Advocacy and Awareness Ambassadors

Allie Glass (she/her) is a licensed social worker and public policy professional with a dedicated focus on brain injury and neurological care. Her career began in direct service, supporting individuals through home and community-based programs and assisting those transitioning back into their community following hospitalization or injury. These experiences revealed the critical gaps in care systems that often overlook the unique needs of individuals with brain injuries. These systems must do more to uphold independence, dignity, and person-centered support.

Allie’s advocacy is deeply personal. As a family member of individuals affected by brain injury and stroke, she understands firsthand how suddenly life can change and how differently each person experiences that change. She is committed to advancing awareness, equity, and inclusion for all individuals impacted by brain injury. As she often echoes from the disability community: “It’s not IF, it’s WHEN.” Every person, regardless of injury or disability, deserves to be seen, heard, supported, and accepted.

Allie is honored to serve as a member of the Brain Injury Association of America’s Advocacy and Awareness Fellowship Program, where she continues to champion policies and practices that reflect the lived experiences of those most affected by brain injury.

Brinda Dungan is a Clinical Rehabilitation Counselor-in-Training and Certified Brain Injury Specialist with both personal and professional connections to the brain injury community. After sustaining her own traumatic brain injury, Brinda transformed her recovery into a lifelong mission of advocacy, education, and empowerment for survivors and families.

She currently serves as a Resource Navigator with the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS) Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury (TBI/SCI) Program, where she helped design and build the state’s Resource Navigation system to improve service coordination and access to care for individuals with neurological injuries. Brinda also serves as the Community Resource Coordinator for the Georgia RSVP Clinic, a free, interdisciplinary rehabilitation program providing comprehensive support to individuals recovering from brain and spinal cord injuries across the Southeast.

Beyond her clinical roles, Brinda contributes her expertise through statewide advisory and leadership positions, including the Alabama Head Injury Task Force and the UAB TBI Model Systems Advisory Board.

Brinda is pursuing her M.Ed. in Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling at Auburn University, building on her previous M.Ed. in Elementary Education and B.S. in Mass Communications. She is also the founder of Your Brain on Dirt, a nonprofit promoting horticultural therapy for individuals with neurological conditions.

Through her work, Brinda continues to bridge lived experience with professional innovation—advocating for recovery, connection, and inclusion within the brain injury community.

I’ve spent the past nine years working to support individuals affected by brain injury through advocacy, education, and outreach. My journey began with a desire to help others navigate the complex and often overwhelming path of recovery, and over time, it’s grown into a deep professional commitment to improving lives through awareness and support.

A year ago, my perspective shifted in a profound and personal way when my husband became a brain injury survivor. Experiencing the realities of brain injury from the inside—watching someone I love face the challenges of healing, adapting, and rediscovering daily life—has given me a new level of empathy and insight. It’s no longer just professional; it’s personal.

This experience has strengthened my resolve to advocate for survivors and their families with even greater compassion and understanding. I’ve seen firsthand how important it is to have access to resources, community, and hope. I now approach my work with a dual lens: one shaped by years of professional experience, and one informed by the intimate journey of caregiving and resilience.

As an Orientation & Mobility (O&M) certified professional, I bring specialized skills to support individuals with visual and cognitive challenges, helping them regain independence and confidence. I remain committed to raising awareness, fostering connections, and helping others find strength in their own stories. Brain injury is complex, but with the right support, recovery and growth are possible—and I’m honored to be part of that journey.

Carrie is an advocate for an individual affected by a brain injury, bringing personal insight and experience in supporting a loved one through recovery. She is committed to advancing awareness, education, and access to resources for the brain injury community. Through involvement with the Brain Injury Association of America, Carrie works to promote best practices in care and support, helping individuals and families navigate the challenges associated with brain injury.

Chad Childs (he/him) is a parent and stepparent of five incredible children and the partner of an incredible leader. He is a survivor of a Diffuse Axonal Injury Traumatic Brain Injury in recovery. He is the Prevention Initiatives Manager for the Community Engagement Institute, and a member of the Trauma-Informed Systems of Care and Early Childhood Initiatives teams. Chad is a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist with over 20 years of management and leadership experience in the mental and behavioral healthcare field and the fields of higher education, child welfare, and prevention. He is a current board member of the Kansas Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, Kansas Mental Health Coalition, and the Kansas Balance of State Continuum of Care (Steering Committee). Chad is a member of the Sedgwick County Suicide Prevention Coalition, Sedgwick County CCBHC Advisory Board, and Chair of the Kansas Zero Suicide Advisory Council, Chairperson of the Governor’s Behavioral Health Services Planning Council, Kansas Citizens’ Committee, and Secretary of the Tobacco Subcommittee. Chad’s career focus has been on providing direct services and facilitating larger systems changes with the goal of helping people to both overcome barriers to their well-being and use their strengths and resources to improve their quality of life.

Passionate about: equity
Optimistic about: community connections
Inspired by: Love

Charrisse Coates is a caregiver, writer, advocate, artist, historian, and more. The title she cherishes most is a Child of God. She and her husband, Victor, began their brain injury journey in 2010 when he suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury in an accident at church. Charrisse admits that since being catapulted on this path, her family has laughed, cried, run, and sometimes hobbled-but are blessed to have not given up! Though she admits, there have been several times that they’ve each felt like doing so. This mom, wife, and daughter has been a caregiver to survivors of both Traumatic and Acquired Brain Injuries and is excited about serving, learning, and contributing to the Brain Injury Association of America.

Claudia Gonzalez is a recent Ph.D. graduate who earned her degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in August 2025. Before seeking further education, she was an athletic trainer at a South Texas high school for 10 years, where she observed misconceptions about concussions by athletes, their families, and professionals. She understands the need for athletic trainers and health care professionals to have evidence-based research and resources so that athletes, affected individuals, and their families can have the resources they need when struggling with physical and mental health or other issues stemming from brain injuries. For this reason, she sought to pursue a degree where she could become an advocate for persons with brain injuries. Her dissertation research focused on job satisfaction and the use of vocational services among individuals with acquired brain injuries. Claudia has participated as an ambassador for the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, where she has been able to share important resources regarding spinal cord injury, brain injury, and burn injury. Claudia continues her full-time job where she is a Disability Clinical Specialist and looks forward to being an advocate and researcher for persons with disabilities.

Known as “The Queen of Survival” and “The Miracle Child”, Darcy Keith is an internationally recognized, award-winning professional speaker and expert on brain injury and overcoming adversity. As the only backseat survivor in her fatal car crash in 1991, Darcy had to relearn how to live all over again, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially, when she emerged from her coma. Life-threatening injuries she sustained include two severe traumatic brain injuries, right side paralysis, a collapsed lung, a brain bleed, memory loss, and more.

Darcy has a passion for helping other individuals who experience brain injury to live their best lives. In addition to serving on the BIAA’s Brain Injury Advisory Council since 2021, she serves on an advisory committee to Ohio State University’s Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Darcy served on the Board of Directors for the Brain Injury Association of Indiana from 2003 to 2012.

Darcy is an engaging speaker for seminars, conferences, and meetings for corporations, non-profits, and associations, as well as for the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens rookies as part of the NFL’s Rookie Success Program. She has appeared on various television and radio venues around the country, including ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX. More information about Darcy’s impactful keynote presentations, along with video testimonials, can be found on her website, https://www.DarcyKeith.com.

In addition to working full-time as a Business Analyst for Liberty Mutual Insurance, Darcy is a contributing author to six books and has published several CDs and DVDs.

As a survivor of a moderate traumatic brain injury more than 25 years ago, my connection to TBI has evolved through every stage of recovery — from inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation to support group participation and ongoing personal growth in both Tennessee and South Carolina. These experiences, paired with my pursuit of a new career as a certified rehabilitation counselor, have shaped my professional identity. Ultimately, my journey with brain injury has guided me toward becoming a disability specialist and mental health professional dedicated to helping others access resources, identify transferable skills, and discover their own voices as advocates and allies.

My name is Derek A. O’Neal, and I am a Brain Injury Survivor. I am a New York City native who now resides in Alexandria, Virginia. I was educated at both William and Mary and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. I am a retired Army veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm. After my military career, I served as a leader in many business organizations in both Indiana and Michigan. My automobile accident in 2004 curtailed my career, and after recovery, I pursued and completed a Paralegal program. I have served as a Board Member of the Brain Injury Associations of Michigan and Virginia, and I now serve on the Board of the Virginia Brain Injury Council. In addition, I am a motivational speaker as a member of the Brain Injury Services of Springfield, Virginia, Speaker’s Bureau.

I am excited about the prospect of bringing my unique background and skills to the Brain Injury Association of America.

Back on November 11, 1991, I was in a catastrophic car accident that completely changed my life. I actually died at the scene and had to be brought back by EMS. After that, I spent about three months drifting in and out of a coma. The recovery was long and brutal, and honestly, it’s still an ongoing journey. In the years since, I’ve had a few more accidents—each one involving a brain injury—but none as devastating as that first one in ’91. Those later injuries still set me back, but they also reminded me just how much fight I have left. Every time, I’ve managed to bounce back a little stronger and a lot wiser about how fragile and unpredictable life can be.

In 2022, when our daughter was three weeks old, her father suffered from an anoxic brain injury. I have been caring for him for 960 days straight with the help of my children alone. The resources for brain injury survivors and their caregivers are scarce in small towns. I aim to create awareness not only for my situation but for all of ours as a whole. It’s important to know that every single brain injury case is different, but in all cases, the results are devastating for everyone involved. I will strive to bridge the gaps between the survivors and available resources. I also aspire to bring a positive impact wherever this journey leads me and to all the lives I interact with.

Jira Banfield is a dynamic communications specialist with a diverse background in marketing, journalism, and media relations. Her career has spanned continents and cultures from South Africa to London, Kenya, and Italy. Her work as a journalist, along with her travel opportunities, has shaped her into a global communicator with a deep appreciation for storytelling and impact.

Before becoming an advocate, Jira served as a Congressional Communications Director, where she honed her expertise in strategic messaging, public policy communication, and media engagement. Her ability to bridge the gap between complex policy issues and public understanding has always been a hallmark of her career.

Jira’s professional journey took a profoundly personal turn after her sister Mumbi Banfield, who was a former police officer, sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury. Never leaving her sister’s side through the recovery process opened her eyes to the challenges survivors and families face while navigating the healthcare systems, accessibility barriers, and social stigma of brain injury. That experience became a defining moment that transformed Jira’s career focus from traditional communications to advocacy and policy change for people with disabilities.

Today, Jira remains the primary caregiver for her sister Mumbi and looks forward to becoming a BIAA Advocacy & Awareness Ambassador, where she can use her voice and skills to champion inclusion, accessibility, and empowerment for the entire Brain Injury community. She is passionate about elevating stories that inspire understanding, drive effective legislative action, and promote equity in the lives of TBI survivors and their families.

Hi, my name is Leili Hashemi. I had a stroke in 2020 at the age of 24. I had just finished my undergraduate degree and was applying to medical school. During my first two years after my stroke, I was fully dedicated to my personal health and recovery efforts. It felt like a full-time job. After that acute and intense phase, I began looking outward and started seeking ways to support the brain injury community and strengthen my connections to this community.

I have worked diligently to improve my understanding of brain injuries in order to provide quality care to my patients. I have worked for 5 years as an SLP, providing care to survivors of brain injuries. The connections I have made and the progress I have witnessed from those affected have been nothing short of a miracle.

Thirty-two years ago, at 16 years old, I was a teenager and a sophomore at Elizabethtown Area High School. One block from home, my car crashed into a telephone pole. I was wearing my seatbelt. It was a single-motor vehicle accident. I was rushed to Lancaster General Hospital, where I slipped into a coma for seven days.

I broke my pelvic bone and sustained fractures in my pubic and pelvic area. Doctors drilled a hole in my skull to release the pressure on my brain. I had damaged my brain stem, frontal lobe, and the right hemisphere of my brain. When I woke up, I was paralyzed. I needed physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy. I was transferred to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center for rehabilitation. I went from a wheelchair to a walker to a cane, holding onto someone’s arm, and eventually, I walked on my own. It took relentless practice to retrain my balance and strengthen my vestibular system. Results: I sustained a severe traumatic brain injury.

I was discharged from the hospital on December 3, 1993, not because I was ready, but because my parents’ insurance ran out.

That’s when the real obstacles began. Brain injury doesn’t end with the hospital stay. It leaves you with emotional volatility, behavioral challenges, sensory overload, cognitive impairments, and vestibular dysfunction.

Despite all of this, I returned to school with my class. The faculty treated me poorly and unethically. But I worked hard. I believed in myself. I had a purpose, and in 1996, I graduated with honors, receiving my diploma. At age 24, I hit a wall. I lost myself. I hated the person I had become. No one teaches you how to live with a brain injury. It can feel hopeless. But I didn’t give up. Through perseverance, trial and error, and the guidance of Jesus, I kept going.

I love what I do and who I’ve become. I’m a mother to an amazing daughter who recently graduated from high school. Through lived experience, I’ve become her advocate because she, too, has sustained a brain injury. I know the road. I’ve walked it and now, I walk it beside her.

My advocacy is not just a passion, it’s a calling. Outside of God and family, brain injury advocacy is what I run with. It’s what fuels me. It’s what gives me purpose. It’s my identity. I fight for awareness. I fight for dignity. I fight for access, understanding, and compassion. I fight for those who can’t always speak for themselves because I have been there.

I know what it’s like to be misunderstood, dismissed, and underestimated.

On April 3, 2012, while doing my daily jogging after school, I was hit by a driver under the influence of drugs. Due to the speed of the driver, once I landed on the car and a child in the car screamed, the driver hit the brakes, and I was thrown approximately fifty feet down the road. I landed on my head and neck, which resulted in a fractured C1, C2, and C3, and a fractured skull, which caused a subdural and epidural hemorrhage.

After a five-hour craniectomy and craniotomy surgery, I was placed in a medically induced coma. I had experienced a traumatic brain injury. When I woke up days later, I was transferred to a nearby rehabilitation hospital. Over the course of the next eight months, I relearned how to accomplish daily tasks such as standing, walking, talking, and most of all, return to my career as an educator. Five days a week, I went through physical, speech, occupational, and vision therapies to help relearn and redevelop the skills I once took for granted. After many neuropsych evaluations, I was able to prove to my employer that I was healthy and competent to return to high school teaching.

While I don’t have a single memory of the accident (something my friends and family refer to as carmaggeddon), police dash camera videos have given me insight into what happened. The stubborn, determined person that I am never let what happened to me deter me from living the life and career I had worked so hard for.

A healthcare lobbyist by career choice by day, including working with Medicaid, LTSS, and those with disabilities, I became more connected to BIAA following my stroke in May of 2023, resulting in a concussion and trauma-induced seizures. The aftereffects have now become my new normal, including stability issues while working, light sensitivities, slow reaction times, and overstimulation that can result in seizure-like activities. With my background, I want people to understand more about brain injury and the recovery associated with it.

Regena J. Young, BSN, RN, is a dedicated community advocate with a strong passion for injury prevention, brain health, and public safety. She has been a registered nurse for 31 years with a background in Emergency, Intensive Care, Physical Rehabilitation, and Trauma nursing.

Regena is also a Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor and has served on the Board of Directors for the Chattanooga Area Brain Injury Association for the past 10 years, including being President for the past six. As a survivor herself, Regena is dedicated to serving individuals and their family members affected by traumatic brain injury.. She has served as the Outreach and Injury Prevention Coordinator for Erlanger Trauma Services in Chattanooga, TN, for the past 11 years, where she works closely with local organizations to promote awareness, education, and resources for various injury prevention efforts, including but not limited to fall prevention, driving safety, and traumatic brain injury awareness.

Ms. Young currently participates in local, state, and national committees, including the Tennessee Injury Prevention Coalition, the Trauma Center Association of America’s Advocacy Committee, Southeast Regional Healthcare Coalition (Chairperson), and the Hamilton County Regional Healthcare Coalition.

Sofia Lois Monroe is an Emmy-nominated producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and advocate with over 18 years of experience in film, television, and digital media. As the Founder of Daymaker Productions, company merging storytelling and social impact, Sofia creates content and initiatives that educate, uplift, entertain, and empower others. She is also a Partner and Chief Production Officer with A Mind’s Pursuit, a 501(c)(3) challenging the stigma around mental health by turning vulnerability into power and pain into purpose-where art meets advocacy, and mental health becomes mainstream culture.

Sofia’s dedication to service began around eight years old, when she became a peer youth mentor, supporting children within and outside her parents’ drug and alcohol case management program. Her connection to brain injury is also personal and lifelong. When she was about 11, Sofia’s teenage sister sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in a car accident, profoundly shaping her family’s life. Years later, her mother experienced head injuries-including one from a workplace fall-before and after being diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. Sofia became one of her primary caregivers, gaining firsthand insight into the challenges survivors and families face.

Sofia’s own experiences include getting concussions from a snowboarding accident and car accidents, which influenced her understanding of brain injury recovery, PTSD recovery, and mental health. Though high functioning, she continues to live with lasting symptoms while running her business and supporting others in their business, nonprofit, and personal journeys.

Tara Buggie is a 28-year survivor of severe traumatic brain injury sustained while returning home from a traumatic brain injury benefit her senior year in college. After a subsequent year of rigorous physical and cognitive rehabilitation, Tara went on to Catholic University, Columbus School of Law, during which time she interned for Hon. Loren A. Smith, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, and in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of General Counsel. Tara earned her J.D., went on to clerk for Hon. Francis B. Schultz, Superior Court of New Jersey 6th Vicinage, and practiced education and insurance defense law before transitioning to brain injury advocacy.