2026 Conference Speakers

Emmanuel Mignot, M.D., Ph.D. is the Craig Reynolds Professor of Sleep Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy. 

He discovered that the cause of human narcolepsy is the loss of ~70,000 orexin/hypocretin neurons within the posterior hypothalamus. In the process, he was the first to positionally clone a disease gene in the dog (HCRTR2 mutations causing canine narcolepsy). This discovery led to the realization that orexin/hypocretin is a key sleep regulator, a concept now leading to novel pharmaceutical agents, hypocretin/orexin antagonists, as insomnia therapies and orexin agonists for narcolepsy and hypersomnia. 

Dr. Mignot also identified HLA-DQB0602, T-cell receptor genes, and other immune polymorphisms as major human narcolepsy susceptibility genes across ethnic groups, showing that they act together to promote a highly selective autoimmune process. He found that narcolepsy is triggered by specific flu strains but not others. He also characterized pharmacologic mechanisms of major narcolepsy medications and established measurement of cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1 as a new diagnostic tool for narcolepsy, a test used worldwide. 

His expertise extends beyond narcolepsy; for example, he studies the pathophysiology of autoimmune encephalitis and the role of adaptive immune responses in neurodegenerative diseases. He also developed machine learning software for high throughput scoring of polysomnographic sleep studies. These are now used for large scale genetic studies of objective sleep trait and sleep disorders. 

Dr. Mignot received his M.D. and Ph.D. (molecular pharmacology) from Paris V and VI University respectively. Dr. Mignot is a member of the National Academies of Sciences and Medicine and has received numerous awards for his work, including a 2023 Breakthrough prize in Life Sciences.

Emily Clegg Barker, Ph.D. has lived with narcolepsy with cataplexy since she was 20 years old. She is the mom of three sons, aged 15, 13, and 9. Emily is deeply passionate about connecting with other women as a co-facilitator for the Wake up Narcolepsy Pregnancy and Parenting with Narcolepsy peer support group. 

Emily is a scientist and a medical writer who has performed research in medication use during lactation with narcolepsy. Emily enjoys being active and especially playing various sports with her family.

Anna Wani, M.D., is a family physician who practices pediatric sleep medicine at Children’s Health℠. Dr. Wani currently serves as an Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern in both family medicine and pediatrics. She has special interests in caring for children with insomnia and parasomnia, as well as in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for children with sleep apnea.

Dr. Wani earned her medical degree at Ross University School of Medicine on the island of Dominica in the West Indies in 2012. She completed her family medicine residency at UT Southwestern Medical Center in 2016. While there, Dr. Wani served as chief resident, receiving the chief resident award, a CARE (Community, Action, Research, Empowerment) award and an award from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. In 2017, she completed a fellowship in sleep medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Wani was inspired to study medicine while hiking in India years ago. Her group came across a nomad family that had no access to medical care. Afterward, she decided to become a doctor so she could be empowered to help families who need care.

Her favorite quote is from the late author, Dr. Maya Angelou: “When you get, give. When you learn, teach.”

W. David Brown, Ph.D., is a sleep psychologist who practices behavioral sleep medicine at Children’s Health℠.

Dr. Brown treats children and teenagers who have insomnia (trouble sleeping). He also cares for young sleep apnea patients who have trouble using their CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) treatment devices.

“A good night’s sleep is critically important for a child’s health and well-being,” explains Dr. Brown. “When children don’t get enough sleep, it affects their attention, concentration, memory and mood. Some cases of hyperactivity in childhood can actually be attributed to a sleep disorder.”

Dr. Brown also has a special interest in how sleep deprivation affects the overall health of adolescents and teenagers – including mood, depression, anxiety, test scores and driving ability.

“Teens who are sleep-deprived are much more prone to accidents, particularly driving accidents,” says Dr. Brown. “We need to make sure they’re as rested as possible; we want them to be safe, healthy and perform to their full potential.”

Dr. Brown earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UT Southwestern Medical School in 1990. Prior to that, he completed a psychology internship at UT Southwestern in 1986. He also completed sleep training at the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas Sleep Evaluation Center.

Dr. Brown serves as an Assistant Professor in psychiatry at UT Southwestern. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Sleep Medicine and a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. He is also certified in behavioral sleep medicine.

“The topic of sleep is fascinating. Most of what we’ve discovered about sleep medicine we’ve learned in the last 50-60 years,” says Dr. Brown. “I’ve watched it evolve since close to its birth.”

Dr. Brown has written numerous books about sleep – for children, adults and academic settings. He co-authored Snoozby and the Great Big Bedtime Battle, an entertaining story designed to help children understand how poor sleep affects their health and why it’s important to get adequate sleep.

In his spare time, Dr. Brown also enjoys spending time with his three children who, he says, “sleep very well.”

“It’s wonderful to help children get a good night’s sleep. By treating one child, you help the whole family,” says Dr. Brown. “You improve the parents’ and siblings’ sleep too.”

Syed Kamal Naqvi, M.D. is a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine physician, who has been functioning as the medical director of the sleep disorders center at Children’s Health℠ for more than 15 years.

Under his leadership the center has grown from a 2-bed sleep laboratory in 2005 to a comprehensive sleep disorders center with 12 sleep beds in Dallas, 8 beds in Plano and clinics in both locations which are equipped and staffed in handling all types of sleep disorders in children.

Dr. Naqvi earned his medical degree from Dow University of Health Sciences in Karachi, Pakistan. He received pediatric residency training in New York City and later completed fellowship training in pediatric pulmonary and sleep medicine from Tulane University Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana.

“Children and adolescents reach their best potential when they get optimum sleep, helping them in achieving that, is what I do every day at work and I take it as a mission.”

Dr. Naqvi is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern and is the co-director for the sleep medicine fellowship training for pediatric sleep at Children’s Health.

His clinical interest is sleep disordered breathing in children with various chronic conditions, mechanical ventilation during sleep, asthma and narcolepsy. He has been actively involved with clinical research on pediatric obstructive sleep apnea and pediatric narcolepsy.

Dr. Naqvi has given lectures, grand rounds and clinical conferences in various pediatric sub-specialty divisions and supervises medical students, residents and fellows. He has written textbook chapters on various pediatric sleep medicine topics.

Dr. Naqvi likes to travel to ancient sites, hiking, classical music and reading. He and his wife enjoy spending time with their three grown children, whenever they can.

Lindsay McCullough, M.D., is an assistant professor of sleep medicine and associate program director of the sleep medicine fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

She practices and teaches sleep medicine, with clinical expertise in many sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome (RLS), sleep apnea, and insomnia, as well as continuous positive airway pressure titrations and lifestyle medicine.

Dr. McCullough brings a unique personal perspective to her work: she was diagnosed with type 2 narcolepsy during her fourth year of medical school, after years of unrecognized symptoms. That experience has shaped both her clinical approach and her advocacy — she is a strong proponent of pairing medical treatment with social support, and she encourages patients and trainees alike to seek community.

Dr. McCullough is committed to mentoring the next generation of sleep physicians and to raising awareness of an often invisible condition.

Nicole Jeray of Chicago is an LPGA tour Veteran and long-time advocate for Narcolepsy awareness. Since graduating from Northern Illinois University, she has played professional golf worldwide for almost 30 years.

Nicole was diagnosed with Narcolepsy at age 25 during her second year on the LPGA tour. After suffering for several years, she realized how misunderstood Narcolepsy was and became determined to educate the world. Nicole started “Swinging for Sleep,” a campaign that raises awareness and funds for Narcolepsy while she competed on the LPGA and other golf tours.

Nicole now teaches golf full-time at Mistwood GC, coaches high school girls’ golf at her alma mater, Nazareth Academy, and still plays professional tournaments on the Legends of the LPGA. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Wake Up Narcolepsy.

Dr. Rupini Alla is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UT Southwestern and a board-certified sleep medicine physician. She completed medical school at Oakland University William Beaumont, followed by family medicine residency at UT Southwestern and sleep medicine fellowship at Stanford University.

She joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2025 and serves as Co-Director of Didactics for the Sleep Medicine Fellowship Program. Her clinical and research interests include sleep disturbances in pregnancy, REM behavior disorder, central disorders of hypersomnolence, and cardiovascular outcomes of obstructive sleep apnea. Her work has been published in journals including the Journal of the American Heart Association and Sleep.

In 2024, she earned UT Southwestern’s Distinction in Sleep Medicine Award.

Jennifer Brown is a Native American woman from Oklahoma living with type 2 Narcolepsy. Symptoms started to develop after catching H1N1 while living in Seoul, South Korea in 2010 after graduating with a bachelors in Business Administration.

After receiving a formal diagnosis in 2025, she joined Wake Up Narcolepsy to better navigate her journey. Through the organization, she not only gained valuable insights into managing her diagnosis but also found a welcoming community of allies and friends. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys watching movies, writing, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Michelle Caraballo, M.D., is a pediatric pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist at Children’s Health℠ and Associate Professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

After earning her medical degree and completing her pediatric residency at UT Southwestern Medical School, Dr. Caraballo completed fellowships in pediatric pulmonology and sleep medicine at the University of Colorado Denver.

“My favorite thing about being a doctor is that, every single day, I feel like my job matters,” Dr. Caraballo says. “I feel like the time I spend away from my family is well worth it because I can help other children be their healthiest and happiest selves. This is rewarding as both a physician and a mother.”

Dr. Caraballo’s clinical and research interests include asthma, complicated pneumonia, sleep-related breathing disorders, narcolepsy and sleep-related infant death.

Though Dr. Caraballo enjoys spending most of her free time with her husband and two sons, she also volunteers in the nursery at her church and serves in a medical clinic for a local refugee community. She’s also an avid Texas Rangers fan and loves water skiing and snow skiing whenever she can.

Tammy Anderson is the Executive Director of Wake Up Narcolepsy. She has dedicated much of her adult life to building and supporting organizations that strengthen individuals and families, helping them reach their full potential.

Tammy’s commitment to family advocacy took on a deeply personal dimension when her 10-year-old daughter was diagnosed with Narcolepsy. Since then, she has been instrumental in supporting and growing the Narcolepsy community. She is passionate about empowering families and individuals affected by Narcolepsy, providing them with resources, and a sense of connection.

Living in the foothills of Northern Utah, Tammy and her family enjoy hiking and exploring the mountains near their home. Her family remains her greatest work and accomplishment.

Hero Anderson is in her third year of Human and Family studies at Brigham Young University-Idaho. She developed symptoms of narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) shortly after her 9th birthday and was diagnosed 18 months later.

She has been involved with Wake Up Narcolepsy (WUN) for the past 10 years as a patient advocate. Knowing how community connections have helped make her journey easier, she wants to be that support for others. In her free time, she enjoys art, music, and reading.

Daniel Rongo, M.D. is a Clinical Faculty Physician at The University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center under the UT Tyler School of Medicine. Specializing in pulmonary, sleep and critical care medicine, Dr. Rongo’s approach reflects a dedication to the complexity of each individual patient, emphasizing a comprehensive multidisciplinary strategy to deliver the highest quality care.

“My care philosophy is rooted in respect, compassion and partnership with patients and their families,” Dr. Daniel Rongo said. “I believe everyone deserves a chance to be heard and understood and I strive to tailor each person’s care plan to their unique goals and values. I also want to serve as an advocate for my patients especially during their most challenging moments.”

Dr. Rongo chose a career in health care because he believes “there is no greater privilege than supporting people through their most vulnerable moments and helping to relieve their suffering.” He also has a passion for education and teaching which extends into his patient interactions.