Our Staff

Dr. Gordon has a broad background in neurophysiology and biomechanics and has extensive clinical and research expertise involving children with cerebral palsy. He has been studying hand motor control in healthy individuals and individuals with CP for over 25 years. In 1996 he founded the Center for Cerebral Palsy Research at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Center places emphasis on understanding the mechanisms underlying motor disorders associated with CP, and developing evidence-based treatment approaches targeting these disorders using motor learning approaches taking advantage of neuroplasticity. More than 300 children with unilateral CP (hemiplegia) have participated in constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), bimanual training (HABIT), and recently combined upper and lower extremity training day camps (HABIT-ILE) for children with bilateral CP. Recently he has been capitalizing on his neuroplasticity findings associated with these approaches to pair non-invasive brain stimulation with motor training, and he and his colleagues have developed a robotic trunk training device for training seated postural control. He is a fellow in the National Academy of Kinesiology, has more than 160 peer-reviewed papers and has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and numerous private foundations.

Dr. Friel is the director of the Clinical Laboratory for Early Brain Injury Recovery at the Burke Neurological Institute. Her research focuses on the importance of motor activity in neurorehabilitation for children and adults with cerebral palsy. Dr. Friel received her B.A. in Biology at Rice University, an M.S. in Neuroscience at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston, and a Ph.D. in Neurophysiology from the University of Kansas Medical Center. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center. She also received a M.S. in Biostatistics from Columbia University, with a focus on patient-oriented research.

Dalina is a fourth year doctoral student. She received a M.Sc. in Cognitive Neuroscience, and a B.Sc. in Psychology from the Radboud University in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and undergoing various rehabilitation approaches herself, she understands the importance of optimizing interventions for this population not only from a researcher’s perspective but also from the patient’s perspective. Before joining our lab, Dalina studied the neuroimaging of neurophysiological changes following intensive training and investigated the use of motor imagery in children with Cerebral Palsy. Currently, under the supervision of Dr. Andrew Gordon, she examines the relationship of engagement and hand function following an intensive intervention in children with Cerebral Palsy. Outside of research, Dalina is a member of the scientific advisory board of the Johanna Kinderfonds, a foundation dedicated to support research studies for children with movement disabilities. She also volunteers in a ballet workshop for children with movement disabilities. In her spare time, she enjoys horseback riding, biking and traveling. 

Jennifer is a fourth year doctoral student. She received her M.S. in Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University and her B.S. in Psychology at Rutgers University. She is currently on a project examining neural biomarkers that can be used to predict improvements in upper extremity function in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) after intensive training. She is also investigating how motor planning affects grasping and object manipulation in children with USCP. Jennifer has worked as an interventionist and coordinator at the Center for Cerebral Palsy Research motor learning based summer camp for children with cerebral palsy. Outside of research, Jennifer has been a course assistant for multiple classes, including Cognitive Neuroscience and Motor Learning Lab.

Nicole is a licensed and board-certified Occupational Therapist, with an M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University and a B.A. in Psychology from Colgate University. She currently works at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where she specializes in neurological disorders and dysfunctions. Her current research goal is to study the neural bases of movement dysfunctions and implications for rehabilitation. She is particularly interested in research using non-invasive cortical stimulation coupled with traditional therapeutic interventions. In her spare time, she enjoys running, swimming, and painting.

Jordana is a first year doctoral student. She received her B.S. in Kinesiology with a concentration in Exercise Science at California State University, Sacramento and an M.S. in Kinesiology at California State University, San Marcos with a research focus in biomechanics that applied different theoretical frameworks to predict potential locomotor strategies when energetics and stability were jeopardized. Jordana is currently on a project that will investigate the transference of learned object manipulations across multiple effectors in healthy individuals. Her future research goals include analyzing hand function in children with Cerebral Palsy and exploring alternative methods for treatment. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, exploring new restaurants, strength training, reading, and spending time with her two cats. 

Nessa is a physical therapist currently working as an interventionist on the TruST study we are running with Columbia University, using the robotic trunk support trainer to promote functional and independent sitting in children with cerebral palsy. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from the University of Teesside (UK) in 2005. Prior to joining our lab, she worked for many years as a Senior Pediatric Physiotherapist in the area of Pediatric Physical disability and motor management at the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), Ireland's National Centre for rehabilitation for children and adults with physical and sensory disabilities. She has a passion for working with the pediatric population and a specific interest in the treatment modalities and research for improving the lives of children with cerebral palsy and helping them achieve their goals. In her spare time, she enjoys travelling, swimming/working out, and spending time with family and friends.

Jaime is a masters student in the Motor Learning program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She has a B.Sc. (Hons) in Physiotherapy from Glasgow Caledonian University, and has worked extensively in various paediatric rehabilitation settings. In her spare time, she enjoys strength training and cooking.

Vruta is a physical therapist working as a research interventionist on the Robotic Trunk Training study. She completed her Bachelors in Physiotherapy at Manipal Academy of Higher Education in her home country of India, and is currently a student in the MA program in Motor Learning and Control at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests involve exploring neuroplasticity and understanding its implications on functional movements of the human body and rehabilitation. In her free time, she enjoys stargazing, hiking, and dancing.

Charlie is a first year masters student in the Motor Learning and Motor Control program at Teachers College, Columbia University. He received a B.S. in Exercise Science from Colby-Sawyer College. During his undergraduate experience, Charlie was a member of the Men’s Tennis team and the Exercise Science research team. This research consisted of comparing muscular activation patterns with various strength training modalities. Before joining the lab at TC, Charlie worked as a personal trainer for clients with neurological conditions in Brunswick, Maine. After being born with Cerebral Palsy himself, Charlie has used an evidence based approach to manage and improve his own symptoms. His current research interests include improving movement function and decreasing spasticity for patients with Cerebral Palsy.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading, hiking, and playing sports.