In the News &
Around the Community
Dr. Jerry Hoepner, Loren Johnson and Mike Dillon (survivors) spoke Tuesday Oct 27th in Oshkosh at the N.E.W. Connection’s Mental Health Series- Preventing Deaths of Despair Series focusing on TBI as a risk factor. They focused on recognizing long-term impacts of TBI, connections between TBI and suicide risks, implications for screening and care and prevention opportunities across Wisconsin systems. If you or your company are looking for educational resources regarding brain injuries, please reach out to us at resource@biawi.org. A big thanks to both Mike and Loren for being vulnerable and sharing more of your story!
Mike Dillon and his service dog, Arthur
Loren Johnson
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, through a partnership with the Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin, will continue to
provide support for Wisconsin
residents with brain injuries
thanks to a three-year,
$600,000 federal grant renewal.
Carol Hoepner, RN, BIAW Neuro Resource Facilitator was on hand for the UW-Eau Claire Wellness Fair Sept 29th, 2026 on the UW-EC campus. Our spinner wheel was popular with students and faculty alike!
If there are any other events people would like to contact us about attending, please email Carol at resource@biawi.org for inquiries!
Over 1000 people attended the L.E. Phillips Senior Center Senior Resource Fair on Tuesday September 15, 2026 in Eau Claire. BIAW proudly represented with education, resources, and our new brain wheel at the ready!
Audrey Nelson, Executive Director of Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin was in New London this past weekend, August 8th, 2026 with a BIAW booth at the Rock n’ Corn Festival to benefit TBI survivors and their families. We would love to connect with more community events like this, please use Subscribe (below) to let us know of anything you may be involved with! Thank you!
Brain In-Com brings week of Brain Injury Advocacy
Carol Hoepner, RN and BIAW Resource Facilitator attended the Augusta Senior Center Resource Fair May 7, 2026. She shared resources on fall prevention, brain injury and support groups as well as handed out 15 donated trek poles to community members that attended.
Listen in as Executive Director, Audrey Nelson and Dr. Jerry Hoepner are interviewed on WPR by Shereen Siewert.
Kathryn Paulson and Brendan Constantine join Professor Jerry K. Hoepner, PhD, CCC-SLP to describe how a group of dynamic poets emerged from workshops for individuals with stroke-based aphasia and traumatic brain injuries. Beginning as an idea to spur creativity and help participants share their stories, the meetings quickly developed into the “Thursday Night Poets” group. Their first published work, described here, offers poetry of deep meaning and resonance for anyone who has ever faced a challenge.
Emily Casey’s Story - UW Eau Claire
Most students expect to face some challenges during college, academically and otherwise. Nothing, however, could have prepared Emily Casey for the difficulties she faced in her first year at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire — physical and emotional struggles that nearly pushed her to give up her college dreams.
