Our Team
Dr. Torphy
Managing Director for Chicago Headache Center and Research Institute
Dr. Torphy is actively involved in research in the field of headache medicine. He has presented research findings at numerous national and international conferences.
He holds a dual baccalaureate in biology and history from Indiana University. Prior to attending medical school, he held numerous positions at the Johnson & Johnson Corporation.
He received his Doctorate of Medicine from Xavier University School of Medicine, where he was awarded the President’s Scholarship. He completed his residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine affiliated with Saint Joseph Hospital in Chicago Illinois, where he served as Chief Resident.
He was a staff physician at the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago for six years. He previously practiced at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn, Illinois, where he was named Physician of the Year.
He has served as an instructor of Clinical Medicine at Rush Medical College and Rosalind Franklin University / Chicago Medical School in Chicago, Illinois.
Certifications:
Certification of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine from the National Headache Foundation
Jodi Straube RN, MSN, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Jodi is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in headache medicine. She provides comprehensive care with integrity, empathy, and compassion.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2003. She enjoyed 15 fulfilling years as a pediatric nurse in various subspecialties including epilepsy monitoring, oncology, and intensive care. During this period she became a Certified Pediatric Nurse through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board. She was also recognized as an extraordinary nurse with the Daisy Award.
She then furthered her education by obtaining a Master of Science in Nursing specializing in Family Practice at Lewis University in 2020. She holds a national certification with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Jodi is determined to provide compassionate care to all her patients suffering from headaches. She looks forward to strengthening the patient – provider relationship through teamwork, collaboration, and active listening.
Brian Murphy, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Brian is a board-certified Physician Assistant specializing in Headache Medicine. He is an intrinsically motivated individual that combines knowledge and science with compassion and understanding. He has had a lifelong love of learning, and he is dedicated to building rapport with patients in order to develop a mutually understood plan with the most up to date and evidence-based medicine. He believes a person is mind, body, and spirit, and thus requires a multifaceted approach to their well-being.
He earned his Bachelor of Science in both Biology and Psychology, with minors in Neuroscience and Classical Civilizations (Greece and Rome), from Loyola University Chicago in 2014. He then went on to work the front office in Physical Therapy while studying for the GRE and applying to Physician Assistant programs. During this period he worked closely with patients and interacted with insurance companies to assist with coverage for patients. He also was an assistant to the head physical therapist of the Major League Soccer team The Chicago Fire.
Brian then went on to receive his Masters of Science in Physician Assistant Studies at South College in 2020. He holds a national certification with the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
Brian strives to provide comprehensive care to all his patients living with migraine and other headache conditions. He looks forward to aiding patients in their health through a collaborative patient – provider relationship based on understanding. compassion, and empathy. He works with patients in our Chicago office as well as via online video Telemedicine visits.
Alana Cheplowitz, PA-C
Physician Assistant
Richard Wenzel, PharmD, CPPS
Consulting Pharmacist
Richard is an accomplished clinician, researcher, educator, lecturer, and mentor in the field of headache. He spent two decades as the pharmacist of a multidisciplinary medical team at the Diamond Headache Clinic Inpatient Unit, providing patient education, medication monitoring, and other pharmacy services to more than 50,000 individuals with a headache disorder.
Currently, he provides headache consulting services for the Chicago Headache Center & Research Institute, as well as for other organizations including national pharmacists’ organizations and colleges of pharmacy.
Richard has authored or co-author approximately 50 peer-reviewed publications in medical and pharmacy journals and co-authored chapters in several headache textbooks.
He has given more than 100 presentations at national, state, and local-level professional meetings for pharmacists, physicians, and other health care providers.
He is a recipient of the American Pharmacists Association’s One-to-One Patient Counseling Award, a two-time nominee for the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Master Preceptor award, and a Preceptor of the Year recipient.
Richard is also a Certified Professional in Patient Safety, bestowed by the National Patient Safety Foundation.
Alana is a board-certified Physician Assistant specializing in headache medicine. She provides comprehensive care with empathy, understanding, and compassion. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Otterbein University in 2014.
Upon graduation she began working as a Research Assistant in an Immunology Laboratory at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where she studied how blood-borne particles are removed by cells in the liver. While she is passionate about research, she knew she wanted to pursue a career that allowed her to be involved in research and work directly with patients.
She went on to earn a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from The City College of New York CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program in 2019. She holds a national certification with the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). She has worked in different specialties including emergency medicine in addition to headache medicine. She worked at the Diamond Headache Clinic for four years caring for patients in the inpatient unit and outpatient clinic.
Alana is passionate about providing compassionate and comprehensive care to all her patients suffering from headaches. She looks forward to treating patients through a collaborative approach and actively listening to their story. She is dedicated to working alongside her patients and their families to develop the best individualized treatment strategy for them.
Certifications:
Certification of Added Qualification in Headache Medicine from the National Headache Foundation