National Research Advisory Council

Karla Fields

Karla Fields has more than 30 years of experience in fundraising, strategic partnerships and volunteer recruitment at a variety of influential cultural, charitable and healthcare institutions including the Laguna Art Museum, United Way and the Alzheimer’s Association. She has developed an impressive track record of creating and delivering health education programming focused on enhancing access and outcomes within diverse populations. At the Alzheimer’s Association, Karla successfully designed and implemented expanded programming and outreach aimed at Northern California’s African American population. As a dedicated advocate she has worked with legislators to improve health care policies and increase funding. She has served as a board member of the Lakeshore Foundation, a nationally recognized paralympic training center, and has led a broad range of community advisory committees. Many of her volunteer efforts have been dedicated to health care challenges faced by children. Anchored in her family’s personal health journeys, she has been a trusted advisor to other families experiencing similar health issues as well as to the institutions seeking to increase the effectiveness of their efforts.

Jessica Kramer, Ph.D., OTR/L

Dr. Kramer’s research draws upon theoretical concepts and methodologies from occupational therapy, disability studies, education and rehabilitation to: 1) Partner with youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in the development and evaluation of rehabilitation products; 2) Develop community-based interventions that equip youth with I/DD and their families with the skills to identify and resolve environmental barriers to participation; and 3) Design high quality patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) using contemporary measurement approaches.
Dr. Kramer uses quantitative, qualitative, and participatory approaches to design projects that harness the optimal method needed to answer complex research questions and meet the needs of multiple stakeholders, including youth and young adults with disabilities, their families, and rehabilitation professionals. Dr. Kramer has been awarded over 1.5 million dollars in external funding (including NIH, NIDILRR, and PCORI), and her collaborators include researchers from: Colorado State University, Temple University, Boston University, Brandeis University, The Center for START Services at the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, and Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC); and advocacy groups including Self Advocates Becoming Empowered and The Arc of the United States. Dr. Kramer’s occupational therapy practice experience is with enabling children and youth ages 3 to 20 with multiple, severe disabilities to participate and learn in a public school setting.

Jessica M Kramer, PhD, OTR/L
Associate Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
University of Florida
352-273-9672
Jessica.kramer@phhp.ufl.edu
1225 Center Drive, Room 2112

Keith Yeates, Ph.D., ABPP, FCAHS, FRSC

Keith Owen Yeates, PhD, ABPP, FCAHS, FRSC, is the Ronald and Irene Ward Chair in Pediatric Brain Injury, Professor and Head of the Department of Psychology, and Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics and Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Calgary, in Alberta, Canada. He has a 30-year track record of funded research focusing on the outcomes of childhood brain disorders, especially traumatic brain injury. A recent published bibliometric analysis indicated he has authored more of the top-100 cited papers in pediatric TBI than any other researcher. Dr. Yeates was co-lead author of the report of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Expert Panel on Acute Diagnosis and Management of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury among Children and Adolescents, is the inaugural Chair of the Canadian Concussion Network, and will be an invited expert panel member at the 6th International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport. He was previously Associate Editor of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society and is currently the Editor-in-Chief ofNeuropsychology. Dr. Yeates has served as President of the Society of Clinical Neuropsychology (Division 40 of the American Psychological Association) and of the International Neuropsychological Society. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Royal Society of Canada. He has been ranked as one of the top 10 most influential neuropsychologists in North America over the past 50 years.

Jonathan Jackson, Ph.D.

Jonathan Jackson, PhD, is the executive director of the Community Access, Recruitment, and Engagement (CARE) Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. CARE investigates the impact of diversity and inclusion on the quality of human subjects research and leverages deep community entrenchment to build trust and overcome barriers to clinical trial participation. His research focuses on midlife and late-life health disparities in clinical settings that affect underserved populations. Dr. Jackson also works as a cognitive neuroscientist, investigating the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, particularly in the absence of overt memory problems. He has become a well-known representative to underserved communities and dozens of affiliated organizations, particularly regarding participation in clinical research. Dr. Jackson serves on the leadership team of several organizations focused on community health, and has written guidance for local, statewide, and national groups on research access, engagement, and recruitment.