Brain Wellness - the Podcast

Peggy Reisher, MSW is the Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Nebraska, where she has led the organization since 2013. With more than 30 years of experience in brain injury, Peggy is a passionate advocate dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with brain injury and their families through education, advocacy, support, and systems change. She has helped develop innovative initiatives in resource facilitation, juvenile justice, domestic violence, and public policy, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Brain Injury Association of America. Peggy is a nationally recognized speaker who enjoys helping professionals better understand the often-hidden effects of brain injury and practical strategies for improving outcomes.

Find Peggy/BIANE at: https://biane.org/

Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BrainInjuryNebraska

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bianebraska/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brain-injury-alliance-of-nebraska/

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Mandi Swanson is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner with experience in healthcare since 1999. She is a four-time Top Nurse Practitioner award winner, received the Faculty Excellence award in her previous role of nursing professor, has been on the review committee for several nursing textbooks, was the recipient of the Women of Armor Personal Growth award for 2023, was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in 2024, and was the recipient of the Elinor D. Hands Award from the MN Brain Injury Alliance in 2025. In 2022, Mandi began her own podcast called Brain Wellness – the Podcast, initially covering a multitude of topics related to brain health and wellness and transitioning toward mostly brain injury topics since 2024, and has been a guest on multiple other podcasts. She has also presented at numerous local, regional, and state conferences. Additionally, she is an invited speaker for both national and global conferences in 2026.In 2023, Mandi was in a car accident and experienced a traumatic brain injury. She has merged knowledge gained from personal experience with her healthcare education to provide a unique brand of concussion care in her current practice as a brain injury Nurse Practitioner at Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology. She is an Ambassador for the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, an elected Board Member for the MN Brain Injury Alliance, and Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the Brain Injury Association of America.Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

April Ildvad is a licensed mental health therapist in Montana and Minnesota, she is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the American Brain Injury Association, a board member of the Montana Brain Injury Alliance and the Governor's TBI Advisory board. She is also a 27 year brain injury survivor.

Find April at: 

Email: [email protected]

BIA Montana: 406-541-6442

BIA Montana Helpline: 800-241-6442

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Kelsey Boyer is a brain health advocate, former professional snowboarder, and the founder and Executive Director of Save A Brain, a nonprofit dedicated to concussion and traumatic brain injury prevention, education, and awareness. After a traumatic brain injury ended her professional snowboarding career, Kelsey made it her mission to help others better understand, protect, and care for their brains. Today, she speaks around the country, develops educational programs for schools and communities, partners with healthcare organizations and brands to expand brain injury awareness, and creates resources that make brain health more accessible to people of all ages. Through Save A Brain, Kelsey has helped donate thousands of helmets, reached hundreds of thousands of people through education and advocacy, and continues to build a movement that empowers people to prioritize brain health before and after injury. Her mission is simple: to help create a world where brain health is valued just as much as physical health—because we only get one brain, and it makes us who we are.

Find Kelsy at: https://saveabraininc.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelsey-boyer-4a4077138/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelseyboyer/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveabrain/

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Mandi Dickey is a Board Certified Nurse Practitioner with experience in healthcare since 1999. She is a four-time Top Nurse Practitioner award winner, received the Faculty Excellence award in her previous role of nursing professor, has been on the review committee for several nursing textbooks, was the recipient of the Women of Armor Personal Growth award for 2023, was listed in Marquis Who’s Who in 2024, and was the recipient of the Elinor D. Hands Award from the MN Brain Injury Alliance in 2025. In 2022, Mandi began her own podcast called Brain Wellness – the Podcast, initially covering a multitude of topics related to brain health and wellness and transitioning toward mostly brain injury topics since 2024, and has been a guest on multiple other podcasts. She has also presented at numerous local, regional, and state conferences. Additionally, she is an invited speaker for both national and global conferences in 2026.In 2023, Mandi was in a car accident and experienced a traumatic brain injury. She has merged knowledge gained from personal experience with her healthcare education to provide a unique brand of concussion care in her current practice as a brain injury Nurse Practitioner at Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology. She is an Ambassador for the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, an elected Board Member for the MN Brain Injury Alliance, and Certified Brain Injury Specialist through the Brain Injury Association of America.

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/ Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Dr. Amy Coopersmith, OTD, OTR/L, MA Ed, FAOTA is an internationally recognized occupational therapist, educator, researcher, speaker, and children's author who has dedicated more than 30 years to helping youth become confident, capable, and self-determined. Dr. Coopersmith's groundbreaking research and published scholarly work focus on self-determination—the ability to make choices, solve problems, set goals, and believe in yourself. She is the founder of Self Determined Kids, creator of the Captain Me educational program and the Self-Determination Strategies Toolkit, and author of the award-winning children's book I'm Stuck. Through her engaging presentations, practical resources, and passion for empowering youth, parents, educators, and therapists, Dr. Coopersmith is changing the way we think about helping individuals move from dependence to independence. 

Find Amy at: https://www.selfdeterminedkids.com/

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dramycoopersmith/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/selfdeterminedkids/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrAmyCoopersmith

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@captainmekids

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Kristin McKenzie is an AVM and stroke survivor, former scare actor and video director working every day to recover from a life altering incident and bring awareness to aneurysm & stroke symptoms to save others from a condition that almost ended her life in 2024.

Find Kristin at: 

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristinstrong24

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckenzii/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristinwillis?mibextid=wwXIfr

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krwillis/

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Dr. Saara Haapanen is a performance psychologist, keynote speaker, executive performance coach, and founder of Performance is Haapanen. With a PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology, a background as an international-level athlete, and more than 26 years of coaching experience, she helps high-achieving humans improve motivation, energy, focus, and follow-through without burning themselves out. Her work blends performance science, wellness, motivation, ADHD-informed strategies, and real-life behavior change. She has worked with executives, physicians, entrepreneurs, educators, athletes, and organizations across the U.S., Canada, and Finland, including Denver Public Schools, Jefferson County Public Schools, UCHealth, Correctional Health Partners, the American Heart Association, and the Salvation Army. Dr. Saara served two terms on the Colorado Governor’s Council for Active and Healthy Lifestyles and has been featured in Forbes Health, Shape, Woman’s Day, Reader’s Digest, and other national media. Her mission is to help people work with their brains and bodies, not against them, so life and work feel less chaotic and more energizing.

Find Dr. Saara at: https://drsaara.com/

Or https://performanceishaapanen.com/

Or https://www.moveatworkchallenge.com/

Free resource: https://www.moveatworkchallenge.com/NDbundle

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dr_saara_haapanen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saara.haapanen/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsaarahaapanen/

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Dr. Steven Broglio has investigated concussion and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) for more than three decades, holding faculty positions at the University of Michigan in the School of Kinesiology, along with joint appointments in Neurology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Following his doctoral studies at the University of Georgia, Dr. Broglio established his research portfolio focused on the acute and persistent consequences of head trauma in athletes and military personnel. He currently holds multiple administrative roles, including the Associate Dean of Graduate Affairs for the School of Kinesiology and the Founding Director of the Michigan Concussion Center. In his directorial capacity, he heads collaborative, multi-disciplinary science aimed at advancing fundamental understanding in concussion prevention, accurate diagnosis, and optimal management strategies. His academic record is underscored by his status as a Fellow of multiple professional organizations (i.e., American College of Sports Medicine, National Academy of Kinesiology, and National Athletic Trainers Association), and he currently serves as the President of the international Concussion in Sport Group.

Find Steve at: https://concussion.umich.edu/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/umichconcussion/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/um-concussion-center/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-broglio/

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp

Wendy Lurrie is a former Chief Marketing Officer, growth and strategy executive, and the creator of Rupture: The World of BestGuessistan, a platform exploring what happens when systems fail—especially the human ones we rely on most. After a traumatic brain injury disrupted her ability to function in the ways she once could, Wendy began documenting the invisible, structural changes that follow rupture: shifts in cognition, perception, identity, and control. Her work draws from both lived experience and decades spent leading organizations, building brands, and navigating complex systems under pressure. She focuses on the gap between what looks normal from the outside and what no longer works underneath—particularly the failure of language, systems, and culture to accurately describe life after disruption. She is also the author of PANIC with Credentials: How Systems Survive by Making Failure Personal, which launched as the #1 new release in Organizational Design on Amazon.

Find Wendy at: https://www.bestguessistan.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61582849029381

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestguessistan/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendylurrie

Substack: https://bestguessistan.substack.com/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/Dry_Midnight_6742/

Find more about Brain Wellness at: https://brainwellnesssolutions.com/

Support the show with Buy me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/brainwellnessnp