Collaborators

Marty Kilbane, PT, DPT, OCS

Marty is the Supervisor of SCI/D Rehabilitation Therapies for the Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC's regional spinal cord injury center serving Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Michigan, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The Cleveland VAMC SCI/D Center is the first and only VA facility to be recognized by the ALS Association as an ALS Certified Center Program.    

Marty received his Bachelor’s of Science Degree from Fordham University in 1996, and he is a graduate of Cleveland State University's Physical Therapy program in 2000. He became a Board Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopedic Physical Therapy in 2007. He is currently enrolled in the University of Montana's transitional Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program with scheduled completion in May of 2015. Marty has presented approximately sixty formal lectures on a variety of physical therapy rehabilitation topics with the focus of utilizing current evidenced based practice and research to improve clinical outcomes in spinal cord injury and orthopedics. He is a co-author of six publications, and he is an instructor for the Doctoral of Physical Therapy Program at Walsh University. Marty received the 2014 “Distinguished Clinical” Award from the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals for contributions in the area of spinal cord injury rehabilitation.
Contact: MartinKilbane@va.gov


Eric Schearer, PhD

Eric is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at CSU (faculty profile) and an Investigator with the Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center (Cleveland FES Center Investigator profile). He develops control strategies for functional electrical stimulation to restore reaching movements in people with paralyzed arms due to cervical spinal cord injury. His work is inspired by the success of machine learning to produce control strategies in robotics.
His current areas of focus are: learning models of the response of the arm to electrical stimulation from force and motion data, planning feasible movement trajectories given limitations in functional electrical stimulation systems, and automatic improvement of functional electrical stimulation control based on tactile feedback from a therapist or caregiver. He collaborated with Dr. Whitford on multiple studies in the Motor Behavior Lab.
Contact: e.schearer@csuohio.edu

 
 
 Glenn Goodman, PhD, OTR/L

Glenn is Professor Emeritus and Part-Time Faculty in the Occupational Therapy Program at Cleveland State University.   He was a full time faculty member in the School of Health Sciences at Cleveland State from 1986-2017,  and has worked with the CSU Library and Disability Services to enhance Computing Services for Students with Disabilities at Cleveland State University. His research interests include Assistive Technology and Computer Access, Instructional Technology and Distance Education in Health Sciences, and Ergonomics in the Work Place. Glenn Goodman collaborated with Dr. Whitford in the Thrive Where You Are study as a Co-Principal Investigator.


Contact: g.goodman@csuohio.edu




Mary McNamara, LISW

Mary McNamara has worked for the Cleveland Department of Aging for over eight years and has played a great role in promoting involvement in research participation in the population with which she works. Recently, she has been appointed as the Director of Aging in December of 2016. Mary graduated from Ohio State University with her undergraduate degree in Social Work, as well as earning a Master of Science in Social Administration from the Mandel School of Applied Social Science at Case Western Reserve University. She is also a graduate of the Cleveland Management Academy through Cleveland State University. Over the past year, Mary McNamara has collaborated with Dr. Whitford in the Thrive Where You Are study.

Contact: mmcnamara@city.cleveland.oh.us



Joan Niederriter, PhD, MSN, RN

Dr. Joan Niederriter is an Associate Professor in the Nursing Program at Cleveland State University. Joan has a Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing, as well as a Ph.D. in Urban Education. She has worked as a nurse for the Cleveland Clinic Foundation since she has obtained her nursing license, and has been teaching at Cleveland State University since 2001. The classes she teaches include courses in medical, surgical, and cardiac clinical settings within the Nursing Program. One of Joan’s research interests includes nursing students’ perceptions of death and dying. Recently, Joan has collaborated with Dr. Whitford to receive a grant for TeamStepps programs held for students of multiple disciplines. This program focuses on building collaboration skills among students of various health care professions with the common goal of preventing falls in elders from the community.
Contact: j.niederriter@csuohio.edu



Cynthia Hovland, PhD, MSSW

Dr. Cynthia Hovland is an Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work at Cleveland State University. Cynthia has a Bachelor and Master of Social Work, as well as a Ph.D. in Social Welfare. She teaches both undergraduate students in the School of Social Work and serves as an adjunct faculty member in Cleveland State’s partnership with NEOMED. Her research interests include disparities in healthcare, spirituality in healthcare, end-of-life care, death and dying, caregiving, and Alzheimer’s disease. Recently, Cynthia has collaborated with Dr. Whitford to receive a grant for TeamStepps programs held for students of multiple disciplines. This program focuses on building collaboration skills among students of various health care professions with the common goal of preventing falls in elders from the community.
Contact: c.hovland@csuohio.edu