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Maryam Ali Berri, M.D.
Dr. Maryam Ali Berri received her medical degree from the American University of the Caribbean in Florida. Dr. Berri completed her fellowship training in Spinal Cord Injury at the University of Michigan. She completed her residency in the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department at Beaumont Hospital through Wayne State University.
Specialties
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Spinal Cord Injury Medicine
Traumatic Brain Injury
Board Certifications
ABPMR board certified
SCIM and BIM board eligible
Awards:
University of Michigan Chancellor’s Scholarship
University of Michigan Distinguished Student Award for Diversity
Hospital Affiliations:
University of Michigan
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Berri joined the Special Team in May of 2019 and sees patients at our NeuroCare Center on a weekly basis. When asked about the deciding factor for joining our team she commented, "At the hospital I see patients on the acute and inpatient units. Being a part of the patient’s road to recovery on the sub-acute side at Special Tree completed a vertically integrated rehabilitation picture for me." Her first impression of our campus was very positive, "It is beautiful and cozy. The teamwork and care at Special Tree transcends typical standards. If I needed this level of care, this is where I would come."
Dr. Berri has a record of volunteerism in her own community as well as on a national level. She has participated in multiple research projects and enjoys teaching. Dr. Berri's goal of medical neuro recovery optimization focuses on decreasing co-morbidities and complications from injuries.
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Jennifer E. Doble, M.D.
Dr. Jennifer Doble completed her residencies in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and in Internal Medicine at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor. She received her medical degree from Brown University Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island.
Specialties
Brain Injury, Spinal Cord Injury, General Rehabilitation
Intrathecal Baclofen, Botulinum
Spasticity Management
Neurological and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
Board Certifications
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Brain Injury Medicine Subspecialty Certification
Hospital Affiliations:
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital System
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Doble has been seeing patients the NeuroCare Center (NCC) weekly since joining the Special Tree team in 2003. “I have stayed at Special Tree because I believe in the push for the best outcomes for my patients. I see the value of the team at Special Tree everyday with every patient…I love the teamwork. When you walk in the door you feel the ‘love’.”
Dr. Doble’s expertise in brain injury medicine enhances our continuity of care between NCC and the hospital and other treating physicians involved in patient rehabilitation. She says she gets the questions answered that improves access to information and care. “It is fun helping to get through the system to support the team in so many amazing ways to get the best outcomes for our patients.”
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Danna Haba, O.D., FCOVD
Dr. Haba received her medical degree from the University of Missouri College of Optometry.
Specialties
Optometry
Vision Rehabilitation for Traumatic Brain Injury, Strabismus, LearningDisabilities, ADD/ADHD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy
Consultant to several Michigan Schools and Bogata Columbia Rochester School for Integrated Visual Learning
Board Certification
Fellowship: College of Vision Development
Dr. Haba is a member of:
The American Optometric Association
College of Optometrists In Vision Development
Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Haba is the owner and operator of Shelby Eye Care and has been a consultant for Special Tree since 2012, seeing patients at our Romulus, Troy and Midland locations. In her initial meeting with leadership prior to joining our team, Dr. Haba immediately embraced our mission and felt it complimented her vison of where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do. The environment at Special Tree allows her to deliver vision therapy to patients who are experiencing double vision, dizziness and spatial difficulties that interfere with movement, etc. Dr. Haba enjoys working with the staff and educating people about vision. “So many people think vision is in the eye. Vision is a brain thing! When your vision is not processed properly, it interferes with everything.”
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James D. Howell, M.D.
Dr. James Howell completed his residency program at St Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Howell received his medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College, University School of Medicine in 2002. He has served in the military and currently is an active reservist as a Lt. Cornel, Chief of Aerospace Medicine and Commander of Medical Operations of the 127th Medical group out of Selfridge Air Force Base.
Specialties
Internal Medicine
Board Certification
American Board of Internal Medicine
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Howell is Special Tree’s Medical Director and joined our team in 2014. When Dr. Howell was working at the Internal Medical Clinic at The Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan he was treating patients that had been discharged to Special Tree. He was impressed with the good outcomes he was seeing. During his interview at Special Tree he was also impressed with the “great people and great programs." All of this combined made him want to join the team at the NeuroCare Center. As our patients become complex, Dr. Howell feels he is able to add another dimension to our medical care and can continue to help fine tune the expertise of our Physician Assistants.
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Corina Lazar, M.D.
College & Residency
Completed her residency at Wayne State University
School of Medicine Residency Program in Psychiatry
Received her medical degree at the University of Medicine in Timisoara Romania
Specialties
Psychiatry
Dr. Lazar speaks four languages (English, Spanish, French and Romanian)
Board Certifications
American Board of Psychiatric Medicine
Brain Injury Medicine Subspecialty Certification
Hospital Affiliations:
St. Joseph Mercy Hospital System
Private Practice
Synergistic Medicine
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Lazar joined the Special Tree team in 2012 and sees patients at both our Romulus and Troy locations. When she initially toured the NeuroCare Center, Dr. Lazar was impressed with the longevity of our staff. Seeing the type of patients we treat was an emotional experience that "made her feel humble." Improving the quality of life of the patients we serve was the driving factor for becoming part of our team. Dr. Lazar feels that listening skills are an important part of the treatment process. She brings an integrative, holistic, person-centered approach to human physiology and pathology and states that "when you keep that reasoning in mind you can address more than one problem at a time."
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Charles B. Pelshaw, M.D.
Dr. Charles Pelshaw completed his residency at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan and Children's Hospital of Michigan. He received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. Dr. Pelshaw is the Division Chief of Pediatrics at Children Hospital of Michigan and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Assistant Professor of PM&R at Wayne State University.
Specialties
Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Pediatric Brain Injuries
Cerebral Palsy
Muscular Dystrophy
Myelomeningocele
Spasticity Management
Spinal Cord Injuries
Board Certifications
American Board of Pediatrics
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, with a Sub-Certification in Pediatric PM&R
Hospital Affiliations:
Children’s Hospital of Michigan
Detroit Medical Centers (DMC)
Hurley Hospital, Flint
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Pelshaw joined the Special Tree team as our Pediatric Medical Director in 2007 and is an important contributor to the success of our pediatric rehabilitation programs. When asked what made him decide to become part of our team he said, “I knew that we were a special place for children with traumatic brain injuries. Even before I joined the team I knew that Special Tree provided excellent care and rehabilitation."
Dr. Pelshaw meets monthly with our pediatric clinical team and brings years of medical knowledge to those meetings. He is quoted as saying, “I help to fine tune an outstanding program. With my expertise I can help think out of the box to assist the team in their rehabilitation decisions."
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Riley Smith, M.D.
Dr. Smith completed his residency at Wayne State University in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Beaumont Hospital where he also completed his Fellowship in Brain Injury Medicine.
He received his medical degree from the Ohio State University College of Medicine.
Specialties
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Neuromuscular Medicine
Brain Injury Medicine
Board Certifications
American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Brain Injury Medicine Subspecialty Certification
Hospital Affiliations:
Beaumont Oakwood Hospitals
- Clinical Facility of the Department of PM&R
- Brain Injury Fellowship Director
Special Tree Affiliation
Dr. Smith joined the Special Tree team in 2016 and sees patients at the NeuroCare Center (NCC) every week. Dr. Smith was inspired to become part of NCC after seeing how many Special Tree patients coming through his clinics at Beaumont had great things to say about us and had such good clinical results. He stated, “This is a place where a lot of good is being done for patients and I can be part of that step in the process." It is important to him that he contributes specialized medical interventions to the patients requiring complex care at Special Tree.
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Kelly Long, MS
Physician Assistant
Team Member Since 2000
Kelly Long received her Physician Assistant degree from The University of Detroit Mercy in 1999. She started her career at Special Tree and in Dr. Richert’s family practice after graduation and transitioned to full time at Special Tree when Dr. Richert retired from family practice in 2003. She specializes in developing and implementing patient treatment plans for our medically complex TBI and SCI patient population including intrathecal baclofen spasticity management.
Kelly has been caring for our patient’s complex care needs since she joined Special Tree in 2000. “I love belonging to this community of caregivers here at Special Tree. This position has brought so much meaning to my life. Serving those affected by catastrophic injury is an intense environment but gives all of us the opportunity to make great impact in people’s lives.”
Board Certifications
NCCPA board certified
Board certified in the State of Michigan
BLS and ACLS certified
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Susan McLaren, BA, BS
Physician Assistant
Team Member Since 2013
Susan McLaren is part of the medical team at Special Tree. She has been a PA for over 30 years and joined Special Tree in 2013 to work alongside her longtime friend and colleague Kelly Long, PA. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her Physician Assistant degree from the University of Detroit-Mercy in 1989. She has worked in Urgent Care, General Surgery, Cardiovascular Surgery, and Primary Care. As a PA at Special Tree, she cares for our patients complex medical needs at the NeuroCare Center and residential facilities. She has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the Special Tree family and has an appreciation and respect for the perseverance and determination of our patients. She has three teenage boys, with her first high school graduate this year.
Board Certifications
NCCPA board certified
Board certified in the State of Michigan
Member of Association of Physician Assistants
BLS and ACLS certified
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