CBIRD Brain Injury Gala

Keynote Speaker - William J. Butler

Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired) • President, National Veterans Memorial and Museum

Colonel (Retired) William J. Butler is the President of the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, Ohio, where he leads the nation's museum dedicated to honoring all veterans, elevating their stories, and amplifying the power of service for everyone, everywhere. A Cincinnati native, Colonel Butler served 27 years on active duty as a U.S. Army infantry officer, Army Ranger, and paratrooper, commanding Ranger, Airborne, and Infantry units and serving three combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Following his military retirement, he served as a senior Department of the Army civilian with U.S. Army Africa before joining the Museum in 2019. Colonel Butler is a Senior Executive Fellow of the Harvard Kennedy School and holds graduate degrees from the U.S. Army War College and Troy University. He and his wife, Mindy, are the parents of two adult children who have also chosen careers in public service.

Lisa Huelskamp, LPC, CWC, NCC, PhD

Brain Injury Survivor • Licensed Professional Counselor • Certified Wellness Counselor • PhD Recipient in STEM

Lisa Huelskamp, a survivor of multiple brain injuries, is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a certified wellness counselor (CWC), and earned her PhD in STEM education from OSU noting that she’s proud to be a 4-time OSU graduate. She retired as a clinical research assistant at Ohio State College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health last year and continues to run her private practice Red Apple Counseling and Consultation. Lisa taught middle school for 32 years and served 9 years as an adjunct instructor at OSU. She is a professional musician, enjoys traveling with her husband, gardening, baking, volunteering for Great Dane and cat rescues, and running Union County's Brain Injury Support Group at Memorial Hospital in Marysville.

Sheital Bavishi, DO

Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, The Ohio State University • Medical Director, Brain Injury Program, Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital

Dr. Bavishi is a physiatrist, who focuses on Brain Injury Rehabilitation and Recovery and has a passion for medical education. Dr. Bavishi is a Clinical Associate Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) with The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine and the Medical Director of the Brain Injury Program for Dodd Rehabilitation Hospital. She is board certified in PM&R and Subspecialty Board Certified in Brain Injury Medicine. Dr. Bavishi completed her medical education at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, her residency in PM&R at University of Cincinnati, and her fellowship in Traumatic Brain Injury and Polytrauma at the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center in conjunction with Virginia Commonwealth University.  She has been practicing in academic medicine since 2010. Additionally, she is a Faculty Member of the Center for Brain Injury Recovery & Discovery (CBIRD), and serves on committees for NeuroNights and CBIRD's Gala.

Lailah Rudolph

The Ohio State University Graduate & BRAIN Alumna

Lailah Rudolph is a graduate of The Ohio State University and was a dedicated member of Buckeyes Raising Awareness in Neuroscience (BRAIN) for four years. During her time with the organization, she served as Community Day Director, NeuroNights Director, and Gala Director. Through these leadership roles, Lailah helped create opportunities for students to engage with the brain injury community, support survivors and their families, and raise awareness through educational events, fundraising initiatives, and community outreach. She remains passionate about ensuring that individuals affected by brain injuries feel seen, heard, and supported.

Hat Trick

Hat Trick is an acoustic guitar group out of Columbus, Ohio who have blended strong harmonies for crowds since the fall of 1997. The group has a diverse play list selection (mostly covers, a few originals), female and male lead vocals, dedicated supporters, and 'never the same' request-based performances. Band members include Lisa Huelskamp (our gala's survivor speaker!), Tim Berridge, and Patrick Buzzard.

Buckeye Philharmonic Orchestra

The Buckeye Philharmonic Orchestra at The Ohio State University is a student-run symphony orchestra dedicated to giving all eager instrumentalists the chance to play challenging music in a social setting. The orchestra plays a full symphonic repertoire and performs one concert each semester. Musicians in the orchestra can also participate in community outreach events through chamber music performances like this.

Our gala will feature a talented string quartet with the following musicians - Aaron West (Clarinet/Flute), Navya Garg (Violin), Brandon Waite (Viola) and Aidan Dever (Cello).