Susan Johnson MA CCC-SLP (Retired) *Founder

Executive Director
Susan is a Founder and past chair of the Board of the Georgia RSVP Clinic. She was also the past Director of Brain Injury Services for Shepherd Center and a certified CCM. She has 40 years of Brain Injury experience developing programs and services, speaking nationally and regionally, and advocating for people with brain injuries and their families. She is the past Chair of the ACRM BI ISIG DOC Subcommittee on Family Education. 

Tracey Wallace MS, CCC-SLP *Founder

Chair of the Board
Tracey is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Clinical Research Scientist with over 20 years experience helping people with brain injury maximize participation at home, work, school and in their community. She is the Project & Education Coordinator for SHARE Military Initiative, serving post-911 veterans with traumatic brain injury and comorbid conditions, where she oversees program development and research initiatives.

Juliet Haarbauer-Krupa, PhD, FACRM, CCC-SLP *Founder

Vice Chair of the Board
Juliet is a speech-language pathologist who is an Adjunct Faculty in the Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine. She has 40 years of experience in the field of Brain Injury developing programs, offering services, conducting research, speaking nationally and locally about brain injury, and advocating for individuals with brain injuries and their families. 

Lurae Ahrendt RN, CRRN *Founder

Secretary
LuRae is one of the Founders of the GA RSVP and has served over 4 years on the Advisory Board and as a Volunteer Client Navigator for the Clinic. She is a rehabilitation nurse case manager with more than 30 years of experience working with children and adults after brain injury. She has served as a Client Navigator with GA RSVP since its inception. She has served on many nonprofit boards providing support for individuals and families facing the challenges of brain injury as well as advocated for their needs and specialty services.

Shannon Ferguson MS, OTR/LCHT, MBA, MHA *Founder

Treasurer
Shannon has almost 20 years of experience working in healthcare as an occupational therapist.  For ten of these years, she was an upper extremity specialist at the Shepherd Center. An interest in pursuing leadership and professional growth ultimately led her back to school for an MBA/MHA dual degree. She is now pursuing healthcare administration with Wellstar Medical Group.

Payal Fadia MD, PMR * Founder

Physician
Dr. Fadia is a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with subspecialty board certification in brain injury medicine. She completed her residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine and fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine at the University of Texas–Houston. She is currently the Medical Director of Post Acute Brain Injury Services at Shepherd Center and practices at Shepherd Pathways.

James Johnson *Founder

SCI Peer Supporter
At 23 years old, James sustained a c6 complete spinal cord injury in a diving accident. After rehab at the Shepherd Center he recognized the importance of peer mentoring and became actively involved in multiple hospital and community peer mentor programs. Certified as a Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Peer Mentor, James is an excellent resource for newly injured clients and highly knowledgeable of the issues with chronic SCI.

Kaitlyn Darley MS, OTR/L

Volunteer Coordinator
Kaitlyn is an Occupational Therapist at the Shepherd Center Pathways Program in Atlanta, Georgia. Pathways is a comprehensive post-acute brain injury center with both a day program and outpatient services. Kaitlyn has worked in this setting since 2018 and provides services for people with strokes a TBI and acquired brain injuries.