Leadership Team

Jeffrey C. Berliner, DO
Chairman of the board
executive director of rsvp

Jeffrey C. Berliner, DO. is a co-founder of RSVP Colorado and currently serves in the position of Executive Director of RSVP. He is also a past president of RSVP Texas. Dr. Berliner is dedicated to creating a life of inclusion and meaning for those with disabilities and believes in equity in the care for all persons.

Dr. Berliner joined the medical staff at Craig Hospital after working as Clinical Director of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine at TIRR Memorial Hermann. He completed his fellowship in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine after graduating from residency at Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine in June 2008. He received his medical degree in 2004 at Nova Southeastern University, College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr.  Berliner’s primary focus is on caring for patients recovering from spinal cord injuries. His clinical and research include current concepts in neuro-recovery, treatment of paraplegic and tetraplegic patients, and prevention of secondary complications related to spinal cord injury.  

Dr. Berliner currently serves as the chairman of the advocacy committee for the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals and a vice-chairman of the advocacy committee for the American Spinal Injury Association. He is a member of the American Spinal Cord Injury Membership and Program Committee, Association of Academic Physiatrists, American Academy of Physiatrists, International Spinal Cord Society, and The Neurorecovery Network-Health Committee. Clinical Interests include: Spinal Cord Injury, Dual diagnosis injuries—Brain Injury/Spinal Cord Injury, general rehabilitation, spasticity management, and pain management. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with a sub-specialization in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine.

William (Bill) Niehaus, MD
national growth director

William (Bill) Niehaus, MD., is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician at the University Of Colorado Hospital.  His current focus is on neuro-rehabilitation and working with patients who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or spinal cord injury. 

Bill also serves as social media editor for a major PM&R journal and can be followed on Twitter @NHausMD.  His commitment to service stems from his involvement in being an AmeriCorps*VISTA and attending Jesuit based education during high school and college.

christina draganich, DO
President

Christina Draganich, DO is a physical medicine and rehabilitation resident physician at the University of Colorado and a Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundational Scholarship recipient. She graduated with distinction in neuroscience from Colorado College after which she completed her medical degree at Rocky Vista University. Her current research focuses on perceived injustice after spinal cord injury (SCI), predictive modeling of ambulatory status in SCI, and healthcare disparities in rehabilitation medicine. She has been involved with RSVP since its inception and is passionate about advocating for individuals with disabilities as well as understanding and bridging disparities in rehabilitation care.

Deanna claus, md
vice president

Deanna Claus, MD is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) resident physician at University of Colorado. She received her medical degree in 2020 from the University of Colorado. She previously graduated with a degree in Integrative Physiology and a certificate in Neuroscience from University of Colorado Boulder in 2015. Deanna became involved with RSVP Clinic in July 2017, and she remains passionate about the clinic’s mission to serve the community and continues to enjoy creating lasting relationships with patients. 

Ben Chappell, CPA
Treasurer

Ben Chappell is a Manager at BKD. As a member of BKD National Health Care Group, he provides audit services for a variety of health care clients, including rural hospitals, urban hospitals and physician groups.

He is a member of the American Institute of CPAs, Colorado Society of CPAs, Arizona Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and Colorado HFMA. Ben is a 2010 graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington, with a B.S. degree in business with a concentration in accounting and operations management.

bridget leary, OTR/L
secretary

Bio to come soon :)

allie fen, ms, otr/l
administrative lead

Allie Fen is an occupational therapist working in the inpatient rehabilitation setting at Craig Hospital. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Neuropsychology from Colorado State University in 2013 and her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Rush University in 2015. Past research has focused on psychosocial recovery from catastrophic trauma as well as the correlation between didactic success and clinical performance among occupational therapy students. Allie works with the adult population with primary focus in physical disabilities, acute trauma, burn injury, and neurological impairment. Allie became the Volunteer Coordinator for Colorado RSVP in October 2016 and joined the governing board in January 2017.

Kathy Hulse, LCSW, CCM
Care Management Coordinator

Kathy Hulse, LCSW, CCM is an outpatient counselor with Clinical Care Management at Craig Hospital. She received her MSW from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1988 and joined the outpatient clinic at Craig Hospital in 1989. She helped to develop the Medicaid Buy-In Program for working adults with disabilities for the state of Colorado. She is a member of the Academy of Spinal Cord Injury Professionals and is on their Advocacy Committee. She serves on the board of directors for Centus Counseling, Consulting & Education. She has been involved with the Colorado RSVP Clinic since 2017.

Roxanne Wasmer
Care Management Coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

JENNifer Hutton, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CWCN, CRRN
nursing coordinator

Jennifer Hutton is an Advanced Practice, Clinical Nurse Specialist with a background in neurorehabilitation and wound care. She is a graduate from the University of Colorado College of Nursing, Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist program. Jennifer is certified in wound care and rehabilitation nursing. She has been a nurse since 2009 and has cared for patients in different settings, from hospitals, to clinics, to home care. Jennifer is passionate about providing care to those who are most vulnerable in our community by advocating, educating, and doing her part to eradicate healthcare disparities. She is passionate about the service and mission of the Colorado RSVP Clinic and has been a member of the leadership team and a volunteer since the start of the clinic. Her patients inspire her, and she loves being a nurse!

ANDREW C. SMITH, PT, DPT, PhD
Research Chair

Andrew C. Smith is a physical therapist and rehabilitation scientist whose primary interests are improving the assessment and clinical management of individuals with spinal cord injury, and working with underserved communities. Andrew has received several notable research awards from the National Institutes of Health, Foundation for Physical Therapy Research, and the American Physical Therapy Association. Andrew earned his doctor of physical therapy degree (DPT) from the University of Washington, and completed his PhD in neuroscience at Northwestern University. He has been involved with Colorado RSVP Clinic since 2017.

dana lubieniecki
volunteer coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

Christopher luna
patient coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

cameron gartzke
equipment coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

michelle graf
therapy coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

Hyun Kim
patient navigator coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

Rachael Fuller
patient navigator coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

Alex ignatenko
scribe coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

wes maurer
strategic development coordinator

Bio to come soon :)

Sabrina Demaestri
Discharge Coordinator

Bio to come soon :)