The third National Brain Injury Employment Conference, Building Bridges to Supports & Opportunities, will be held in Denver on June 17th and 18th. The conference focuses on progressive research, effective employment strategies and networking to help brain injury survivors, including returning military with traumatic brain injury (TBI), find career opportunities that fit their interests and abilities.
Diane Van Deren is a featured speaker at the conference. She played on the professional tennis circuit before being diagnosed with epilepsy. Her seizures were so severe over a 12-year period that she finally opted for surgery that removed part of the right temporal lobe of her brain. “I told my family I’d seek help to understand my impairments,” she said. “After learning and understanding what I had lost from this journey, there was a time of sadness. Epilepsy and the surgery affected my personal life as a wife, mom and athlete,” she reflects. “A good friend at Craig Hospital helped me put it in perspective: ‘It’s not what you can’t do, it’s what you can do that matters.’” Diane did focus on her strengths, and she has become a world-class endurance athlete with North Face. Diane created Miles for a Mission to raise money for Craig Hospital, and she is a spokesperson for the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute at Children’s Hospital of Colorado.
Other nationally known speakers include David Seaton, Founder and CEO of Live Oak Living Community; Ron Drach, Director of Government and Legislative Affairs with the Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service; and Stanley Williams, Coordinator of the Illinois Brain Injury Program.
The conference provides information for TBI survivors, family members, professionals and military and veterans. The conference provides three different specialized tracks, one for survivors and family members, another for returning military and veterans with TBI and one for professionals in the brain injury field. Conference highlights include:
- Progressive information on brain injury and employment
- A “Resources Zone” with national TBI-related information
- Successful employment strategies
- Traumatic brain injury and cultural competency
- Exhibit booths, entertainment and much more
Jay Clary, a brain injury survivor, attended the 2008 conference. “When I went to the conference last year, I had no idea how much help was out there. I learned about the Survivor Series classes and care coordination services offered through Denver Options and the Colorado Brain Injury Trust Fund. I now go to one of the support groups in town. I’ve found all the information and resources very valuable.”
The conference will be held June 17th and 18th at The Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast. To learn more or to register for the conference, visit www.ctat-training.com or call 1-800-682-1240.
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Denver Options is excited to announce the third annual National Brain Injury Employment Conference, a dynamic two days of learning, resources, collaboration, innovation and networking! Join this premier, hands-on conference that will bring David Seaton, Founder/CEO of Live Oak Living Community; Ron Drach, Director of Government and Legislative Affairs with the Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service; Diane Van Deren, ultra distance runner and motivational speaker; Stanley Williams, Coordinator for the Illinois Brain Injury Program; and many other national brain injury specialists to Denver. There will be three specific training tracks, one for brain injury survivors and families, one for professionals and one for veterans and military personnel with in-depth, multi-faceted information on connecting people with brain injury to their abilities and careers.
What would the workforce look like if everyone living with a brain injury who wanted to work knew where to go for employment support and got superior help from easily identified programs and resources? It would mean that people with brain injuries would be working in successful careers and enjoying increasingly integrated lives in their communities. You can help make this happen by attending the National Brain Injury Employment Conference 2009.
Lodging Information: Ask for the room discount under the “National Brain Injury Conference” Room rate of $89 + tax. The discount is available until June 11, 2009. Call 1-800-733-5466 to make your reservation.
Transportation Information: The hotel provides free airport transportation, with pick-up scheduled every 20 minutes. For accessible transportation, call Rena Thompson at 1-800-682-1240. Parking at the Red Lion Hotel is free.
Highlights of this conference include progressive information, continuing education credits, exhibit booths, food and entertainment. The conference takes place Wednesday, June 17, 2009, and Thursday, June 18, 2009, at the Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast.
