Brain Base
FKA Watershed Jackson Hole
Our History
Brain Base is an evolution of Watershed Jackson. Founded by Hayden Hilke and driven by her passion, Watershed was established to help fill gaps in care for athletes with brain and spinal cord injury and to help this individuals get back to the sports they love. With the support of colleague Carli Lyon and wonderful volunteers, Watershed provided a breadth of resources, including performing baseline concussion testing and follow up for thousands of youth and adult athletes, hosting galas and numerous speaker events, and advocating for wheelchair accessibility in our community.
Moving forward with a new name and updated mission, Brain Base’s focus is more on brain injury, and not just in athletes but all individuals with TBI. We feel this is where our strengths lie and how we can best serve the community as a non-profit. With brain injury (from concussion to more severe injuries) as our focus, we have made gains improving care at St John's Health and beyond and connecting people to the care they need. Check out our pillars for more details.
The name “Watershed” came from the idea of a turning point—a pivotal moment that changes everything. For many of the athletes we work with, a TBI or SCI is exactly that. And it was for us, too.
Today, under our new name—Brain Base—we carry that same watershed spirit forward. We remain deeply connected to our roots in Jackson Hole, continuing to grow programs that support athletes through:
Cutting-edge clinical assessments
Long-term concussion tracking and data collection
Community education initiatives
Preventative care and recovery-focused research
We strive to build a space where athletes and their families feel supported, informed, and empowered. A base. A starting point. A place to heal and grow—together.
Brain Base is more than a new name. It’s a renewed commitment to education, science, and compassionate care for those facing life-changing injuries.
Our BASE Pillars:
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Brain Injury Navigation
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Access & Support
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Sponsorship & Funding
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Education & Prevention
Elevating Brain Injury Care
Brain Base believes any community can strive to improve how it manages traumatic brain injuries. We know this is possible through awareness, ongoing education, and communicating with each other.
Brain Base was established to help fill gaps in care. We spend time at schools, sports organizations, emergency clinics, doctor’s offices, physical therapy clinics, and with other providers to share the latest evidence on concussion and more severe brain injuries and recommend best practices. We also recognize the importance of multifaceted baseline testing, so that we establish a measurement and description of a person’s pre-injury functioning that will help medical providers help you decide when it is safe to return to activity. Ask us about baseline testing and post-injury testing.
Uniting Providers & Community:
So let’s say you or someone you know has a brain injury. What do you do and who do you see? When and where do you seek care? You may find yourself asking these questions and more, and it’s not uncommon to feel lost.
Brain Base is here to help you navigate care in our community, find regional specialists if needed, and provide you with resources along the way. Having a plan and knowing you are not stuck without support is especially empowering. Contact us for more information.
Sponsoring Needs:
Brain Base provides modest funding and advocacy for individuals who need therapy or specialized care, where insurance does not cover all the costs. Through donorship and raising awareness, it is our hope to continue to grow this area so individuals who need financial assistance can get the critical services they need. Research shows that finding the right care can dramatically cut down on financial costs of a brain injury, including concussion alone, not to mention helping individuals get back to work sooner.
Meet the Team
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CHRIS SMITHWICK
DIRECTOR
Certified Brain Injury Specialist from the Brain Injury Association of America
Complete Concussion Management Inc. Certified Clinician
Speech-Language Pathologist
Contact: csmithwick@stjohns.health
I am a speech-language pathologist with special training in concussion management and brain injury care. I connect closely with the latest evidence to help my patients. A lot has changed in the last several years in how we treat concussions and other brain injuries. It is an exciting time to learn about all the things we can do to prevent prolonged recovery from concussion, improve brain injury rehabilitation, and to share this with as many people as possible. I describe myself as positive, kind, and a good listener and therapist/coach.
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KATE WIENMAN
DIRECTOR
Bio coming soon…
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HAYDEN HILKE, MSR, DPT
FOUNDER & ADVISOR
Hayden Hilke owns and practices at Peak Physical Therapy and Kilter Physical Therapy and Sport Performance, outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinics in Jackson, WY. She also works with the US Snowboard Halfpipe Team.
Through both her career and her non-profit organization, Hayden has helped educate the Jackson community on traumatic brain injury management and worked to foster a more accessible local environment.
Due to her own personal experience with a back injury, and seeing a lack of resources and accessibility in Jackson, she started Watershed Jackson, a non-profit that benefits athletes with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Since then, she has attended numerous courses and seminars that specialize in progressive education and rehabilitation in current concussion management and provides optimal pre- and post-concussion screening and rehabilitation.
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VOLUNTEERS
We couldn’t do any of this without an incredible team of volunteers.
We are grateful for all the help we receive from the supportive community of Jackson Hole.
From those who assist with our annual gala, to the team behind the scenes who keep our program current and balanced, to our incredible board members, the community members who join us at the pre-season baseline screenings, and the volunteer athletes who take time to sync their mouthguards during our data collection project — you all are just so dang awesome!
Continue the Momentum
All donations, whether sent privately or through a fundraiser, are the primary way we advance our education and community awareness programs. We are grateful for any and all support we receive.
Watershed JH Archive
This video offers a look back at Watershed JH, the early foundation of what is now known as Brain Base. It highlights the roots of our mission, community engagement, and the evolution of our work in education and brain health awareness.