Our Team | The Jed Foundation

Our Team

Our dedicated and talented staff come from many backgrounds and are committed to protecting emotional health and preventing suicide for our nation’s teens and young adults.

Academic Programs

Rena Abrams

Director, Strategic Education Initiatives

Rena Abrams

Director, Strategic Education Initiatives

Rena Abrams received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.A. and Ed.M. from Teachers College, Columbia University. She currently resides in Cleveland, OH and is the Director, NYC Implementation at The Jed Foundation. Previously, Rena worked as a consultant for Org-Ology and also worked for the City of New York for 6 years at the Department of Education, and at the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In her work as a civil servant, Rena focused on increasing access to mental health and educational services for children, youth, and families. She enjoys cooking, furniture refurbishment and volunteering.

Jeni Beckman, LPC, ACS

JED Campus Advisor, Southern Region

Jeni Beckman, LPC, ACS

JED Campus Advisor, Southern Region

Jeni has over nine years of experience working in education, including as a clinical college counselor, an educator, and a manager for a school-based mental health counseling program. At JED, she partners with colleges and universities across the southeast to strengthen mental health supports and prevent suicide on college campuses, guided by JED’s Comprehensive Approach. Jeni is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia, a National Certified Counselor, a Registered Play Therapist, and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. Jeni is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Mercer University in Atlanta, where she has been researching childhood trauma, belonging, and help-seeking behaviors among college students. She was named an Emerging Leader of the American College Counseling Association and the Southern Association of Counselor Education and Supervision.

Liz Bracken

JED Campus Advisor, Northeastern Region

Liz Bracken

JED Campus Advisor, Northeastern Region

Liz joined The Jed Foundation as a Campus Advisor  and works with northeast campuses to review their current mental and emotional health services and programming. Using her experience in crisis management, student leader development, and student conduct, Liz helps create strategic plans for improvement and expansion of offerings. Prior to JED, Liz worked in student affairs, most recently as the Director of Residence Life at SUNY Adirondack. She earned a master’s degree in higher education administration with a focus on student advising and counseling from Stony Brook University. Outside of work, she’s an outdoor adventurer who enjoys hiking, camping, and kayaking.

Ryan Bunts

Director of High School Programs

Ryan Bunts

Director of High School Programs

Ryan joined The Jed Foundation after working in Residence Life and Student Conduct at a variety of higher education institutions. Using his experience as a former JED High School Campus Advisor, Ryan’s work supports the collection, analysis, and utilization of data collected by the JED High School Team to support the future design of the program, as well as collaboration with external partners. His experience includes student advocacy, restorative justice, bystander intervention training, Title IX, ally and diversity training, residential education, and curriculum development. He has nine tattoos and was on a panel of tattooed professionals at ACPA.

Diana Cusumano Gerring, L.M.H.C., N.C.C.

Senior Director, Higher Education Programs

Diana Cusumano Gerring, L.M.H.C., N.C.C.

Senior Director, Higher Education Programs

Diana joined The Jed Foundation with over 10 years of experience working in higher education. She oversees the JED Campus programs and the campus advisors’ work with schools. Previously, she has built out a counseling center, supervised clinical academic staff, taught psychology classes, and created a behavioral intervention team. Diana is also passionate about all things well-being and holds meditation/yoga/mindfulness certifications, believing it’s important to be a  lifelong learner of all things. Diana loves to bake, create new cookie recipes, and spend time with her 5-year-old dog, Ralphie. She loves hiking and being in nature any chance she gets.

Rachel Czerny

JED Campus Advisor

Rachel Czerny

JED Campus Advisor

As a Campus Advisor, Rachel guides JED Campuses through the assessment and strategic planning process to help schools strengthen their prevention and response for student mental health, substance misuse, and suicide. Prior to JED, Rachel served as the Director of Campus Wellness at Doane University and worked for Ohio State University’s Buckeye Wellness and the Faculty and Staff Fitness Program. She received her M.P.H. in Health Behavior and Health Promotion and B.S. in Exercise Science Education from OSU. Rachel is a yoga instructor and enjoys rock climbing in her free time.

Chrysten Foley

Head of Recruitment, High Schools

Chrysten Foley

Head of Recruitment, High Schools

Chrysten joined The Jed Foundation in July 2022, following 15 years of experience in higher education and partnership-building. From outreach to scheduling, she guides secondary schools and districts through the initial steps of becoming a JED High School. Prior to JED, she worked as an Assistant Director for new program development, where she not only helped students through the admissions process, but also built agreements and developed educational programs that directly impacted the local community. Chrysten also volunteers as a youth soccer coach, and she loves to play the game herself on weekends.

Aisha Folkes

Senior Manager, Cohorts & Convenings

Aisha Folkes

Senior Manager, Cohorts & Convenings

Aisha joined the JED Campus team in October 2022. Her love for college students and environments was birthed working in student affairs, specifically housing and residence life. Aisha brings to the role her experience in student development, higher education proven practices, social justice and equity-based practices, and student wellness. She grew up in central New Jersey and earned a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication from Temple University and a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs from the University of Connecticut.

Emilia George

JED Campus Advisor, Western Region

Emilia George

JED Campus Advisor, Western Region

Emilia joined The Jed Foundation in July 2022, serving as an advisor for colleges and universities across the United States. In this role, she works to utilize a multifaceted approach to supporting student mental health on college campuses. Before JED, Emilia worked at the University of California, Davis as a specialist in mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and student wellness. She has over nine years of experience managing and executing public health initiatives in the higher education, nonprofit, and government sectors.

Eddy Gonzalez

JED Campus Advisor, Midwestern Region

Eddy Gonzalez

JED Campus Advisor, Midwestern Region

Eddy brings to JED a background in residence life; training and development; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. At JED, Eddy works with institutions of higher education to assess their emotional wellness efforts, create a strategic plan to enhance those efforts, and implement that strategic plan. Originally from Miami, FL, Eddy has held positions at Florida International University, University of Wisconsin – Madison, and Kansas State University. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida International University and a master’s degree in counseling and student development from Kansas State.

Laura Hoffman

Project Manager, District Programs

Laura Hoffman

Project Manager, District Programs

Laura joins JED with years of experience in nonprofit program management and implementation. Passionate about reducing barriers to help-seeking and impacting systems change, she is honored to serve as JED’s Project Manager of District Programs. Before joining JED, Laura spent 13 years at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, most recently as Director of the Interactive Screening Program, leading efforts to scale the program which has connected over 280,000 young people and adults to mental health support nationwide. She lives in New York City and practices writing, yoga, and meditation.

Mary Kadera

Senior Director, Strategic Program Initiatives

Mary Kadera

Senior Director, Strategic Program Initiatives

Mary joins JED with years of experience and after she has had a fulfilling and varied journey in education, including time as a classroom teacher, curriculum developer, program director, and nonprofit leader; she’s currently an elected school board member in Arlington, Virginia, where she lives with her family. In these different roles, she’s seen how important it is to have robust systems in place to support youth mental health and wellbeing. She possesses a genuine passion for fostering mental health literacy, breaking down the stigma surrounding mental illness, enhancing accessibility to mental health services in schools and communities, and creating positive and inclusive school cultures that prioritize relationships and connectedness. As Senior Director of Academic Programs & Initiatives, Mary leads a team that provides centralized support for cross division programs, managing special projects that impact the Academic Programs team as well as partnering closely with cross functional teams to improve workflows, processes, and integration of a division-wide lens into all programs.

Joanna Kessling

Manager, Higher Education Onboarding & Experience

Joanna Kessling

Manager, Higher Education Onboarding & Experience

Joanna joined The Jed Foundation to support colleges and universities through the process of joining JED Campus programs. She brings her background in higher education and nonprofit management, having most recently managed partnerships for a national professional association supporting higher education. Joanna also has experience in student affairs and enrollment management through positions at public and private universities.

Michael King

JED Campus Advisor

Michael King

JED Campus Advisor

Michael guides JED Campuses through the assessment and strategic planning process to help schools strengthen their prevention and response for student mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention. Prior to joining JED, Michael worked in student residence life, where he witnessed firsthand the importance of mental health support for college students. 

Kapi`olani A. Laronal

JED Campus Advisor, Northeastern Region

Kapi`olani A. Laronal

JED Campus Advisor, Northeastern Region

Kapi’olani joined The Jed Foundation to help colleges and universities identify best practices for supporting the mental health and well-being of their students and campus community. She has over 18 years of experience supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as policies centered on college student success. Her services have focused on supporting traditionally underserved and low-income college and pre-college students in their academic, social, and cultural well-being. She is also very interested in fitness and has competed in three USAPL Powerlifting competitions and eight USPA Bodybuilding & Fitness Contests. Kapi’olani has paddled outrigger canoes in two long-distance, eight-hour women’s races in Hawaii.

Felicia Martin

Regional Director, Academic Programs - Texas

Felicia Martin

Regional Director, Academic Programs - Texas

Felicia joins JED with over 20 years of experience in serving organizations focused on supporting BIPOC students, specifically as it relates to equity and access to education. She has leveraged her passion for equity by supporting non-profits, districts, and colleges with strategic planning, leadership development, and creating systems that are more conducive to equitable practices. Over the last 8 years, she helped build a Houston-based non-profit organization called EMERGE, which empowers & prepares high-performing students from underserved communities to attend and graduate from selective colleges & universities across the nation. Perhaps her most meaningful role at EMERGE was creating and cultivating the College Success team as EMERGE’s first Managing Director of College Success. In this role, Felicia was responsible for assessing the overall needs of EMERGE’s BIPOC, first-generation college students nationally, and working collaboratively with college partners to cultivate support systems that would not only lead to academic persistence, but to overall wellness, inclusion, and belonging. She has an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Rice University and a master’s degree in Organizational Development from St. Edward’s University in Austin. As JED’s Director of Academic Programs in Texas, Felicia develops and implements JED’s programs in our mission to promote emotional health and prevent suicide among high school and higher ed students throughout Texas.

Sheril Menefee

School Mental Health Specialist

Sheril Menefee

School Mental Health Specialist

Sheril joins JED with over 20 years of educational experience from a teacher, to a counselor to an administrator, and then five years of school culture consulting as the National Director of Schools with character.org. Her lifelong passion for becoming her best self while helping schools become their best version comes to life as she provides technical assistance in the JED High School program as a School Mental Health Specialist. Sheril has a Master’s Degree in School Counseling from Northeastern State University and is pursuing her educational leadership doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. She is certified in early education, elementary education, school counseling, and secondary administration. You can find her on her best days hosting family dinners with her 3 biological sons, Kort, Dylan, and Taylor, and her 2 bonus kiddos, Salah and Elijah, and spending every day with her husband, Dante. As School Mental Health Specialist, Sheril implements JED’s PK-12 programs, including both JED High School and District programs, supporting high schools and school districts in systems-wide school mental health transformation through a guided process of strategic assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Samantha Mitchell

School Mental Health Specialist

Samantha Mitchell

School Mental Health Specialist

Samantha joins JED with over 10 years of experience and is a passionate and dedicated mental health advocate within the public school system. With a steadfast commitment to equity and inclusion, Samantha has made a significant impact on the lives of students, teachers, and the entire school community by building systems to support students’ social and emotional needs. Prior to JED, Samantha was a District Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Coordinator, and played a vital role in implementing comprehensive strategies to address the diverse needs of students. As School Mental Health Specialist, Sam implements JED’s PK-12 programs, including both JED High School and District programs, supporting high schools and school districts in systems-wide school mental health transformation through a guided process of strategic assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Gustavo Molinar

Regional Campus Advisor, Texas

Gustavo Molinar

Regional Campus Advisor, Texas

Gustavo (he/him/él) serves as the Texas Region Campus Advisor at The Jed Foundation. In his role, he advises campuses across the state in the creation and implementation of their strategic plans to support the preventative efforts surrounding student mental health, substance use/misuse, and suicide.

Originally from Houston, TX, Gustavo holds his bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his master’s degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. Gustavo’s passion for mental health stems from his time at UT Austin, where he assisted in the development of the “Thrive at UT” iPhone Mobile application and initiated “Mental Health Promotion Week,” the first week-long event dedicated to promote mental health and reduce its stigma. He is also featured in the state-wide Suicide Prevention Educational Video, a video shown at all public institutions to educate students about mental health and suicide prevention. He has worked professionally in college access, residence life, student wellness, and has taught social justice courses. Gustavo has contributed to a chapter in “Studying Latinx/a/o Students in Higher Education ” where he explored strengths-based approaches in engagement with Latinx students. In his personal time, Gustavo enjoys time with his dog, running, and traveling.

Nicole Rodriguez-Mullis, LPC, NCC

JED Campus Advisor

Nicole Rodriguez-Mullis, LPC, NCC

JED Campus Advisor

Nicole joined The Jed Foundation to help guide JED Campuses through the assessment and strategic planning process to help schools strengthen their prevention and response for student mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention. Nicole has volunteered with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Alabama Chapter since 2016, providing mental health training to the Birmingham community. Additionally, she served on the planning committee for the annual Birmingham Out of the Darkness Walk. Nicole is also an avid college football fan.

Mia Peters

Executive Assistant to the SVP, Academic Programs

Mia Peters

Executive Assistant to the SVP, Academic Programs

Mia joined The Jed Foundation in May 2023, as Executive Assistant to for Academic Programs! Mia will collaborate with the Academic Programs team to support academic institutions as they create an interdisciplinary task force, complete organizational and student-facing assessments of policies, programs, and practices, and then create feedback reports and strategic plans for each institution, as well as provide ongoing customized support and technical assistance as campuses implement their plans.

Jennifer Reed, MS, LPC

Senior Director, School & District Programs

Jennifer Reed, MS, LPC

Senior Director, School & District Programs

Jennifer Reed is a professional educator and Licensed Professional Counselor with more than 15 years of experience and expertise in supporting the social, emotional, and mental health of students through strategic systems and program development. Prior to joining JED, Jennifer was the Director of Strategic Education Initiatives at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, where she supported the growth, development, and implementation of innovative new school mental health programming across K-12, higher education, and other partners across Texas. She previously served in Dallas ISD as Director of Clinical Services in the Mental Health Services department where she led the nation’s largest comprehensive school mental health program. Jennifer’s multifaceted career has advanced collaboration between schools and strategic partners in identifying solutions to improve service delivery and ensure equity in access to high-quality school-linked mental health care to students and families.

Jennifer is a first-generation college graduate and reflects her family’s South Texas Latina roots in her hard work, dedication, and passion. She has bachelor’s degrees in Human Development and Family Sciences, and Philosophy from The University of Texas at Austin, and a master’s degree in Counseling from The University of North Texas. She is also a Licensed Professional Counselor working with families and adolescents experiencing a variety of concerns.a

Brad Reichmuth

School Mental Health Specialist

Brad Reichmuth

School Mental Health Specialist

Brad joins JED with more than 25 years of experience serving students through various roles throughout his career. He is also a professional educator and Certified School Counselor. Brad has worked closely with district leadership throughout his career to help bridge the gap between decision makers and the needs of the school community. He specializes in creating efficient and effective systems within schools that focus on educating students in a wholistic way. Brad has bachelor’s degrees in Secondary Math Education from The University of Nebraska, and a master’s degree in Counseling from The University of North Texas. Prior to joining JED, Brad has worked as a school counselor for 17 years including leading the Students Services Department for Papillion La Vista South High School in Nebraska. Before becoming a counselor, Brad was a math teacher and volleyball coach. As a School Mental Health Specialist, Brad implements JED programs, supporting high schools and school districts in systems-wide school mental health transformation through a guided process of strategic assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Dr. Erica Riba, Ed.D., LCSW

Director, Strategic Higher Education Initiatives

Dr. Erica Riba, Ed.D., LCSW

Director, Strategic Higher Education Initiatives

Erica is a licensed clinical social worker and joined JED in December 2015 as a campus advisor. She has held many roles at JED supporting JED Campuses through strategic planning, contributing to the growth of JED’s Higher Education Learning Community, and expanding the JED Campus alumni program. In her current role, Erica oversees special projects and initiatives focused on Higher Education, including providing technical assistance, incubating new products and services for schools and systems, and building communities of practice focused on mental health and suicide prevention. Prior to joining JED, Erica worked as a therapist at Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University’s Counseling & Psychological Services. Erica earned her Doctor of Education in Community-Based Leadership from The City University of New York, College of Staten Island, Master’s in social work from The University of Michigan, and her Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Michigan State University.

Shannon Rose

Senior JED Campus Advisor

Shannon Rose

Senior JED Campus Advisor

Shannon joined The Jed Foundation to guide JED Campuses through the assessment and strategic planning process to help schools strengthen their prevention and response for student mental health, substance misuse, and suicide prevention. Prior to joining JED, Shannon worked in curriculum, advising, and student emergency services. Working with college students, specifically those in crisis, fueled her interest in working in suicide prevention and young adult wellness at a national scale.

Krystal Skaggs

School Mental Health Specialist

Krystal Skaggs

School Mental Health Specialist

Krystal brings over 26 years of experience in public education and counseling to JED. Her extensive background includes roles as an educator, school counselor, behavior interventionist, licensed professional counselor, and consultant. As a School Mental Health Specialist at JED, Krystal supports and implements the JED High School program, driving nationwide school mental health transformation through strategic assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Before joining JED, Krystal dedicated her career to Mesquite Independent School District, where she supported student social and emotional well-being through district-wide initiatives and program development. Her experience spans grades pre-K–12, with notable work in alternative learning environments and expertise in restorative practices.
Krystal is passionate about working with adolescents and adults, providing essential support and guidance for mental health concerns.

Tony Walker, Ph.D.

SVP, Academic Programs

Tony Walker, Ph.D.

SVP, Academic Programs

Tony joined The Jed Foundation in November 2022 as Senior Vice President of Academic Programs. In his role, he structures, expands, and leads JED’s high school and higher education programs to meet the organization’s strategic plan objectives. To fulfill this work, he connects strategy, people management, operations, fiscal responsibility, partnerships, and school recruitment functions. Prior to joining JED, Tony served as Vice President of Education Strategy and Innovation at the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, where he led a team of school-mental health consultants and contributed to the public policy discussion around school-linked mental health in Texas and beyond. He previously worked in multiple roles in public education, including as a teacher, school counselor, and most recently as an executive district leader over Student Support Services at Uplift Education, a high performing network of schools serving more than 23,000 students in North Texas. Under his decade of leadership, Uplift developed and implemented one of the largest school-based mental health systems in Texas. Tony is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified School Counselor, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Missouri, a Master’s degree in Counseling, and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from Texas Tech University.

Rachel Wasserman

School Mental Health Specialist

Rachel Wasserman

School Mental Health Specialist

Lindsey Webster

Regional School Mental Health Specialist, Texas

Lindsey Webster

Regional School Mental Health Specialist, Texas

Lindsey is a proactive, compassionate, and goal-oriented education leader and mental health professional. She is a certified school counselor and licensed professional counselor. With over 14 years of experience working in PK-12 school districts, Lindsey has supported thousands of students with their emotional, social, and academic growth.

Throughout her career, Lindsey has served as a college counselor, professional school counselor, high school counseling department leader, and most recently, the manager of counseling services for the public charter school system, Uplift Education, in Dallas. Lindsey has supported schools in becoming trauma-informed, implementing restorative practices, incorporating life skills in the classroom, improving school mental health services, and creating inclusive environments. As a leader, Lindsey has a proven ability to effectively communicate, collaborate, analyze data, and build relationships with colleagues and partners to develop goals and use strategic planning to execute and reach desired outcomes.

As a School Mental Health Specialist at JED, Lindsey implements JED’s PK-12 programs — including both JED High School and District programs — and supports high schools and school districts in systems-wide school mental health transformation through a guided process of strategic assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Design & Impact

Kristelle Aisaka

Senior Manager, Design & Impact

Kristelle Aisaka

Senior Manager, Design & Impact

Kristelle is a certified health education specialist and joined JED in July 2018 after working at Syracuse University as a health promotion specialist with a specific focus on mental health and wellness. Kristelle received a B.A. in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, as well as an M.S.W. and an M.P.H. with concentrations in sexual health and education and social entrepreneurship, from Washington University in St. Louis.

Dr. Kristen Clark

Senior Evaluation Analyst, Higher Education

Dr. Kristen Clark

Senior Evaluation Analyst, Higher Education

Dr. Kristen A. Clark is a social entrepreneur. In fact, she has always had deep rooted questions about the social world around her. Kristen’s directive to explore answers to these questions as well as leave behind a legacy of justice comes from a quote she holds close to her by Audre Lorde, “When I dare to be powerful — to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” Through her professional and philanthropic work, she has dedicated her time to ensuring that barriers to access and opportunities don’t inhibit opportunities for marginalized communities. A graduate of student of Rowan University, Dr. Clark has been an educational professional and researcher for over 15 years primarily focusing on the social inequities that impact meaningful engagement experiences as well as Social-Emotional Learning. Clark also teaches courses entitled, Rebel Girls: How Girls Do Activism and Social Problems in Education, at the higher education level. Dr. Clark is a graduate from Rowan University with a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. She has also earned an M.P.A. from Rutgers University with a specialization in nonprofit resource management and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Leadership from The College of New Jersey. She currently resides in Camden County, New Jersey.

Cameron Colgate

Senior Data Scientist

Cameron Colgate

Senior Data Scientist

Cameron joins JED with 7 years of data science experience. He specializes in statistical modeling, machine learning, and creating and delivering data visualizations and scientific writing. He was most recently a Data Scientist at Indiana University’s School of Medicine, where he advised medical researchers and solved complex research problems using statistical analyses and machine learning techniques. In 2019 he earned an MS in Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology from Ball State University. As JED’s Senior Data Scientist, he owns day-to-day data management on complex research programs supported by the Design and Impact Department (DesImp). Key responsibilities include data architecture, cleaning, modeling complex research problems as well as utilizing statistical, algorithmic, mining, and visualization applications/techniques

Nikolaus Komrosky

Senior Data Analyst

Nikolaus Komrosky

Senior Data Analyst

Nikolaus joined JED in May 2018 after serving with City Year New York for nearly 3 years. He first joined City Year as an AmeriCorps volunteer in East Harlem, then transitioned to their staff after completing his year of service. As an Evaluation Analyst at City Year New York, he gained experience in data management, analytics and systems integration. Nikolaus holds a B.A. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Clark University.

Brian Miller

Senior Project Director, Design & Impact

Brian Miller

Senior Project Director, Design & Impact

Brian joined JED in November 2022 with over 10 years of experience implementing large initiatives in non-profit, for-profit, government, and academic medical research settings. These initiatives were designed to support diverse groups of students with mental health conditions or adults with disabilities to build life skills to accomplish their goals. Brian holds a Master of Science in Health Administration from Mount Saint Mary’s University.

Kamla Modi

Senior Director, Design & Impact

Kamla Modi

Senior Director, Design & Impact

Kamla offers over 15 years of research and evaluation expertise in support of youth nonprofits, academic institutions, and community-based organizations. At JED, she leads various research and evaluation projects aimed to support the mental health and prevention of suicide among this nation’s teens and young adults. Prior to JED, she led and supported original research studies on girls’ health and wellness at the Girls Scouts of the USA. She used to be a competitive gymnast and coach, a Division 1 collegiate athlete, and head coach of a high school team.

Michelle Mullen

SVP, Chief Design & Impact Officer

Michelle Mullen

SVP, Chief Design & Impact Officer

Michelle is an adaptable, versatile leader with nearly twenty years of experience in independent research as well as program design, evaluation, and implementation. Michelle pairs her formal training in implementation science and commitment to equity through participatory action/stakeholder engagement to inform all aspects of her work from designing interventions/programs to evaluating impact. Her areas of expertise are mental health, young adult services, young adult career development, and enhancing academic persistence of college students. At JED, Michelle leads a multiple disciplinary team to implement and evaluate programming focused on improving help seeking; help giving, enhancing mental health, and preventing suicide with teens and young adults in schools or other key settings.

Michelle’s is also a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at UMass Chan Medical School and previously at Rutgers University. Michelle’s research focuses on career development of young adults; standardizing complex interventions to better support college students with mental health conditions; and evaluating the effectiveness of various educational supports to enhance persistence of college and high school students. Michelle received her Master’s degree from Boston University and her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.

Vincent Randazzo

Analyst, Design & Impact

Vincent Randazzo

Analyst, Design & Impact

Vincent joins JED with years of experience as an analyst and manager who has spent his career making institutions nimbler and more effective. Most recently he served as Internship Services Manager at Year Up. For years he worked as Pace University’s Manager of Student Assignments, where he developed Pace’s first web-based system for assigning rooms to thousands of students, resulting in a more stream-lined process and improved efficiencies which greatly contributed to a small staff’s ability to provide time and expertise to special student needs and situations. As analyst for JED’s Design and Impact team, Vinvent serves as the primary liaison to the schools partnered with JED high school to support the data impact that informs services, assistance and strategic planning of JED and the high school partnership.

Kristia Tolode

Administrative Assistant, Design & Impact

Kristia Tolode

Administrative Assistant, Design & Impact

Kristia is joining the Jed Foundation as an Administrative Assistant to the Design and Impact team. She received her MPA from Baruch College and has over 5 years of combined experience in administrative support, project coordination and communications.

Learning & Knowledge

Kiana Davis

Senior Manager, Educational Programming

Kiana Davis

Senior Manager, Educational Programming

As Senior Manager of Educational Programming at The Jed Foundation, Kiana ensures that JED offers impactful workshops and training to communities looking to learn more about mental health and suicide prevention. Alongside JED’s partner, Maybelline New York, Kiana manages the Brave Talk program, which provides college students with the tools needed to support peers’ mental well-being. Her work with the program was recently highlighted in the docu-series Healthier Together: A Path to A Better World, produced by BBC StoryWorks and presented by the World Health Organization Foundation. Kiana is a Certified Health Education Specialist with a Master’s of public health from Emory University, and a BA in psychology from Barnard College.

Erlinda Delacruz

Director, Community Programs

Erlinda Delacruz

Director, Community Programs

Erlinda brings to JED a passion for supporting the mental health of marginalized and under-served students. Erlinda consults with colleges, universities, and university state systems on how to change their systems to promote positive mental health, reduce substance misuse, and prevent suicide. Before JED, she worked in higher education, and focused her education on learning about the intersection of equity and well-being, especially in regards to equitable access to treatment, stigma, and cultural competency. Erlinda was born in Chicago, IL, raised in Houston, TX, attended high school in Phoenix, AZ, and went to college and graduate school in Boston, MA.

Melinda Evans

Senior Instructional Designer & Developer

Melinda Evans

Senior Instructional Designer & Developer

Melinda joins JED with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering learning experiences for K-12 and adult audiences. Prior to her role at JED, Melinda worked as the Executive Director of Learning Experiences at Understood (focused on individuals who learn and think differently), Director of Leadership Curriculum Design at Relay Graduate School of Education (designing courses and trainings for more than 400 school leaders and superintendents), Director of Education at Scenarios USA (supporting teens in writing and directing social justice films), and Senior Associate Director of Organizational Learning at Uncommon Schools (designing learning for 200+ teachers and school leaders). Some of her early work at Uncommon Schools contributed to the book, Teach Like a Champion, an influential teaching guide. She began her career as a Pre-K teacher at KIPP SHINE Prep in Houston and as a research assistant in the Mood Disorders clinic at Baylor College of Medicine – where she developed a passion for supporting young people and their mental health. As Senior Instructional Designer & Developer, she designs, develops, and maintains training and course content for JED and its end users.

Jahi Gordon

Mental Health Educator

Jahi Gordon

Mental Health Educator

Jahi is a dedicated social work professional with extensive experience in child welfare, family services, and abuse prevention. As a Mental Health Educator at JED, Jahi provides education and training to support young people’s mental health, equipping schools, communities, and individuals with tools to foster emotional well-being and prevent mental health crises.
Previously, Jahi led comprehensive training programs and developed strategic initiatives to improve service delivery in child protection and family support systems. His work has involved conducting home visits, collaborating with stakeholders, and providing therapeutic support to families in need. Jahi holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and child and youth studies and a master’s degree in clinical social work.

Renia McCauley

Director, Learning & Development

Renia McCauley

Director, Learning & Development

Renia is a hands-on, energetic learning and development leader specializing in program design, improving DEIB practices, and evaluating and driving impact. With a passion for learning as a lifelong learner herself, spotlighting marginalized groups, and curating meaningful training experiences, Renia has been at the helm of collaborating cross-departmentally, transforming organizations and individuals, and building future-oriented teams.

After securing a Bachelor of Arts in Middle Grades Education from the University of North Carolina, Renia earned a Master of Educational Leadership Degree from Queens University before achieving a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certificate from Rutgers University and a Scrum Master Certification. Effectively leveraging her foundational skillset in educational leadership and inclusion, Renia was the Director of Learning & Development at Teach for America NC and has served as an Instructional Coach, Program Manager, and COO to various organizations.

Renia is a creative and self-sufficient innovator known for developing authentic and strong relationships with students, stakeholders, and colleagues. She thinks big picture, envisions solutions, and executes efficiently, ensuring credibility, trust, and prosperous environments for change. Outside of work, Renia enjoys creating memories with her family and traveling. She is excited to be a part of the transformational work here at JED.

Kurt Michael, Ph.D.

Senior Clinical Director

Kurt Michael, Ph.D.

Senior Clinical Director

Kurt brings to JED expertise in rural school mental health and adolescent suicidology. At JED, he has developed new initiatives to help schools and communities across the nation to better evaluate their suicide prevention systems, adopt flexible and effective postvention policies and procedures, and scale up the promotion of lethal means safety practices (e.g., safe storage of medications and firearms).  Previously, he spent over two decades as part of the Psychology Faculty at Appalachian State University, establishing and sustaining a nationally recognized program of funded research and clinical practice in school mental health, adolescent suicidology, and rural healthcare. He retired as the Stanley R. Aeschleman Distinguished Professor of Psychology. Kurt earned a Master of Science and PhD in Clinical and School Psychology from Utah State University and completed his Resident Internship in Child Clinical Psychology at Duke University Medical Center. Kurt is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Rural Mental Health and the Editor of the inaugural Handbook of Rural School Mental Health, published by Springer in 2017. His most recent publication with colleagues on developing the school mental health workforce in rural K-12 districts is in the 3rd Edition of the Handbook of School Mental Health. In his free time, Kurt enjoys partaking in outdoor adventure sports with his family and their boxer, Mayer.

LaDonna Reynolds

Instructional Designer & Developer

LaDonna Reynolds

Instructional Designer & Developer

LaDonna joins JED after gaining nearly a decade of experience as an upper elementry and middle grades teacher in both seated and virtual learning environments. LaDonna earned her Master of Science degree in Online Teaching and Instructional Design from Lenoir-Rhyne University. She transitioned to the field of educational technology as an instructional designer at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in her home state of North Carolina. Her skill set encompasses a wide range of areas, including course design and facilitation, multimedia production and editing, learning management systems, onboarding, project management, and help desk support. As Instructional Designer and Developer, LaDonna works closely with the Learning & Knowledge team to develop excellent learning experiences in digital environments that support JED’s mission and programs, which include teens and young adults seeking mental health information and support, school professionals participating in JED Academic Programs, other caring adults like caregivers, and a wide range of LMS users.

Nance Roy, Ed.D.

Chief Clinical Officer

Nance Roy, Ed.D.

Chief Clinical Officer

Dr. Nance Roy is a psychologist with over 30 years of experience who has dedicated her career to protecting mental health and reducing suicide among teens and young adults. Dr. Roy serves as the Chief Clinical Officer at The Jed Foundation (JED) and assistant clinical professor in the Yale School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry. She consults with high schools, boarding schools, colleges, and workplace and professional organizations across the country on effecting systems change, strategic planning, and implementing practices that promote positive mental health. 

Prior to her role at JED, Dr. Roy was the Assistant Dean of Health and Wellness at Sarah Lawrence College and Associate Dean of Health and Wellness at Rhode Island School of Design, where she developed, implemented, and evaluated policies, programs, and systems that enhance and support well-being. She has been actively involved in initiatives that focus on a holistic approach to mental health and crisis management and a public-health model for delivering care. 

Dr. Roy has also served as senior adviser to the National College Depression Partnership and worked on mental health initiatives with the U.S. Surgeon General, Higher Education Mental Health Alliance, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Milken Institute, Clinton Health Matters Initiative, Aspen Institute, and educational and workplace systems nationwide. She currently serves on the Mental Health Task Force for the Ruderman Family Foundation and is a member of the International Women’s Forum.  

Her publications have focused on effective strategies for promoting emotional well-being among teens and young adults and treatment and management of at-risk youth. Dr. Roy is a nationally known speaker who has been featured in numerous publications and broadcasts.

Dr. Roy earned her doctorate from Harvard University, master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Rhode Island.

Ellen Utley, M.D.

Advisor, Boarding & Independent Schools

Ellen Utley, M.D.

Advisor, Boarding & Independent Schools

Ellen works with boarding schools to implement the JED High School Comprehensive Approach. Previously, she focused on campus mental health in her career and practiced psychiatry in a college counseling center. 

Youth Strategies & Engagement

Jazmine Alcon

Senior Manager, Campaigns

Jazmine Alcon

Senior Manager, Campaigns

Jazmine brings over 7 years of experience in the mental health advocacy space and is dedicated to transforming the mental health narrative to be more culturally relevant, engaging, and accessible. Her work has been rooted in empowering BIPOC communities, which she has executed through health equity, community, and marketing initiatives in the non-profit and corporate sectors. Jazmine is an Ilocana immigrant who believes that storytelling is fundamental in creating systemic and collective change in how we address youth mental health. Jazmine holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Health and Society. She is also the co-founder of AAPI Mental Health, a digital platform dedicated to redefining the mental health conversation in the Asian and Pacific Islander community. In her free time, Jazmine likes to create art, hang out with her friends and cat, and be outdoors!

Andrew Baker

VP, Digital Products

Andrew Baker

VP, Digital Products

Andrew joins JED with over 7 years of experience in social impact technology. His roots are at the intersection of human centered design and behavioral health. Having led the product team at Grit Digital Health since the company’s inception, Andrew brings a user-focused strategy to scale for an organization that partners with over 250 college campuses to support the mental health and wellbeing of their students, staff and faculty. His experience leading teams and developing strategic product roadmaps will help JED grow the reach and impact of its digital ecosystem. As VP of Digital Products, Andrew guides JED’s product design lifecycle and unify the organization’s core user experience across audiences. In addition, Andrew works across teams to implement and scale new measurement structures and inform a data-driven product strategy. Andrew is deeply passionate about suicide prevention and eager to dive in with his new JED teammates.

Justin Barbo

Director, Public Relations

Justin Barbo

Director, Public Relations

Justin joined The Jed Foundation in June 2022 after nearly 20 years of working in journalism, media/public relations, and health care communications. As the Public Relations Director, Justin leads earned media strategies that elevate JED’s public image, positions JED as an expert resource, and builds broad awareness of its programs through the media landscape. As the father to two amazing kids, Justin is excited to be part of a team that works to create a community of caring for everyone. 

Vanessa Bertone

Associate Director, Social Media

Vanessa Bertone

Associate Director, Social Media

Vanessa manages the day-to-day social media activity across platforms for JED. She’s also responsible for strategy building, implementation, and engaging with social media followers. Previously, Vanessa worked at Understood, launching and managing six private Facebook communities during the pandemic for parents of kids with learning and thinking differences. She also helped launch YouTube’s first parent-facing community, YouTube for Families, on Instagram.

Shani Drake Duncan

Senior Director, Marketing & Campaigns

Shani Drake Duncan

Senior Director, Marketing & Campaigns

Shani joins JED with over 15 years of experience in the Marketing & Communications field after having worked in the music, telecom, and nonprofit industries, as well as the public sector. Shani’s passion is to elevate and amplify the voices of marginalized communities and uplift the work of those pushing towards true social change. She is deeply and personally connected to ensuring the mental health and wellness of these communities, as they strive towards equity and justice. Shani is an Atlanta-native who received her B.A. in English from Spelman College and her M.S. in Marketing from Georgia State University’s J. Mack Robinson College of Business. As Senior Director of Marketing & Campaigns, she develops and implements marketing strategies, campaigns, and initiatives to increase awareness of JED, drive programmatic growth, help to meet our impact goals, and support overall revenue growth.

Jordan Faiella

Executive Assistant to the SVP, Youth Strategies & Chief Engagement Officer

Jordan Faiella

Executive Assistant to the SVP, Youth Strategies & Chief Engagement Officer

Jordan is a reverse snowbird, moving from South Florida to New York where he has had a career in the administrative departments of truTV and CNN. In his role, Jordan supports the office of the Senior Vice President of Youth Strategies and Chief Engagement Officer. He is very excited to be working with JED and looks forward to carrying out the mission statement.

Jessica Hicks

Content Manager

Jessica Hicks

Content Manager

Jessica joins JED with years of experience in content creation and management in the health-tech industry. She is a writer, editor, and published research author. She previously worked at digital therapeutics startup, Twill (formerly Happify Healthy), as well as health-tech startup, Thrive Global. Jessica combines her passions for storytelling, entrepreneurship, and mental health advocacy to create content and resources that are empathetic, innovative, and actionable. Jessica received a B.A. in journalism and sociology/anthropology from Lehigh University and is thrilled to be a part of JED’s mission to support emotional health and prevent suicide among teens and young adults. As JED’s Content Manager, Jessica manages, creates, and edits content that supports JED’s mission and programs, which includes teens and young adults seeking mental health information and supports, school professionals participating in JED Academic Programs, other caring adults like caregivers, and a wide range of partners and other supporters working alongside us to protect the emotional well-being and prevent suicide for teens and young adults.

Will Hilbert

Director, Storytelling & Culture Change (also Acting: Manager, Campaigns)

Will Hilbert

Director, Storytelling & Culture Change (also Acting: Manager, Campaigns)

Will joined JED as Director of Campaigns in May 2022. Prior to JED, he worked for four years leading digital and in-person social impact campaigns for major entertainment networks (such as Disney and WarnerMedia), nonprofits, and brands to meet their social impact goals, reaching a multitude of target audiences to uplift and empower communities. He has also worked in documentary production, exhibition, and distribution. His passion for storytelling started at Rollins College, where he earned a BA in Economics with a concentration in Behavioral Economics and Film Studies.

Emma Kearney

UX/UI Designer

Emma Kearney

UX/UI Designer

As The Jed Foundation (JED)’s UX/UI Designer, Emma Kearny crafts the look and feel of JED’s digital tools and websites. Her goal is to create designs that are not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and inclusive.
Emma develops mission-driven products that reduce stigma, break barriers, and pave the way for progress. She specializes in creating spaces that heal and products that make everyone feel included — allowing users, especially the most vulnerable, to feel like they’ve found their safe haven.
Originally from the Midwest, Emma received her bachelor’s degree in marketing from Columbia College Chicago and her associate degree in graphic design from the  Illinois Institute of Art – Chicago. She now lives in Los Angeles and enjoys writing, hiking, and foraging in the Sierras.

Michael Kress

Director, Editorial

Michael Kress

Director, Editorial

Michael joins JED with over 15 years of experience leading content and editorial teams for small startups, large legacy media companies, and non-profits. He began his career in journalism focusing on religion and spirituality coverage as an editor at Beliefnet, a spirituality and wellness website, and a freelance contributor for publications including Salon, The Dallas Morning News, The Forward, and The Boston Globe. He was the founding editor-in-chief of MyJewishLearning.com and led the digital team at Parents magazine as executive editor of Parents.com. In 2017, he transitioned to nonprofit communications and marketing at Teach For America. At TFA, he led content marketing and was the founding editor of One Day, an editorial thought leadership initiative that produced in-depth journalism, opinion pieces, short documentary-style videos, and an award-winning podcast. Michael received his BA in English from Yale and his Master’s in Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. He lives in the Riverdale section of the Bronx with his wife and three daughters.

Meghan Nelligan

Coordinator, Public Relations

Meghan Nelligan

Coordinator, Public Relations

Meghan joined The Jed Foundation in July 2022, combining her two passions in writing and mental health advocacy. As PR Coordinator, she works on building and distributing  press releases, media pitches, op-eds, and other elements of public relations campaigns to amplify the organization’s mission. Before JED, Meghan interned with Active Minds to coordinate their suicide prevention display: Send Silence Packing. She also worked as a freelance writer for various organizations. Outside of work, Meghan loves Taylor Swift, her three dogs, and writing poetry on Instagram. 

Jessica Orenstein

Director, Programmatic Partnerships

Jessica Orenstein

Director, Programmatic Partnerships

Jessica Orenstein is a Behavioral Scientist and Public Health Practitioner. With over 15 years as a youth advocate in the higher education and public health partnership sectors, she strives to bring passion and purpose to her daily work. In her current role, Jessica develops and executes programmatic partnerships that extend JED school-based programs and resources in both the education and education technology sectors. Prior to her work at JED, Jessica spoke to various audiences to share knowledge and insight on public health, mental health, and workforce development practices. She continues to be inspired by the change effected by youth and their greater community, and she is dedicated to spreading knowledge and promising practices through her personal and professional work. Jessica considers herself an expert in laughing, enjoys long walks, and hopes to positively impact her little corner of the world.

Mary Bess Pritchett

Manager, Student Engagement

Mary Bess Pritchett

Manager, Student Engagement

Mary Bess chose to pursue philanthropic work after many years as a performer, producer, and administrative professional in the entertainment industry. As Student Engagement Manager for The Jed Foundation (JED), Mary Bess aids in the development and facilitation of student engagement opportunities, including the summer Internship program, JED’s annual scholarship program, the Student Voice of Mental Health Awards, and JED’s 2024 youth grant program in partnership with Victoria’s Secret PINK, the PINK with Purpose Project. In her spare time, Mary Bess contributes to the livestream comedy show and horror film screening series “Hoff’s Horrorfest” as a writer, performer, and co-producer. She also produces and hosts a recurring New York City-based charity comedy show called “Generous Laughs,” which fundraises for a different cause with each iteration.

Dawn Thomsen

SVP, Youth Strategies & Chief Engagement Officer

Dawn Thomsen

SVP, Youth Strategies & Chief Engagement Officer

Dawn is a social impact leader committed to health equity through behavioral and culture change. At JED, Dawn leads JED’s youth strategies through storytelling, content and campaigns, digital presence, and partnership engagement with media/entertainment. She leverages over twenty years of strategic planning, program design, and marketing experience and brings specific expertise in building social ventures and transforming legacy organizations.

Dawn is the Founder of Bricks and Bone, a social impact consultancy that provided strategic guidance to executives and their organizations seeking to advance equity and improve well-being. She also served as Executive Director of Growth & Development at Understood, leading multi-sector partnerships. Prior, she was the founding Chief Outreach Officer of the Child Mind Institute, overseeing public education programming, brand, communications, digital product, content, and constituent engagement, and Venture and Marketing Director for Criterion Ventures, a leading social innovation consultancy and incubator. Dawn began her career at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, where she was the first National Brand Manager.

Leticia Wilson

Senior Manager, Brand Communications

Leticia Wilson

Senior Manager, Brand Communications

Leticia joined The Jed Foundation in September 2022, bringing over a decade of marketing, communications, and brand management experience to the role. To promote JED as a trusted source in youth mental health and suicide prevention, she creates and manages digital communications while implementing and enforcing JED’s Brand Guidelines. Her previous position as the creative marketing director at a virtual care company ignited a passion for mental health, and she has since immersed herself in learning about the social determinants of health. In leading rebranding efforts at her previous company, she increased brand awareness and social media following significantly by elevating the look, feel, and message of the brand. Leticia has also received recognition for her photography work.

Jordan Zarate

Digital Product Manager

Jordan Zarate

Digital Product Manager

Jordan brings a dynamic and diverse background with over a decade of experience at the intersection of technology, nonprofits, and product management. Having worked for and collaborated with a range of nonprofits, from building the Technical Program Management and Product Operations teams at The Trevor Project to serving as Board President of Mountain Counseling & Training — a mental health nonprofit focused on serving youth — Jordan’s passion lies in supporting those who make a difference. As JED’s Product Manager, they guide the development of products from idea to launch, working with cross-functional teams to ensure we’re building something people need and love. Their role involves setting priorities, making decisions, and aligning everyone to deliver successful JED products. Their experience building remote-first teams and developing comprehensive product operations will help JED grow the reach and impact of its digital ecosystem. As JED’s first Product Manager, Jordan will oversee and manage JED’s digital product portfolio and work across the organization to introduce product-led growth. Beyond JED, Jordan is an enthusiastic volunteer, Serving as a publicly elected school board member, on nonprofit boards, and advising nonprofits committed to positive impact causes. Residing in the scenic San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California with their spouse, three cats, and a dog, Jordan is committed to making a meaningful impact professionally at JED and within their community

Administration, Management, & Finance

Ian Benjamin

Senior Executive Assistant & Board Administrator

Ian Benjamin

Senior Executive Assistant & Board Administrator

Ian joined JED in August 2022, having worked as an Executive Assistant to various CFOs, CEOs, and VPs in financial services, the federal government, and nonprofit agencies both in New York City and Washington, D.C. At The Jed Foundation, Ian provides management and oversight support for the externally-directed activities of the CEO (John MacPhee) and Executive Office, and he acts as a liaison to the Board. Ian hails from West Philadelphia and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies at South Florida Bible College in Deerfield Beach, FL.

Grant Bowen

Executive Assistant to the Chief People & Equity Officer

Grant Bowen

Executive Assistant to the Chief People & Equity Officer

Grant joined JED in Decemer 2022. Originally from Alabama, Grant has lived in New York City since 2012. His administrative experience began as Assistant Office Manager at Barkley Kalpak Agency (now known as FIRST Global Events). After working various jobs in the service and hospitality industry, he worked for almost 4 years at MPL Communications, fulfilling the roles of Administrative Assistant for the office and Personal Assistant to the CEO. Grant is also a professional actor, playwright, and live storyteller who has self-produced his own projects in various festivals.

Laura Erickson-Schroth, M.D., M.A.

Chief Medical Officer

Laura Erickson-Schroth, M.D., M.A.

Chief Medical Officer

Laura is committed to improving mental health through education and resource creation. She provides guidance on how individuals, families, schools, communities, media, and other youth-serving organizations can take actions to protect mental health and prevent suicide, and ensures that all JED content is evidence-based. Before JED, she provided crisis intervention and mental health support to patients in New York City emergency rooms, including as an attending psychiatrist and associate professor at the Columbia University Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program. Her career has focused on LGBTQ mental health, and she continues to see clients at Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQIA+ Youth. Laura obtained her medical degree from Dartmouth Medical School. She completed a psychiatry residency at New York University, public psychiatry fellowship at Columbia University, and consultation-liaison psychiatry fellowship at Mount Sinai.

Valerie Franzek

Senior Manager, Accounting

Valerie Franzek

Senior Manager, Accounting

Valerie brings to JED over 15 years of logical, analytical, and finance experience. She joined JED after over 3 years as Finance Manager at the Quad Preparatory School, a not-for-profit K-12 school for twice-exceptional students. Before then, she worked in finance in the architectural distribution industry for interior design products. She holds a Master’s Degree in Child Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Aleksander Xhuvani University, in Albania.

Leslie Campbell Gray

Chief People & Equity Officer

Leslie Campbell Gray

Chief People & Equity Officer

Leslie joined The Jed Foundation in December 2022, bringing over 25 years of experience at mission-driven organizations, including nonprofits and higher education institutions, to the role. Previously, Leslie served as the Chief of People, Equity, and Operations at Code for America and as the Vice President of People Operations at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Leslie’s passion for equity and helping others also led her to co-found the Piedmont Racial Equity Campaign, which aims to establish racial equity in local systems, schools, and housing. 

Hanna Kamienski

Technical Administrator

Hanna Kamienski

Technical Administrator

Hanna is a technical administrator at The Jed Foundation (JED). She brings over a decade of project management experience to her role, with a strong focus on delivering transformative technology solutions to support organizational efficiencies. She began her career planning high-end corporate, social, and nonprofit events in Silicon Valley. Passionate about social justice and making a meaningful impact on the lives of future generations, Hanna joined Summit Public Schools in 2017, overseeing event logistics and marketing for their K–12 learning program’s quarterly teacher training conferences across America. Upon the program becoming a standalone nonprofit in 2019, Hanna moved into a role leading high-impact operations, technology, and data initiatives.

This work led her to deepen her expertise in technical project management, particularly in Salesforce. In 2022, Hanna transitioned to a full-time Salesforce Administrator role with a global food service company, where she honed her technical skills by streamlining sales, service, and marketing processes, improving data management, and implementing innovative solutions to enhance organizational performance. Hanna has her B.S. in business administration from the University of San Francisco.

Zach Krzyzanowski

Senior Software Engineer

Zach Krzyzanowski

Senior Software Engineer

Zach is a senior software engineer at The Jed Foundation, working to build and expand technology platforms to scale the reach and impact of the foundation’s mission. He joins JED with 17 years of experience as a technologist. He began his career as a help desk support technician, working his way up to a server administrator before switching his focus to web development. Before joining JED, Zach spent the last eight years as a senior fullstack software developer at B Lab, the nonprofit behind Certified B Corporations. There, he helped build out a free customer-facing assessment tool used by over 300,000 companies to measure and manage their social and environmental impacts.

Sijoe Kurian

Senior Manager, Finance, Budget, & Analysis

Sijoe Kurian

Senior Manager, Finance, Budget, & Analysis

Sijoe Kurian is the Senior Manager of Finance at JED. Born in India and raised in Philadelphia, Sijoe received his MBA in business intelligence, analytics, and finance from St. Joseph’s University. He has cultivated a passion for music, Philadelphia sports, and travel. When he’s not crunching numbers or cheering on his favorite teams, you can find Sijoe learning new instruments or embarking on travel adventures.

John MacPhee

Chief Executive Officer

John MacPhee

Chief Executive Officer

John brings 25 years of leadership and management experience from the business and not-for-profit settings to his role at JED. Passionate about supporting young adults in their transition to adulthood, John advises several organizations including the S. Jay Levy Fellowship for Future Leaders at City College, Trek Medics, Crisis Text Line, the Health Policy and Management Department at the Mailman School of Public Health, and HIV Hero.

Earlier in his career, he served in executive positions for Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. and Forest Laboratories, where he oversaw functions such as business development, alliance management, clinical development, regulatory affairs, sales and marketing.

In 2016, John received The Allan Rosenfield Alumni Award for Excellence in the field of public health from the Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He earned a BA from Columbia College, an MBA from New York University and an MPH from Columbia University.

Maria Ribeiro

Human Resources Coordinator

Maria Ribeiro

Human Resources Coordinator

Maria Ribeiro comes to JED with more than a decade of experience in human resources. As JED’s Human Resources Coordinator, she assists employees with everything from onboarding to benefits and policies. Originally from Brazil and now residing in Brooklyn, Maria has spent most of her career in corporate environments and is excited to join the nonprofit space and contribute to JED’s mission-driven work. Maria received her bachelor’s degree in Portuguese linguistics and literature Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.

Annah Slayton

Executive Assistant to the CDO & CEO

Annah Slayton

Executive Assistant to the CDO & CEO

Annah joined The Jed Foundation as Executive Assistant to both John MacPhee, CEO, and Adee Shepen, CDO, in October 2022. They work to manage calendars, plan meetings, and arrange any necessary travel, along with assisting the development team as needed with donor relations. Annah’s journey with nonprofits started in college, volunteering for Special Kids, which focuses on providing nursing and rehabilitation services to children with special needs. Since moving to New York City, they have interned with Brooklyn Arts Exchange and worked as a Studio Coordinator at Industria Williamsburg. In their free time, Annah enjoys biking, dancing, and working on DIY projects.

Paul Weiss

Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

Paul Weiss

Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

Paul joins JED with over 30 years of experience as a nonprofit professional, providing strategic leadership to national, mission-driven organizations in the areas of health, social justice, and affordable housing. Paul has significant experience leading teams of staff and volunteers, integrating functions across large, complex organizations to improve operational execution and maximize mission impact. Paul worked at Carey & Co, serving as Interim CFO for a variety of nonprofit organizations, and served as the Chief Operating Officer at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, leading Finance, Technology, Human Resources, Operations, Internal Audit, Legal & Risk Management. Paul also led the Field Development function at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Paul is a CPA who began his career at Coopers & Lybrand, serving as an audit manager in their New York City and Sydney, Australia offices. Paul is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

John Vitelli

SVP, Chief Technology Officer

John Vitelli

SVP, Chief Technology Officer

John joins JED with decades of experience that revolve around technology. He started out as a software engineer within tech startups and grew into chief technology officer roles. He has hired, assembled, and managed highly effective product delivery teams and has been in leadership roles throughout his career. His last eight years were spent as the CTO at B Lab, the company behind Certified B Corporations. He helped build and scale their technology team and product offerings as well as directly impacted the way in which work got done within the organization. As Chief Technology Officer, John works with senior leadership team members to create, develop and execute, and guide support for IT support, data management, platform development, and data warehousing, in support of JED’s goals.

External Affairs

Katherine Duncan

Chief of Staff, Lead Enterprise Strategy

Katherine Duncan

Chief of Staff, Lead Enterprise Strategy

Katherine joined JED in September 2018 after working as a consultant to nonprofits on donor and volunteer engagement strategies. Before focusing on nonprofit work, Katherine held marketing and project management positions at Security Capital Group, New York City’s Economic Development Corporation and Random House. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Macalester College and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Katie Hurley, DSW, LCSW

Senior Clinical Advisor, External Affairs

Dr. Katie Hurley, DSW, LCSW

Senior Clinical Advisor, External Affairs

Dr. Katie Hurley (she/her), Senior Clinical Advisor, External Affairs for The Jed Foundation (JED), is a child and adolescent psychotherapist and youth mental health expert committed to improving youth mental health through direct practice, community organization, and education. She speaks at schools, nonprofits, and other community organizations across the United States to educate parents, educators, and community members about youth mental health and ways to promote belonging, empathy, and help-seeking.

Dr. Hurley began her career providing school based services at The HELP Group’s Summit View School, where she was later promoted to Clinical Director. She has written extensively about youth mental health and how parents can support their teens for large media outlets, including The Washington Post, CNN, and NBC NewsThink. Dr. Hurley has written five books that address youth mental health, two for parents and three for youth, including The Depression Workbook for Teens and the award winning No More Mean Girls. She makes frequent media appearances and consults for American Girl, The Cartoon Network, and other media and social media outlets to address youth mental health needs in media and print. She continues to practice in the South Bay Area of Los Angeles and is a Professor of Attachment and Neurobiology for the MSW program at Simmons University.

Dr. Hurley earned her BA in psychology and Women’s Studies from Boston College, her Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, and her Doctorate of Social Work from Simmons University. She lives in El Segundo, CA and Groton Long Point, CT.

Dr. Zainab Okolo, LCMFT

SVP, Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations

Dr. Zainab Okolo, LCMFT

SVP, Policy, Advocacy & Government Relations

Dr. Zainab Okolo is a higher education policy and mental health expert, advocate and educator, focused on helping students overcome barriers so they can learn, earn and lead fulfilling lives.

Previously a Strategist with Lumina Foundation, Dr. Okolo established and directed the foundations holistic student supports portfolio which centered thought leadership and investments in student mental health, worked to significantly improve student success and increase credential attainment, and specifically focused on the urgent needs of people of color, adult learners, student parents and others who have traditionally struggled to succeed at learning beyond high school. As a trauma informed, licensed mental health clinician, Dr. Okolo has supported individuals, families and institutions in adopting strategies to overcome stress, anxiety and other complex diagnosis’. As demonstrated by her experience, Dr. Okolo remains a strong advocate for increased and equitable access to high quality mental health services and resources for all college-aged students, working to remove barriers, especially related to mental health.

With over a decade of professional experience in higher education research and student services, Dr. Okolo has worked to help higher education and workforce providers facilitate and validate high-quality learning and training –inside and outside of the classroom. Her research has specifically focused on the needs of equity populations including first-generation college students.

Dr. Okolo earned her doctorate in education from The George Washington University, her master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Syracuse University, and her bachelor’s degree in Family Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is a native of Washington, D.C.

Development

Irene Gashurov

Proposal Writer

Irene Gashurov

Proposal Writer

Irene joined The Jed Foundation with 20 years of experience in Development, writing, and advocacy work, most of which was in higher education. As part of the Development team, Irene writes proposals to secure funds for JED programming, conducts in-depth research on prospective funders, and studies the fundraising landscape for mental health. Prior to JED, Irene worked as a grant writer for Binghamton University Libraries, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, and CUNY Libraries. She also served as Editorial Director at the Columbia University Medical Center and has extensive publishing, research, reporting, and editorial experience.

Katie Isaacs

Senior Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Katie Isaacs

Senior Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations

Katie joined The Jed Foundation in 2023. Before joining JED, Katie was a Managing Partner at an Omnicom health and wellness advertising agency, where she oversaw a 30+ person account management team, ensuring the success of client relationships and the growth and culture of the organization. During her 20-year career in healthcare marketing, Katie has worked alongside organizations such as Merck, Pfizer, Novartis, and Genentech and in a wide range of therapeutic areas such as mental health, opioid dependency, and women’s health.

Kate Douglass Nguyen

Director, Individual Giving

Kate Douglass Nguyen

Director, Individual Giving

Kate joins JED with over a decade in nonprofit fundraising in order to build a robust individual giving program that advances JED’s impact. Kate was most recently the National Director of Individual Giving at the Parkinson’s Foundation, where she orchestrated multi-channel programs designed to grow giving and expand the mid-level pipeline to major and planned gifts. Previously at Moffitt Cancer Center, Kate was the Director of Stewardship and Donor Communications – building two programs and a team from the ground up. She has also worn multiple fundraising hats in museums, including giving societies and the capital campaign at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. You can find Kate happily on her yoga mat, planning her next adventure in travel, or volunteering with the Junior League of Tampa. As Director of Individual Giving, Kate identifies, cultivates, solicits, and stewards potential and existing individual donors, with a focus on qualifying and upgrading The Jed Foundation donors. She also establishes and implements comprehensive systems and strategies to increase the number of donors and revenue from Small Gifts.

Richa Sadana

Senior Manager, Development Operations

Richa Sadana

Senior Manager, Development Operations

Richa manages and creates the Development team’s operational processes and handles grants reporting. Before JED, Richa worked as a grant writer and operations manager at an educational nonprofit, and she previously worked as a journalist in India. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from SACAC, New Delhi, India, and an M.S. degree in Global Affairs from New York University.

Adee Shepen

Chief Development Officer

Adee Shepen

Chief Development Officer

Adee brings more than 20 years of experience in development, community organization, programming and board development to JED. Most recently, she served as the Northeast Director of Community Engagement for BBYO, the leading teen movement aspiring to involve more Jewish teens in more meaningful Jewish experiences. Adee has also served as Director of Annual Giving at Yeshiva University, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations at Weill Cornell Medical College and Chief Development Officer at the Jewish Community Center of MetroWest. Adee attended Clark University.

Russell Williams

Head of Recruitment, Higher Education

Russell Williams

Head of Recruitment, Higher Education

Russell joined JED in March 2022. He previously held positions in educational technology at McGraw Hill and technology-driven market research with Zappi. His experience includes the management, cultivating, and scaling of relationships, client platform onboarding, and process refinement through Scrum. He has been a volunteer at the AOK Foundation and Pincus Family Foundation for over 15 years, serving their missions for the betterment of young people. Russell hails from Southern New Jersey, near Philadelphia, where he is a passionate supporter of their local sports teams. He completed his B.S. in Marketing at Johnson and Wales University (Providence, RI) and is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM).

Thea Zunick, Ed.D.

Director, Community Giving

Thea Zunick, Ed.D.

Director, Community Giving

Thea joined The Jed Foundation after 14 years in the higher education sector. Thea cultivates and maintains a portfolio of philanthropic partners, ranging from small businesses to large companies; oversees volunteer engagement; and advises the Young Leadership Council (YLC). Most recently, she’s been working as the project manager for JED’s signature fundraising event series, Neon Nights, in addition to other initiatives that encourage people to independently raise money and awareness for JED’s mission. Thea is also certified in coaching and facilitation for emotional intelligence and change management. When not working, Thea enjoys spending time with her puppy, Tootsie; trying new foods; and doing yoga and Crossfit.

Subject Matter Experts

Dolores Cimini, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Dolores Cimini, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Dr. M. Dolores Cimini is a New York State licensed psychologist and Director of the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research at the University at Albany, SUNY and has held an appointment within the University at Albany’s Counseling and Psychological Services since 1989. She is also the Director of the nationally recognized Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program and a Senior Research Scientist within the University at Albany School of Education. Dr. Cimini has led comprehensive efforts in research-to-practice translation at the University at Albany since 1990 with over $9 million in support from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, and corporate and private foundations. Dr. Cimini served as a member of the National Advisory Council of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration from 2015-2019 and is currently a member of the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association. She served on the governance board of the American Psychological Association as Chair of the Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest; in this role, she led the review and dissemination of APA’s practice standards focused on serving diverse and underrepresented groups and the addressing of issues related to psychology and social justice. Prior to her work with BAPPI, Dr. Cimini was a member of APA’s Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology (CDIP). In 2012 and 2014, she was recognized by President Barack Obama and the White House for her work in promoting access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for women with disabilities and for serving as a mentor and role model for underrepresented and marginalized students. The screening and brief intervention program developed by Dr. Cimini, the STEPS Comprehensive Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Program, has earned 13 national awards for best practices and innovation in behavioral health care. Dr. Cimini has co-edited two books, including a volume focused on college student health and well-being entitled Promoting Behavioral Health and reducing Risk Among College Students: A Comprehensive Approach (2018).

Louise Douce, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Louise Douce, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Louise retired in 2012 as Assistant Vice President of Student Life at The Ohio State University having supervised units dedicated to enhancing success of and removing barriers to student success. She is a specialist in college student mental health and has been active in college and university psychology and nationally active in the education and training issues for psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists and counselors. Louise is a pioneer in university threat assessment, chairing the OSU team for 25 years and providing crisis support for the campus. She has published and presented in the areas of college student mental and behavioral health, career development for women, multicultural competency with a special focus on GLBT issues, supervision and training and women’s issues. Louise is active in the American psychological Association, APA, and served on the Board of Directors.

Kathy Hollingsworth, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Kathy Hollingsworth, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Kathy is a psychologist who specializes in mental health and personal development of college students. She worked in counseling centers for more than 25 years, including University of Missouri-Columbia, Stephens College, University of Illinois at Chicago, Northwestern University (Director) and Duke University (Executive Director).  She has been a consultant to IES Abroad student affairs staff for more than 15 years. Kathy has special interest in the areas of trauma, contemporary gender issues, developmental issues of emerging adults, and systems approaches to campus crisis. She was co-chair of the Elements of Excellence committee for the Association of University and College Counseling Center Directors, charged with presenting a training institute for new counseling directors as well as creating six model training programs. She has published and presented nationally for AUCCCD, NASPA, NAFSA, Society for Adolescent Medicine, and conferences on law in higher education sponsored by Stetson and the University of Vermont.

Doris Iarovici, M.D.

External Contributor

Doris Iarovici, M.D.

External Contributor

Doris has provided psychiatric care to college students for over twenty years: at Duke University’s Counseling and Psychological Services, in private practice, in a residential eating disorders treatment program, and now at Harvard University’s Counseling and Mental Health Services. The author of “Mental Health Issues and the University Student” (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014), she has written about college mental health in The New York Times, The Guardian, Psychiatric Times, and elsewhere. She also writes fiction, and has worked on using the humanities to enhance empathy in clinical care delivery. She is a member of the National Network of Depression Centers’ College Mental Health Taskforce and the American Psychiatric Association’s College Mental Health Caucus. A Distinguished Fellow of the APA, she has frequently presented on college psychiatry at national professional meetings. She is a graduate of Yale College and the Yale School of Medicine.

Courtney Knowles

External Contributor, Love is Louder

Courtney Knowles

External Contributor, Love is Louder

Courtney has over a decade of experience managing both nonprofit organizations and national communication efforts. Since joining JED as Communications Director in late 2006, he has managed a variety of programs for the organization, including the Peabody Award-winning Half of Us campaign with mtvU. Prior to JED, Courtney led awareness and social responsibility campaigns in corporate, nonprofit and agency environments for a diverse list of organizations, including Outward Bound, General Electric, March of Dimes, Anheuser-Busch and The Equality in Marriage Institute. He holds a BS in Communications from Florida State University.

Phil Meilman, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Phil Meilman, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Phil Meilman served as the director of the Counseling and Psychiatric Service from 2005 through 2020, and is also a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University. In his administrative role, he provided leadership for the university counseling service, consulted with university faculty, staff, and administration, and provided direct clinical services to students. Dr. Meilman earned his A.B. from Harvard University in 1973, and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1977 with internship at the University of Minnesota Medical School. Prior to coming to Georgetown, Dr. Meilman worked at Cornell, the College of William and Mary, Dartmouth, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.  For many years, he volunteered as the co-director of The Core Institute * Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Studies at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Publications include:  Beating the College Blues: A Student’s Guide to Coping with the Emotional Ups and Downs of College Life, First and Second Editions (with P.A. Grayson), College Mental Health Practice (also with Grayson), Alcohol and Drugs on American College Campuses: Use, Consequences, and Perceptions of the Campus Environment, Volumes I, II, III, and IV (with C.A. Presley and R. Lyerla).  He has also published in the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, Journal of American College Health, Journal of College Student Development, Developmental Psychology, International Journal of the Addictions, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, The Clinical Journal of Pain, and Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, among others. For five years he also served as Editor for the Journal of College Student Psychotherapy.

Brian R. Mitra, Ed.D.

External Contributor

Brian R. Mitra, Ed.D.

External Contributor

Dr. Mitra is a dedicated student affairs professional who is currently the Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Queensborough Community College.  Brian’s responsibilities include oversight and management of the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. He serves on the college’s senior administration, serves as Department Chair, and sits on several college wide committees including the Behavioral Intervention Team and Equity Initiatives. Service is an integral part of Dr. Mitra, he serves as a Lead Faculty for the Mid-Managers Institute for NAPSA – Region II. He has served a dual appointment as the Community College Representative for the region and the Community College Division Board, sat on the James E. Scott Academy, and served on the 2020 and 2015 Annual Conference Leadership Team. He has presented nationally, regionally, and locally and has several publications. In addition, Dr. Mitra sits on the Board of Directors for Opportunity for a Better Tomorrow, which exists to break the cycle of poverty and equity through education, job training, and employment. Prior to being the Vice President, Brian served as the Dean, Associate Dean and Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Director of the Office of Career Development, Transfer and Scholarship Opportunities and the Job Placement Coordinator at Kingsborough Community College. He has also held positions as a Graduate Assistant in Commuter Student Affairs and Student Activities Advisor at Stony Brook University. Brian earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Science and an Advanced Certificate in Healthcare Management from Stony Brook University, his Master of Arts in Community Health Education from Brooklyn College, and his doctorate in Adult Learning and Leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Sofia B. Pertuz, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Sofia B. Pertuz, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Dr. Sofia B. Pertuz is a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professional with over 25 years of experience leading strategic planning, assessment, and critical incident management for higher education, nonprofit and corporate organizations. Sofia is an external advisor for JED, having previously served as JED’s Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Sofia is currently Managing Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Billie Jean King Enterprises and founder of Mainstream Insight LLC, leading organizations towards inclusive excellence.

Sofia has presented keynotes and training workshops to international audiences on topics in culturally responsive mental health support, change management, social justice, racial equity, and LGBTQ advocacy, in both English and Spanish. Philosophically, Sofia is committed to creating a socially just world, and dedicates time to mentoring, professional development and activities aiming to create inclusive and caring communities. Sofia is the founder and moderator of a doctoral support network with over 8500 actively engaged members on Facebook called Latinas Completing Doctoral Degrees. Sofia also serves on the board of Cohort Sistas, a nonprofit digital network that supports Black women pursuing doctorates by providing resources, mentorship, and community. She is a board member for The Family Thrive, an online subscription-based e-learning and social network platform for parents concerned about health and wellness.

Sofia has a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from SUNY New Paltz and earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, Management, and Policy from Seton Hall University. Sofia also holds a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion for HR from Cornell University and is a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP).

Estela Rivero, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Estela Rivero, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Estela is a licensed psychologist who has been a career long advocate for comprehensive mental health and well-being services and for insuring timely and equitable access for all. In 2020 she retired as the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs at the University at Albany with responsibility for the Counseling and Psychological Services, the Student Health Services, the Center for Behavioral Health Promotion and Applied Research and Campus Recreation. As the 30 year Director of the University at Albany’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Dr. Rivero spearheaded the development of a comprehensive suicide prevention program, a high-risk drinking prevention program, the nationally recognized Middle Earth Peer Assistance Program as well as the accredited Doctoral Internship Program in Psychology. To enhance the center’s services and under Dr. Rivero’s leadership, CAPS psychologists received over 9 million dollars in federal and state grants; Dr Rivero served as Project Director for three SAMHSA Garret Lee Smith Suicide Prevention grants. She has edited a book, published articles and presented at numerous conferences. Dr. Rivero has held leadership positions in both state and national professional organizations.  In 2001 a State of New York Legislative Resolution honored Dr. Rivero for her work on the New York State Board for Psychology, noting her many contributions including the development of Guidelines Regarding the Education and Training of Psychologists for Practice in a Pluralistic Society. Most recently Dr. Rivero received the American College Health Association Miguel Garcia-Tunon Memorial Award in Human Dignity (2015), the New York State College Health Association Clifford B Reifler Award for Leadership and Commitment (2016) and a University at Albany President’s Award (2019).

Morton M. Silverman, M.D.

External Contributor

Morton M. Silverman, M.D.

External Contributor

Mort is the Senior Science Advisor to the U.S.A. Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC), and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. He was the Director of the Student Counseling and Resource Center at The University of Chicago from 1987-2002. From 1996-2009 he was the Editor-in-Chief of Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. From 2002-2013 he was a member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) Scientific Council. Dr. Silverman is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, and a member of the International Association for Suicide Research (IASR).  He currently is the Treasurer of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). He is the co-author or author of over 45 peer-reviewed publications and over 30 book chapters, and co-author of The Comprehensive Textbook of Suicidology (2000), and Adolescent Suicide: Assessment and Intervention (2006).

Magdalena H. de la Teja, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Magdalena H. de la Teja, Ph.D.

External Contributor

Magdalena (Maggie) de la Teja is a dedicated believer in learning and helping others get educated.  She modeled this passion by earning a Ph.D. in higher education at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) and a J.D. at its law school.  Guided by her belief that learning is beneficial to all, she specifically has worked to open doors to higher education for low income and underserved populations and those with disabilities.  She states, “I made it to the community college as a professional as fast as I could because I learned that the students whom I wanted to serve during my lifetime are the majority attending those institutions.” Magdalena attended a community college her freshman year as well as served as a director and dean at Austin Community College and vice president for student development services at Tarrant County College (TCC) in Ft. Worth, Texas. She supervised the areas of counseling, advising, student conduct, student life, career services, and others.  She also served with the student union’s, president’s and vice president for student affairs’ offices at UT Austin and as an attorney with the Texas Legislature. Magdalena is a published author in the areas of student access, success, and diversity, equity, and inclusion and is currently working with futurist colleagues on a book about transformational learning and leadership. She has presented on these and other topics at local, state, and national conferences.  Magdalena has been active with NASPA since her early career days at UT Austin and has served on its board of directors, founding chair of the Community Colleges Division (CCD), NUFP board of directors, founding chair of the CCD Latinx/a/o Task Force, and NASPA Foundation Board.  She was honored as a NASPA Pillar of the Profession in 2014.  She is proudly a NASPA Foundation donor, encourages developing fundraising skills, and supports the Dr. Magdalena de la Teja Abrazando al Exito Scholarship established at TCC. She is a past president of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) and was honored with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and Mentor of the Year Award in 2020 and 2021. She served as faculty for the inaugural NASPA Escaleras and TACHE Career and Leadership Development Institutes. 

Janis Whitlock, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Senior Advisor

Janis Whitlock, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Senior Advisor

Janis Whitlock has worked in the area of adolescent and young adult mental health, resilience and wellbeing for over 30 years. She is dedicated to bridging science, practice, and lived experience wisdom in ways that inform, enhance and support the human capacity to thrive. She has experience as a frontline provider and program developer and, for the past two decades, as a researcher, educator, author, and public speaker in these and related areas. As the founder and director of the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery and the co-founder of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury, she has deep expertise in areas of self-injury and related mental health challenges, including suicide, depression and anxiety. She has also studied and written about connectedness, resilience, the role of social media in mental health and prevention, and sexual health. She earned a doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University, a Masters of Public Health from UNC Chapel Hill, and a BA from the University of California at Berkeley.

Kamelia Aryafar

Chief Algorithms and Analytics Officer, Google

Kamelia Aryafar

Chief Algorithms and Analytics Officer, Google

Dr. Kamelia Aryafar is currently the Chief Algorithms and Analytics Officer, Google. She was previously the Head of Cloud Retail Engineering and AI, and Senior Director of Engineering, Cloud Artificial Intelligence at Google. Prior to Google, Dr. Aryafar was the Executive Vice President, Chief Algorithms and Analytics Officer, and board member for Overstock.com. Dr. Kamelia Aryafar led the company’s analytics, data platform, technology, machine learning, data science, data engineering, and algorithmic product functions across the organization. Dr. Aryafar joined Overstock.com, after several years at Etsy where she worked with different product teams across several platforms to integrate analytics, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms throughout the organization. Dr. Aryafar has served on several boards including: Overstock.com, Initiative of Analytics and Data Science Standards (IADSS), Retail Management Institute at Santa Clara University, and Women of MENA in Tech.

Alex Chi

Partner, Americas Co-Head of Private Credit, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Alex Chi

Partner, Americas Co-Head of Private Credit, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

Alex Chi is a partner in the asset management division of Goldman Sachs and is currently co-head of the Private Credit Group in the Americas. Alex joined Goldman Sachs after graduating from MIT in 1994 and spent the majority of his career working in the investment banking division across financial sponsors, leveraged finance, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance, and capital markets in New York, Hong Kong, and Seoul. Alex also serves on the asset management division Credit Investment Committee, Inclusion & Diversity Council, and acts as firmwide recruiting captain for MIT. He also co-founded the firm’s Asian Professionals Network and served as firmwide co-head for several years. Alex was named Managing Director in 2006 and Partner in 2012. In addition to the JED Foundation, Alex also serves on the Board of the Korean American Community Foundation.

Molly O’Neil Frank

Staff Chaplain at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center

Molly O’Neil Frank

Staff Chaplain at Memorial Sloane Kettering Cancer Center

Molly O’Neil Frank began her career at the Triangle Theatre Company, an off-off Broadway theatre she founded in New York City. Since then she has served as a trustee of several arts and educational institutions including Plays for Living, Diller-Quaile School of Music, the Allen-Stevenson School, Signature Theatre Company, Rider University/Westminster Choir College, the Keewaydin Foundation and The Lighthouse Works. After completing seminary in 2016, Molly became a certified hospice/hospital chaplain and currently works at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She is in discernment for ordination to the Episcopal Church. Molly graduated with a B.A. in English from Wesleyan University in 1984 and received a Masters in Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in 2016.

Mary Beth Harvey

Co-founder & Chief Wellness Officer at Friended

Mary Beth Harvey

Co-founder & Chief Wellness Officer at Friended

Mary Beth Harvey is the Co-founder and Chief Wellness Officer at Friended, a social network whose mission is to encourage authentic social interaction and empathy in one to one conversation. During her 35 year professional, volunteer, and philanthropic career, she has advocated for the rights of women, parents, and children to receive education, mental health support, and an equitable work place.

Her passion for researching and designing policies that support parents and children led her to the Families and Work Institute, where, as a founding staff member, she worked on various national, state, and local child care and education reforms and initiatives and advised several Fortune 100 Companies. Her most recent work with FWI included Mind in the Making, a national initiative that brings the science of early learning to parents, educators, and the public.

Mary Beth has consulted for the National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. She now serves on the International Advisory Board of Columbia’s Global Mental Health Program. She is Past President and remains an Advisor to NYC-Parents in Action. She also created and helped launch the Davidson College Impact Fellowship, to support the college’s graduating seniors who desire a career in nonprofits that seek to make a positive impact in the world. Mary Beth graduated cum laude from Wheaton College, and holds a Master of Science in Education from Bank Street College of Education.

Larry Lieberman

Chief Operating Officer, Charity Navigator

Co-chair, The Jed Foundation Development Committee

Larry Lieberman

Chief Operating Officer, Charity Navigator

Co-chair, The Jed Foundation Development Committee

Larry Lieberman is Chief Operating Officer of Charity Navigator, a large nonprofit that has set the standards for excellence and results reporting by charities in America. Larry has a formidable background in tech and social media including key roles as a co-founder and chief operating officer of a venture-backed software developer and chief marketing officer of digital advertising pioneer SocialVibe. He previously held senior marketing and strategy positions with Comedy Central, MTV, and Time Warner. Larry earned an MBA from the Leonard Stern School of Business at New York University and a BA in economics from Union College in Schenectady New York.

Karen Ling

Former Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, AIG

Karen Ling

Former Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, AIG

Karen Ling served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of AIG. She was responsible for aligning AIG’s talent strategy with the company’s long-term strategic, operational and financial objectives, and she oversaw all aspects of human capital management, including talent acquisition, training, development, compensation and benefits, and diversity and inclusion as well as corporate citizenship. Ms. Ling joined AIG in July 2019 from Allergan plc, where she served for five years as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. Prior to Allergan, Ms. Ling was Senior Vice President, Human Resources, for Merck & Co., Inc.’s Global Human Health and Consumer Care businesses worldwide, and before that she was Group Vice President, Global Compensation & Benefits at Schering-Plough. Earlier in her career, Ms. Ling spent 14 years at Wyeth in various positions of increasing responsibility developing HR strategies for business units and working in Wyeth’s Labor & Employment Department. Ms. Ling serves on the Boards of Directors of TherapeuticsMD and two non-profit organizations, the JED Foundation and ExpandED. She holds a J.D. from Boston University School of Law and a B.A. from Yale University.

Matthew Lippman

Vice President, Life Sciences Practice Leader at HUB International

Matthew Lippman

Vice President, Life Sciences Practice Leader at HUB International

Matthew Lippman brings to JED many years of risk management experience in the Pharmaceutical arena. Currently, he serves as the Life Sciences Practice Leader at HUB International, and on JED’s Finance committee. His experience in insuring manufacturers of antidepressants exposed him to the mental health challenges that our country is faced with and was compelled to get involved. Matthew joined JED’s board of directors in 2013, the same year he became a father. He is inspired by watching his son, Spencer, grow and conquer experiences that frighten him at first such as karate and swimming. He is a world traveler, an avid yogi, and practices mindfulness.

Sarah Long

President & Chairman, Bedford Playhouse

Sarah Long

President & Chairman, Bedford Playhouse

Sarah Long is the President and Chairman of the Bedford Playhouse, where she helped spearhead the restoration of a historic movie theater into the vibrant non-profit arts and community center that it is today.

After a twenty-five year career as an actress in theater and television, her focus is now philanthropy and volunteer work in arts education and mental health causes. In addition to her work with JED, Sarah sits on the Executive Committee of the New 42, the non-profit responsible for revitalizing 42nd Street and seven historic theaters, where she co-founded the New Vic Theatre Council and served as Vice-Chairman of the Board for over 8 years. Sarah received her BA from Yale College and her MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama, where she is a founding member of the Board of Advisors. Sarah is also a part-time producer and director, and performs cabaret in and around New York City.

Marc Mazur

Chairman, Elsworthy Capital Management, Ltd.

Marc Mazur

Chairman, Elsworthy Capital Management, Ltd.

Marc Mazur is a senior advisor with Brightwood Capital Partners, and has had executive roles with Goldman Sachs, Brevan Howard and WebMD. He serves and has served on numerous boards, both public and private in the healthcare and financial services fields. His non-profit focus has been with organizations in the mental health, inner city education and substance abuse and rehabilitation fields. Marc serves on the boards of The JED Foundation, College Track and NADAP. He has a BA from Columbia College and a JD from Villanova Law School.

William Meury

President and CEO, Karuna Therapeutics

William Meury

President and CEO, Karuna Therapeutics

William Meury is President and CEO, Karuna Therapeutics He previously served as a Partner at Hildred Capital Management, where he served on the Board of Directors for Project Natural, a leading supplier of natural therapeutic consumer healthcare products. Mr. Meury previously served as the Chief Commercial Officer for Allergan from 2015-2020 where he had total P&L responsibility for over 50 products with $16 billion in revenue and over $3 billion in sales and marketing investment.  He led multiple divisions consisting of 8,000 people around the world, including marketing, sales, business analytics, marketing operations, managed care, pricing, and customer service. Previously, Mr. Meury served as President, Branded Pharmaceuticals for Actavis, and Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Forest Laboratories, Inc. Mr. Meury led three large commercial integrations, including the $28 billion merger between Forest & Actavis, the $66 billion merger between Actavis & Allergan, and the $63 billion merger between Allergan & Abbvie. Mr. Meury has over 25 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals and was directly responsible for over 20 new product launches across 10 therapeutic areas during his career.

Before joining Forest, Mr. Meury worked in public accounting for Reznick Fedder & Silverman and in financial reporting for MCI Communications. Mr. Meury serves on the Board of Directors for Syndax, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies.  He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Jed Foundation, a non-profit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults in the United States. Mr. Meury has a B.A. in Economics from the University of Maryland.

Rhonda R. Mims

Chief Legal & External Affairs Officer, ICMA-RC

Rhonda R. Mims

Chief Legal & External Affairs Officer, ICMA-RC

Rhonda Mims is a Senior Executive, Strategic Adviser, and Reputation Management expert recognized for creating environments where change is successful in M&A integration, philanthropy, and multicultural efforts. She has led executive, strategic, and cyber security communications, change management for high profile companies, and diffused issues posing significant reputational, client, and revenue risk. Ms. Mims global perspective, ability to anticipate and navigate critical inflection points, and expertise delivering complex messages to broad audiences are hallmarks of her career.

Previously, Ms. Mims she served as the Managing Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Paul Hastings, LLP a global law firm and one of the largest in the U.S. serving a diverse client base including many top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies. Additionally, she led the ING Foundation as president for over 10 years.

Robert Rooney

CEO and Board Director, HyperJar

Robert Rooney

CEO and Board Director, HyperJar

Rob Rooney is CEO and Board Director at HypeJar. He was previously Morgan Stanley’s Senior Advisor on Technology and Innovation as well as Global Head of Technology, Operations and Firm Resilience. Prior to that he served as CEO of Morgan Stanley International and Head of EMEA. Between May 2013 and January 2016, Rob was the Firm’s Global Co-Head of Fixed Income Sales and Trading. He joined Morgan Stanley in 1990 and moved to London in 1993. Rob was elected Managing Director in 2001. Rob is a member of the Firm’s Operating and Management Committees. He was a founding Board member of the UK’s Fixed Income, Currencies, and Commodities Market Standards Body (FMSB). He is also a member of the Board of Visitors of Columbia College and a member of the Board of Directors of the JED Foundation. Rob is married with two children. He graduated from Columbia University in 1989 with a BA in Mathematics and History.

Stuart Rothstein

Partner, Chief Operating Officer, Real Assets in New York

Stuart Rothstein

Partner, Chief Operating Officer, Real Assets in New York

Stuart Rothstein is a Partner at Apollo having joined in 2009. He is the COO of Apollo’s global real estate business and the CEO, President, and a member of the Board of Directors of Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance, Inc. (NYSE:ARI), a publicly traded real estate investment trust managed by an affiliate of Apollo.  Before joining Apollo, Mr. Rothstein was a Co-Managing Partner of Four Corners Properties, a privately held real estate investment company. Previously, he was employed by KKR Financial Advisors, RBC Capital Markets, and the Related Capital Company. Mr. Rothstein began his career at Spieker Properties, where he was named CFO in 1999. Mr. Rothstein graduated from the Schreyer Honors College at the Pennsylvania State University with a BS in accounting and he received an MBA from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. Mr. Rothstein is a member of Penn State Smeal College of Business Board of Visitors and a member of the Board of Directors and the Chair of the Nominating Committee for the JED Foundation.

Patricia Sacks, MBA, LMSW

Patricia Sacks, MBA, LMSW

Patty, a graduate of College University (’79), has had a myriad of professional and non-profit experiences since receiving her MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business (’84).  Upon graduation, she joined IBM’s Corporate Treasury Department, followed by a successful stint leading the company’s marketing efforts to a major, bulge-bracket Wall Street investment bank. Patty left IBM in the mid-90s to raise three daughters, born 34 months apart while leading two non-profit boards. Patty led the NYC-based Diller-Quaile School of Music for 10 years, completing the largest capital campaign and building project in the school’s history. She then became President of the Board of the Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center in 2005, a department of the Icahn School of Medicine at the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, which delivers comprehensive, integrated medical and mental health services and prevention education to young people aged 10 to 22. Patty received her MSW from Columbia University in 2013 and currently counsels students at two institutions, the Association to Benefit Children in East Harlem and at the Storefront Academy in the Bronx. Patty has been an active member of the President’s Leadership Council at Dartmouth College for 10 years. She is a member of the Geisel School of Medicine Advisory Board, where she has a focus on mental health for medical school students.

Angela Santone

Senior Executive Vice President of Human Resources, AT&T Inc

Angela Santone

Senior Executive Vice President of Human Resources, AT&T Inc

Angela oversees AT&T’s global human resources strategy, leading a team of HR experts to rethink workforce practices, transform AT&T’s organizational culture, attract and retain top talent, and deliver total rewards and benefits to support the wellbeing of AT&T employees as they care for customers around the world.

Since joining AT&T in 2019, Angela led a comprehensive transformation of AT&T’s internal operating culture centered around the customer experience and the working behaviors employees expressed as essential to ensuring AT&T’s long-term success.

Her and her team are reshaping the AT&T employee experience, including offering industry leading wellbeing options that give employees the flexibility to care for themselves and their families. 

Prior to joining AT&T, Angela led the global HR strategy for Turner Broadcasting.

Julie Satow

Julie Satow

Julie Satow is an award-winning journalist and the author of the upcoming book, The Plaza: The Untold Story of America’s Most Legendary Hotel, to be published next year by Twelve, an imprint of Hachette. A regular contributor to the New York Times, her work has also appeared on National Public Radio, the Daily Beast, the Huffington Post, and elsewhere. Her essay, “Under the House” was published in the anthology Modern Loss: A Candid Conversation About Grief. A native New Yorker, she lives in the West Village with her husband and two children.

Phillip M. Satow

Former Chair of the Board, Co-founder & Board Chair Emeritus, The Jed Foundation

Phillip M. Satow

Former Chair of the Board, Co-founder & Board Chair Emeritus, The Jed Foundation

Phil Satow is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors of JDS Therapeutics, an innovative health care company in the nutritional supplement industry. Phil, in 2021 and 2024, and his son, Michael, sold divisions of the firm to a major private equity healthcare company and to Otsuka, a public Japanese pharmaceutical company. He was Co-founder, Chairman and CEO of JDS Pharmaceuticals LLC, which developed and marketed branded pharmaceutical products before it was acquired by Noven, a public pharmaceutical company, in 2007. Phil is the former President of Forest Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and former Executive Vice President and member of the Board of Directors of Forest Laboratories, Inc., its parent company. In addition to the Forest Laboratories Board, he was formerly a member of the Board of Directors of three other publicly traded pharmaceutical companies. Phil is also a past President of the Columbia College Alumni Association, a recipient of Columbia’s John Jay Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement and the Alexander Hamilton Award, the highest honor paid to a member of the Columbia College community.

He co-founded The Jed Foundation in 2000 with his wife Donna after the loss of their son, Jed.  Phil has subsequently been an active member of the suicide prevention community serving for years as a Board Member of The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and as a former Co-chairman, with the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, of the suicide prevention taskforce which created, A Prioritized Research Agenda for Suicide Prevention:  An Action Plan to Save Lives.

Michael S. Satow

Chair of The Jed Foundation Board, Co-Founder, CEO, and Board Member at Bonafide Health

Michael S. Satow

Chair of The Jed Foundation Board, Co-Founder, CEO, and Board Member at Bonafide Health

Michael Satow is an entrepreneur who has co-founded and built multiple companies.  He is currently co-founder, CEO and Board Member of Bonafide Health, a women’s health company focused on menopause.  Recently, Michael served as CEO and Board Member of a leading nutritional ingredient company called Nutrition 21, which was successfully sold in November 2021.  Earlier, he co-founded and served as a Board Member and COO of JDS Pharmaceuticals, a psychiatric and women’s health focused specialty pharmaceutical company, which he successfully exited in 2007.  Michael also co-founded and served as a Board Member and CEO of MarketXT, the first extended hours stock trading market for retail investors, which he successfully exited in 2000.

In addition to The Jed Foundation, Michael serves on the Board of Visitors of Columbia College, Columbia University, as well as on the boards of Nutrisense, a technology driven wellness company and Everwell Health, a leading manufacturer of specialty ingredients.  For seven years until 2017, he was a board member of My Sister’s Place, a domestic violence shelter and support organization based in Westchester NY.  From 2011-2016, he served on the board of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry.

Earlier, Michael worked as a lawyer for 5 years both in private practice as a commercial litigator in New York City as well as a senior enforcement lawyer for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.  He received a B.A. from Columbia College in New York and a J.D. from Georgetown Law School.

Lynn O’Connor Vos

CEO of Modular Medical, Inc.

Lynn O’Connor Vos

CEO of Modular Medical, Inc.

Lynn O’Connor Vos is a forward-thinking global healthcare marketing and communication leader known for building innovative businesses in support of the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. She is a recognized thought leader in the industry, with numerous publications in both the lay and industry press. Vos was chief executive officer of greyhealth group, a WPP-owned global health communications firm that grew from an independent domestic professional firm into a top 10 award-winning global enterprise with fully integrated, multi-channel offerings. Vos was also founder of Phase Five Communications, one of the first medical education firms to launch a novel pre-commercialization model that became the industry standard. In 2017, Vos joined the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) as president and CEO. She led a major turnaround of the organization, transformed the mission and established high-growth funding streams by building collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Her firm Vos Health advises startups and healthcare companies to drive innovation, commercialization and  business growth. Vos has public and private board experience, including OptimizeRx (OTC: OPRX). She was a founding board member of The Jed Foundation, as well as the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF).

Advisory Board

The Jed Foundation Advisory Board brings together clinical experts in the field of mental health and suicide prevention. They advise on strategy and evaluation of JED’s programs and initiatives and provide insight into current research and cutting edge approaches which inform our work.

Advisory Board

Anne Marie Albano, PhD, ABPP

Professor of Medical Psychology at CUMC

Anne Marie Albano, PhD, ABPP

Professor of Medical Psychology at CUMC

Anne Marie Albano, PhD, ABPP, is a clinical psychologist, board certified in clinical child and adolescent psychology, and professor at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in Psychiatry. She is the founder of the Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD) and has spent her career focused on developing and testing effective therapies for youth.

Website: www.anxietytreatmentnyc.org

Nick Allen, PhD

Ann Swindells Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Oregon

Nick Allen, PhD

Ann Swindells Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Oregon

Nick Allen is the Ann Swindells Professor of Clinical Psychology at the University of Oregon, where he is Director of Clinical Training. He is a leading researcher in the area of adolescent mental health, known especially for his work on adolescent onset depression and suicide risk. His work aims to understand the interactions between multiple risk factors for adolescent mental health disorders, and innovative preventative approaches to adolescent mental health. He is the Director of the Center for Digital Mental Health, where his work focuses on the use of mobile and wearable technology to monitor risk for poor mental health, and is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ksana Health Inc, who are translating these technologies into a new generation of “just-in-time” behavioral interventions for early intervention and prevention of adolescent health problems.

Website: https://psychology.uoregon.edu/profile/nallen3

Michael Anestis, PhD

Executive Director of New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center

Michael Anestis, PhD

Executive Director of New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center

Michael Anestis, PhD, is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an Associate Professor of Urban and Global Public Health at Rutgers University. His work focuses on suicide prevention, with a particular focus on the role of firearms. His book, Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic, was published by Oxford University Press in 2018 and that same year, he was awarded the Edwin Shneidman Award by the American Association of Suicidology.

Website: http://mikeanestis.weebly.com/

Catherine Barber, MPA

Senior Researcher, Harvard Injury Control Research Center; Director, Means Matter

Catherine Barber, MPA

Senior Researcher, Harvard Injury Control Research Center; Director, Means Matter

Catherine Barber, MPA, is a senior researcher at the Harvard School of Public Health’s Injury Research Center where she led the effort to design and test the prototype for the CDC’s National Violent Death Reporting System. Areas of expertise include building injury surveillance systems and using data from those systems to inform prevention strategies, particularly for suicide. She is the founding director of Means Matter, which advances research and interventions aimed at reducing a suicidal person’s access to highly lethal suicide methods. A hallmark of Means Matter is bringing gun owners and suicide prevention groups together to collaborate on local solutions. Barber was the lead writer (with Elaine Frank) of the original CALM-Online (Counseling on Access to Lethal Means), co-founded the nation’s first Gun Shop Project, and wrote the first suicide prevention module for firearm instructors.

Website: www.meansmatter.org

Celeste Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Adjunct Clinical Faculty Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Celeste Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Adjunct Clinical Faculty Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

Celeste Birkhofer, PhD, PsyD, is a Clinical Psychologist in private practice in Northern California, and an Adjunct Clinical Faculty member at Stanford Medical School, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences. Birkhofer has over thirty years of experience providing therapy, teaching, and supervising other clinicians and students in training. She has extensive experience in a variety of modalities and believes in individualizing treatment to meet the unique needs of each patient. Birkhofer facilitates grief groups for people who have lost a loved one to suicide, combining both her personal and professional experience with grief and loss. Birkhofer is passionate about reducing stigma related to suicide and mental health problems with increasing compassion and education, improving access to mental health services, and making mental and emotional health one of our highest priorities.

Website: www.celestebirkhofer.com

Daniel Eisenberg, PhD

Professor of Health Policy & Management, and Director of the Healthy Minds Network

Daniel Eisenberg, PhD

Professor of Health Policy & Management, and Director of the Healthy Minds Network

Daniel Eisenberg, PhD, is Professor of Health Policy and Management in the Fielding School of Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he moved in summer 2020 after spending the first 16 years of his faculty career at University of Michigan. His training is in economics (BA and PhD, Stanford University) and mental health services research (NIMH postdoc, UC Berkeley). His broad research goal is to improve understanding of how to invest effectively in the mental health of young people. He directs the Healthy Minds Network (HMN) for Research on Adolescent and Young Adult Mental Health (www.healthymindsnetwork.org). This research network administers the Healthy Minds Study, a national survey study of student mental health and related factors, and facilitates the development, testing, and dissemination of innovative programs and interventions for student mental health. Eisenberg is currently writing a book about investments in children’s mental health, in collaboration with Ramesh Raghavan.

Website: https://ph.ucla.edu/faculty/eisenberg

Helen H. Hsu, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist

Helen H. Hsu, PsyD

Clinical Psychologist

Helen H. Hsu, PsyD, is Past President of the Asian American Psychological Association. She is a bi-lingual (Mandarin) staff psychologist and lecturer at Stanford University. Hsu began her career in campus youth mental health serving public schools in the cities of Oakland and Fremont, CA. She has been a clinical supervisor, consultant, and trainer since 2001. Hsu completed a three-year term on the American Psychological Association (APA) Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns (2011-14) and is current Chair of the APA Minority Fellowship Program Training Advisory Committee. Her work focuses upon culturally responsive campus mental health services, grief and bereavement support, and mentoring and developing culturally responsive leaders in psychology.

Website: https://www.apa.org/pi/mfp/committees/psychology

Mays Imad, PhD

Assistant Professor of Physiology at Connecticut College

Mays Imad, PhD

Assistant Professor of Physiology at Connecticut College

Mays Imad is a nationally-recognized expert on trauma-informed education. She passionately advocates for institutions to make mental health a top priority and to systematically support the education of the whole student. Mays received her undergraduate training from the University of Michigan–Dearborn where she studied philosophy. She received her doctoral degree in Cellular & Clinical Neurobiology from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arizona in the Department of Neuroscience. She joined Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona as an adjunct faculty member in 2009 and later as a full-time faculty member in 2013. At Pima, she taught Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Biomedical ethics and founded Pima’s Teaching and Learning Center. Mays is currently teaching in the biology department at Connecticut College. Through her teaching and research she seeks to provide students with transformative opportunities that are grounded in the aesthetics of learning, truth-seeking, justice, and self-realization.

David A. Jobes, PhD

Professor of Psychology

David A. Jobes, PhD

Professor of Psychology

David A. Jobes, PhD, ABPP, is a Professor of Psychology and Director of the Suicide Prevention Laboratory at The Catholic University of America. He has published six books and numerous peer-reviewed journal articles. Jobes is a past President of the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) and he is the recipient of various awards for his scientific work including the 1995 AAS “Shneidman Award” (early career contribution to suicidology), the 2012 AAS “Dublin Award” (for career contributions in suicidology), and the 2016 AAS “Linehan Award” (for suicide treatment research). Jobes is a Board Member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and serves on AFSP’s Scientific Council and the Public Policy Council. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and is Board certified in clinical psychology (American Board of Professional Psychology). Jobes maintains a private clinical and consulting practice in Washington DC.

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/cuajsplab/home

Shashank V. Joshi, MD, FAAP, DFAACAP

Shashank V. Joshi, MD, FAAP, DFAACAP

Shashank V. Joshi, MD, is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), and Co-chair of the AACAP Committee on Schools. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Project Safety Net Palo Alto, the Advisory Boards of the National Center on School Mental Health (NCSMH), and a member of the Student Mental Health Policy Workgroup for the State of California. He has been the recipient of numerous awards in teaching and public service. Dr. Joshi’s scholarly work focuses on school mental health, suicide prevention in school settings, cultural aspects of pediatric health, doctor-parent-teacher collaboration in medical care, and well-being promotion in youth and young adults. He is the lead author of the K12 Toolkit for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention used by the California Department of Education, and co-editor of the recent book Partnerships for Mental Health: A Guide to Community and Academic Collaboration [Philadelphia, Springer (2015)].

Website: https://profiles.stanford.edu/shashank-joshi

Amy Kennedy

Education Director, Kennedy Forum

Amy Kennedy

Education Director, Kennedy Forum

Amy Kennedy is the Education Director of The Kennedy Forum where she pursues partnerships and collaborations that emphasize evidence-based research and programming to facilitate policy change in the areas of education and mental health. With over 15 years of experience working in public schools, Amy has seen first-hand how a child’s mental health and mental health literacy impacts their ability to learn and grow—not only in the classroom, but in life. Amy serves on the boards of Mental Health America, a leading national advocacy organization, and Parity.org, which promotes gender parity at the highest levels of business. She is an advisory board member of Interaxon, a mental health technology company; and Brain Futures Amy holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Science in Environmental Education from Nova Southeastern University.

Website: https://www.amylkennedy.net/

Michael Lindsey, PhD, MSW, MPH

Executive Director, McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy & Research/Constance and Martin Silver Professor of Poverty Studies/Aspen Health Innovators Fellow

Michael Lindsey, PhD, MSW, MPH

Executive Director, McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy & Research/Constance and Martin Silver Professor of Poverty Studies/Aspen Health Innovators Fellow

Michael A. Lindsey, PhD, MSW, MPH, is a noted scholar in the fields of child and adolescent mental health, as well as a leader in the search for knowledge and solutions to generational poverty and inequality. He is the Executive Director of the McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research at New York University (NYU), the Constance and Martin Silver Professor of Poverty Studies at NYU Silver School of Social Work, and an Aspen Health Innovators Fellow. Lindsey also co-leads a university-wide Strategies to Reduce Inequality initiative at the NYU McSilver Institute, as well as a working group of experts supporting the Congressional Black Caucus Emergency Taskforce on Black Youth Suicide and Mental Health. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the National Academies of Practice (NAP) in Social Work, and serves on the editorial boards of the journals Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research; Psychiatric Services; and School Mental Health.

Website: https://mcsilver.nyu.edu/

Eran Magen, PhD

CEO of Circles of Support

Eran Magen, PhD

CEO of Circles of Support

Eran Magen, PhD, applies his deep expertise in psychological research, education, and relationships to help large organizations reduce rates of burnout/crisis and improve relational/communication skills. Magen earned his in PhD in psychology from Stanford University and completed postdoctoral training in population health as a Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholar. Magen’s work has been published in top-tier peer-reviewed journals including Psychological Science, Emotion, and Academic Pediatrics, as well as in popular outlets such as the Gold Foundation blog.

Website: http://CirclesOfSupport.net

Matthew R. Mock, PhD

Professor of Counseling Psychology, John F. Kennedy University

Matthew R. Mock, PhD

Professor of Counseling Psychology, John F. Kennedy University

Matthew R. Mock, PhD, has maintained a longstanding private clinical and consulting practice in Berkeley, California. He is also a professor of psychology teaching the “next generation” of diverse mental health providers. Mock has had a dedicated career, spanning decades, in addressing mental health concerns in the California Bay Area and beyond with an emphasis on community mental health, multiculturalism and diversity, ethnic families, and cultural competence in service delivery. Mock was the Director of the Family, Youth, Children’s, and Multicultural Service for the City of Berkeley Mental Health Division for over 20 years, and went on to serve as the Director for the Center of Multicultural Development with the California Institute for Mental Health. As a speaker and an accomplished author, he has humbly received numerous awards and special commendations such as the Cultural and Economic Diversity Award from the Family Therapy Academy and the California Statewide Cultural Competence Award from the Department of Mental Health. In 2019, Mock was presented a lifetime Distinguished Contributions Award from the national Asian American Psychological Association (AAPA).

Pamela Morris-Perez, PhD

Professor of Applied Psychology

Pamela Morris-Perez, PhD

Professor of Applied Psychology

Pamela Morris-Perez, PhD, is a Professor of Applied Psychology at the NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. Morris-Perez’s research lies at the intersection of developmental psychology, policy, and education. Current work includes a $5M IES-funded partnership with NYCs Department of Education to support their historic expansion of Universal Pre-k, and a $5.5M NIH-funded trial of a tiered primary/secondary parenting intervention within the population-scalable pediatric care platform. Complementing her research with institutional leadership, Morris-Perez oversaw 300 faculty in 11 Departments and $39 in annual research expenditures as Vice Dean and Interim Dean at NYU Steinhardt from 2015-2020. A former William T. Grant scholar, Morris-Perez served as lead editor of the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness and a member of the National Academy of Science’s Board on Children, Youth, and Families. She received a bachelor’s degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in Developmental Psychology from Cornell University.

Website: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/people/pamela-morris

Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD

Founding Director, McLean College Mental Health Program/Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical Schools

Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD

Founding Director, McLean College Mental Health Program/Assistant Professor, Harvard Medical Schools

Stephanie Pinder-Amaker, PhD, has over 25 years of experience in college student mental health treatment, administration, and policy. She is the founding director of McLean Hospital’s College Mental Health Program, a unique initiative serving students from over 200 institutions of higher education, providing student-focused treatment; consultation to students, parents, and college professionals, and nonprofits; and related research. Pinder-Amaker lectures and conducts workshops throughout the country on strengthening continuity of care, bolstering communication between campus- and community-based systems, eliminating barriers to mental health treatment, and bettering support for marginalized students. She is a member of the WHO World Mental Health International College Student Initiative, and has published on the prevalence and distribution of mental disorders among college students and the integration of student concerns into traditional models of care.

Website: https://www.mcleanhospital.org/treatment/cmhp

Anthony R. Pisani, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology) and Pediatrics, University of Rochester

Anthony R. Pisani, PhD

Associate Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology) and Pediatrics, University of Rochester

Tony Pisani, PhD, is a longtime admirer of The Jed Foundation and pleased to serve on the Advisory Board. Pisani’s career is devoted to preventing suicide and promoting strength, recovery, and wellbeing. Pisani is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry (Psychology) and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Center for the Study and Prevention of Suicide and the Founder of SafeSide Prevention. His research spans the suicide prevention continuum: upstream (enhancing school and community-based prevention with technology); healthcare (educational innovations to support Zero Suicide); and crisis and treatment intervention for individuals at greatest risk.

Website: https://www.safesideprevention.com/about/dr-pisani-bio, https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/23205321-anthony-r-pisani

Myeshia N. Price, PhD

Associate Professor in the Human Development program within the Department of Counseling & Educational Psychology and an Associate Research with the Kinsey Institute.

Myeshia N. Price, PhD

Associate Professor in the Human Development program within the Department of Counseling & Educational Psychology and an Associate Research with the Kinsey Institute.

Dr. Price (she/they) is an Associate Professor in the Human Development program within the Department of Counseling & Educational Psychology and an Associate Research with the Kinsey Institute. Their primary research interest areas include gender and sexual development. Her current area of research focuses on the rich experiences of LGBTQ youth in the U.S., including risk and protective factors for suicidality. Dr. Price’s research further explores experiences at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities, such as LGBTQ youth of color and the specific experiences of transgender and nonbinary young people. Their work and op-eds have been featured in popular press including Time magazine, Scientific American, The Grio, CNN, NBC, PopSugar, Forbes, Out, and Axios among others. She is currently an Associate Editor of the Journal of Sex Research and served as Treasurer for the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality from 2019-2022.

John R. Seeley

Associate dean for research for the College of Education and the Associate Director for the Center on Human Development.

John R. Seeley

Associate dean for research for the College of Education and the Associate Director for the Center on Human Development.

John R. Seeley is an appointed member of the Oregon Alliance to Prevent Suicide. He directs the evaluation activities for the implementation of suicide prevention initiatives funded by the Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Department of Education. His research looks at emotional and behavioral disorders, school-based behavioral health intervention, suicide prevention, and substance abuse prevention. Seeley is especially interested in school-based screening, prevention, and treatment for internalizing and externalizing psychopathology. He serves as the principal investigator of a 4-year collaborative multisite study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health to evaluate adaptive treatment strategies for college students with moderate to severe suicidal ideation delivered through university counseling centers. In addition to his teaching and mentoring of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, he is the associate dean for research for the College of Education and the associate director for the Center on Human Development.

Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW

President of the American Association of Suicidology

Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW

President of the American Association of Suicidology

Jonathan B. Singer, Ph.D., LCSW is President of the American Association of Suicidology, Associate Professor of Social Work at Loyola University Chicago, and author of 70+ publications, including the 2015 Routledge text, Suicide in Schools: A Practitioner’s Guide. He is an NASW Expert, Healio Psychiatry Peer Perspective Board member, and is on several national youth advisory boards including Sandy Hook Promise and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Dr. Singer is interested in the interpersonal mechanisms that protect against or contribute to youth suicidal risk within families; how and why parents access services for their suicidal children; how to improve school responsiveness to youth suicide crises; and how technologies such as podcasts and social media sites can be used to disseminate information about prevention and intervention of youth suicidal behaviors, cyberbullying, and social work education and training. He is the founder and host of the award-winning Social Work Podcast, the first podcast by and for social workers.

Website: https://www.socialworkpodcast.com

Altha Stewart, MD

Past President of the American Psychiatric Association and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Health in Justice Involved Youth at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Altha Stewart, MD

Past President of the American Psychiatric Association and Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Health in Justice Involved Youth at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Altha J. Stewart, MD, has held several leadership roles at the American Psychiatric Association, including secretary of APA, past president of the APA Foundation, chair of the APA Conflict of Interest Committee, and chair of the Minority Fellowship Selection Committee. Dr. Stewart previously served as Executive Director for Just Care Family Network, Memphis’ federally funded System of Care program for children with serious emotional disorders and their families. Additionally, Dr. Stewart was Director of Systems of Care for the Shelby County Office of the Public Defender. Prior to this she served as Executive Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Mental Health Services funded National Leadership Council on African-American Behavioral Health. Earlier in her career, Dr. Stewart served as Executive Director of Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency, one of the largest public mental health systems in the U.S. Dr. Stewart is currently an associate professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Center for Health in Justice Involved Youth at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

Website: https://www.psychiatry.org/about-apa/meet-our-organization/board-of-trustees/altha-stewart

Daphne C. Watkins, PhD

Professor & Director, Vivian A. and James L. Curtis Center for Health Equity Research and Training

Daphne C. Watkins, PhD

Professor & Director, Vivian A. and James L. Curtis Center for Health Equity Research and Training

Daphne C. Watkins, PhD, cultivates a deeper understanding of the influence of gender role socialization on health over the life course for marginalized men. Her research focuses on (1) the social determinants of health that explain within-group differences for men; (2) evidence-based strategies to improve the mental health of men; and (3) the intersection of age, culture, and gender. Watkins has received federal and foundation funding for her research and has produced several publications on men’s health and how social determinants and gender dynamics place men at high risk for poor health. She serves on committees and advisory boards aimed at improving men’s health domestically and globally. Watkins is the Founding Director of the Gender and Health Research Lab and the Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) project. She teaches advanced graduate courses on research methods, program evaluation, theory, and community-based interventions at the University of Michigan.

Website: https://ssw.umich.edu/faculty/profiles/tenure-track/daphnew

Khadijah Booth Watkins MD, MPH

Associate Director for the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program of Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital and Associate Director for The Clay Center For Young Healthy Minds

Khadijah Booth Watkins MD, MPH

Associate Director for the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program of Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital and Associate Director for The Clay Center For Young Healthy Minds

Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH, is the Associate Director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Training Program of Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital and the Associate Director for The Clay Center For Young Healthy Minds. Dr. Watkins received her Bachelor of Science from Xavier University of Louisiana, Medical Degree from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Medicine and Master of Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health; emphasis on healthcare and hospital policy. Dr. Watkins completed General Psychiatry Residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at New York-Presbyterian Hospital combined program of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Weill Cornell Medical College and a two-year Public Psychiatry Fellowship at Columbia University. Dr. Watkins has presented locally and nationally on topics related to anxiety, school refusal, parenting, diversity, and inclusions.

Website: https://www.massgeneral.org/children/doctors/20857/khadijah-watkins

Peter A. Wyman, PhD

Professor at University of Rochester School of Medicine

Peter A. Wyman, PhD

Professor at University of Rochester School of Medicine

Peter A. Wyman, PhD, is Professor and Academic Chief, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine. Wyman has devoted his career to developing, testing, and implementing population oriented preventive interventions for suicide, depression and substance use. A key theme is leveraging natural change agents to strengthen health across a network. Wyman has developed ‘network health’ interventions for diverse populations ranging from adolescents in rural communities to emerging adults (Air Force trainees) with funding from NIH, CDC, and DoD. Wyman also focuses on methods for testing of community-based prevention programs that address scientific needs for rigor and community needs to address sensitive problems such as suicidal behavior. Wyman served as topic expert consultant to the NIMH/National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. He co-chairs the New York State Governor’s Suicide Prevention Task Force, and served on the US-Air Force Suicide Prevention Solutions Working Group (2017-2019).

M. Carolina Zerrate, MD, MHS

Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, and the program Medical Director of the Young Adult and Adolescent Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) Mental Health Wellness Equity Center.

M. Carolina Zerrate, MD, MHS

Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, and the program Medical Director of the Young Adult and Adolescent Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) Mental Health Wellness Equity Center.

Dr. Zerrate is a bilingual English-Spanish board-certified adult, child, and adolescent Psychiatrist. She is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, and the program Medical Director of the Young Adult and Adolescent Program at the New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI) Mental Health Wellness Equity Center.

Dr. Zerrate graduated from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Medical School in Bogota, Colombia, was a postdoctoral research fellow at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), and completed a Master of Health Science in Mental Health at JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health. She trained in adult psychiatry at Georgetown University Hospital, at the New York Presbyterian Hospital (NYPH) Columbia and Cornell Universities Program for her child and adolescent fellowship, and later completed the Columbia University Public Psychiatry Fellowship. Dr. Zerrate’s work as a clinician, as a leader. as a community educator, and as a research collaborator has focused on advancing patient- and culture-centered care for minoritized communities, especially Latines youth and families.

Get Help Now

If you or someone you know needs to talk to someone right now, text, call, or chat 988 for a free confidential conversation with a trained counselor 24/7. 

You can also contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741.

If this is a medical emergency or if there is immediate danger of harm, call 911 and explain that you need support for a mental health crisis.