez, PsyD, CBIS, CBIST
Assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation
Director, Integrated Cognitive Rehabilitation Program
University of Rochester Medical Center
Seminar Topic
Intro to Cognitive Rehabilitation: Insights from a Neuropsychologist
Hallie Zeleznik, PT, DPT
Director of strategic initiatives and professional development
UPMC Centers for Rehab Services
Seminar Topic
Identifying and Addressing the Needs of Survivors of Critical Illness
Ghazala Saleem, EdD, MS, OTR/L
Assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation Science
UB School of Public Health and Health Professions
Seminar Topic
Brain Injury Behind Closed Doors: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Consequences and Management
Hang Jin Jo, PT, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Rehabilitation Science
University at Buffalo
Seminar Topic
Neuroplasticity after spinal cord injury