Presenter Bio
Peter A. Lichtenberg, PhD, ABPP is the Director of the Institute of Gerontology and a Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Wayne State University. He received his bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and his master’s and doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Purdue University. After his internship he completed a post doctoral fellowship in geriatric neuropsychology at the University of Virginia Medical School where he also became a faculty member. A clinician and researcher throughout his career Dr. Lichtenberg has made contributions to the practice of psychology across a variety of areas including in long term care, and in medical rehabilitation, working with those suffering from late life depression and age-related dementias. In 1997 he was awarded a Diplomate in Rehabilitation Psychology. He is a Fellow of both the American Psychological Association and the Gerontological Society of America. He has won numerous national and local awards including: the Early Career Award in Rehabilitation Psychology (1996); the outstanding achievement award from the national network Psychologists in Long Term Care (1999); The Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award and the Outstanding Graduate Mentor Award from Wayne State University (2001); The Alzheimer’s Advocate Award by the Michigan State Council for Alzheimer’s Disease (2002); and the Harry Kelly Award for his leadership in Gerontology (2005). Most recently he served as Chair of the American Psychological Association’s Committee on Aging (2008), on the APA’s Presidential Task Force on Integrated Care for an Aging Population (2007), and Chair of the Behavioral and Social Science Section of the Gerontological Society of America (2007). Dr. Lichtenberg has been the Director of the Institute of Gerontology for the past 10 years and serves on a number of national, state and local boards relevant to aging in our society.
Catherine L. Lysack, PhD, OT(C) is the Deputy Director of the Institute of Gerontology and an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy and Gerontology at Wayne State University. She received her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy (1988) from University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada, her master’s degree in rehabilitation sciences (1992) from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and her doctorate in community health sciences (1997) also from the University of Manitoba. She joined the University in 1997 and since that time has been teaching occupational therapy students, mentoring graduate studies in gerontology, and conducting research on a range of topics related to disability, rehabilitation and aging. In 2007 she was inducted into the American Occupational Therapy Foundation’s Academy of Research. Dr. Lysack’s major research interest is in how persons with chronic health conditions and disabilities build independent and meaningful community lives after illness and injury. She has received funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Retirement Research Foundation, and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.
Annmarie Cano, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Wayne State University and a licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Michigan. Dr. Cano is particularly interested in the reciprocal relationships between functional impairment, relationship distress, and psychological distress. To this end, she has conducted several studies of clinic and community chronic pain patients and their spouses using multiple methods (i.e., questionnaires, interviews, observation) to assess cognitive, behavioral, and affective dimensions of couples' chronic pain experience. Dr. Cano has published numerous journal articles and book chapters on couples' mental and physical health. She was awarded the Outstanding Contributions to Health Psychology Award by Division 38 of the American Psychological Association in 2006. She is currently co-chair of the Psychosocial Research Special Interest Group in the American Pain Society, and is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Family Psychology.
Gerry E. Conti, PhD, OTR. is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy program and Director of the Human Movement Laboratory at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Her bachelors and master’s degrees are in occupational therapy, from Indiana University and Eastern Michigan University, respectively. She earned her PhD in kinesiology with specialization in motor control in aging, at the University of Michigan. In addition to her educational background in aging, Dr. Conti has more than 25 years experience as an occupational therapist and researcher working with healthy and impaired older adults in a variety of healthcare settings.
Allon Goldberg, PhD, PT is an Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy in the Department of Health Care Sciences at Wayne State University where he directs the Mobility Research Laboratory. He obtained his BSc (Physiotherapy) in 1988, and his BSc (Medicine) (Hons.) (Applied Anatomy) in 1992 from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. In 2003, he earned his Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology at Wayne State University. He completed a National Institute on Aging-sponsored post-doctoral fellowship in gerontology at the University of Michigan from 2003-2005. His research focuses on determining the causes of balance-impairment and falls in older adults and in people with neurological disease and in devising rehabilitation interventions to avoid falls.
Mary Beth O’Connell, PharmD, FCCP is an Associate Professor in the Pharmacy Practice Department at the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. Dr. O’Connell received her B.S. in Pharmacy from Wayne State University and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Minnesota. She completed an ASHP approved residency at Harper Hospital, Detroit, MI and a research fellowship at the Drug Evaluation Unit, Minneapolis, MN. She is board certified in Pharmacotherapy and a fellow of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American College of Clinical Pharmacy. Her teaching, practice and research focuses on geriatric pharmacotherapy with an emphasis on osteoporosis prevention and treatment. She is an editor for the upcoming first women’s health textbook for pharmacy. She is a clinical pharmacist and Pharm.D. student preceptor at the Detroit Medical Center Geriatric Center of Excellence.
Stacey Schepens MSc, OTR obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degree in occupational therapy from Wayne State University (WSU). She is currently a doctoral student in the Instructional Technology program at WSU and holds an NIH-sponsored pre-doctoral fellowship with the Institute of Gerontology. She is the research coordinator of the mobility research laboratory in the physical therapy program at WSU, guided by her pre-doctoral adviser Dr. Allon Goldberg. Her research interests include balance and falls in older adults. Her dissertation topic is focused on the evaluation of safety and falls prevention programs for older adults.
Joseph M. Pellerito Jr., PhD, OTR, CDI is an Associate Professor in the Occupational Therapy Program at Wayne State University. He received a BSc in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University's Honors College in Kalamazoo, Michigan and a Masters of Science degree in Technology in Rehabilitation and Special Education from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. His teaching focuses on adult physical dysfunction theory and practice, assistive technology, health conditions, and rehabilitation administration. His research interests include the application of assistive technology, technology in society, people with disabilities as a consumer group, and driver rehabilitation. His professional service includes consulting for a services oriented company providing on- and off-line support for people with disabilities, their caregivers, and industry professionals.
Fredrick D. Pociask, PhD, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT is an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Wayne State University. Dr. Pociask earned his bachelors and master’s degrees in physical therapy from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and his doctorate in Instructional Technology at Wayne State University. He has advanced clinical expertise in orthopedic rehabilitation and his research interests focus on the design and evaluation of instructional technology in teaching and the link between instructional technology and student learning outcomes.