2025 Spinal CSF Leak: Bridging the Gap Conference
The 3rd Annual Bridging the Gap Conference
Hosted by: Dr. Andrew Callen and the University of Colorado Anschutz in partnership with the Spinal CSF Leak Foundation
Date: November 15, 2025, starting at 8am Mountain Time.
Location: Virtual, streaming link to be provided.
Spinal CSF Leak: Bridging the Gap is an annual conference held in November that fosters a nuanced, patient-centered understanding of the diagnosis and treatment of spinal CSF leak. It is aimed at anyone interested in spinal CSF leak, be they physicians, patients, caregivers, or the general population.
This event is presented by Dr. Andrew Callen and the University of Colorado Anschutz in partnership with the Spinal CSF Leak Foundation.
This year’s Bridging the Gap conference theme is “Making the Invisible Visible”. Presentations spotlighted recent research in the field, with patient moderators guiding questions submitted by patients after each talk. Interspersed between clinician talks was a patient video compiled from patients around the world and answering common questions about the condition. To close the conference, there was a session about barriers to care and obstacles in accessing care for patients with spinal CSF leak, followed by a general Q&A.
We hope that this conference helped narrow the gap between clinicians and patients, and provided support to our spinal CSF leak patient community.
Introduction
Post-Dural Puncture Headache
CSF-Venous Fistulas
Lateral Leaks
Barriers to Accessing Care Discussion
Closing Q&A
Patient Video Compilation
LOCATION
ONLINE: Streaming link to be provided following registration.
AGENDA
AGENDA – SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2025
All times in Mountain Time. Times are subject to change.
Introduction to BTG 2025: 8:00 AM – 8:15 AM
Welcome address and introduction to the 2024 conference
Speakers: Dr. Andrew Callen and Olivia Chelko
Post Dural Puncture Headache: 8:15 AM – 8:45 AM
Title: Emerging Concepts in Post-Dural Puncture Headache
Speaker: Dr. Jürgen Beck
Patient Moderator: Jen MacKenzie
Q&A: Post Dural Puncture Headache: 8:45 AM – 9:15 AM
Physician: Dr. Jürgen Beck
Patient Moderator: Jen MacKenzie
Short Break: 9:15 AM – 9:25 AM
CSF-Venous Fistulas: 9:25 AM – 9:55 AM
Title: Beyond the Paraspinal Vein: Nuances in Myelography for CVFs
Speaker: Dr. Andrew Callen
Patient Moderator: Aubrey Bolan
Q&A: CSF-Venous Fistulas: 9:55 AM – 10:25 AM
Physician: Dr. Andrew Callen
Patient Moderator: Aubrey Bolan
Patient Compilation Video: 10:25 AM – 10:45 AM
15 Minute Break: 10:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Lateral Tears: 11:00 AM – 11:40 AM
Title: Is that a Diverticulum? New Insights in Lateral Leaks
Speakers: Dr. Ajay Madhavan and Dr. Wouter Schievink
Patient Moderator: Kyle Spawn
Q&A: Lateral Tears: 11:40 AM – 12:00 PM
Physicians: Dr. Ajay Madhavan and Dr. Wouter Schievink
Patient Moderator: Kyle Spawn
Short Break: 12:00 PM – 12:10 PM
A Better Understanding of Barriers to Care in Spinal CSF Leak: 12:10 PM – 12:50 PM
Speakers: Dr. Andrew Callen and Jodi Ettenberg
General Q&A: 12:50 PM – 1:20 PM
Physicians: All attending who can make it
Patient moderator: Jodi Ettenberg
Closing Remarks: 1:20 PM
SPEAKERS AND PATIENT MODERATORS
Professor Jürgen Beck, MD is the Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Neurocenter, University of Freiburg, Germany. His extensive surgical expertise encompasses brain and spinal tumors, vascular conditions, skull base pathologies, minimally-invasive surgeries for spinal CSF leaks (SIH and cPDPH), and he and his team are also actively developing non-invasive diagnostic methodologies for spinal CSF leak, including phase-contrast MRI, novel biomarkers, and infusion testing. He is developing a horizontal human-to-human (H2H) translational research program that places the neurosurgical operating room at its core. This program includes initiatives in neuro-oncological molecular imaging (CAST), quantum-magnetic imaging, translational research laboratories, and specialized programs for intracerebral hemorrhage and vasospasm. He is the founder of the first interdisciplinary SIH boards in Switzerland and Germany and serves as the chair of the CSF-section of the European Association of Neurosurgical Societies (EANS).
Aubrey Bolan is an engineer by degree, but has gained a wealth of experience in marketing products, leading teams, and developing precise and impactful documentation over the last ten years. Although her brain MRIs have always been negative for signs of spinal CSF leak, she has suffered from two debilitating instances of spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) since 2018. In order to access care, Aubrey had to delve into medical literature and fiercely advocate for herself to receive the treatment she needed for her CSF-venous fistulas. Aubrey’s life was profoundly altered by spinal CSF leak and SIH, and she is passionate about empowering other patients and serving the spinal CSF leak community. Aubrey has served as a volunteer for the Spinal CSF Leak Foundation since her leaks were sealed in 2023, and is currently the Board Secretary.
Andrew Callen, MD (Course Director) is an Associate Professor of Neuroradiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where he is also the Director of the CSF Leak Program.
Olivia Chelko is a nonprofit leader with more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and social impact organizations. Her expertise spans fund development, grant writing, program design, and executive management. Throughout her career, Olivia has expanded fundraising capacity, strengthened community engagement, and elevated organizational visibility by guiding mission-driven organizations through growth and change. She is recognized for her innovative, results-focused leadership and her commitment to amplifying the voices of vulnerable populations. Olivia holds a Master of Public Health from Emory University and a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Administration from the University of Georgia.
Jodi Ettenberg is a former lawyer turned writer, public speaker, and photographer whose work and website, Legal Nomads, has been featured in The New York Times, BBC Travel, CNN, and more. Her decade long second career in food and travel writing was derailed by a spinal CSF leak that she sustained via a lumbar puncture in 2017. Jodi now writes about curiosity and loss, and shares resources to support other patients in their health journeys. Her spinal CSF leak is ongoing, and repairs have not held. She grateful to serve the spinal CSF leak community, and began volunteering for the Spinal CSF Leak Foundation in 2021. She was invited to join the Board in 2022, and is currently the Board President.
Kyle Spawn is a former aerospace engineer and current pre-medical student. His career in engineering was interrupted by a spinal CSF leak caused by a complicated lumbar puncture. After pursuing treatment for multiple years, he finally had his leak localized and surgically repaired in 2022. He began volunteering for the Foundation shortly after his own leak was sealed, and later joined the board in 2024. Inspired by his own experiences, he opted to leave his field of aerospace engineering to pursue a career in medicine.
Ajay Madhavan, MD is a neuroradiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. He completed his medical training at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, followed by radiology residency and a neuroradiology fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. His clinical interests include diagnosis and management of patients with spinal CSF leaks, spine interventional procedures, and advancements in CT and MRI.
Jen MacKenzie experienced spinal CSF leak symptoms for many years until her leak was found and surgically repaired in early 2023. After volunteering in other capacities, she joined the Board of Directors in 2022, and currently serves as the Board Treasurer.
Wouter Schievink, MD was born and raised in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, where he attended the University of Amsterdam School of Medicine. Following his neurosurgery residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and a fellowship at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, Arizona he has been an attending neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He is a Professor of Neurosurgery and director of the microvascular neurosurgery program. He has treated patients with spontaneous spinal CSF leaks since 1991 and he established the Cedars-Sinai CSF leak program in 2001.
GET INVOLVED! Q&A SUBMISSIONS
As with last year year, we are offering a means for attendees to submit their questions for our Q&A sessions ahead of time, via a form. We are asking patients to submit based on the section topics in the agenda.
We will get to as many as we can in the allocated Q&A time slots, but anticipate that volume will exceed the available time and apologize in advance for those questions we may not be able to get to during this year’s event.
The question submission form is now closed.
GET INVOLVED! PATIENT VOICES VIDEO
PATIENT VIDEOS
In order to help share what it’s like to experience spinal CSF leak from the patient’s point-of-view, we are seeking video submissions from patients with confirmed or suspected spinal CSF leak.
These submissions will be used to create video montages that will play during the Spinal CSF Leak Bridging the Gap 2025 virtual conference, and also be published on our website and on our YouTube channel.
We’re looking forward to featuring our incredible community!
Video submission form is now closed.