CAMMRI Team Bios
Ana Gollega, Ms., B.Sc.O.T. (c)
Ana has been leading ARBI’s Research Team since 2003. She graduated in 1991 with a B.Sc. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Ana specialized in Hand Therapy in 1993 and completed her Masters degree in Anatomy in 2000. She has 12 years of experience working in a public hospital and private practice in Brazil. She taught Neuro-anatomy to the medical and rehabilitation schools in Sao Paul, Brazil for three years.
Ana moved to Calgary in 2001, and since that time, she has been treating brain injured patients at ARBI. She is interested in clinical research and had a chance to present results of ARBI’s research projects to other professionals in conferences in Canada and other countries.
Member of:
- CAOT – Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
- ACOT – Alberta College of Occupational Therapists
- CSHT – Canadian Society of Hand Therapy
Presentations:
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Poster presentation: Development of a Severe Brain Injury Recovery Scale
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The Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference: 2004, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Poster Presentation: Development of a Severe Brain Injury Recovery Scale.
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CANN – Canadian Association of Neuroscience Nurses Conference: 2005, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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Oral Presentation: Pilot Test Results of a New Comprehensive Measure for Minimally Responsive Individuals.
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Eight World Congress on Brain Injury: 2010, Washington DC, USA.
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Oral Presentation: Early Results of a New Comprehensive Assessment Measure for Minimally Responsive Individuals
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Annual Conference of the Brain Injury Association of nada and Brain Trust of Saskatchewan Health: 2010, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Publications:
- Pilot Test Results of a New Comprehensive Measure for Minimally Responsive Individuals. Brain Injury, March 2010; 24(3).
- SaeboFlex® – An Innovative Tool to Improve Arm/Hand Function Following Stroke. Canadian Society of Hand Therapists Newsletter: 2011.
Arlene Lazoruk, SLP
Arlene Lazoruk is a Speech-Language Pathologist at ARBI. She has over 20 years of experience working with adults and children with communication disorders. She has a special interest in augmentative communication especially in regard to advances with communication apps for the iPad.
Chamine Meghji, SLP
Denise Lawson, BSR, MCPTA
Denise has extensive experience in the field of physiotherapy for neurological and vestibular conditions having practiced for almost 30 years. She received a bachelor’s degree in Physical and Occupational Therapy at University of British Columbia. Denise has worked in hospital, community and private practice and has been a member of the ARBI team for 8 years. Currently, she is the Clinical Practice leader at ARBI.
Denise has been involved in the design and pilot phase of one of ARBI’s current research projects: the CAMMRI, an assessment measure for minimally responsive individuals.
Presentations:
Vestibular dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis: 2001, Red Deer, AB.
- Positive outcomes for Individuals with severe Brain injury: 2010, Toronto, Ontario
Elizabeth Haynes, M.A., R.SLP, S-LP(C)
Elizabeth Haynes has worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist in hospital, community based and non-profit centres for over 20 years. Her areas of interest are aphasia and adult neurogenic disorders and stuttering.
Mary Anne Ostapovitch, B.Sc. PT
Program Director, ARBI
Mary Anne has extensive background as a Physical Therapist in the field of brain injury rehabilitation. She is presently the Program Director for ARBI. Mary Anne has been involved with ARBI since 1984 and is passionate about making life better for individuals and their families.
Mary Anne was a founding member for the following organizations:
Brain Injury Association of Canada, Southern Alberta Brain Injury Society and the Brain Injury Association of Alberta.
Presentations:
- Okanagan Brain Injury Conference, May 2011 – Naramata, BC
- Making Life Better: Positive Outcomes in Long-term Rehabilitation for Individuals with Severe Acquired Brain Injury:
- 8th World Congress on Brain Injury, March 2010 – Washington, DC
- National Brain Injury Conference, October 2010 – Regina, Sask.
- The Body, the Mind, the Spirit: A Successful Community Rehabilitation Model for Adults with Severe Brain Injury:
- Alberta Provincial Brain Injury Conference: 2007, Edmonton, Alberta
- A Successful Community Rehabilitation Model using a Comprehensive Measure to Assess Progress in Response Level:
- International Symposium on the Vegetative and Minimally Conscious State: 2007, Cambridge, England
Sharon Renton, B.Sc., OT
Sharon graduated with honours from the U of A obtaining a Bachelors of Science in Occupational Therapy. Sharon has worked exclusively in the field of brain injury and stroke. She started at ARBI in 1989 and prior to that she worked at the Calgary General Hospital.
