#AdvocacyMatters: A Day of Learning

August 29, 2025 / #AdvocacyMatters

Our advocacy and our work are at their best when informed by real experiences and new discoveries. Through collaboration with experts and by listening to those experiencing disabilities firsthand, we can better focus and align our work where its needed.

Earlier this month, our entire team gathered together for a day of learning about Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs). More than 115,000 TBIs receive medical attention in Ohio each year, and people who experience a TBI are 2.5 times more likely to have a disability. TBIs also increase the risk of developing poor general health, poor mental health, and depression. Because of all this crossover, a better understanding of TBIs is important to maximize our work.

This summit included a diverse range of presentations covering many aspects of Traumatic Brain Injury causes, diagnosis, treatment, and resources:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury Overview, with Dr. John Corrigan of the Ohio Brain Injury Program
  • Traumatic Brain Injury grant history and compliance, with Kristin Hildebrant of Disability Rights Ohio
  • Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries, with Dr. Christine Koterba of Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Sara Timms of Columbus City Schools
  • Partner-Inflicted Brain Injuries, with Kasey Holderbaum of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network
  • Resources for Traumatic Brain Injuries, with Lauren Holly of the Brain Injury Association of Ohio

“DRO staff heard from some of Ohio’s foremost experts in traumatic brain injury about its causes and life-long impacts. We learned how a traumatic brain injury affects children differently than adults-information that will help DRO’s education team better advocate for early intervention for students who sustain a brain injury,” reflected DRO’s Kristin Hildebrant, who helped to organize the summit. “Our advocacy is now better informed.”

Through constant learning, focus, and refinement, we can maximize the impact our small but mighty team can have on those who need us.

#AdvocacyMatters

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