Gianna Spirio
Keynote Speaker

Gianna Spirio is a 26-year old young woman and has had epileptic seizures since she was two years old. Gianna currently works at a preschool for children with disabilities and is finishing up a Master's in Early Childhood Special Education. Gianna has had nearly 13 brain surgeries in order to control her intractable epilepsy. In 2021, she had her last surgery - a successful laser ablation. Gianna has been seizure free since and is passionate about sharing her story. As an epilepsy advocate, she focuses on the importance of always having hope and being resilient during the tough times.  

Matthew P. Windrum
Epilepsy Advocate

Matthew is a volunteer Advocacy Champion for the Epilepsy Foundation.  He lived with daily focal impaired awareness seizures for nine years, and the stress, anxiety and fatigue known to accompany them.  Fortunately, a surgical procedure that removed most of his right temporal lobe and some surrounding tissue ultimately helped him to become seizure free for the past 12 years. Matthew is a government relations professional with experience across multiple states for such employers as Kasirer LLC, Western Governors University, The Doe Fund and the British & Japanese Consulates General in New York.  He is a volunteer consultant for Dignity Beyond Borders, which works to create safe and inclusive global communities for survivors of traumatic loss.  He lives in Croton-on-Hudson, NY with his wife, Susan, and - when they're not away at college - their son and daughter, Ryan and Emma.

Elizabeth A. Ng, MD
Connecticut Children's/UConn School of Medicine

Dr. Elizabeth Ng is a child neurologist specializing in pediatric epileptic seizures and neuromuscular disorders and an academic clinician-educator in clinical neurophysiology and electrodiagnostic medicine.  She is an assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and a clinical trial investigator at the Connecticut Children’s Research Institute.  Prior to becoming a pediatric epileptologist and neuromuscular neurologist, Dr. Ng was a practicing general pediatrician for a decade, a gratifying and introspective period that deepened her empathy and compassion in caring for children with neurological conditions.  In addition to being part of the NAEC Level 4 Pediatric Epilepsy Center, the Pediatric MDA/Neuromuscular Clinic, and the multidisciplinary Brachial Plexus/Peripheral Nerve Injury Clinic, Dr. Ng directs the AANEM-accredited Electrodiagnostic Laboratory at Connecticut Children’s.

Dr. Ng is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM), the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (ACNS), and the American Epilepsy Society (AES).  She serves on various national committees of medical organizations focusing on education, assessment, and examination.  She is a reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed clinical and research journals in pediatrics, neurology, and pediatric neurosciences.  She is an editorial board member for Pediatrics in Review and Pediatric Neurology, a country editor for the Journal of Pediatric Neurology, and an associate editor for the Journal of Pediatric Epilepsy.  Dr. Ng serves on the professional advisory boards of the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York and the Epilepsy Foundation of Connecticut.  Dr. Ng holds specialty/subspecialty board certifications in General Pediatrics, Child Neurology, Epilepsy, Epilepsy Monitoring, Neuromuscular Medicine, and Electrodiagnostic Medicine.

Rebecca Spiegel, MD, MA, FAES
Stony Brook University Hospital/Renaissance School of Medicine

 Dr. Rebecca Spiegel has served as Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology and Chief of EEG/Epilepsy since 2012, driving significant advancements in epilepsy care and neurophysiology at Stony Brook University Medical Center. Her leadership has been instrumental in achieving and maintaining the prestigious Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center designation for SBUMC, solidifying the institution’s reputation in neurological care. Additionally, Dr. Spiegel is a fellow of the American Epilepsy Society and serves as the Director of Sleep Neurology at Stony Brook. Her dedication to clinical excellence has earned her numerous accolades, including the Stony Brook Employee of the Month Award and the Leadership Award from the Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island.

Dr. Spiegel is also a committed scholar, collaborator, and mentor, contributing to a wide range of clinical research, particularly in epilepsy and neuroendocrinology. Her involvement in several national and regional societies, including the American Epilepsy Society, has seen her serve on various committees aimed at advancing epilepsy care standards. She is also a member of the Long Island Epilepsy Foundation Advisory Board. In her teaching role, she has developed comprehensive curricula in epilepsy and sleep neurology, actively mentoring residents and junior faculty. Dr. Spiegel has also co-organized impactful symposiums, such as the Stony Brook-led international women’s health symposium and the Annual Symposium on Clinical Updates in Neuroscience at Stony Brook.

Allayna (Frank) Naum, MSGC
Upstate University Hospital

Allayna Naum is a genetic counselor at the SUNY Upstate Hospital Department of Neurology. She provides genetic counseling and testing for children and adults in New York State, with a special focus on epilepsy and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Alison Kukla, MPH
Epilepsy Foundation

Alison Kukla, MPH, is the Senior Manager for Programs and Partnerships at the Epilepsy Foundation where she providers leadership for the Foundation’s SUDEP activities and bereavement support services. She also supports dissemination of epilepsy self-management programs and establishes and maintains strategic national partnerships. Alison is a public health professional and former staff in President Barack Obama’s White House and United States Environmental Protection Agency. Alison has a Master of Public Health from Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, and she is also a person with epilepsy having lived with active seizures since her diagnosis in 2006.

Jaimie Mulliger
Epilepsy Advocate

Jaimie is an epilepsy advocate and volunteers with Empowering People's Independence as a co-facilitator for PACES, a guided support group for adults with epilepsy. Jamie was diagnosed with Primary Generalized Epilepsy 30 plus years ago and have been seizure free for the past 15 years on medication. Jaimie's seizures were active from age 12 until age 28 when she was also diagnosed with Myoclonic Juvenile Epilepsy. For the last nine years, Jaimie has worked for Canandaigua National Bank & Trust and for the past 6 years has been the Assistant Branch Manager at their Pittsford Community Office focusing on relationship managing, commercial and consumer lending, account management and more.  Jaimie is the proud mom of one teenage son, Connor.

Colleen Quinn
Epilepsy Advocate

Colleen Quinn is Paul St. Pierre's mom, the namesake of Paul's Law in New Jersey. Colleen has worked with children and adults with autism and other disabilities for over 30 years in a variety of capacities for both private and public schools. She received her B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers and is a certified CPI (Crisis Prevention Instructor). Since Paul's diagnosis of epilepsy in February 2019, Colleen has worked tirelessly to create Paul's Law in NJ for Seizure Safe Schools. She has become a dedicated fundraiser and epilepsy advocate, meeting with legislators on the state, and national level to discuss policy related to epilepsy. She formed Paul's Purple Warriors in 2020, a nonprofit based in NY, working on education education and awareness initiatives. Colleen also manages a Facebook group called National Advocates for Seizure Safe Schools to assist other advocates in pursuit of Seizure Safe Schools in various other states across the country. To date, Colleen has helped to pass Seizure Safe School legislation in 10 states. Colleen also initiated Seizure Safe Signs legislation in NY, which passed in 2023 and disseminated seizure first aid signs to all businesses. Colleen is currently working on a federal legislation related to Seizures Safe Schools.