James Krause, PhD is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Clinical Research in the College of Health Professions at MUSC.  In addition to directing the SCIORG, he also serves as director of the Program for Movement, Exercise, and Rehabilitation Research (PMERR) at MUSC, and director for the Center for Interdisciplinary Spinal Cord Injury Research. In terms of consumer affiliation, Dr. Krause is a member of the governing Board of Directors of the Disability Resource Center in Charleston and works closely with the director of the South Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association in Columbia, to facilitate statewide dissemination of research. He has served as principal investigator and project director on numerous long-term outcome research projects ranging from 11 to 35 year longitudinal SCI studies, longitudinal studies of vocational interests and SCI,  studies of 10-year risk for secondary conditions, and mortality studies (a total of nine field-initiated grants through NIDRR and three R01s from NIH). He has also served as principal investigator of three projects within the MSCIS (supported by NIDRR) and currently serves as a consultant on the Georgia Regional MSCIS. Dr. Krause has authored over 80 articles in peer-reviewed journals and has made well over 100 presentations at national and international professional conferences.

Jennifer Coker, MPH, Project Coordinator for the SCIORG, obtained a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University in May 2001.  She has worked with Dr Krause for over a decade and is highly experienced in management of research projects. While working at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA, Ms. Coker was the Project Coordinator for several federally funded studies with Dr Krause as the PI, including the GA Regional Spinal Cord Injury Model System.  Later, Ms. Coker was Project Coordinator for the Georgia Area Model Brain Injury System.  Since arriving at the Medical University of South Carolina, Ms Coker has been Project Coordinator for seven federally funded grants,  assisted in writing five funded grant applications, and as the team liaison with the Institutional Review Board, maintains all regulatory documentation. 

In addition to her extensive project management experience in project management, protection of human subjects, and grant writing, Ms. Coker has presented research at national conferences of the American Spinal Injury Association, American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Psychologists and Social Workers, the American Public Health Association, and the American Psychological Association.  In addition, Ms. Coker has won several awards for research presentations and her work with persons with disabilities. These include best paper and best poster at Shepherd Center Research Day (2000), and the James W. Alley Award for Outstanding Service to Disadvantaged Populations (2001).

Sarah Lottes, Data Coordinator, has worked for the Research Department at Shepherd Center in Atlanta, GA for almost 16 years.  During this time, she has collected and organized data for a parenting study in collaboration with Kessler Institute in New Jersey, has done follow-up data collection for a collaborative study on aging with Craig Hospital in Colorado and the Model Systems, and has worked on numerous federally funded grant projects with Dr. Krause.  Over the years, she has also served as a co-author on several articles published in professional journals. Currently she works as a liasion between Shepherd Center and the Medical University of South Carolina for an NIH funded 10 year project studying risk of adverse outcomes after SCI.

Karla Reed, Project Coordinator, currently holds a Master of Arts in Psychology from The Citadel.  She has worked with Dr Krause for over 2 years as the Project Coordinator of two federally funded grants. Her previous work included data collection and organization of a randomized clinical trial for smoking cessation and a randomized clinical trial for cocaine dependence. Ms. Reed has experience with SPSS system files, Mplus, and data entry.  Ms. Reed has presented research at the American Public Health Association, and the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.  She has assisted in preparation of presentations for professional conferences, dissemination of publications, and has served as a co-author on several published articles.

Richard Aust, Project Coordinator, currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from York University (Toronto, Ontario).  He has worked with Dr Krause for over a year as a Project Coordinator for three federally funded grants.  He has more than 20 years of experience in management, advocacy and the provision of community based services to people with disabilities.  His previous work includes eight years of developing and implementing a community re-integration program for people with brain and/or spinal cord injuries. The program incorporates life skills training sessions, social/recreational opportunities, and employment services. 

Mr. Aust has extensive experience in all aspects of program management including program planning, policies/procedures, independent living training sessions, facilitation of peer and community support group meetings, crisis intervention, dissemination of program information, development of volunteer network and resource building programs.  He has been responsible for maintaining the master data base, data collection, preparation of presentations for consumer focus groups, and dissemination of publications through creation of websites and blogs.

Emily Johnson holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Health and Exercise Science from Furman University and a Master in Health Administration Degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. Emily has worked for Dr. David Bradford and Dr. Richard Lindrooth in the Center for Health Economic and Policy Studies at MUSC for over five years as a grants and project manager. She has managed over 10 grants in a wide variety of areas including pharmaceutical advertising, nicotine replacement therapy, effects of health conditions in the Medicaid population, and effects of mental health hospital closures. She has also managed day to day operations in the Center for Health Economics and has helped organize, plan and execute two national conferences. Emily has experience in grant and publication writing, data management, and data collection.

John Schatzlein MPH, graduated from Southwest State Minnesota University in 1971 with a psychology major.  He has a Public Health Masters from the University of Minnesota and 35 years of work in the field of hospital and community rehabilitation. He helped establish the electrical stimulation cycling program and the first electrical stimulation fertility program at Sr. Kenny Institute in Minneapolis with Dr. Debra Lightner.  A paraplegic of 43 years, he has experienced four decades of change related to disability in the community and systems affecting individual’s rights and shared responsibilities. Thirty-four years of community experiences on or with local, state and national boards or committees have enhanced and expanded his experience.  

Having been married 35 years, Helen and John have raised two daughters.   Family, travel, attending and competing in sports events and the outdoors are the mainstays of Helen's and his life.  They have traveled extensively nationally (40 States) and internationally (5 countries) for pleasure and work related activities.  These experiences provide for a background that brings skills and experience to his presentations and participation.