U of U Speakers

James Ballard, PT, DPT

James Ballard, PT, DPT, has been a faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah since 2004. He is a clinical assistant professor and the co-director of the University Rehabilitation and Wellness Clinic. In the entry level physical therapy curriculum he teaches: management in geriatrics, men’s and women’s health and wellness and assists in teaching vestibular rehabilitation.

Jim’s chief clinical interests are balance training, vestibular rehabilitation and male and female pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation. He is a member of the Deep Brain Stimulation Team at the University Health Sciences Center. In this capacity, he assesses the motor effects of levodopa in individuals with Parkinson’s disease before deep brain stimulation surgery and also performs pre-operative assessments for individuals with essential tremor and dystonia.

Kristen Black-Bain, DPT

Kristen Black-Bain, DPT, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah Comprehensive Neuro Rehab outpatient clinic. She is a native of Utah and attended the University of Utah, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Anthropology in 2006. She went on to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona, graduating in 2010. Kristen has worked in outpatient rehab, specializing in the treatment of individuals with spinal cord injury since the start of her career in 2010. In addition to clinical care, she also works as the Clinical Coordinator overseeing day-to-day operations and scheduling. Kristen is pursuing a board certification as a Neuro Clinical Specialist in March 2014. Kristen was recently married and lives with her husband and three dogs in Sugarhouse, Utah.

George W. Deimel, MD

George W. Deimel, MD, is currently a Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellow at the University of Utah. He completed his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN. He served as chief resident in his final year. During his training, he has served as a team physician for high school football and ice hockey teams, Division I Collegiate Sports (football, basketball, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rugby), and US Speed Skating. Dr. Deimel's interests include the care of acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries, MSK ultrasound, interventional spine, and electrodiagnostics. Following his fellowship, he will be establishing a PM&R practice with a multi-specialty group in Northwest Arkansas.

Leland E. Dibble, P.T., Ph.D., A.T.C.

Leland E. Dibble, P.T., Ph.D., A.T.C., trained Neuroscience researcher who is currently an Associate Professor within the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Utah. For the past 15 years, Dr. Dibble had directed the University Rehabilitation and Wellness Clinic, a clinic that delivers preventative and traditional rehabilitation care for persons with persons with chronic neurologic disease including but not limited to persons with Parkinsonism. His research postural control and gaze stability in persons with degenerative neurologic diseases such as Parkinson Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. As a component of this research, he and his colleagues study the effects of physical activity and exercise on the progression of disability in PD. This research has been supported in part by grants from the Davis Phinney Foundation, the American Parkinson Disease Association, the Parkinson Disease Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation.

Perry G. Fine, MD

Perry G. Fine, MD, completed medical school in 1981 at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. He served an internship in 1982 at the Community Hospital of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa, California, and completed his residency in 1984 at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center in Salt Lake City. In addition, Dr. Fine completed a fellowship in 1985 at the Smythe Pain Clinic of the University of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.

Dr. Fine is a Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology of the School of Medicine at the University of Utah, where he serves on the faculty in the Pain Research Center, and is an attending physician in the Pain Management Center. Dr. Fine is the National Strategic Advisor for Capital Hospice, Washington, DC developing sustainable models of advanced illness coordinated care in community settings, as an integrative component of comprehensive advanced illness care. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors and is Immediate Past President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and represents the Academy on the Steering Committee of the Pain Care Coalition, Washington, DC. He also serves on the Clinical Models Committee of the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC). He serves on the Board of Directors of ISA Scientific, developing new safe and effective analgesic therapies for the treatment of chronic pain.

Dr. Fine is widely published in the fields of pain management and end-of-life care. He serves on several scientific advisory boards and the editorial boards of several peer-reviewed medical journals, including Pain Medicine and the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. As a medical avocation, he worked as a team physician for the University of Utah football team for 18 years and was a medical officer for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He is the recipient of the 2007 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Distinguished Hospice Physician Award, and the 2008 American Pain Society John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award. He is the recipient of the American Academy of Pain Management’s 2010 Head and Heart award and the 2011 Nyswander Award, presented at the annual Pain and Chemical Dependency meeting in New York City. In 2012, the Perry G. Fine, MD Endowed Fund in Pain and Palliative Medicine was created at West Virginia University by Hospice Care Inc. to honor his contributions to the fields of pain and palliative care and ensure ongoing continuing health professionals’ education in these essential domains. He was honored with the 2012 “Passion for Caring” award by Capital Caring, presented at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.

James Gardner, OTR/L

James Gardner, OTR/L, at the University of Utah Hospital. James was acquired to develop the assistive technology program for the Department of Rehab. He graduated with a Master’s of Occupational Therapy from the University of Utah in 2012. James is an adjunct faculty for the University of Utah Department of Occupational Therapy.

Nathan Godfrey, S-PhD

Nathan Godfrey, S-PhD, candidate at the University of Utah in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. His research is in the area of Ergonomics, Safety, and Biomechanics. His doctoral dissertation is titled “Biomechanics of fall prone subjects during the hospital bed exit task”.

Michael Henrie, D.O.

Michael Henrie, D.O., is a board certified Sports Medicine Physician. He completed a residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the University of Utah. He is currently the Medical Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Utah South Jordan Health Center, and the Co-medical Director of the Salt Lake City Marathon and Utah Marathon. In addition to being part of the University of Utah Sports Medicine Team, he serves as a one of the team physicians for local high schools through the University’s Sports Medicine Outreach Program. Dr. Henrie’s current research interests are sports injury epidemiology, musculoskeletal ultrasound, and concussion.

Edward P. Quigley III, MD, PhD

Edward P. Quigley III, MD, PhD, centers his research on improving detection, characterization, and the treatment of neurologic and neurosurgical diseases through advanced imaging.

Disease processes studied by Dr. Quigley include multiple sclerosis, stroke, neoplasm, epilepsy imaging, dementia and aging brain, vascular anomalies and aneurysm.

Sue Sandwick, PT, DPT, NCS

Sue Sandwick, PT, DPT, NCS, has been a physical therapist practicing in Neurologic Rehab for 25 years, primarily specializing in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) rehabilitation. She has been a full time and adjunct faculty/ instructor at the University of Utah, Department of Physical Therapy for 23 years. She obtained her Neurologic Clinical Specialist Certification in 2004, and in 2009 earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Utah. She has recently become certified as an International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Nordic Skiing Classifier. Sue presently specializes in Wheelchair Seating and Mobility and is developing and coordinating the Wheelchair Seating and Mobility Program at the University of Utah.

Lubdha M. Shah, MD

Lubdha M. Shah, MD, is the director of spine imaging. Dr. Shah’s clinical and research interests include functional MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, MR perfusion imaging and MR spectroscopy in brain and spinal tumors as well as degenerative disease. She performs a variety of neurointerventional spinal procedures such as epidural steroid injections.

Rob Shingleton, PT DPT

Rob Shingleton, PT DPT, is currently the Program Coordinator of the Spasticity Management Program at University of Utah Health Care. He has been actively involved in the Wheelchair Seating and Positioning Program at the University of Utah for 10 years. He attended the University of Utah where he received his undergraduate and doctorate degrees in Physical Therapy in 1994 and 2006, respectively. His interests include spasticity management, wheelchair seating and positioning and research in those areas. He has extensive experience in spinal cord injury, brain injury and stroke rehabilitation and is an adjunct faculty instructor at The University of Utah School of Physical Therapy.

Sarina Kay Sinclair, Ph.D.

Sarina Kay Sinclair, Ph.D., has been involved in orthopaedic research for over 15 years with a focus on bone response to implant materials and the development of mesenchymal stem cell-based bone graft systems. Since joining the University of Utah she has been focused on the safe introduction of osseointegrated (OI) implants for amputees in the United States. Dr. Sinclair is currently managing an upcoming clinical trial for an OI design that has been funded by the Department of Veteran Affairs and industry sponsor DJO Surgical. Her other research interest include the skeletal attachment of devices in the spine and working to improve surgical techniques for spinal fusion. Her memberships include the Orthopaedic Research Society and the Society for Biomaterials.