IFNS 2025 will feature three Keynote speakers who will present their keynote talks during dedicated times slots within the scientific programme. This year you can look forward to meet Dr. Babak Azizzadeh, Dr Tessa Hadlock and Jackie Diels

Dr. Babak Azizzadeh the Clinical Chief of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Health System and Director of The Facial Paralysis Institute and the Center for Advanced Facial Plastic Surgery. Dr. Azizzadeh has pioneered several advanced surgical techniques in facial plastic surgery and has been instrumental in developing novel approaches to facial reanimation and rejuvenation. He is currently serving as the President of the Sir Charles Bell Society, a member of the Board of Visitors at Duke School of Medicine, and a western regional director and member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. His clinical and academic contributions have led to numerous awards, including recognition as a top plastic surgeon by US News & World Report, Newsweek, Super Doctors, and Castle Connolly. In addition to his clinical and academic practice, Dr. Azizzadeh is a board member of the Global Smile Foundation and the founder of the Facial Paralysis & Bell’s Palsy Foundation. Through his efforts, he has developed a non-profit facial nerve program in South America that has transformed the lives of countless individuals.

Dr. Azizzadeh will deliver a keynote lecture on the surgical management of post-facial paralysis synkinesis, widely regarded as one of the most complex and challenging conditions to treat.

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Dr. Tessa Hadlock is a Professor of Otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the Hadlock Center for Facial Plastic Surgery. She is a 1990 graduate of Bowdoin College and a 1994 MD graduate of the joint Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts Institute of Technology HST program. She obtained general surgery internship training at the University of Chicago in 1994/1995, followed by Otolaryngology / Head and Neck Surgery training at Harvard from 1995-2001, during which she also pursued a two year research fellowship in tissue engineering at Children’s Hospital in Boston. She has subspecialty training in microvascular head and neck reconstruction, and from 2002-2023 was on the full time staff at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear infirmary, where she directed the Facial Nerve Center for 20 years before transitioning to the part time faculty, to pursue her own International Center. As a clinician-scientist, she is the author of over 200 original articles, as well as invited writings and non-print materials, and has edited two textbooks. She has served as principal investigator for multiple NIH-funded R-01 grants. She headed the division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at MEEI for 11 years, has trained 21 clinical FPRS fellows, 15 research fellows, and served for 8 years as president of the international facial nerve disorders society, the Sir Charles Bell Society. She is currently Vice President for Education for the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Her primary interest is in comprehensive management of the paralyzed face.

Dr. Hadlock will deliver a keynote lecture entitled “25 years of facial reanimation: Where we are and where we are headed,” focusing on the evolution of techniques, current challenges, and future directions in the field of facial nerve reconstruction and reanimation.

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Dr. Jackie Diels has been working exclusively with facial palsy patients since receiving her degree in occupational therapy at the University of Wisconsin (UW) in 1986. There she was honored to be mentored by Richard Balliet, PhD and Paul Bach-y-Rita, MD, pioneers in the field of brain plasticity and rehabilitation, and founders of the UW Facial Retraining Program, the first such program known in the U.S. After 32 years at UW, she “retired” into private practice in 2018 Jackie lectures extensively and consults with medical professionals and patients worldwide. She has developed an innovative perspective for analyzing and explaining complex abnormal movement patterns in the synkinetic face which have led to innovative strategies for treating post facial paralysis synkinesis and sequelae after facial reanimation surgery. Jackie has trained therapists in the U.S. and abroad, participated in research and authored book chapters and articles. She serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Moebius Syndrome Foundation and the board of Facial Therapy Specialists International as Education Committee Lead. She is a founding member, past secretary, and current board member of the Sir Charles Bell Society.

With her keynote lecture “Beyond Face Value: 40 Years of Facial Retraining,” Jackie will share insights from her extensive experience in the field, highlighting the evolution of facial retraining techniques, their impact on patient outcomes, and the integration of multidisciplinary approaches to enhance recovery for individuals with facial paralysis.

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