Gwen and Brandi Lancaster
Gwen Lancaster is a student advocate whose lived experience with a traumatic brain injury helped spark meaningful change in Oregon’s education system. After sustaining a brain injury, Gwen and her family encountered significant gaps in how schools respond to students recovering from concussions and other TBIs—experiences that revealed the urgent need for clearer, more consistent supports.
Together with her mother, Brandi Lancaster, Gwen became a powerful voice for change, sharing her story with educators, policymakers, and state leaders. Their advocacy directly contributed to the passage of Oregon House Bill 3007, often referred to as Gwen’s Law, which requires schools to implement immediate, temporary accommodation plans for students diagnosed with a brain injury.
Gwen’s story underscores the real and lasting impact that lived experience, family advocacy, and organizational support can have on public policy. With the guidance and partnership of Center on Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT), Gwen and her family were able to share their experience in ways that informed lawmakers and strengthened the case for clearer school-based responses to brain injury. Her journey highlights the importance of collaboration, awareness, and thoughtful systems of support for students recovering from traumatic brain injuries.