Board of Directors
Mitchell Brogan
Chairman, Board of Directors
Mitch brings valuable experience and knowledge to the foundation as a quadriplegic having sustained a cervical spinal cord injury in 2006. Soon after his injury, he began walking again in a therapeutic setting using robotic-assisted gait devices, including HocomaTM products such as the LokomatTM, and the ErigoTM. In 2011, Mitch founded Able Bionics, Inc. the first North American private, transitional live-in neuro-rehabilitation facility that specializes in robotics therapy for persons with walking disorders. He facilitated opening the first Able Bionics USA facility in Aspen, Colorado, and aspires to expand his outreach across North America. Mitch was the first quadriplegic in North America to own and walk in a REX PTM Bionics personal exoskeleton suit, and he also owns and walks in an EksoTM from Ekso Bionics.
From 2007 to the present, Mitch has been a presenter for The Climate Project (TCP), facilitating and disseminating TCP information and updates to fellow citizens. In 2014 he graduated from the International Space University summer Space Scientist Program in Montreal. Mitch’s primary interest in serving on the board is to help further the advancement of exoskeleton research and development so that the technology becomes more affordable and accessible globally. He resides in Ontario, Canada.
Links:
Mitchell Brogan
Board Member
Rusty Crossland
Founding Board Member
Rusty is one of the original founders of Primerica. He serves as CEO at Crossland Executive Network International, which is a company of agents that helps the average person take advantage of a new opportunity as well as helping them build wealth in an average market. In 1998 Rusty founded the R. H. Crossland Foundation to perpetuate the memory of his father, Ralph Crossland Sr. The Foundation strives to help the less fortunate, and to foster a legacy of helping others.
Rusty is proof that hard work, passion, and determination pay off. Today his family gives more money to charity than he ever made as a high school basketball coach. His hard-working, people-oriented background, combined with his belief in what people can do when they put their hearts into it, is what has made Rusty a success story in his own right. He gives his time, heart, and efforts into building and developing people into leaders who build leaders. Rusty spends most of his time in Scottsdale, Arizona, and with family in Durango, Colorado.
Rusty Crossland
Founding Board Member
Glenda Greenwald
Board Member
Glenda Greenwald has been a supporter of the Bridging Bionics Foundation from the beginning. She has embraced the foundation’s mission and has enabled the executive team to present their forward-thinking ideas on stage at Aspen Brain Lab, an annual event organized by Aspen Brain Institute.
Glenda is the President and Founder of the Aspen Brain Institute Foundation. A social entrepreneur and innovator in the area of applied Brain Science, Glenda organized the first Aspen Brain Institute in 2010, an annual meeting of International Brain Researchers in Aspen, partnering with the New York Academy of Sciences. Aspen Brain Institute’s mission is to support Brain Research to Fight Brain Disease. Aspen Brain Institute’s newest event is AspenBrainLab, which started in 2013.
Glenda was Founder and Chair Emeritus of the Aspen Center for Integral Health, a national institute convening conferences on integrative and preventive medicine from 2000-2010. Prior to ACIH, Glenda was Founder and Chair of the WISH List (Women in the Senate and House), a national organization supporting pro-choice Republican women candidates for Congress, Senate, and Governorships. Before that, she was the publisher and editor of the Michigan Woman magazine, targeted to 50,000 business and professional women. In 1970 she founded the Human Intelligence International Newsletter distributed to educators, psychologists, and neuroscientists in 26 countries.
Glenda is married, has four children and ten grandchildren. She has lived in seven countries in fifteen houses and speaks four languages.
Glenda Greenwald
Board Member
Barb Hoogenboom
Board Member
Barb Hoogenboom PT, EdD, SCS, ATC
Dr. Hoogenboom is a Professor and Associate Chair in the Physical Therapy Department at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. At GVSU, she teaches in the Musculoskeletal curriculum and works clinically through the GVSU pro-bono community clinics. Dr. Hoogenboom is a certified Athletic Trainer and has been a physical therapist since 1985. She was awarded the Sports Certified Specialist designation by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 1993, 2003, and 2013. In literature, she has contributed to published articles, research/case reports, home study courses, textbook chapters, and as co-editor of a textbook on Therapeutic Exercise and Rehabilitation. She enjoys studying, writing, and has presented widely on topics including the female athlete triad, sports nutrition, the female athlete, core strengthening, aquatic therapy, functional performance and testing, and analysis of human movement via electromyography, 2-dimensional, and 3-dimensional motion analysis. She performs movement-related and exercise research in a motion analysis laboratory. She currently serves as the Senior Associate Editor of The International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy and is a member of The Scientific Advisory Board of the Theraband Research Academy.
Barb Hoogenboom
President
Jennifer Sue Montoya
Board Member
Jennifer is Owner/Director of Camp Run-a-Muk, a summer day camp and after school program for school-aged children. Camp Run-a-Muk has been in operation for 22 years and is based in Carbondale, Colorado. Jennifer is affectionately known as Miss Honey to her campers. Jennifer was interested in exoskeleton technology when EksoTM was formerly known as the prototype, eLEGS from Berkeley Bionics. Inspired by Amanda’s pursuit to fundraise and acquire her own exoskeleton in 2013, Jennifer and the children from Camp Run-a-Muk dreamed up ‘Imagine XO’ and became active supporters in helping Amanda realize her vision. Jennifer stirred the power of philanthropy in her campers as they watched Amanda walk in her own Ekso just months later. While being fascinated by the technology, she is incredibly moved by the life-changing human components. “Observing a caregiver or family member watch their loved ones walk again never gets old.” She believes that her contribution to Bridging Bionics’ Board is where her heart is…with children, and specifically, her God-daughter Parker, who is a teenager with Cerebral Palsy and is in the Able Bionics USA program. She hopes to continue to inspire her campers about philanthropy through active fundraising and educational programs for the Bridging Bionics Foundation.
Jennifer Sue Montoya
Board Member
Sam Philben
Board Member
Sam Philben has lived in the Roaring Fork Valley near Aspen for over 40 years. She has been doing hair in the Valley since the day she arrived. Sam opened her own hair salon on May 15, 1989 in Basalt, Colorado. Sam is a well-loved and respected community member and from the time that her children were in school to the present, she has always helped out with fundraising for charitable organizations.
On the fateful day of January 3rd, 2014, Sam heard those words that no one would ever want to hear. Her son James would never walk again after a tragic accident that left him paralyzed with a high cervical spinal cord injury. The family was heartbroken, but they didn’t ever give up, not even for a moment. After Sam and James spent months at Craig Hospital in rehabilitation therapy, they were back in the Valley trying to find their new ‘normal’ with James living life to his fullest. In June 2015, Sam and her son met Amanda Boxtel with Bridging Bionics Foundation. Amanda gave them renewed hope that James might be able to once again stand and walk with the power of state-of-the-art technology. With the help of Bridging Bionics Foundation’s bionic exoskeleton suit, and in just five sessions, James walked a total of 1,163 steps after being paralyzed.
Sadly, James’ life unexpectedly ended on March 9, 2016, from complications due to spinal cord injury. Sam is as motivated as ever to help others in the Roaring Fork Valley to make their dreams come true and once again take those long lost steps. Sam is proud to serve on the Bridging Bionics team with those who made those magical moments that were once a dream, come true for James, Sam, and her family. Sam lives with her husband Dan in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
In loving memory of James Patrick Philben, December 3, 1990 ~ March 9, 2016. In this photograph, Sam and Dan Philben’s son, James, stood at 6’3″ and walked for the first time since sustaining a high cervical spinal cord injury.
Sam Philben
Secretary
Nate White
Board Member
Nate White hails from Maine but has lived in Colorado on and off since 2001. Nate graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2005, then received his Masters in Literature from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 2009. He has been a high school English teacher for the last ten years and is currently teaching at Glenwood Springs High School. Nate suffered a spinal cord injury in 2016, which brought him to Bridging Bionics as a client. With the help of Bridging Bionics, Nate made a miraculous recovery from a wheelchair to unassisted walking and adventuring in the form of mountain biking, hiking, and kayaking. Nate continues to train with Bridging Bionics and is thrilled to now serve on the board of directors in a program that has meant so much to him in his recovery. Nate lives with his wife Katie in Carbondale, CO.
Nate White
Vice President
Dave Portman
Board Member
Market President, First Bank – Roaring Fork Valley
Born and raised in suburban Chicago, Dave graduated from the University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana in 1998 with BS in Accounting. In 1998 he passed the CPA Exam in the State of Illinois and started his professional career at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as an audit associate. Dave was an avid skier since childhood spending spring breaks in Steamboat, CO. This was the impetus behind his move to Steamboat for the 1999-2000 ski season to be a kid’s ski instructor. Steamboat is also where he met his wife, Brook. They moved to the Vail Valley and in July 2001 Dave began his FirstBank career.
In August 2010 he completed the Graduate School of Banking program at University of Wisconsin-Madison. After 18 years in the Vail Valley and 16 years at FirstBank, the family moved to the Roaring Fork Valley in 2018. The Portman family has been so pleased to be a part of this wonderful community and have connected with many great people. Their son Tyler (10) just graduated from Basalt Elementary and will head to Basalt Middle next year. Their daughter Kendall (7) will start 2nd grade at BES next year. They are passionate skiers, hikers, rafters, and bikers.
Dave’s non-profit experience includes serving as a Board Member 2004 – 2008 (including time as Treasurer and Board Chair) for Meet the Wilderness (helping at-risk youth); Board Member 2008 – Current (Treasurer and Executive Committee member most of my terms) for SOS Outreach (use the outdoors to teach core values to youth); Board Member 2015 – 2020 (Treasurer) for Shaw Outreach Team (raise money for Jack’s Place Cancer Caring House & Shaw Cancer Center); Board Member and Treasurer 2016 – 2018 for Vail Chamber & Business Association; and YouthZone – Joined the Board in March 2020. We are honored to have Dave join our Board of Directors for Bridging Bionics Foundation.
Dave Portman
Treasurer
Anne Bruce Spellings
Board Member
Anne is first and foremost, a Mother (of four). Translation: Volunteer!
As a native Houstonian, Anne loved to visit Colorado, skiing Ajax and Snowmass with the Family. Yet, it was her first summer camping trip on the river, outside of Almont, when Colorado captured her heart.
Within weeks, Anne and Michael purchased their first home in the Roaring Fork Valley. Anne is actively engaged in their two family-owned businesses (lumber and real estate). She is a huge fan and supporter of Bridging Bionics Foundation. After her son Mason sustained a chronic cervical spinal cord injury from a motocross accident on March 9, 2019, Bridging Bionics not only enabled him to stand upright and begin stepping on his own, the program also gave him hope and courage.
Anne and her husband Michael live between Houston and the Roaring Fork Valley, and they continue to be an integral part of our Bridging Bionics family.
Anne Bruce Spellings
Board Member
Advisory Board
Craig J Newsam, PT, DPT
Clinical Advisor
Craig is an Assistant Professor and Neuromuscular Curriculum Coordinator for the Department of Physical Therapy at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles, California. He was formerly a clinical training specialist at Ekso Bionics, manufacturer of EksoTM, and has a vast knowledge of the bionic exoskeleton industry. Prior to Ekso Bionics, he was Director of Therapy Services at CHA Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. Craig holds a DPT from the University of Southern California, an MPT from the University of Southern California, and a BA from Hofstra University. In his advisory role for Bridging Bionics Foundation, Craig assists with educational presentations and writing informational content for our online community. Craig lives in Los Angeles with his family.
Craig J Newsam
PT, DPT, Clinical Advisor
Bill Fabrocini PT, CSCS
Advisor: Research and Development
Bill Fabrocini is a clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and sports performance training coach. He has worked at the Aspen Club Sports Medicine Institute in various capacities since 1989 along with running his own training and consulting business, Bill Fabrocini LLC.
During the course of his 30-year career, he has designed exercise programs for several prestigious companies both in the private and public sectors. He has also worked with athletes from a broad range including Olympic medalists, professional sports, collegiate sports, ballet dancers and companies, youth sports organizations, and the everyday recreational athlete. Most recently he served as the rehabilitation and strength conditioning advisor for the Guadalajara Chivas in the Mexican professional soccer league.
In addition to his work with athletes, Mr. Fabrocini specializes in chronic injuries such as back and hip pathology that are the result of repetitive movement dysfunctions. He has focused much of his work on the integrative concepts of posture, stability, and mobility and how they influence human movement. He has published numerous articles and lectured extensively with regards to these concepts and their correlation to loads and stresses on biological tissues as well as how they influence the durability of the human body.
Mr. Fabrocini is also the co-founder of Aspen Core Fitness(ACF), the company that produced the TRX Rip Trainer and the accompanying exercise programs. He served as a TRX consultant for several years, educating fitness professionals throughout North America. Mr. Fabrocini continues to teach and lecture on the national and international stage. He is a frequent presenter at medical and fitness conferences and symposiums. In 2015 he created the Aspen Sports Summit with the mission of bringing together leaders in the fields of sports medicine, fitness, and health to educate professionals while raising funds for various philanthropically organizations making a difference in the world.
Mr.Fabrocini has also authored numerous articles that have been published in prominent journals including the National Strength and Conditioning Journal and the American Council on Exercise Certified News publication. His training methods and rehabilitation concepts have been featured in several fitness magazines including Men’s Health, Skiing, Private Clubs, Outside Magazine, among several others.
Mr. Fabrocini most recently co-authored and created the exercise program in the highly anticipated, The Younger Next Year Exercise Program, the sequel to the NY Times bestseller, Younger Next Year. He also produced the accompanying DVD series that supplemented the book, Preparation for Movement and The Sacred 25 and Beyond.
In his free time, he enjoys his time with his family and friends and biking with his dogs. He is actively involved with several charities related to both human and animal welfare.
