The Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) is recognized internationally for its leadership in childhood disability research, bringing together scientists, clinicians, and families to create meaningful impact for children and youth with developmental differences and disabilities. In addition to advancing discovery locally and globally, BRI is committed to fostering dialogue and collaboration that push the field forward.
The BRI Global Guest Speaker Series is a free monthly virtual event that invites leading international experts to share insights on childhood disability research, rehabilitation, and inclusion. Each talk creates opportunities for learning, collaboration, and exchange across disciplines, connecting researchers, clinicians, families, and community partners around the world.
Featured Speaker
Dr. Michele A. Schutz, Assistant Professor, Department of Special Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Date and Time
October 28, 2025, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET
Registration
Registration is mandatory. Please note that this is a free virtual event hosted on Zoom.
Talk Summary
Despite progress in policies and practices aimed at improving adulthood outcomes for young people with disabilities, many service systems continue to fall short in ensuring they are afforded opportunities to achieve their postsecondary employment goals. Across the globe, local communities can serve as critical catalysts of essential experiences and linkages that equip youth and young adults with disabilities for their employment pursuits. Yet, these informal supports may not always be considered in transition planning. In this talk, the speaker will review pertinent predictors of postsecondary employment for youth with disabilities and discuss innovative approaches in which communities can leverage their local capacities toward elevating long stagnant employment outcomes. Practical strategies, collaborations, and considerations for clinicians, families, and other professionals who serve transition-age youth and young adults with disabilities will be discussed, including implications for rural communities.
About the Speaker
Michele Schutz, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Schutz’s work addresses (a) factors affecting the delivery and impact of career development and transition services for students with disabilities; (b) interdisciplinary roles and cross-systems collaborations for professionals who support these efforts; and (c) the purposeful leveraging of local assets within rural communities toward transition best practices. Through her work, she seeks to (1) center the lived experiences of disabled individuals, particularly those with low-incidence disabilities and extensive support needs, and (2) collaborate with people with disabilities and those who support them within community-engaged scholarship. She also teaches pre-service special educators and partners with her community and state to support local transition efforts and collaborations. Previously, she taught high school students with disabilities and worked as a transition specialist connecting students to postsecondary opportunities.
Questions about the series?
For any questions about the Global Guest Speaker Series, please email BRISpeakerSeries@hollandbloorview.ca.
Previous speaker
Featured Speaker
Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan, Assistant Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Medical and Research Director of the Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center, Washington University School of Medicine
Date and Time
September 30, 2025, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET
Talk Title
Pathophysiology of dystonia in cerebral palsy
Talk Summary
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common lifelong motor disability globally and the condition most often associated with dystonia, a debilitating movement disorder that is underdiagnosed and lacks evidence-based treatment regimens. We will discuss multi-model methods to facilitate dystonia assessment clinically and in animal models of (CP) and how we use these methods to identify novel treatment targets for dystonia in CP.
About the Speaker
Bhooma Aravamuthan MD, DPhil is an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Director of the Cerebral Palsy and Mobility Center at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. As a systems neuroscientist and pediatric movement disorders specialist, she conducts translational research on dystonia pathophysiology in cerebral palsy. Her research is funded through multiple sources including National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, Centers for Disease Control, and American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and her awards include the American Academy of Neurology Jon Stolk Award and Child Neurology Society Philip R. Dodge Award. She is married to an adult epileptologist and a mom to 7-year-old twin boys and a 5-year-old girl.
