Samantha L. Backhaus, Ph.D. is a Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana’s comprehensive outpatient brain injury Neuro Rehab Center. Her primary focus is working with adults who have acquired brain injuries, both providing neuropsychological assessments and formulating appropriate interdisciplinary treatment plans in assisting individuals reintegrate back to the community. Her passion is working with families as well, with the overall goal of the survivor achieving positive long-term outcome following brain injury. Dr. Backhaus developed a 16-week treatment intervention, the Brain Injury Coping Skills Group (BICS) that won the 2009 McDowell Award for Best Presentation presented by the American Society for Neurorehabilitation. She has completed several RTCs with publication on studies investigating this treatment and won one of the Healthcare Heroes of the Year in her community in 2001 for her work in neurorehabilitation. She is asked to teach this intervention to clinicians throughout the rehabilitation field, both nationally and internationally. She also developed a Peer Mentoring Program for brain injury survivors and family members, as well as chairs a support group called Bridging the Gap, specifically designed to meet the needs of families and caregivers in addition to survivors of BI. Currently, Dr. Backhaus is the primary investigator in developing a new program, in collaboration with other professionals, on improving marital quality and satisfaction after brain injury. This intervention will ultimately be manualized. Her primary interests include assisting individuals with brain injury to achieve better adaptation, social integration, perception of quality and satisfaction with life, and community and / or vocational reintegration on a long-term basis.