Our Speakers
Matt Davis
Matthew “Matt” Davis is the Vice President of Client Relations at CaseExperts, and he joined the company at its inception in September 2004. While pursuing his nursing degree, Matt worked as an Outside Adjuster and Bill Review/Negotiation Manager for CaseExperts. Matt received his Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) in December 2009. Following nursing school, Matt worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Glenwood Regional Medical Center (GRMC) in West Monroe, LA, before returning to CaseExperts in December 2010 as a Nurse Case Manager. In 2013, Matt was promoted to Vice President of Operations. In 2016, Brandon Davis assumed the role of Vice President of Operations, and Matt transitioned to Marketing, Client Relations, Company Education and assists in day-to-day operations. Matt has provided numerous continuing education presentations to Claims Adjusters across the United States. Matt is a devoted husband and father of three (3) children, two (2) boys and one (1) girl.
Cody Church
Cody Church is the President of Avail Comp Solutions and a career workers' compensation professional with more than 18 years of industry experience. Throughout his career, Cody has built his reputation on developing strategic partnerships, delivering responsive service, and helping injured workers access the care they need to recover and return to work.
Before founding Avail Comp Solutions, Cody served in regional leadership and sales roles across multi-state territories, working closely with carriers, TPAs, employers, and healthcare providers throughout the Southeast. His deep understanding of the workers' compensation ecosystem allows him to bridge operational gaps and create solutions that benefit all stakeholders.
A former collegiate baseball player, Cody brings the same discipline, competitiveness, and team-first mentality to business that he learned on the field. He remains passionate about serving the workers' compensation community and building solutions that make a measurable difference in the lives of injured workers.
Todd Kelly
Todd Kelly is the President of Marketing and Sales for Genesis Information Services (GIS), Inc. He has collaborated with his wife and owner of Genesis, Neille Kelly, since its start in 2010. He received a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Louisiana State University.
Todd started his journey into investigations at the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office as an investigator before moving into the private investigation field and has since dedicated over 30 years to the industry.
Today he serves GIS, managing client relations, company standards, and project outcomes. He is an active member of the New Orleans Claims Association, Southern RIMS Chapter, Port of New Orleans Mariners Club, and the Louisiana Claims Association, wherein he has provided educational sessions.
GIS has over 50 years of combined experience in surveillance and investigations. The company was started for one purpose: to identify and reduce fraud. GIS specializes in assisting businesses with intelligence gathering, surveillance, investigations, and subrogation.
Matt Tierney
Graduated 1995 from Indiana University with a degree in Public Affairs with a concentration in Public Policy. Graduated in 1998 from LSU Law Center with a JD and admitted to the Louisiana Bar Association in 1998. Admitted to all Louisiana Courts as well as the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal. As a founding member of Tierney and Smiley, LLC, practice area is primarily focused on workers' compensation defense, employer liability and employer's rights. Has tried cases in every workers' compensation district and has appeared before various Louisiana Courts of Appeal and argued before the Louisiana Supreme Court. Presented numerous seminars, presentation and continuing education classes regarding all aspects of Louisiana workers' compensation. Member of LASIE and LABI. Obtained the highest AV Preeminent Rating from Martindale Hubbell.
Corey Meaux
Born and raised in Abbeville, LA, I grew up in your typical small-town USA, with one slight caveat – Abbeville is very Cajun. From gumbos to crawfish boils, some of my earliest and fondest memories are of large family gatherings with my extended family. Another very powerful and early memory that I have is that of my grandfather telling me that I was born to be an attorney. Throughout the years, I also heard this from my parents, sisters, and friends. Whether it’s my extrovert personality, my enjoyment in reading and learning new information, talking about anything and everything, and having the ability to argue my way out of a few groundings from my parents, I’d say they were right.
Strangely enough, my first major while attending college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette was civil engineering. With my love of science and math, and the fact that my dad and so many families and friends were in the oil field, I figured civil engineering was the right choice and would afford me an interesting and solid career path. Well, after 3 years in civil engineering, I found that my passion for the subject was dwindling at best, so I made the great decision to switch my major to pre-law, and I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in 2012.
After exploring law schools in Boston, MA, Charlotte, NC, Charleston, SC, and Texas, I decided to stay close to home and attend Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, LA, where I was a Law Review Editor and graduated cum laude in 2015. While attending law school, I found a passion for politics and worked for 2 years with the Acadiana Legislative Delegation at the Louisiana State Capitol. After graduating law school, I first worked for a local lobbying firm here in Lafayette, LA, where I helped with a successful mayoral campaign.
After my brief stint in politics, I finally made my way to practicing law. I devote the majority of my practice to workers’ compensation defense, but I also provide business consulting and litigation services to numerous clients. I’ve handled workers’ compensation, general liability, property disputes, shareholder disputes, and other litigated matters for my clients throughout the entire state of Louisiana. I’ve also opened multiple businesses and reviewed numerous contracts for my clients. I pride myself as a meticulous writer and researcher, and I believe that my always present positive attitude enables me to routinely work easily with plaintiff attorneys in an effort to resolve cases quickly and efficiently for my clients.
Whenever I’m not in the office, you can likely find me hunting, golfing, spending time with my dog (appropriately named “Justice”) or cooking some sort of Cajun dish while cheering on the New Orleans Saints, LSU Tigers, and UL Ragin’ Cajuns with family and friends.
Dr. Chad Domangue
Dr. Chad Domangue is a nationally recognized neurologist, pain management specialist, patient advocate, entrepreneur, and speaker from south Louisiana. He is a co-creator of the YNRC Relaxation Shot™ for supplement therapies. “I’m a fierce patient advocate. I treat every patient as I would my mom, my brother, my cousin. I’ll sit with you, examine you, review your imaging, and more importantly, I’ll LISTEN to you. I provide every patient with a ‘menu’ of treatment options, and I explain the risks and benefits of each,” said Dr. Chad.
As an Interventional Neurologist and Pain Management Specialist, Dr. Chad has exhaustive training in identifying and administering treatment for conditions that trigger severe and chronic pain and decreased functionality. He is double board-certified in Neurology and Pain Management and is board eligible for Clinical Neurophysiology. These distinct credentials allow Dr. Chad to assess and furnish his opinion as both a pain specialist and a neurologist. It displays a tangible demonstration of his deep commitment to providing the best possible care for his patients. “As a neurologist, I’m a detective that has to figure out what is wrong with your central nervous system, your brain, your spine, your nerves, your spinal cord, your muscles — causing weakness, pain, numbness, headaches,” said Dr. Chad.
Dr. Douglas Lurie
An orthopaedic specialist is more than just a member of your health care team; they also serve as a trusted partner in making the most of your current and future health and wellness. For many men and women in and around New Orleans, Douglas N. Lurie, MD, serves in that role. Through a combination of skill, expertise, and compassionate care, Dr. Lurie helps patients of all ages achieve exceptional joint health results.
Dr. Lurie studied business management at Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama. He turned his focus to medicine at the University of South Alabama School of Medicine, where he earned his MD. He went on to further his knowledge and skills through an internship and residency at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation in New Orleans, where he worked as a chief resident.
In his practice at Orthopaedic Associates of New Orleans, Dr. Lurie offers the full scope of orthopaedic care. He has extensive experience in arthroscopic surgeries of the knee, hip, and shoulder, and especially enjoys providing care to workers who were injured on the job. Helping workers’ compensation patients get on their feet and back to work is an enriching part of Dr. Lurie’s practice. Sports medicine is another passion and an area where he can make a meaningful difference in his patients’ lives.
Kristi Smiley
Kristine D. Smiley has been a member of Tierney and Smiley, LLC since 2005. Her practice includes the areas of general civil litigation, appellate practice, general insurance defense, workers’ compensation defense, employers’ rights, and insurance contract coverage. She is a 2004 graduate of LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center where she was a member of the Louisiana Law Review. She is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, Baton Rouge Bar Association, Baton Rouge Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and Louisiana Association of Self-Insured Employers. She is admitted to practice in all Louisiana state and federal courts. She has also served on the Louisiana Bar Journal Editorial Board.
Dr. Jeremy Burnham
Jeremy Burnham, MD is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with advanced fellowship training in sports medicine and is dedicated to serving the Baton Rouge and surrounding areas with any orthopedic needs. He is well regarded for his extensive knowledge in the field through musculoskeletal research and has published many peer-reviewed research publications on diagnosis and treatment in sports medicine. He has also served as a Team Physician on all levels. He has many areas of interest including ACL and knee ligament injuries; meniscus repair and transplant; rotator cuff tears; shoulder dislocations; cartilage restoration; hip impingement and labral tears; biologics; injury prevention; and sports performance.
Dr. Burnham studied at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where he was a member of the football team earning him a varsity letter and the Football Coach’s Award. Then continuing his professional career by combining his love of sports with career aspirations, he moved on to the University of Kentucky to complete his orthopedic surgery and sports medicine residency while training with knee, shoulder and cartilage experts in the sports medicine field. Next, he completed a sports medicine fellowship with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center before marrying his wife, Amie, and returning to Baton Rouge with their family.
As the Medical Director of Sports Medicine and section head of Orthopedic Surgery with Ochsner Health in Baton Rouge, Dr. Burnham specializes in knee, hip, shoulder, elbow and ankle injuries. He does this through surgical and nonsurgical routes of care. In any case requiring orthopedic care, Dr. Burnham strives to help athletes and active individuals return to their peak performance.
Mike Parker
I have never been good at writing my biography. Handling cases and catching trout and redfish are my true forte. Nevertheless, here goes.
After turning down a scholarship to play football at Northeastern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe), I graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana in 1981 with a double degree in Chemistry and Biology with thoughts of attending medical school. Thankfully, those plans did not work out and I entered the workforce after graduation. I had never thought about going to law school while I was in college, but I went to work for a law firm in Lafayette doing abstract work in courthouses around the State and got my first taste of maybe wanting to be a lawyer. When the bottom fell out of the oil market in 1982/83, I knew I would have to find something on which I could base a career and not just have a job. With a wife and a young daughter at home, I left for law school at LSU in 1984 while my wife of 39 years, Mary Ann, supported our family. With her help and a lot of hard work, I was able to graduate from LSU in 1987 with a law degree.
I was fortunate to quickly find employment with Martin, Taulbee, Rowe, Bares, and Oliver, where I began to learn the trade of practicing law. After 4 years, I left and joined Allen & Gooch where I spent the next 30 years developing my skills as a lawyer. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to handle a wide variety of cases, so I never got bored doing the same thing over and over. I was able to gain experience in handling trucking litigation, class action suits, insurance coverage disputes, product liability cases, construction cases, and defending employers in worker’s compensation claims. I’ve had the opportunity to testify before legislative committees on changes in the law, and I’ve had the opportunity to argue before the Louisiana Supreme Court (and win). I have also had the pleasure of speaking at numerous seminars on many topics including worker’s compensation. I have also conducted many training sessions for clients and insureds. However, my greatest pleasure has been having the opportunity to serve as a mentor to many young attorneys who have worked with me. I hope they learned from me the concept of hard work, professionalism, and ethical dealings with the courts and other attorneys. The fact I still get calls for advice from those I have worked with in the past still brings me great joy.
In 2021, Keith Landry and I decided to start our own firm and invited Patrick Johnson, Corey Meaux, and Andres Gomez to join us. Luckily, they all said yes, and the firm of Parker & Landry was founded. We have been blessed that our startup has been well received by our clients, the courts, and our brethren in the bar. Our goal is to continue to provide the same level of selectively aggressive service to our clients as they have come to expect from all of us at Parker & Landry. My personal goal is to continue to serve as a role model for the attorneys in our office and those yet to come, and to continue my mentorship of young attorneys. And now and then, when time permits, still catch a couple of trout and redfish.
Lauren Woodruff Rasmussen, PsyD, ABN
Dr. Rasmussen is a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in diagnosis and treatment planning of neurological diseases and disorders and health-related conditions.
Dr. Rasmussen has served as an expert in many cases involving traumatic brain injury, competency, posttraumatic stress disorder, and other psychological conditions as part of a claim involved in litigation. Dr. Rasmussen also specializes in workers’ compensation claims and often provides second medical opinions on injuries/damages in question. She has a special interest in fitness for duty evaluations for individuals looking to return to work or whose capacity to complete their workplace duties are being questioned.
From a clinical perspective, Dr. Rasmussen frequently evaluates patients who are concerned about their memory or who have been diagnosed with progressive neurocognitive conditions. She also assesses for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities in adults (and for accommodations needed on standardized testing or in the classroom), and psychiatric conditions.
Dr. Rasmussen often works with bariatric surgery candidates and patients who need presurgical clearance for major spinal surgeries and implantable devices such as spinal cord stimulators and intrathecal pain pumps.
Outside of the office environment, Dr. Rasmussen enjoys rigorous fitness endeavors, spending time with her family, and traveling. She is also involved in consultation work with several neurorehabilitation hospitals throughout the state of Louisiana and occasionally has the privilege to serve as an adjunct faculty member at LSU. She offers practicum training experiences for LSU graduate students specializing in neuropsychology.
Paul V. Birinyi, M.D.,F.A.A.N.S., F.C.N.S.
Dr. Birinyi, A Board Certified and Fellowship Trained Neurosurgeon was originally hailing from the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, Dr. Birinyi completed his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees in cellular and molecular neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland. While there, he pursued his interests in the genetics of alcohol and drug abuse at the National Institute on Drug Abuse and in restless legs syndrome at The Johns Hopkins Center for Restless Legs Syndrome.
After returning home from Baltimore, Dr. Birinyi graduated from the University of Texas-Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas, where he engaged extensively in anatomical education. In residency at Saint Louis University, his interests included resident education and minimally invasive spinal surgery. He continued his interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques with a spine fellowship with Dr. Kevin Foley and the Semmes-Murphey Clinic in Memphis, Tennessee.
Dr. Birinyi currently resides in Alexandria, Louisiana where he enjoys spending time in the community, being with his wife and daughters, and partaking in Louisiana’s vast outdoorsman culture.
Patrick Johnson, Attorney
Attorney Patrick A. Johnson manages an extremely active workers’ compensation defense practice. Utilizing skills picked up as the S-2 intelligence chief for Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron 314 in his six-year hitch in the United States Marine Corps, he learned that the secret to getting the most out of his clients, as with the fighter pilots that he used to teach, is dedicated training.
After graduating from law school at LSU in 2003, he joined Allen & Gooch, where he developed a practice almost solely based in the defense of employers and carriers in the realm of Louisiana Workers’ Compensation under the tutelage of some of the best in the field. Coupled with the legal skills that he developed, he found that the training skills developed in the Marine Corps allowed him to help his clients maximize their skills in protecting their interests. Cursed with a selfless nature, he set himself on a path to making his clients better in the realm of workers’ compensation while also having the skill set to protect their interests when the training was not enough, or the facts presented a situation for which advanced training was not an option.
When the opportunity arose to take this training to the next level, he left Allen & Gooch to help form Parker & Landry to further advance the interests of his clients. At Parker & Landry, he manages their training platform and handles a diverse group of clients across multiples industries and across the entire state.
As he is fond of saying, “Others like to say that they think outside of the box. Here, we are going to ignore that there is a box.” Surrounded by like-minded attorneys, and a dedicated and loyal group of clients, Patrick is changing the ways that compensation claims are handled.
Patrick is committed to educating his clients concerning new laws and statutes that may form, and reform, the ways in which claims are handled in the workers’ compensation industry. Patrick works closely with his claims adjusters to ensure they are properly adjudicating their claims.
Dona Renegar-Judge
Dona Kay Renegar is a workers’ compensation judge for District 2—Alexandria. She received two BA degrees in English and French, magna cum laude, in 1988, both from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She was named the Fall 1988 Outstanding Graduate at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. She received her JD degree, cum laude, in 1992 from Tulane University Law School. She was admitted to practice in Louisiana in 1992.
Dona served as 2016-17 Louisiana State Bar Association (LSBA) president-elect. She also served a three-year term as the Third District representative on the Board of Governors and as a member in the House of Delegates (15th Judicial District).
She was a member of the LSBA’s Client Assistance Fund Committee, a member of the Louisiana Board of Legal Specialization and a member of the Committee to Review Proposed Changes to the Louisiana Bar Exam I and II. She has held several leadership positions in the LSBA’s Young Lawyers Division (YLD), including chair, chair-elect, secretary and District 3 Council representative. She also co-chaired the 2008-09 Leadership LSBA Class.
Dona received the YLD’s Outstanding Young Lawyer Award in 1999, the LSBA’s President’s Award in 2009, the LSBA’s Pro Bono Century Award in 2014 and the LSBA’s Stephen T. Victory Memorial Award in 2014 for co-authoring the Journal article on the Bar Exam changes.
She was a member of the Lafayette Bar Association’s board of directors and served for several years on the Louisiana Bar Foundation’s Grants Committee. She is a past president of the John M. Duhe, Jr. American Inn of Court.
In her community, Dona is an instructor of the “Parents and the Law” course and is an avid sports fan of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
Adam Johnson-Judge
Adam Johnson currently serves as the Workers' Compensation Chief Judge for the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Office. Prior to this role, he served as the Workers’ Compensation District 4 Judge from 2018 to 2026. Additionally, he served as the Acadiana Division Judge from 2010 to 2018, presiding over a wide range of workers' compensation matters. Judge Johnson began his career with the agency (formerly known as the Louisiana Workforce Commission) in 2002, serving as a staff attorney and mediator in Districts 5 and 6, where he gained extensive experience in alternative dispute resolution and legal analysis. Before joining the agency, he served as a judicial law clerk in the 18th Judicial District Court, deepening his knowledge of civil procedure and judicial operations. Judge Johnson received mediation and judicial training with the National Judicial College. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Historyfrom Louisiana State University and earned his Juris Doctorate graduating cum laudefrom the Southern University Law Center. With over two decades of experience in Louisiana's workers' compensation system, Judge Johnson has spoken at numerous professional events and conferences