Our Story
Our Mission
Our mission is to improve the quality of life for anyone impacted by brain injury by providing support, advocacy, and information, while promoting brain injury prevention.
Our Vision
Our vision is a world where all individuals with brain injury and their caregivers maximize their quality of life, the consequences of all unavoidable brain injuries are minimized and all preventable brain injuries are prevented.
BIANJ is a chartered state affiliate of the United States Brain Injury Alliance (USBIA), and together, united, we are inspiring hope and improving the lives of our citizens with brain injury.
Since being founded in 1981 by a small group of concerned parents of children who had sustained brain injury, we’ve grown to become the primary source of information, education, advocacy, support, and hope for people with brain injury and their families in New Jersey. Today, our dedicated staff, board, volunteers, donors, and community partners provide service to 10,000 New Jersey residents each year. View the Annual Report.
Make a difference for people impacted by brain injury today.
Helpline: 1-800-669-4323
Email: info@bianj.org
Main Office: 732- 745-0200
Wendy Berk, MSW, LCSW
Chief Executive Officer
Rita Steindlberger
Chief Strategy Officer
Administrative
Jennifer Suresh
Director of Operations
Kasey McNulty
Program Assistant
Kris Hopwood
Technology Coordinator
Sakina Ladha, MD, MPH
Project Director
Sophie Wilkinson
Research Assistant
Finance
Naomi Torres-Fernandez
Director of Finance
Susan Gerringer
Accounting/Finance Associate
Shilpa Verma
Accounts Payable/Receivable Specialist
Gisela Rutch
Finance Consultant
Communications
Kristen Doyle
Communications Consultant
Victoria Humphries
Communications Coordinator
Education
and Outreach
Barbara Chabner, PsyD
Director of Education and Outreach
Kate O’Connor, MPH, CHES
Director of Public Health and Safety
Debbie Aidelman, MS
Education and Development Coordinator
Rachel Ishak
Community Outreach Specialist
Kim Myers
Community Outreach Specialist
Susan Quick, CBIS
Public Education Coordinator
Noelle Santos
Public Education Coordinator
Advocacy
Tom Grady, MPA, DTM
Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs
Support Coordination
Nicole DeLorenzo, MS
Co-Director of Support Coordination
Kara Francis
Co-Director of Support Coordination
Amri Clowers
Support Coordinator
Heather Klouser
Support Coordinator
Rebecca Martin
Support Coordinator
Amber Navara, MSW
Support Coordinator
Shannon O’Donnell
Support Coordinator
Anna Slinsky
Support Coordinator
Sovann Stark
Support Coordinator
Allison Waller
Support Coordinator
Yamilec Pardo
Support Coordinat0r
Kim Pedersen
Support Coordination Supervisor
CARES/Helpline/
Support Services
Elizabeth Van Roten, MSW, LCSW
Director of Support Services
Stacy Lyons, CBIS
Manager of Support Services
Katie Colandrea
Community Resource Specialist
Valerie Farrow
Community Resource Specialist
Lorraine Ferreira
Community Resource Specialist
Bianca Rodriguez
Community Resource Specialist
Sue Whitlock
Community Resource Specialist