Who are we

USA – Chair of the INPA Vestibular Special Interest Group

Charles “Chuck” Plishka, PT, DPT, NCS is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a neuro therapy specialist in the USA. Having over 25 years of experience, he is an international speaker on the subjects of vestibular therapy and balance. Chuck is the current Chair of INPA’s Vestibular Special Interest Group. He is the author of the text, ‘A Clinician’s Guide to Balance and Dizziness: Evaluation and Treatment.’ Chuck’s current research focuses on oculomotor and vestibular function in patients with traumatic brain injury.

Argentina – Vice Chair of the INPA Vestibular Special Interest Group

Lic. Daniel Verdeccia B.Sc. M.Sc (c), Currently works at the Department of Health Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de la Matanza. He is Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology. Daniel research focuses on Geriatrics, Vestibular Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy. He is Director of the Argentinian Vestibular Physiotherapy School.  Vice Chair of Vestibular Rehabilitation Special Interest Group and Secretary of Academic and University Affairs of the Argentine Association of Kinesiology.   Hi is member of the Bárány Society.

France – Secretary of the INPA Vestibular Special Interest Group

José Ignacio Ortega Solis, PT received his Physiotherapy degree from the European University in Madrid and has specialized in vestibular rehabilitation since 2006. José is the current Secretary of INPA’s Vestibular Special Interest Group. He currently practices in Lyon, both privately and at the Hospices Civils de Lyon Hospital. Additionally, he teaches vestibular rehabilitation in postgraduate programs at Claude Bernard University Lyon 1 and EUSES University in Girona, Spain. José’s research focuses on pediatric vestibular rehabilitation.

United Kingdom – Member at large of the INPA Vestibular Special Interest Group

Rebecca Smith PhD, PT is a post-doctoral clinical academic vestibular physiotherapist at the Centre for Vestibular Neurology, Imperial College London, UK. Her recent research has focused on clinical practice change in vestibular assessment and treatment in acute traumatic brain injury patients. She maintains an outpatient vestibular caseload to complement her research activities.

Brazil – Member at large of the INPA Vestibular Special Interest Group

André Santos PhD, PT graduated with a degree in Physiotherapy (1993) and PhD in Physiotherapy from the University of Buenos Aires (2006). His research interests include vestibular plasticity, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), vestibular physiotherapy and human balance disorders. He holds a certification in vestibular rehabilitation from the American Association of Physical Therapy (APTA) and Emory University (2005). Founding partner of the Brazilian Association of Neurofunctional Physiotherapy [ABRAFIN]. Founder and President of the Department of Vestibular Physical Therapy, by ABRAFIN.

Portugal – Member at large of the INPA Vestibular Special Interest Group

Cláudia Maria Costa, PT, MSc (Portugal) has been a Physiotherapist since 2004, Master in Physiotherapy Sciences and PhD student in Neurosciences. Her areas of expertise (research and clinic) are Vestibular and Neurological Physiotherapy. Claudia is an Adjunct Professor of the entry-level Physiotherapy course, at the Escola Superior de Saúde Atlântica, Barcarena. Lecturer at the entry-level and postgraduate training in Vestibular Physiotherapy and acute neurological care. Her research focus is to enhance the understanding of vision and its effect on postural control and quality of life. Member of the Neurological Working Group at the Portugues Order of Physiotherapists, and co-founder of the Vestibular Physiotherapy Working Group of APFISIO – Portuguese Physiotherapy Association.

USA – Research Committee Leader

Dr Andrew Littmann, PT, PhD, MA, is associate professor of physical therapy at Regis University in Denver, Colorado, USA.  He was board-certified specialization in neurological physical therapy in 2001 has specialized in vestibular rehabilitation since 2003.  He received his PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Iowa, USA, in 2012 and has presented internationally on vestibular rehabilitation curricula.  His current research includes educational and curricular guidelines in vestibular physical therapy in collaboration with the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy of the American Physical Therapy Association.

USA – Social Media Committee Leader

Helena Esmonde specializes in treating patients with neurologic, balance, and vestibular (inner ear balance system) conditions. She received her psychology undergraduate degree at Northwestern University and graduated Cum Laude from Marquette University’s Doctoral Physical Therapy program in 2005. She worked at an acute care hospital for 8 years and developed the vestibular program there to help address the needs of dizzy patients, unfortunately without access to infrared video goggles but luckily with quality continuing education courses and mentorship. When she transitioned to the outpatient setting in 2014, she gained access to infrared video goggles and found that they vastly improved her ability to accurately diagnose and treat vestibular conditions, particularly for more complex patients, such as those with concurrent post-concussive syndrome and BPPV. Helena became Vestibular Competencied at Emory University in 2015, certified to treat Cervicogenic Dizziness in 2016, and assisted teaching the lab portion of an Advanced Concussion course for North American Seminars in 2017. In 2018, Helena completed the clinical practice requirements and examination to attain the certification as a Neurologic Clinical Specialist (NCS). Dedicated to student education, she has served as a teaching assistant at Temple, Jefferson, Neumann, and the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, and earned an advanced clinical instructor certification. Helena has also presented at organizational and area Vestibular Special Interest Groups, Balance Center rounds at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Penn Medicine Mind Your Brain Conference. As an avid runner herself, Helena enjoys volunteering at local races to support her community.

Danit Macklin PT, DPT specializes in concussion and vestibular rehabilitation and has obtained certificates from the APTA for both pediatric and adult vestibular rehabilitation and certification as an Impact Trained Physical Therapist. Dr. Macklin has served as faculty for the annual APTA Pediatric Vestibular Competency Conference. Dr. Macklin works in her own private practice, Balance & Concussion Therapy Center. She serves on the BIANJ Concussion Committee, and she is the founder and chair of the APTANJ Vestibular special interest group. Dr. Macklin also founded Concussion Awareness Day in the state of New Jersey.

Dr. Macklin is a regular speaker on concussion management for Education Resources Inc. and the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey.  She authored The Concussion Management Playbook that is available on her website mybalancecenter.com.

Marco Tramontano, PT, PhD is a Senior Assistant Professor in Rehabilitation Sciences within the Translational Rehabilitation Group at the Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna. His work focuses on vestibular physical therapy, vestibular instrumented assessment, dynamic gaze and postural stabilization, gait modulation, and the neurophysiological mechanisms related to balance disorders.

Before joining the University of Bologna, he worked as Head of Rehabilitation Services at the Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS in Rome, coordinating multidisciplinary rehabilitation teams and contributing to the development of neurorehabilitation pathways.

He earned his Physiotherapy degree in 2002, followed by postgraduate training in Posturology, a Master’s degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, a postgraduate program in Osteopathy, and a PhD in Human Movement and Sports Sciences. He has been involved in academic teaching for many years, including serving as Educational Director of the Physiotherapy Degree Program at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. He currently teaches vestibular and neurological rehabilitation in several post-graduate courses.

His ongoing research focuses on vestibular dysfunction, postural stability, and sensorimotor processes in neurological rehabilitation.