International Brain Research
Foundation Dr. Philip A. De Fina, Ph.D. - Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer As Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer of the International Brain Research Foundation, Inc., Dr. Philip A. DeFina will be spearheading the collaborations among top neuroscientists and research facilities around the world by facilitating and coordinating cutting-edge research. Under his leadership, IBRF is in a position to accelerate the scientific findings that are key to solving the complex issues in the area of brain health. Dr. DeFina is a well-known author, lecturer, and clinician. He was a Guest Researcher at the National Institutes of Health and was a member of the international neuroscience subcommittee of The World Health Organization. He has been a pioneer in developing and directing national clinical training programs in the cognitive neurosciences. His numerous collaborative efforts with prestigious research centers throughout the world has evolved into the creation of the framework which led to the formation of the IBRF. The IBRF areas of interest include major psychiatric disorders;
movement disorders; disorders of consciousness; autism spectrum
disorders; learning disabilities; chronic pain syndromes; and biometrics.
A multimodal model utilizing neuroimaging, neurophysiology, neuropsychology,
genetic mapping, and nanotechnology will be combined with neuropsychopharmacology,
stereotactic neurosurgery, transcranial electromagnetic stimulation,
and neurofeedback. Lastly, a model will be developed for normal
and pathological brain aging and neuroplasticity throughout the
age spectrum and advances in computational neuroscience to develop
intelligent machines and novel generation of IT science. Dr. Susan Adler has maintained a private practice in Psychology since 1988, specializing in individual therapy for children, adolescents, and adults, and she counsels couples in marital therapy. As a School Neuropsychologist, she tests children and adolescents. Dr. Adler taught Junior High School, Flushing, New York from 1968 to 1973; worked at The Child Guidance Center, BOCES, Yorktown from 1980-1981; School Psychologist in the Pleasantville Schools from 1981 to 2001 when she retired after having spent 20 years in the Pleasantville Schools as an Elementary, Middle, and High School Psychologist as well as Alternate Director of Student Personnel Services, Alternate Chairperson of the CSE and the CPSE. With an education as diverse as her career history, Dr. Adler received a B.A. from the University of Denver; a M.S. Ed. (Guidance and Counseling) from Queens College in New York; a Certification in School Psychology from the College of New Rochelle; Certification in Special Education from Manhattanville College; a Psy.D. from Yeshiva University; and is certified in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy by the Institute for Behavioral Therapy. She is a licensed Psychologist in New York State, and a Diplomate, American Board of School Neuropsychology. Dr. Adler has been a frequent speaker over the years at professional
organizations, as well as a regular presenter to groups of faculty,
parents, and students. Renée Bennett is president of Bennett Communications, Inc., a full-service marketing communications agency that she founded in 1982. The company’s clientele include leading publishers, various segments of the medical community, nonprofit organizations, and others. Among the marketing instruments the company creates are advertising, product promotion brochures, catalogs, posters, fundraising packages and other direct mail, and websites. After graduating from Louisiana Tech, Ms. Bennett began her career as a junior writer for a special-interest magazine publisher in New York City, and while there, she worked in almost every single department to “learn the publishing business.” Well prepared, she joined a leading educational publisher as managing editor of two monthly magazines, and worked her way through various positions to become publisher of a division before leaving to start her own agency. Ms. Bennett served three terms as a director of Advertising Women of New York; is featured in Who’s Who of American Women and Who’s Who in America; was recipient of the Crystal Prism Award from the American Advertising Federation; and the New American Woman Award from Esquire Magazine. Managing a small business is very fulfilling in that it allows
Ms. Bennett to be involved in every aspect of each client project,
from creative strategy through delivery to the end-user audience — skills
that she looks forward to applying in her board position with the
International Brain Research Foundation. Dr. Catherine A. Mazzola is a board-certified Pediatric Neurosurgeon and Medical Director of the Pediatric Neurosurgical Program at the Goryeb Children’s Center, Morristown Memorial Hospital and Atlantic Health Systems. Dr. Mazzola received her Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, New York. She received her medical degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in Newark. She completed her residency and surgical internship at The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey as well. She also is a graduate of the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery. Additionally, Dr. Mazzola participated in a Pediatric Neurological Surgery Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital Department of Neurological Surgery. Dr. Mazzola has authored and co-authored more than 25 papers, and has received grants from the Children’s Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and The New Jersey State Cancer Commission. Dr. Mazzola maintains membership in many prestigious organizations, including American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons, American Medical Association, and the American Medical Association’s Women Physicians Congress. Dr. Mazzola’s areas of clinical interest include movement disorders (spasticity and dystonia), epilepsy surgery, brain tumors, spina bifida, tethered spinal cord, cerebral palsy, and hydrocephalus in adults and children.
Pediatric plagiocephaly, craniosynostosis, brachial plexus injury, syringomyelia and Chiari malformation are also special interests. Dr. Mazzola has admitting and surgical privileges at Hackensack University Medical Center, St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center,
St. Peter’s University Hospital, Valley Hospital, and Overlook Hospital. A 1993 graduate of the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Prestigiacomo completed his residency in Neurological Surgery at The Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. He then went on to complete a fellowship in Endovascular Neurosurgery at Beth Israel Medical Center, NY, Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Center for Endovascular Surgery. Dr. Prestigiacomo holds dual appointments as an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Neurological Surgery and Radiology at the New Jersey Medical School. He is Director of Cerebrovascular and Endovascular Neurosurgery at University Hospital, serves as co-director of the Division of Neurological Surgery at Jersey City Medical Center and is a Research Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. His specialties include cerebrovascular microsurgery (aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, cavernous malformations, carotid endarterectomy and bypass), endovascular surgery for the treatment of all brain, spinal cord and head/neck pathology (aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, stroke, tumor, vessel occlusion) and stereotactic radiosurgery for vascular lesions. In addition to his clinical and teaching responsibilities, Dr.
Prestigiacomo is currently involved in several research efforts,
including biophysical studies on aneurysm formation and growth,
clinical outcomes studies on patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid
hemorrhage and other forms of cerebrovascular disease, and the
expanding role of EMS in the diagnosis and treatment of neurological
disease
and trauma.
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