Meet Our Members
With almost 200 members across Virginia, there is a wide variety of experiences, backgrounds, and connection to brain injury within our community. On a rotating basis, we highlight individuals from any membership level so we can all get to know each other better. *If you are a current member and want to be featured, email us.
Kenslea & Nanette
Family Members
Mother and daughter Nanette and Kenslea have been active family members of BIAV for years, regularly participating in conferences, camp, and support group meetings. Navigating a brain injury as a family is not always easy, but the pair always “shows up” for the brain injury community with a smile and a commitment to make things better.
Philip
Individual Member
Philip suffered a TBI at 18 in a car accident with a drunk driver. He spent almost a month in a coma and four months doing rehabilitation. Philip is now a Mechanical Engineer at a nuclear power plant. "What I enjoy most about being a member is having the chance to talk to others and to, hopefully, inspire the same drive and determination in them by showing them what is possible," said Philip.
Malvina
Professional Member
Malvina's experience in human services gives her the opportunity to work with people with brain injuries in many settings. Not only that, Malvina's brother lived with a traumatic brain injury for 40 years, and her husband experienced an acquired brain injury as a result of a stroke. "As a member, I hope to not only gain knowledge, but to share knowledge also. I would like to continue my pursuit to become a CBIS and use that in my current employment. It’s important for me to share information that is needed for others with BI, whether it is through networking, informational sharing, advocating or supporting through services."
Stephanie &
Virginia Supportive Housing
Advocacy Member
Stephanie is the Program Manager of the Brain Injury Program at Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH). She has been at VSH since its inception in 2005 and has spent the majority of her professional career working with people with brain injuries. “Advocacy is so important because we have such an under served population of Virginians in need of services for their brain injuries, and housing in a lot of cases. I have been fortunate enough to see, and be a part of, how specialized brain injury case management and stable housing can make a difference in someone’s life. The services we advocate for survivors of brain injury produce hope for the people we help, and the ones we hope to be able to help in the future,” said Stephanie.
