THE CHICAGO CONCUSSION  COALITION

Established in 2011, the Chicago Concussion Coalition (CCC) represents a network of 50 national athletic, health and social service organizations united under a common mission  to work in partnership with coalition members to provide student athletes in greater Chicago with the best resources available to protect them from sports related concussions and recurring injuries.  The Coalition will accomplish this mission by integrating and synthesizing existing programs created by CCC members and designing an initiative that addresses the prevention, education, professional assessment, management and latest research findings on concussion related sports injuries.

“We certainly feel our student athletes in the Chicago Public Schools will be the beneficiaries of this great information that we’re giving to our coaches,” Calvin Davis, the director of sports administration for Chicago Public Schools

“There was no culture there to say, Are you OK? Getting your head hurt was like, that’s something you could overcome.” Billy Corgan, Smashing Pumpkins; Creative Director, Resistance Pro

 ”The support that he’s [Nowinski] gotten nationally and internationally, he’s letting folks know in an up-front way. This has always been there, but now, there’s an advocate making sure something is done – not from a ‘look what happened to these guys’ but ‘let’s not let this happen again.” Reggie Smith, president of Chicago chapter of the NFLPA and a former offensive lineman.

Events:

Upcoming Events:

SLI ACT
April 21, 2012
10:00am-12:00pm
Illinois Eye Institute – Chicago, IL
Sponsored by the Brain Research Foundation & Chicago Concussion Coalition.

SLI ACT
May 12, 2012
10:00am-12:00pm
Illinois Eye Institute – Chicago, IL
Sponsored by the Brain Research Foundation & Chicago Concussion Coalition.

CHAIRS OF THE CHICAGO CONCUSSION COALITION

• Chairman – Christopher Nowinski, CEO of Sports Legacy Institute
• Co-Chair – Dr. Leonard Messner, Executive Director of the Illinois Eye Institute
• Co Chair – Dr. Tariq Butt, Deputy Medical Officer of Access Community Health Network
• Co-Chair- Dr. Bernard Bach Jr., Director of Sports Medicine at Rush

1. Sports Legacy Institute – Christopher Nowinski, CEO and Sarah Blatchford, Event Coordinator
2. Illinois Eye Institute – Dr. Leonard Messner, Executive Director and Vincent Brandys, O.D., Senior Director for Governmental Relations
3. Access Community Health Network – Dr. Tariq Butt, Deputy Medical Officer
4. Division of Sports Medicine at Rush – Dr. Bernard Bach, Dr. Jeff Mjaanes & Dr.Krystian Bigosinski
5. Brain Research Foundation – Dr. Terre Constantine, Executive Director
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “Heads Up” Program- Kelly Sarmiento, MPH, Director of Communications, Division of Injury Response
7. Justinian Society Children’s Endowment Fund- Antonio Romanucci, Michael Favia, and Anita DeCarlo
8. AthletiCo, Ltd. – Mark Kaufman, President and Jason Bannack, Director Training Service
9. Veterans Legal Support Center & Clinic at The John Marshall Law School- Brian Clauss, CO-Executive Director, John Lee, President of The John Marshall Law School Foundation, and Erik Fagrelius, Research Director Foundation Services, William Beach, Consultant
10. Chicago City Council Education Committee – Alderman Latasha Thomas, Chairman
11. National Football League Retired Players Association, Chicago Chapter – Reggie Smith, President
12. Columbia College Chicago – Dr. Warrick Carter, President and Paul Chiaravalle, VP & Chief of Staff
13. Chicago Public Schools – Calvin Davis, Director of Sports Administration
14. The David Duerson Family – Alicia & Tregg Duerson
15. King Devick Test, LLC – Dr. Steve Devick, Founder of the King Devick Concussion Test
16. Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund – Mike Ditka, Founder and Shannon Jordan, Executive Director
17. Make a Dent Foundation – Richard Dent, Founder
18. Walter and Connie Payton Foundation – Kelly Woods, Executive Director
19. Chicago Neuropsychology Group – Dr. Robert Heilbronner
20. Home Team Marketing – Peter Fitzpatrick, Regan Fitzpatrick, Jake Fitzpatrick, Patrick Spear and Greg Bloedorn
21. Sax Hotel – Michael Carsch, General Manager; Christianne Tervoert, Hotel Manager; John Visconti, Dir of sales and marketing
22. Brain Injury Association of Illinois – Philicia Deckard, Executive Director
23. Resistance Pro – Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins, Creative Director
24. House of Blues Chicago – Ryan Shea, General Manager and Katie Larson, Foundation Room Manager
25. Illinois High School Association – Marty Hickman, Executive Director and Kurt Gibson, Associate Executive Director
26. One Mind for Research – Patrick Kennedy, Former Congressman and Jonathan Sack, Assistant
27. Athans Motors – Peter Athans, President and CEO of Athans Motors
28. Alderman Willie Cochran – City of Chicago Alderman 20^th Ward
29. Hull Partners Ltd. – Kevin M. Hull, Esq., Founding Principal of Hull Partners, Ltd
30. Law Offices of Michael V. Favia & Associates – Michael Favia, Esq., Founding Principal of Michael V. Favia & Associates
31. Weissent Associates – Alexander “Sandy” Weissent, owner of Weissent Associates
32. Premier Athletes – Susan Miner , President & Founder and Jerry Azumah, Co-Founder
33. Azumah Student Assistance Program (ASAP) – Jerry Azumah, Founder and Micaeh Johnson, Executive Director
34. Harold Washington Cultural Center- Jimalita Tillman, executive director
35. Spoken Word Café- Jimalita Tillman, Founder and Owner
36. Jefferson Tap & Grille- Jodi Agee, Principle and Jay Sullivan, Assistant General Manager
37. Montefiore Press, Inc - Joshua M. Sklare, President/ Biographer
38. Mario’s Gold Coast Ristorante- Mario Stefanini, Chef-owner
39. Romanucci & Blandin, LLC-Antonio Romanucci, Principal and Partner
40. Safe Sports for Kids- Antonio Rommanucci
41. A Safe Haven Foundation-, Neli Vazques- Rowland, President, Brian Rowland, CEO, and Mark Mulroe, Vice President
42. NFL Alumni Chicago Chapter- Charlie Brown, President
43. Peak Balance Centers of America- Jim Buskirk, Clinical Director/ Partner and Mike Jesselson, Partner
44. Great Home Real Estate, Inc- Ramon Chavez, Real Estate
45. Impormex USA Marketing- Netza Roldan, President and CEO
46. Communities in Schools of Chicago- Jane Mentzinger, Executive Director; Bartholomew St. John, Director of Program
47. WLFM – Chicago’s Smooth 87.7- Pat Kelley, VP/General Manager
48. Casa Ciudad de Mexico Chicago- Netza Roldan, Director
49. The Cooksey Group- Charles Cooksey, Managing Partner
50. Monique A. Anawis, MD, JD- Ophthalmologist and Attorney at Law
51. Fulcrum Chicago- Paul Davidovitch
52. DePaul University- Dorothy Kozlowski Ph.D., Associate Professor – Department of Biological Sciences, Chairman – Department of Health Sciences