Multiple Sclerosis Foundation - Healthcare Advisory Board

The Healthcare Advisory Panel is responsible for ensuring the accuracy and relevance of all medical and health-related information the Foundation provides.

Ben Thrower, M.D. - Neurology,
MS Focus Senior Medical Advisor

Dr. Ben Thrower is the medical director of the Andrew C. Carlos MS Institute at the Shepherd Center. He previously served as the medical director of the Holy Family MS Center in Spokane, Washington. Dr. Thrower is the senior medical advisor for MS Focus: the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and enjoys contributing to our quarterly MS Focus magazine.

Daniel Kantor, M.D. - Neurology

Daniel Kantor, M.D., FAAN, is a board-certified neurologist and the president emeritus of the Florida Society of Neurology, founding president of the Medical Partnership 4 MS+, past chair of the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration’s Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, past director of Florida Atlantic University’s Division of Neurology, inaugural Neurology Residency Program director at Florida Atlantic University, past director of University of Florida’s Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center in Jacksonville, Fla., the neurology representative for First Coast Service Options’ (contractor for Medicare in Florida) Contractor Advisor Committee, and an adjunct full professor in Nova Southeastern University’s Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine. He is board-certified in both neurology and headache medicine. He is the chair of the subcommittee on Concussion of the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee of Florida High School Athletic Association and the vice-president for clinical research and development at a neurological research institute focusing on finding a cure for Parkinson’s disease. After Dr. Thrower, Dr. Kantor is proud to be the second longest member of MS Focus's Medical Advisory Panel.

Aaron L. Boster, M.D. - Neurology

Dr. Boster, an MS specialist and president of the Boster Center for Multiple Sclerosis, is a board-certified neurologist specializing in multiple sclerosis and related central nervous system inflammatory disorders. He decided to become a MS doctor at age 12, as he watched his uncle Mark suffer from the disease in an era before MS treatment was available. Dr. Boster grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and attended undergraduate school at Oberlin College. He earned his M.D. at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and completed an internal medicine and residency in neurology internship at the University of Michigan. He then completed a two-year fellowship in Clinical Neuroimmunology at Wayne State University. Since then, Dr. Boster has been intimately involved in the care of people impacted by Multiple Sclerosis; He has been a principal investigator in numerous clinical trials, trained numerous multiple sclerosis doctors and nurse practitioners, and published extensively in medical journals. He lectures to MS patients and providers worldwide with a mission to educate, energize and empower people affected by multiple sclerosis. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his child Maxwell.

Annette Okai, M.D. - Neurology

Dr. Annette Okai is fellowship trained in multiple sclerosis. She is the director of Clinical Neuroimmunology and Multiple Sclerosis Research at North Texas Institute of Neurology and Headache in Plano, Texas, and clinical associate professor of Neurology at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. Dr. Okai is fellow of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. In addition to her clinical practice, she is actively engaged in multiple clinical trials in MS and is published in several neurological journals. She serves on the MS Association of America Health Care Advisory Committee, National Multiple Sclerosis Society faculty, and Multiple Sclerosis Foundation advisory board.

Darin T. Okuda, M.D. - Neurology

Dr. Okuda is a professor of neurology specializing in multiple sclerosis and related disorders within the Department of Neurology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He currently serves as director of the Neuroinnovation Program and director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Imaging Program. Dr. Okuda is known throughout the world for his research related to the radiologically isolated syndrome. Additionally, his original innovations focus on designing platforms that enhance diagnostic accuracy, treatment optimization, and clinical surveillance, while advancing healthcare initiatives that expand access and reduce cost. Dr. Okuda is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc., fellow of the American Academy of Neurology, fellow of the American Neurological Association, and member of the American Academy of Neurology Committees on Neuro-imaging and Ethics.

Herb Karpatkin, PT, DSc, NCS, MSCS - Physical Therapy

Herb Karpatkin received his master’s degree in physical therapy from Boston University, and a doctorate in neurology from Rocky Mountain University. He is board certified in neurology and geriatrics clinical through the American Physical Therapy Association, and is a certified multiple sclerosis clinical specialist through the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. He has been in clinical practice, specializing in MS, for more than 40 years. He is currently an associate professor in the PT program at Hunter College. He has presented extensively both nationally and internationally on physical therapy and MS, and has published numerous peer reviewed articles on MS. He is the recipient of the 2015 American Physical Therapy Association Award for Excellence in Neurologic Education and the 2019 National Multiple Sclerosis Society Research Partners award. His primary areas of research are aimed at understanding and developing interventions that result in improved mobility for persons with MS.

Marissa A. Barrera, MS.M.Phil, MSCS, CCC-SLP - Speech Language Pathology

Dr. Marissa A. Barrera is an internationally recognized medical speech-language pathologist and MS-certified specialist. She has extensive specialized training in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with complex neurological conditions and is a leading expert on the use of modalities for speech and swallowing rehabilitation, including neuromuscular electrical stimulation, surface electromyography, ultrasound, and neuromuscular taping. As a researcher and author, Dr. Barrera has lectured around the globe on a wide range of clinical care topics ranging from dysphagia, motor speech disorders, cognition, and neurogenerative diseases. Dr. Barrera had trained more than 4,000 clinicians globally in more than 10 different countries. She has more than 80 research abstracts and has been featured in Women’s Health, Vice magazine, CBS News, and MTV. Dr. Barrera serves as the assistant dean of Health Sciences as well as the program drector at Yeshiva University's Graduate Program in medically focused speech-language pathology at the Katz School of Science and Health, New York. She is a member of the Healthcare Provider Council of the National MS Society and MS Focus: the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Advisory Board. She also serves as distinguished faculty for the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. Dr. Barrera is also the founder and owner of the New York Neurogenic Speech-Language Pathology.

Cherie Binns, RN, MSCN, MS Nursing,
MS Focus Patient-Healthcare Liaison

Cherie Binns is an RN with a degree in Gerontology. Diagnosed with MS, she focused on learning all she could to manage her condition and obtained her MS-certified nurse designation. She is the Patient Healthcare Liaison for MS Focus and does regular patient education programs as well as being a contributor to the MS Focus magazine.

Pearl Werfel, Ph.D. - Psychology

Dr. Pearl B. Werfel is a clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco with expertise in wellness; stress, anxiety, and pain mitigation and multiple sclerosis. She has led groups and developed webinars for people living with MS for more than 25 years. Dr. Werfel is the lead author of Multiple Sclerosis. Advances in Psychotherapy-Evidenced-Based Practices and provides training for mental health professionals on MS. She is a member of MS Focus: the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Advisory Board, was inducted into the National MS Society Hall of Fame for Healthcare Providers, and is a consultant with CanDo Multiple Sclerosis.

Adam Chaifetz, DC, DIBCN, MSCS - Neurology

Since 2008, he has been the program coordinator for the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center in the Department of Neurology at the Jacksonville campus of the University of Florida. He manages the program through the interaction with patients, providers, and ancillary staff personnel. He is a strong advocate for patients and interacts with governmental relations representatives and local and federal legislatures. Dr. Chaifetz has been in clinical practice since 1987. His expertise has always been in a collaborative medical environment. Dr. Chaifetz has run and managed the largest chiropractic practices in Jacksonville. The first Chiropractic Rehabilitation Center Director in Jacksonville, he has always been at the epicenter of collaborative care with his patients. Utilizing medical physicians in practice, his patients have always benefitted from a thorough, comprehensive approach to healthcare.

Ben Thrower, M.D. - Neurology, MS Focus Senior Medical Advisor