About Our Team

Dr. Janet Williams is the founder and CEO of communityworks, inc. and Minds Matter, LLC. She has dedicated her life to working for individuals with brain injury and their families since 1982. She is dedicated to finding ways for people with brain injuries to be as independent as possible. She is co-editor of Head Injury: A Family Matter (1991) and Children with Acquired Brain Injury: Educating and Supporting Families (1996). She also has a chapter in the 2014 book, Social Capital: the key to macro change. Dr. Williams has also published many journal articles and presents nationally and internationally on a variety of topics related to disability. In addition to academic work, she has traveled to all 50 states in the United States, Canada, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and India on study visits researching rehabilitation systems for people with brain injuries. The services of Minds Matter LLC are designed from the best of what Dr. Williams has researched and witnessed. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Providence College, her Master’s Degree in Social Work from Boston College and her PhD from the University of Kansas in Family Studies and Disability. She makes her home in Kansas with her 2 daughters.

Erica Bates has served as the Director of Rehabilitative Services for Minds Matter LLC since May 2014. Prior to working with Minds Matter, she held various titles at Gardner, Kansas’ Meadowbrook Rehabilitation Hospital such as Speech Therapy Team Lead and Assistant Director of Rehabilitation. She has focused her career on working with survivors of brain injury as a Speech Language Pathologist since 2008. Erica is also a Certified Brain Injury Specialist, and as of 2014, a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer, allowing her to effectively train others who wish to be certified. An avid advocate and educator, Erica provides training to a variety of audiences including rehabilitation hospitals, law enforcement, corrections officials and support groups. She enjoys being a planning committee member for the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City’s professional conference annually. Erica studied at Kansas State University for both her undergraduate and graduate degree. The focus of her graduate work centered around Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Originally from Topeka, KS, Kevin has been a Transitional Living Specialist with Minds Matter, LLC since 2010. Through this role, Kevin helps consumers learn independent living skills to assist them to live, work and play in the community. He’s been involved with communityworks, inc. since a long, six year journey pursuing disability determination to enable him access to rehabilitation services. After attending college, Kevin started his career as an Architectural Drafter for a shoe company for four years. Kevin later moved to Nashville, TN to become a Construction Project Manager for a large shoe and men’s fashion company running six to seven projects at a time across the US and Caribbean for many years. Kevin’s latest accomplishment has been his transition to the Kansas Working Healthy Program eight years ago. Audience members throughout multiple states have enjoyed listening to Kevin speak. He recounts his journey and navigation of the disability system after his brain injury and becoming independent through his no-nonsense, entertaining stories.