HER: Health Empowerment Revolution

Welcome to the HER: Health Empowerment Revolution a Miles for Migraine & Miles for Women's Health event! Join us in-person for a few hours of powerful, community-based learning, connection, and empowerment. This event is designed to equip you with knowledge, tools, and support to better understand & manage migraine along side other chronic conditions.

**$10 registration deposit to reserve your lunch & attendance. Parking will be reimbursed, with receipt, up to $15. These expenses will be refunded to you, in cash, upon check-in the day of the event.**

Research shows that migraine frequently coexists with a range of chronic diseases, including asthma, other pain conditions, depression, anxiety, autoimmune conditions, sleep disorders, and more. This overlapping burden means women are
managing not only the debilitating symptoms of migraine, but also multiple other health challenges that impact their quality of life. This becomes even more confusing because all women will experience perimenopause and menopause, and the complication of hormones and migraine is overwhelming.

Despite this complexity, most women do not receive coordinated or comprehensive care. These conditions are often treated in isolation, each one addressed by a different specialist or clinic, with little to no integration. Primary care providers, though well-intentioned, are often too overwhelmed by patient volume and administrative demands to provide the coordination and continuity women need across their health conditions.

To make matters worse, women are typically caregivers in their families and often work full-time. Many of the women in our community report having three or more chronic conditions—and still being expected to manage work, caregiving, and household responsibilities. They simply do not have the time or energy to navigate a fragmented and confusing healthcare system on their own.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and take charge of your health. The event will include presentations and Q&A with our panelists. Register today!

You will leave this event with

• Validation: Migraine often comes with other whole-body/systemic conditions — you’re not imagining it.
• Awareness: Understanding common overlapping conditions and red flags.
• Tools: Practical questions and strategies to bring to future medical appointments.
• Confidence: You have the ability to connect the dots when the medical system won’t.

NOTE: We do charge a $10 registration fee to reserve your lunch & attendance. This will be refunded to you, in cash, at check in the day of the event.

Dr. Joanna Kempner is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University where she studies science, medicine, and inequality. Her work on health and justice, stigma in medicine, and the political suppression of science attempts to give a voice to those we rarely hear from. Her writing addresses the lack of effective treatments for pain, gender, race and stigma, and the extraordinary lengths that people will go to in order to find relief. She is the author of the award-winning book, Not Tonight: Migraine and the Politics of Gender and Health (Chicago), and is currently writing about cluster headache patient-led efforts to bring psychedelics back to medicine. Her research can also be read in a wide-range of academic and popular publications, including Science, PLoS Medicine, Social Science & Medicine, and Migraine.com.

Stephanie J. Nahas, MD, MSEd, FAHS, FAAN, Professor of Neurology - Dr. Nahas is a graduate of Harvard College (biology, AB ’95), USC (instructional technology, MSEd ‘98), and Rush Medical College (MD ’01). She is Professor of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. She is a board-certified headache specialist and co-directs the fellowship training program at the Jefferson Headache Center. She has been practicing headache medicine full time since 2007 and has been very active in education and advocacy in addition to clinical care and research. She’s given over 150 lectures on headache (not including dozens of internal lectures), has authored nearly 50 papers and over 50 abstracts, has engaged in numerous media appearances and activities, and has been heavily involved with the American Academy of Neurology, American Headache Society, Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy, and The Headache Alliance.

Lauren R. Natbony, MD, FAHS is a board-certified neurologist and fellowship-trained headache specialist, nationally recognized for her expertise in the overlap of migraine, autonomic dysfunction, and hypermobility spectrum disorders. As the founder and Medical Director of Integrative Headache Medicine of New York PLLC in New York City, she offers a precision medicine approach that integrates pharmacologic strategies with evidence-based complementary therapies to treat the full spectrum of migraine and related disorders.

Dr. Natbony serves as Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she previously directed the Headache Medicine Fellowship. She is actively involved in national leadership through the American Headache Society, where she chairs the Autonomic Disorders and Complementary & Integrative Medicine Special Interest Groups.

A sought-after speaker and educator, Dr. Natbony is passionate about bridging the gap between headache medicine and dysautonomia care. Her work focuses on empowering both clinicians and patients to better recognize and manage the complex interplay between the brain, body, and autonomic nervous system in chronic headache disorders.

Madeline Chadehumbe, MD - is the current Chief Medical Officer at Neurabilities Healthcare. As a neurologist and behavioral health specialist, she is dedicated to advancing care for individuals affected by neurodevelopmental conditions and headache disorders. Dr. Chadehumbe’s clinical practice serves children and adults, with a focus on those navigating complex diagnoses and seeking second opinions—particularly women who have been labeled with "functional disorders" and underserved by traditional care models. Her work spotlights the immense burden and stigma that women with migraine endure, highlighting how this population experiences significantly higher rates of depression and anxiety as a direct result of persistent symptoms, delayed diagnosis, and social misunderstanding.

Dr. Jessica Shepherd is a board certified gynecologist and women's health expert that specializes in menopausal health and is also the Chief Medical Officer for Hers. Her holistic practice Sanctum Med + Wellness in Dallas, has created a place for patients to explore their holistic journey in optimizing health and has been featured in Self Magazine and Women’s Health Magazine. The release of her book "Generation M" this year has also created more buzz in the menopause world.
Dr. Shepherd is an engaging and well known media personality that is seen regularly as an expert on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, MSNBC and CBS News. She is on the Advisory Board for Women's Health Magazine, Women's Health.org. and the Society for Women's Research.
As a healthcare expert, Dr. Shepherd strives to educate people how to address their physical, sexual, and emotional health. Her passion for holistic health to optimize aging and longevity is from her years of seeing women and creating an environment founded in prevention, wellness, and scientific advancement.

Dr. Claire Ceriani is board-certified in Neurology. Dr. Ceriani completed her medical schooling, residency, and fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University. She completed her undergraduate studies at Bryn Mawr College. For the past two years, Dr. Ceriani has been the program director of the Headache Fellowship at Thomas Jefferson. 

Dr. Brittany Mays received her Medical Doctorate at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She then completed her residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Miami. She went on to complete a United Council for Neurologic Subspecialities (UCNS) Headache Medicine Fellowship at the Mass General Brigham/Harvard, where she was the first physiatry-trained headache medicine fellow in program history. Dr. Mays is now one of four PM&R trained board certified headache medicine specialists in the US. She currently works as an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania under the Division of Headache and Facial Pain. In her role, she also serves as the Clinical Site Lead of the Corporal Michael J Crescenz Philadelphia VA Medical Center Headache Center of excellence. Dr. Mays remains actively involved in the American Headache Society (AHS) and the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (AAPM&R). With her patients, she enjoys utilizing a multidisciplinary approach to headache medicine, with a special interest in utilizing integrative modalities. Her clinical interests namely include post-traumatic headache and cervicogenic headache, but she also serves as a member of the Penn Headache Division OB Fast Track Program which provides pre-conception counseling and recommendations for headache during pregnancy and fertility treatments.

Dawn C. Buse PhD a Clinical Professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a member of the Board of Directors of the Headache Cooperative of the Pacific and a licensed psychologist. She has worked with people with migraine and other chronic painful conditions for more than two decades providing biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation training as well as conducting research and being an active patient advocate. She has around 250 scientific publications and has won 15 US and international research and professional awards for her work in the field of migraine and headache diseases.

Dr. Stephanie Callan earned her doctorate degree in Clinical Health Psychology from the University of Colorado Denver and completed her clinical internship at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven in 2023. She continued her work with Veterans at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VAMC in Philadelphia, completing a post-doctoral fellowship in integrated care teams. In her training, she accumulated experiences in several specialty health clinics including chronic pain and women’s health primary care. She is now a Mental and Behavioral Health Integration Psychologist embedded in several Neurology clinics including the Headache Center of Excellence. Her research interests include daily health behaviors and coping with illness in couples. She looks forward to applying this experience to those coping with headache. Clinically, she employs a variety of evidence-informed approaches with her patients including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Headache and Insomnia, Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Leigh Braden, MSW (She/Her/Hers), serves as the Division Director for the Institute@MHP at Mental Health Partnerships. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and women studies from Hamline University and a master’s degree in social work from Temple University. With over 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Leigh has held key roles including treatment case worker, program manager, and Executive Director of an LGBTQ youth shelter in Philadelphia. Additionally, she brings valuable expertise in grant writing and business development as the CEO and Chief Consultant of LTB Consulting LLC.

Leigh’s leadership also encompasses instructional design, training, and education with Philadelphia’s largest community umbrella organization. As Division Director at Mental Health Partnerships, she has expanded the Institute’s reach throughout Pennsylvania, Florida, and internationally, partnering with the Health Federation of Philadelphia to help develop a peer training program for Ukraine's Ministry of Health. Since joining in 2021, Leigh has led her team to consistently exceed revenue goals by 78% each year, while expanding the Institute’s impact and growing a workforce of Certified Peer Specialists. Her success in managing diverse funding, building strategic partnerships, and innovating mental health solutions demonstrates her expertise.

Leigh is deeply committed to mental health advocacy, leading with a focus on psychological safety and empathy.

Shirley Kessel is the Executive Director of Miles for Migraine and the mom of three daughters, two of whom live with migraine. When her youngest daughter Sydney became diagnosed at an early age, they both decided that it was time to take action to bring awareness and raise money for migraine research. They contacted Eileen Jones, who founded the Miles for Migraine race in San Francisco, and brought the race to the Philadelphia community in 2013. She became the Executive Director in 2017 when it became apparent that Miles for Migraine should take the race series around the USA.

Shirley has worked in healthcare since 1983 and has served on various non-profit boards since 1991. She won’t retire until a cure is found for this disabling disease.

Info: If you’ve ever felt like you’re playing medical whack-a-mole—bouncing between specialists who only see their piece of the puzzle while you’re left holding it all together—you’re not alone, and you’re not imagining things. The healthcare system wasn’t built for people like us, with conditions that don’t stay neatly in their lanes, and the exhaustion you feel isn’t a personal failing. Dr. Kempner explores why your struggles reflect deeper problems in how medicine is organized, and why understanding these structural issues is the first step toward change. Once we stop blaming ourselves for a broken system, we can begin to see where our power truly lies—in pulling together resources, networks, and collective knowledge to move forward.

Info: Migraine is rarely a stand-alone condition. Many women also face whole-body/systemic
challenges like autonomic nervous system disorders (POTS, MCAS, EDS), sleep apnea,
fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue — along with autoimmune, vascular, and metabolic conditions.
This session will explain why these overlaps happen, what red flags to watch for, and how to
advocate for more integrated care when no single health care provider sees the whole picture.
Why attend this panel?
*Learn why migraine often clusters with other whole-body/systemic conditions.
* Recognize warning signs of sleep, autoimmune, and vascular risks.
* Discover practical strategies to organize your care across multiple specialists.
* Understand how whole-body/systemic conditions add to the migraine burden.
* Leave with tools to ask better questions and connect the dots in your care.

Info: Take 15 minutes to stretch your legs and visit with our sponsors who will have information on the latest treatment options.

Info: Hormones are one of the most powerful and overlooked drivers of migraine. From the
sharp estrogen drop that triggers menstrual migraine to the unpredictable swings of
perimenopause and menopause, many women experience their toughest migraine years during
hormonal changes. This session will bring clarity to these transitions, explain how conditions
like Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis fit into the picture, and offer practical strategies for navigating care.
Why attend this panel?
* Understand what menstrual migraine is and how to manage cycle-based attacks.
* Learn how perimenopause and menopause impact migraine and available treatment
options.
* Explore the role of PCOS and endometriosis in worsening migraine burden.
* Recognize red flags that signal when to seek further evaluation.
* Gain tools to track hormonal patterns and advocate across specialties.
* Leave with practical questions to ask your doctor and confidence that your symptoms are
real and manageable.

Info: Grab your lunch from the buffet and return to your seats for a working lunch session and the start of Panel 3.

Info: Living with migraine often means navigating more than pain — anxiety, depression, trauma,
poor sleep, and stress are deeply connected to migraine frequency and severity. This session will
address how behavioral health impacts migraine, why mental health support is essential, and
what treatments and strategies can improve both conditions together.
Why attend this panel?
* Understand how anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress interact with migraine.
* Learn the role of sleep and mental health in migraine management.
* Discover practical tools like CBT, mindfulness, and relaxation strategies.
* Hear how behavioral health providers and neurologists can work together.
* Leave with access to resources, scripts, and support strategies to strengthen your care.

Info: To close the event we will recap the days learnings with a summary of your call to action for improved life with migraine and other chronic health conditions.

Host or Publisher Miles for Migraine