Tom Caven, MD                             
VP Medical Affairs & Medical Director
University Medical Center at Brackenridge
Seton Family of Hospitals

Since 2001, Dr. Tom Caven has been Vice President of Medical Affairs and Medical Director at Brackenridge Hospital, a member of the Seton Family of Hospitals. Additionally he chairs the board of the Seton Medical Group, a 501a corporation, and is the physician member of the Seton Network Risk Assessment Committee, performing risk assessment and medico-legal analysis. He serves on the External Advisory Committee of the UT School of Biomedical Engineering, and was a charter member of the Texas Human Rehabilitation Consortium, a multi-institutional collaborative between UT Austin, University of Texas Medical Branch, the Seton Healthcare Network, and others.

Stanley Wang, MD, JD, MPH
Director of Legislative Affairs, Austin Heart
Clinical Cardiovascular Disease, Austin Heart South
Assistant Professor of Medicine (Adjunct), University of North Carolina

Stanley Wang of Austin is a clinical cardiologist and director of legislative affairs for Austin Heart. He is a member of the American Heart Association, American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and Travis County Medical Society. He is a delegate of the Texas Medical Association, a councilor of the Texas Chapter of the American College of Cardiology, and serves on the Texas Medical Board*. He is also a volunteer speaker with Go Red for Women. Dr. Wang received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, a medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania, and a master’s degree in public health from the Harvard University School of Public Health.

*Any views or opinions expressed by Dr. Wang are solely his, and are not representative of the Texas Medical Board.

Erin D. Bigler Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
Brigham Young University

Erin D. Bigler, PhD, is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, where he established the Brain Imaging and Behavior Laboratory, and where he currently researches neuroimaging variables in cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders. Dr. Bigler also serves as an adjunct professor of psychiatry at The Brain Institute at the University of Utah. He is a diplomat in clinical neuropsychology, has authored or coauthored nine textbooks, and published more than 300 peer-reviewed articles on neuropsychology, neuroimaging, and neuroscience. Currently, he serves as treasurer of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) and was a founding associate editor of its journal, The Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society. Dr. Bigler is coauthor of the Clinical Assessment Scales for the Elderly™ (CASE™).

James S. Misko, Psy.D.
Clinical Neuropsychologist
President/Co-Owner
CORE Health Care

Dr. Jim Misko, Co-Owner and President of CORE Health Care, has specialized in neuropsychology for the past 15 years. He has committed his time and energy to helping improve the quality of life for people who have survived traumatic brain injuries and other neurological disorders. Besides coordinating treatment at CORE and a number of other local programs, Dr. Misko lectures nationally and throughout Texas endeavoring to raise awareness of brain injury-related issues. In appreciation of these efforts, the Brain Injury Association of Texas awarded him the 2003 Professional Contribution of the Year. Dr. Misko is currently Vice Chair of the American Academy for the Certification of brain Injury Specialists (AACBIS) a standing committee of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA).

Steven Warach, MD, PhD
Neurologist
Founding Executive Director
Seton/UT Southwestern Clinical Research Institute in Austin

Steven Warach, MD, PhD, is a board-certified vascular neurologist.  Dr. Warach is the founding executive director of the new Seton/UT Southwestern Clinical Research Institute in Austin, Texas established to foster discoveries that can result in immediate improvements across the spectrum of clinical medicine. His research focuses on using advanced MRI methods to diagnose strokes as early as possible. He is conducting the type of definitive studies that will change clinical practices on the day they are published. He is integrally involved at the confluence of clinical, educational and research endeavors that will be of great significance for Texas.

The Clinical Research Institute is the latest milestone in the two-year-old partnership between UT Southwestern and Seton, which is the leading provider of health care services in Central Texas. A major goal of the institute is to translate laboratory research into medical devices, treatments and other uses for doctors and patients. It also expands the footprint of UT Southwestern’s world-class research programs to the Austin area.

Alex B. Valadka, MD, FAANS, FACS
Neurosurgery
Seton Brain & Spine Institute

Dr. Alex Valadka attended the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas. He went on to medical school at the University of Chicago. His interest in neurotrauma and critical care led him to pursue residency training at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He joined the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine, becoming Professor of Neurosurgery with tenure before serving as Vice Chair of Neurosurgery at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He joined Seton in 2009 and serves as the CEO of Seton Brain & Spine Institute. Dr. Valadka is active in national neurosurgery. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and as Chair of the Washington Committee for Neurosurgery. Dr. Valadka is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, for whom he has served numerous times as an examiner.

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Target Audience

This event is open to Physicians, Nurses and Healthcare Professionals, case managers specializing neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology, stem cell research, trauma, critical care, and rehabilitation as well as other health care professionals interacting with the traumatic brain injuries and stroke care community.  We welcome the attendance and participation of stroke and traumatic brain injury survivors as well as their caregivers as these individuals are often very knowledgeable about the current state of the research and ambassadors for sharing responsible information throughout the community

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) through the joint sponsorship of Seton Healthcare Family, Texas Cures Education Foundation, Texans for Stem Cell Research, and Core Health Foundation. The Seton Healthcare Family is accredited by TMA to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The presentation, "Regulatory and Policy Considerations for Adult-Derived Stem Cells", has been designated by Seton Healthcare Family for 0.5 hours of education in medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

The Seton Healthcare Family designates this live activity for a maximum of 3.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

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Seton Family of Hospitals is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Texas Nurses Association, an accredited approved by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

This educational activity will provide 3.0 contact hours upon successful completion.

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This program has been pre-approved by the Commission for Case Manager Certification to provide continuing education credit to Certified Case Managers (CCMs).