About Dr. Andrew Goodman
Dr. Goodman’s keynote presentation comes on the heels of the exciting announcement that the FDA has approved Fampridine SR, now called Ampyra™ (dalfampridine, formerly known as fampridine SR, from Acorda Therapeutics), to improve walking in all types of MS. This is the first therapy specifically approved to treat a symptom of MS, and it represents a big step forward for the many people who may benefit.

“This is a good day for people with multiple sclerosis,” said Dr. Goodman, who was the principal investigator in the clinical trials studying Fampridine. “Physicians will now have a new tool at their disposal that complements existing disease modifying therapies. For some patients, this drug will be a way to improve walking and help regain some independence in their daily lives.”

Dr. Goodman is professor of Neurology and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He received his M.D. at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and trained in neurology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Goodman is a prolific multiple sclerosis researcher, having conducted many clinical trials, and is Chief of the Neuroimmunology Unit, Department of Neurology at the University of Rochester Medical Center

About Assemblyman Micah Kellner 
Assembly Member Micah Kellner is this year’s Legislator of the Year. Since his election to the NY State Assembly in 2007, Assembly Member Kellner has championed many issues important to people living with MS and has become a powerful voice for the rights of persons with disabilities throughout the state.

Over the past year, Assembly Member Kellner introduced legislation that would establish an MTA riders council for people with disabilities, cap fares for paratransit transportation, provide improved access to taxi cabs for people with disabilities, and improved maintenance of subway and bus equipment used to make public transportation accessible. When the MTA proposed to double the fare for access-a-ride last March, Assembly Member Kellner led the opposition holding spirited protests and news conferences. His passionate activism helped secure a victory when the MTA later dropped the proposal. Assembly Member Kellner also joined MS activists as they rallied outside of the Citi Field subway station to raise awareness of the barriers to accessibility within the NYC subway system. He demonstrated his commitment even further when, last April, he introduced legislation that would ban specialty prescription drug tiers within health insurance plans throughout New York State.
 

About the event emcee Janice Dean
Janice Dean is a meteorologist for FOX News Channel (FNC), which she joined in January 2004. Prior to joining FNC, she was the news editor and entertainment reporter for “IMUS In The Morning,” on WFAN-New York and simulcast nationally on MSNBC.

Before working on WFAN, Dean was a weekend on-air traffic reporter for CBS 2 New York. Before that, she was at CHUM Limited in Ottawa, Canada where she held numerous positions such as a morning news anchor for “Breakfast at the New RO,” producer and host of “The Broad Perspective” on CFRA and an anchor for KOOL-FM. From 1998-2001, Dean hosted various radio programs in Houston, Texas at affiliates including: Metro Networks, KODA-FM, KKBQ-FM and KLDE-FM.

Dean began her career in Ottawa, Canada at CHEZ-FM where she was a morning show co-host, reporter and DJ. In 1997, she was an on-camera weather host at CBOT Television. Dean received an honors diploma from Algonquin College, in Radio & Television Broadcasting. She is also is a member of the American Meteorological Society (AMS), and has completed all required courses for the AMS seal of certification from Mississippi State University.