Northern Kentucky Traumatic Brain Injury Conference

2009 NKY TBI Conference -
Light on the Horizon:
Brain Injured Persons
in our Community
Attorneys Lary Hicks and Roger Braden presenting

Roger Braden has worked with brain injury victims and their families in either a medical capacity or the medical/legal capacity for the past 38 years.  Roger and Larry Hicks, both of Sutton Rankin Law, represent a large number of brain injury clients, and issues regarding their care have repeatedly come to their attention. 

In 2006, Roger and Larry became aware that long-term rehabilitation care in Northern Kentucky and education on available resources were sadly lacking.  They contacted Lisa Combs of Eckman/Freeman and Jessica Embry of Mentor ABI and decided to form a committee to schedule a series of conferences to address various issues pertaining to traumatic brain injury and the consequences of those injuries. 

In 2007, they organized the First Annual Northern Kentucky Brain Injury Conference, which was co-hosted with Northern Kentucky University (NKU) Disability Services, the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky (BIAK), and Brain Injury Demands Guidance Education and Support (BRIDGES) Group.  One of NKU's classrooms was used for the conference.  There were a total of 16 healthcare speakers and 11 attendees.  After the conference the speakers unanimously agreed that Northern Kentucky had a serious problem with long-term rehabilitation care and with other issues related to brain injuries, such as resources, education and advocacy.    

Over time the conference and planning committee have evolved and grown.  The Second Annual NKY TBI Conference in 2008 was held at the Cincinnati Airport Sheraton.  The conference now allows for numerous professionals to be awarded continuing education units (CEUs), including CLEs for attorneys.  All work involved with the conference is pro bono.  All profits after expenses go to BRIDGES to benefit brain injured survivors and their families.

The Third Annual NKY TBI Conference in 2009 was moved to the Northern Kentucky Convention Center and had over 200 attendees, along with 25 exhibiting vendors, corporate sponsors and 20 speakers.  For the 2009 conference rigorous marketing efforts were implemented, including appearances on cable TV and radio stations.  Channels 5 and 19 televised a portion of the keynote speaker’s presentation.  The City Solicitor, on behalf of the Mayor of Covington, awarded the Key to the City to the keynote speaker, Cincinnati Police Sgt. Bryce Bezdek, who suffered a brain injury in the line of duty.  A Brain Injury Awareness Day Proclamation was issued by Covington Mayor Denny Bowman and read on the conference day.

The Fourth Annual NKY TBI Conference in 2010 was also held at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.  For the first time, the keynote speaker was the nationally recognized speaker, Patrick Donohue, the founder of the Sarah Jane Brain Project.    

The Fifth Annual NKY TBI Conference in 2011 was held at Receptions Conference Center in Erlanger, Kentucky.

The Sixth Annual NKY TBI Conference is scheduled for March 23, 2012 at Receptions Conference Center.  A fourth track has been added for TBI military/veteran survivors and caregivers.  A support group meeting for TBI military/veterans, adult and pediatric survivors has been moved to the beginning of the day.  Be sure to check out the NKY TBI Conference website for details on the upcoming conference as well as past conferences.