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.

Programming

Rena Abrams

Director, NYC Implementation

Rena Abrams

Director, NYC Implementation

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.

Vanessa Bertone

Social Media Manager

Vanessa Bertone

Social Media Manager

Vanessa is a seasoned social media and community strategist who has had the opportunity to work for well-known non-profits and brands. Her experience spans all areas of social media strategy, with a strong focus on community engagement. Most recently, she worked with YouTube and helped to launch their first parent-focused Instagram page – YouTube for Families. Vanessa has a passion for public speaking, and during her spare time she enjoys working out and frequent family trips to Disney World.

Liz Bracken

Campus Advisor, Northeast Region

Liz Bracken

Campus Advisor, Northeast Region

Liz joined The Jed Foundation as a Campus Advisor in November 2022, and she will be working 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.

Joi Campbell, MHC

High School Advisor, NYC Implementation

Joi Campbell, MHC

High School Advisor, NYC Implementation

Joi Campbell is an experienced Mental Health Counselor with a13 year history of demonstrated work within the nonprofit industry. Joi has worked with through a Social Emotional and Trauma informed lens to cultivate the design, implementation, and supervision of programming meeting the social-emotional needs of scholars across the New York City metropolitan area. She holds her BA in Psychology, and her MS in Mental Health Counseling from Pace University.

Nnemoma Chukwumerije

Senior High School Advisor

Nnemoma Chukwumerije

Senior High School Advisor

Nnemoma joins JED with seven years of experience working directly with middle school and high school youth. Prior to JED, she was the Senior Academic Director at StreetSquash, a college readiness program in Harlem, where she was responsible for developing the academic curriculum and nurturing the relationships between schools, teachers, and students. She also served as the director of diversity, equity and inclusion. Nnemoma is a Licensed Social Worker and received her BS from Howard University in Washington, DC and her MSW from Columbia University in New York City.

Danielle Cooper

Marketing Manager

Danielle Cooper

Marketing Manager

Danielle joined JED as the Marketing Manager in June 2022. She is a storyteller, actor, and agent of change with over 10 years of digital and marketing experience. In 2014, Danielle launched She’s a Gent, a blog that celebrates and explores personal style while also using it as a tool to bring awareness to non-binary fashion and lifestyle. It is a space that create visibility for the under-represent LGBTQ+ and QPOC (queer people of color) communities through self-expression as visual activism. She’s a Gent has been recognized in Forbes, The New York Times, Out Magazine, and Vogue.

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

Director, JED Campus & Wellness Initiatives

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

Director, JED Campus & Wellness Initiatives

Diana comes from a background in higher education prior to JED where she worked for 12 years gaining experience in college counseling, student affairs and academic services. Her most recent role in higher education was as Director of Counseling/Assistant Dean of Academic Services. She is a licensed, national certified mental health clinician and a registered 500 hour yoga teacher. Diana is also a certified Koru Mindfulness teacher.

Rachel Czerny

JED Campus Advisor

Rachel Czerny

JED Campus Advisor

Rachel joined JED as a campus advisor in July 2021. Prior to JED, Rachel served as the Director of Campus Wellness at Doane University where she developed campus programming focused on improving student substance use, mental health, sexual health, and holistic well-being. She also previously worked for Buckeye Wellness and the Faculty and Staff Fitness Program at The Ohio State University (OSU). Rachel received her M.P.H. in Health Behavior and Health Promotion and B.S. in Exercise Science Education from OSU.

Kiana Davis

Senior Manager, Educational Programming

Kiana Davis

Senior Manager, Educational Programming

Kiana joined The Jed Foundation in August 2022, with a background in program management, health education, and public mental health. Kiana works to ensure that JED continually offers high-quality workshops, training, and other education programming to communities looking to learn more about teen and young adult mental health and suicide prevention. Most recently, Kiana served as the Team Lead for HomeLink, a program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill that connects precariously-housed people living with mental health conditions to support and resources. In her free time, Kiana enjoys researching family history and restoring old photos.

Erlinda Delacruz

Senior JED Campus Advisor

Erlinda Delacruz

Senior JED Campus Advisor

Erlinda joined JED in February 2020. Her experiences include training development, student advocacy, and facilitations or workshops around identity, cultural humility/competency, and mental health in People of Color. She has held positions in residence life and multicultural affairs at St. Peter’s University and Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. Erlinda grew up in both Houston, TX and Phoenix, AZ. She received a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Film Studies and a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College.

Ethan Fields

Director, Higher Education Program Outreach & Promotion

Ethan Fields

Director, Higher Education Program Outreach & Promotion

Ethan joined JED in October 2018. Most recently, Ethan held positions in residence life and student conduct at Drexel University and Lehigh University. His experience includes collateral assignments in gender violence education and support, equal opportunity compliance, health prevention strategies, student life curriculum, and restorative practices. Ethan grew up in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia and completed his B.A. in History at King University (TN) and a M.S.Ed. in Higher Education Administration at Old Dominion University (VA).

Leah Finch

Senior JED Campus Advisor

Leah Finch

Senior JED Campus Advisor

Leah joined JED in June 2020. Prior to joining the JED team, she worked for 4 years in higher education serving students in counseling, career, and veteran services, and also taught courses in Human Services. Before gaining experience in higher education, Leah worked in the non-profit sector developing programs that unified the arts and library services. She is a licensed clinical mental health counselor and holds a B.A in English and a M.A in Counseling from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Chrysten Foley

Sales Associate, Business Development, High School Programming

Chrysten Foley

Sales Associate, Business Development, High School Programming

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, Higher Education Engagement

Aisha Folkes

Senior Manager, Higher Education Engagement

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 joined The Jed Foundation in July 2022, with a background working 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.

Sophia Gordon

Program Associate, Higher Education

Sophia Gordon

Program Associate, Higher Education

Sophia joined JED at the start of 2022, bringing with her a background in higher education, psychology, and impactful advocacy. Previously, she worked in the Muhlenberg College Office of Alumni Affairs and as a tutor in the college writing center. Sophia has since merged her tutoring experience with her passion for criminal justice advocacy, serving as a volunteer tutor for justice-impacted students with The Petey Greene Program. Additionally, she was project coordinator for the Change the Stage initiative and content manager for Sirkin Research. Sophia is a born and raised New Yorker who graduated with honors from Muhlenberg College with a degree in Psychology and Gender Studies.

Will Hilbert

Director of Campaigns

Will Hilbert

Director of 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.

Glenn Karaban

Director, Business Development, High School Programming

Glenn Karaban

Director, Business Development, High School Programming

Glenn joined JED in September 2021 bringing 20+ years of experience in business development, sales, marketing, and management. He has held positions as Director of Business & Organizational Sales at High School Counselor Marketing and High School Principal Marketing. As Sales, Marketing & Business Development Director at Karaban Media Services, Glenn managed the advertising and sponsorship sales programs for several non-profit Associations including the American Health Information Management Association, as well as numerous consumer and business-to-business publishers including American Express Publishing. Glenn earned a BS in Advertising from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and an MBA in Marketing from the Graduate School of Management at Rutgers University.

Leanora Karnath

Senior High School Advisor

Leanora Karnath

Senior High School Advisor

Lea joins JED with four years’ experience in youth suicide prevention. Prior to JED, she was the Senior Program Manager for SOS Signs of Suicide, a national evidence-based prevention program for secondary schools. In her role, she trained hundreds of school and community mental health staff, developed program materials, and supported schools in their suicide prevention efforts. Lea holds a B.A. from State University of New York at Geneseo and an M.S. in Health Communication from Tufts University School of Medicine.

Emily Kempe

Youth Engagement Advisor, High School

Emily Kempe

Youth Engagement Advisor, High School

Emily is originally from Phoenix, Arizona where she received a bachelors in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from Arizona State University in 2012. After graduating, she spent three seasons running a day camp for children aged infant through 12 years old at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Paradise Valley, MT. After leaving the ranch in 2014, she worked as the Outreach Coordinator for a domestic violence organization in Bozeman, MT called Haven for five years and then moved to Missoula, Montana to pursue a Masters in Social Work from the University of Montana, which she completed May 2021. Emily works for The Jed Foundation as a Youth Engagement Advisor for a satellite position located in Park County Montana. 

Joanna Kessling

Manager, Higher Education Program Outreach

Joanna Kessling

Manager, Higher Education Program Outreach

Joanna joined JED in June 2022. She brings a background in higher education and nonprofit management, most recently managing partnerships for a national professional association supporting higher ed. Joanna also has experience in student affairs and enrollment management through positions at public and private universities. Joanna grew up in Atlanta, GA and completed a Bachelor of Music in Sacred Music from Westminster Choir College (NJ) and a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Florida State University.

Michael King

JED Campus Advisor

Michael King

JED Campus Advisor

Michael joined the JED team in April 2021. Prior to doing so, Michael worked in college student support roles at Barnard College, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Ball State University. His experiences include work in residential life, curriculum design and implementation, inclusion and equity, and facilitating meaningful dialogue. He is passionate about the power of storytelling, human empathy and connection, and brave conversations. Michael received his Bachelor of Arts in English at Ball State University and his Master of Science in College Student Affairs at Eastern Illinois University.

Kapi`olani A. Laronal

Campus Advisor, Northeastern region

Kapi`olani A. Laronal

Campus Advisor, Northeastern region

Kapi’olani joined The Jed Foundation in November 2022 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.

Nicole Mullis

JED Campus Advisor

Nicole Mullis

JED Campus Advisor

Nicole joined JED in April 2021. She previously worked as a Mental Health Counselor at the University of Montevallo Counseling Services. Nicole is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Alabama and a National Certified Counselor. She received a B.A. in Psychology from Auburn University, and completed her M.Ed in Counseling with a concentration in Clinical Mental Health at the University of Montevallo.

Jessica Orenstein

Director of Programmatic Partnerships

Jessica Orenstein

Director of Programmatic Partnerships

Jessica joined JED in February 2019. Prior to joining the JED team, she worked in the field of public health workforce development for nonprofit organizations in both Los Angeles and New York City. Before gaining experience in workforce development, Jessica worked in the higher education field devoting several years to the academic, professional, and personal development of new and first-year students at Saint Louis University. Jessica grew up in the suburb of Belleville, Illinois and completed both her B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders and M.S. in Public Health – Behavioral Science and Health Education at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Laur Plawker

High School Advisor

Laur Plawker

High School Advisor

Laur joins JED with seven years of experience working directly with high school, middle school, and elementary youth in professional and volunteer capacities. Prior to JED, she served as a self-contained special education teacher with Baltimore City Public Schools, where she was responsible for assessing and meeting the diverse academic and emotional needs of students. In this time she also served as a case manager—overseeing the writing and implementation of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for students with disabilities—and the Title I Family & Community Engagement Liaison for her school where she designed programming and outreach efforts aimed at building community investment in students’ long term success. Laur received her B.A. in Psychology from The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ and her M.S.Ed. from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.

Mary Bess Pritchett

Student Engagement Manager

Mary Bess Pritchett

Student Engagement Manager

Mary Bess Pritchett came to The Jed Foundation in January 2022 with a background in film and television, and benefit comedy production. As Student Engagement Manager, she feels honored to support JED’s student outreach, helping to build new bridges in service of JED’s mission. Mary Bess holds a B.F.A. in Theatre from the University of Mississippi.

Jacob Reecher

Executive Assistant to the President & COO

Jacob Reecher

Executive Assistant to the President & COO

Jacob joined The Jed Foundation in August 2022, as Executive Assistant to the Office of the President. In his role, he manages the calendar of Rebecca Benghiat and performs administrative tasks like drafting contracts, composing communications, and conducting research. Jacob worked in manufacturing, retail, and fundraising before earning an MFA in Fiction Writing, which brought him to working as a high-school English teacher and legal assistant. He lives in New York City with his wife, Aimee.

Jennifer Reed, MS, LPC

Senior Director, School and District Programs

Jennifer Reed, MS, LPC

Senior Director, School and 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

Erica Riba, L.C.S.W.

Director of School Engagement

Erica Riba, L.C.S.W.

Director of School Engagement

Erica is a licensed clinical social worker. She previously worked as a therapist at Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University’s Counseling & Psychological Services. Erica earned a B.A. in Elementary Education from Michigan State University and received an M.S.W. from the University of Michigan.

Kate Rope

Editorial Director

Kate Rope

Editorial Director

Kate Rope is an award-winning freelance journalist and author who specializes in physical and mental health. Her work has appeared in many publications, including The New York TimesThe Washington PostTime, and CNN. Kate focuses her work on providing compassionate, evidence-based support to parents, children, teens, and young adults. She served as Editorial Director for the Seleni Institute where, in addition to supporting the organization at all levels, she oversaw the launch of an editorial site devoted to supporting people through all the challenges of working to become—and becoming—a family. Her work at Seleni—as well as her own experiences with perinatal anxiety—inspired her second book, Strong as a Mother: How to Be Happy, Healthy and (Most Importantly) Sane From Pregnancy to ParenthoodKate’s most recent project before coming on board with JED was executive producing and co-writing with narrator, Alan Alda, the Audible Original documentary “Soldiers of Science: The Vietnam War, Anthony Fauci & the Doctors Who Revolutionized American Medicine.”

Shannon Rose

JED Campus Advisor

Shannon Rose

JED Campus Advisor

Shannon joined JED in August 2021. Prior to joining the JED team, she worked in student support roles at the University of Texas at Austin and McGill University. She has spent the last 5 years working with college students in advising and student emergency services. She has received a B.A in Psychology from Concordia University in Montreal and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Northern Arizona University. She also recently completed a master’s degree in Counselor Education from UT Austin with a concentration in higher education.

Jarlyn Santana

Program Associate, High School Programming

Jarlyn Santana

Program Associate, High School Programming

Jarlyn joined JED in September 2021. Prior to JED, she worked in administrative support roles in the higher education industry as well as providing individualized support to people with developmental disabilities at JobPath, an employment support services organization. Jarlyn holds a BA in Psychology from The City College of New York and has a strong interest in Mental Health and Wellness.

Dawn Thomsen

Senior Vice President, Youth Strategies & Chief Engagement Officer

Dawn Thomsen

Senior Vice President, 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.

Tony Walker, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, Academic Programs

Tony Walker, Ph.D.

Senior Vice President, 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.

Jeni Willenzik

JED Campus Advisor, Southern Region

Jeni Willenzik

JED Campus Advisor, Southern Region

Jeni joined The Jed Foundation in July 2022, with over eight years of experience working in education, including as a clinical college counselor, as a doctoral teaching and research assistant, and as a manager for a school-based mental health counseling program. 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. She received a Bachelor of Arts from Tulane University and a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. Jeni also loves to travel internationally and has been to six continents. She has an adorable puppy named Louie.

Russell Williams

Senior Manager, Campus Onboarding

Russell Williams

Senior Manager, Campus Onboarding

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).

Learning & Knowledge

John Dunkle, Ph.D.

Senior Clinical Director, Knowledge & Advising

John Dunkle, Ph.D.

Senior Clinical Director, Knowledge & Advising

John joined JED in June 2020 after a 25 year career at the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Northwestern University (NU). John served as the Executive Director (CAPS) for 15 years. For 3 years, he also supervised the NU Center for Awareness, Response, and Education (CARE), which provides confidential advocacy and support services for students affected by sexual violence, relationship violence, and/or stalking. He received his A.S. degree in liberal arts from Corning Community College, his B.A. degree in psychology, and his M.A. degree in experimental psychology from the State University of New York College at Cortland. He earned his Ph.D. degree in counseling psychology from the University at Albany, SUNY. He is a licensed psychologist in Illinois and New York and is credentialed by the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology. He is a member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, and the American College Health Association and an emeritus member of the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors.

Renia McCauley

Director of Learning & Development

Renia McCauley

Director of 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

Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Kurt received his bachelor’s from the University of Colorado at Boulder. He worked in youth corrections and the addictions fields before earning a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Clinical-School Psychology from Utah State University. Kurt completed his Resident Internship in Child Clinical Psychology at Duke University Medical Center, after which he joined the Psychology Faculty at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. For the past 23 years at Appalachian, he established and sustained a nationally recognized program of funded research and clinical practice in school mental health, adolescent suicidology, and rural healthcare. He recently retired as the Stanley R. Aeschleman Distinguished Professor of Psychology to take on the role of the Clinical Director of JED High School West.

Amanda Morin, B.S.Ed

Senior Director, Learning & Knowledge

Amanda Morin, B.S.Ed

Senior Director, Learning & Knowledge

Amanda has led educational programming and internal knowledge-building at JED since October 2022. Prior to her current role, Amanda dedicated her career to working in social impact and professional and programmatic development to ensure individuals, families, educators, and society have resources, support, and knowledge to build accessible, empathetic spaces for all people. Amanda is a nationally-known speaker and the author of a number of books on the topics of learning, special education, and emerging adulthood. In past roles, she’s headed up teams of committed researchers, subject matter experts, and thought leaders. Amanda holds a UDL Associate Credential from the Universal Design for Learning Implementation and Research Network (UDL-IRN), and she is a proud member of the advisory boards of Digital Promise’s Learner Variability Project, Matan, and CAST’s Center on Inclusive Software for Learning. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in education with a focus on child development from the University of Maine.

Nance Roy, Ed.D.

Chief Clinical Officer

Nance Roy, Ed.D.

Chief Clinical Officer

Dr. Roy serves as the Chief Clinical Office of the Jed Foundation and is an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Yale School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychiatry.  She has over 20 years of experience as a psychologist working in college mental health. She served as the Assistant Dean of Health and Wellness at Sarah Lawrence College and most recently was the Associate Dean of Health and Wellness at Rhode Island School of Design. Publications have focused on effective strategies for promoting emotional well-being among teens and young adults as well as treatment and management of at-risk students on college campuses. She has been actively involved in strategic planning initiatives focusing on a holistic approach to education, crisis management and a public health model for delivery of care in high schools and on college campuses. Dr. Roy is a senior advisor for the National College Depression Partnership, serves on the Mental Health Task Force for the Ruderman Foundation and has worked on mental health initiatives with the Surgeon General, the Higher Education Mental Health Alliance, the Department of Defense, The Veteran’s Administration, the Milken Institute, the Clinton Health Matters Initiative and college and university systems across the country. Dr. Roy earned a BS degree from the University of Rhode Island, an MS from the University of North Carolina and an Ed.D. from Harvard University.

Ellen Utley, M.D.

JED Boarding School Subject Matter Expert & Advisor

Ellen Utley, M.D.

JED Boarding School Subject Matter Expert & Advisor

Ellen has psychiatric training and over a decade of clinical experience in college mental health, working as the staff psychiatrist in the Sarah Lawrence College Counseling Center. Ellen began at JED as a writing consultant for JED Campus, Set-to-Go, the JED Campus Playbook, a myriad of JED white papers and POV pieces. Currently, Ellen serves as Subject Matter Expert and High School Advisor for schools in the JED Boarding School Program. Ellen studied German at Smith College and earned a B.S. in Nursing from Syracuse University.  She earned an M.D. degree at Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell) and completed residency training in psychiatry at the New York Hospital – Westchester Division.

Design and Impact

Kristelle Aisaka

Senior Data Analyst, Higher Education

Kristelle Aisaka

Senior Data Analyst, Higher Education

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.

Ryan Bunts

Senior Evaluation Analyst, High School Liaison

Ryan Bunts

Senior Evaluation Analyst, High School Liaison

Ryan joined JED in January 2020.  Previously, Ryan worked in student affairs for a combined total of seven years in both Residence Life and Student Conduct at Union College, Manhattan College, and Dutchess Community College.  His experience includes student advocacy, restorative justice, bystander intervention training, Title IX, ally and diversity training, residential education, and curriculum development. Ryan received his B.S. in Business Administration and M.S. in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from the State University of New York at Albany.

Kristen A. Clark

Senior Evaluation Analyst, Higher Education Liaison

Kristen A. Clark

Senior Evaluation Analyst, Higher Education Liaison

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.

Karen Farney

Salesforce Administrator

Karen Farney

Salesforce Administrator

Karen joined The Jed Foundation in July 2022 to provide expertise on the Salesforce Ecosystem and help teams best utilize the CRM. Over the last 10 years, Karen developed her career in a variety of roles in the nonprofit sector. She brings her knowledge and understanding of nonprofits to serve the mission and values of JED. Karen has three boys, with whom she loves to bake and hike with on the weekends.

Sydney Harfenist

Design & Impact Coordinator

Sydney Harfenist

Design & Impact Coordinator

Sydney is a recent graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where she studied biobehavioral health and psychology. Sydney is incredibly passionate about mental health advocacy and prevention. She hopes to continue work within this field, and return to graduate school to receive a Psy.D. to practice as a licensed therapist.

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, Ph.D.

Senior Director, Design and Impact

Kamla Modi, Ph.D.

Senior Director, Design and Impact

Kamla joined JED in March 2019 with 15 years of experience in non-profit, academic, community-based, and clinical settings focused on promoting the well-being of diverse groups of youth. In a previous role with the Girl Scout Research Institute, she led national studies with girls and adults to inform Girl Scouts’ programming, policy and advocacy work, strategic direction, as well as to contribute to the body of knowledge on girls’ health and well-being. Kamla holds a PhD in applied developmental psychology from Fordham University and a BA from Rutgers University. 

Michelle Mullen

Senior Vice President, Chief Design & Impact Officer

Michelle Mullen

Senior Vice President, 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.

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.

Administration, Management, & Finance

Rebecca Benghiat

President & Chief Operating Officer

Rebecca Benghiat

President & Chief Operating Officer

Rebecca Benghiat has dedicated her career to working in service of the mental health and well-being of children and young adults. Most recently, Rebecca served as the Chief Operating and Advancement Officer at The Quad Preparatory School, a nationally recognized K-12 independent school in New York City that integrates an academically rigorous curriculum with evidence-based social emotional learning, specifically designed to support gifted children with learning differences. Prior to Quad Prep, Rebecca served as Executive Director of Facing Addiction with NCADD, responsible for all executive management functions for this leading national opioid addiction advocacy organization. Previously, Rebecca supported the rapid scaling of citiesRISE, a multi-million-dollar international youth mental health organization, to ensure the organization’s strategic and operational success. Rebecca has also spearheaded the launch of several multi-million-dollar philanthropic organizations, including the Child Mind Institute, the Seleni Institute, and the New Space for Women’s Health. Rebecca is a graduate of the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, certified in alternative dispute resolution and she has mediated a wide variety of claims in New York County civil and small claims courts. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, with a focus on organizational analysis, from The University of Chicago.

Ian Benjamin

Director, Executive Office

Ian Benjamin

Director, Executive Office

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 President & COO

Grant Bowen

Executive Assistant to the President & COO

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

Dr. Laura Erickson–Schroth (she/they), Chief Medical Officer for The Jed Foundation (JED), is a psychiatrist 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 in teens and young adults, ensuring that all young people are being served in data-informed and culturally responsive ways.

Dr. Erickson-Schroth joined JED in 2022 after providing crisis intervention and mental health support to thousands of patients in over ten emergency rooms in New York City, including as an attending psychiatrist and associate professor at the Columbia University Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program. Much of her career has focused on LGBTQ mental health, and she continues to see clients at Hetrick-Martin Institute for LGBTQIA+ Youth. Dr. Erickson-Schroth is the editor of “Trans Bodies, Trans Selves” (Oxford, 2014, second edition 2022), a resource guide written by and for trans communities. She has appeared on NPR’s “Fresh Air” and “On Point.” She is a former board member of the Association of LGBTQ+ Psychiatrists and of GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ Equality.

Dr. Erickson-Schroth 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 Accounting Manager

Valerie Franzek

Senior Accounting Manager

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

Senior Vice President, People & Equity

Leslie Campbell Gray

Senior Vice President, People & Equity

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. 

John MacPhee

CEO

John MacPhee

CEO

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. John continues to contribute to the development of novel medications for disorders such as Parkinson’s disease through board roles with Adamas Pharmaceuticals and Blackthorn Therapeutics.

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.

Annah Slayton

Executive Assistant

Annah Slayton

Executive Assistant

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.

Nygeria Smith

HR Generalist

Nygeria Smith

HR Generalist

I began my HR career 5 and half years in the Hospitality industry. I have various of HR experience such as recruiting, onboarding, benefits, and learning and development.

External Affairs

Buki Adenekan

Manager, Government Affairs and Advocacy

Buki Adenekan

Manager, Government Affairs and Advocacy

Buki joined JED in August 2018 with a background in communications and international development. Previously, she worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Jewish National Fund’s Mid-Atlantic fundraising team. Buki interned at a number of organizations including the David Rockefeller Fund, the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) and UNICEF. She holds a B.S. degree in Communications from the University of Lagos and an M.S. degree in Global Affairs from New York University.

Keisha-Gaye Anderson

Vice President, Communications

Keisha-Gaye Anderson

Vice President, Communications

Keisha joined JED in January 2020. She brings over 15 years of experience in higher education marketing and communications. Previously, she was the Director of News and Information at Brooklyn College, CUNY for seven years, where she oversaw editorial, public relations, executive communications, and served as the editor-in-chief of the alumni magazine. Prior to her work in higher education, Keisha was a print and television journalist at CBS, PBS, and various national consumer magazines. She is also an author whose poetry, fiction, and essays have been published widely in magazines and anthologies. Keisha holds a bachelor’s degree in magazine journalism and African American Studies from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School and College of Arts and Sciences. She holds an M.F.A. in Fiction from The City College, CUNY.

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. 

Katherine Duncan

Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships

Katherine Duncan

Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships

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.

Manuela McDonough

Director, Government Affairs and Advocacy

Manuela McDonough

Director, Government Affairs and Advocacy

Manuela joined JED in August 2020 with over 15 years of advocacy and strategic communication experience in the non-profit and government sectors. She previously worked at BerlinRosen, a public relations firm, focusing on advocacy projects across several issue areas including health equity, reproductive justice, criminal justice reform, and immigration. Manuela also worked at the New York City Health Department and at UnidosUS overseeing the implementation advocacy strategies that helped to catalyze broad impact to reduce unjust differences in health outcomes among communities of color. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in public health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama and hails from Maryland.

Avery McLean

Fellow, Strategic Partnerships

Avery McLean

Fellow, Strategic Partnerships

Avery joined The Jed Foundation in August 2022. A recent graduate from Smith College, Avery has previously worked with high-risk children struggling with mental health, which furthered her passion for advocacy work and resource development. As a Fellow for Strategic Partnerships, she helps  identify and meet with potential partner companies and organizations for JED. She also tracks and updates previous high-impact partnerships. Avery hopes to continue to graduate school in a few years with a well-rounded understanding of the different ways to work in mental health promotion.

Tracie Murphy

Editorial Director

Tracie Murphy

Editorial Director

Tracie has spent her career seeking ways to contribute her talents to sectors that drive social impact, including education, immigration, and the arts. Prior to joining JED in 2022, she coordinated outreach to immigrants and refugees at the barrier-breaking social enterprise, World Immigration Services (WES). Her work includes nearly a decade as a theater critic and entertainment journalist in New York City, and spearheading communications for fundraising at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Tracie has long been dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, having served as the VP of Northeastern University’s Allied Student Coalition, helped launch LCPA’s DEI Council, and co-founded the Racial Equity Anti-Oppression Committee at WES. Tracie holds degrees in English and Theater from Northeastern University.

Meghan Nelligan

Public Relations Coordinator

Meghan Nelligan

Public Relations Coordinator

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. 

Lauren Patetta

Communications Specialist, Research & Writing

Lauren Patetta

Communications Specialist, Research & Writing

Lauren joined The Jed Foundation in August 2022, bringing her experience in writing, digital media, publishing, and communications to the role. As the primary content writer for the Editorial team, she  researches and crafts a variety of articles and statements for JED’s website, email campaigns, and social media channels. Prior to joining JED, Lauren worked as a freelance writer, a publicist for independent publishers, and a communications assistant. She recently graduated from American University with a B.A. in Journalism, and she is an avid reader and lover of all things fantasy and science-fiction.

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 preventing, 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.

Henry Zhu

Senior Associate, Strategic Partnerships

Henry Zhu

Senior Associate, Strategic Partnerships

Henry joined JED in July 2020 following graduation from Harvard College, with a B.A. in Psychology. He previously served as a Summer Fellow in the Summer of 2019 and is excited to return back to JED. In college, Henry served as a Student Academic Integrity Fellow on the Honor Council and led the organization’s outreach efforts. Additionally, he chaired the student newspaper’s sports section and has experience in marketing, journalism, peer mentorship, and social science research.

Development

Irene Gashurov

Proposal Writer

Irene Gashurov

Proposal Writer

Irene joins JED after nearly 20 years of working in development as grant writer, advocate, and fundraiser for universities and medical nonprofits. The focus of her work has been to source support for institutions to develop new areas of research strength and build student equity initiatives. She has written funded proposals on subjects, from college readiness programs to neuroscience, to open educational resources. She has mentored editorial staffs and has published in academic journals.  She brings a reporter’s eye to seeing the story and bringing it to life, and a copywriter’s knack for ferreting out its selling points. Her editorial background includes work as deputy chief of reporters (for Fortune magazine) and research librarian (Time Inc. Library). She holds advanced degrees in linguistics and library science (from Columbia University); in Russian linguistics (from NYU); and in nonfiction writing (from Queens University of Charlotte).

Katie Isaacs

Senior Director Corporate and Foundation Relations

Katie Isaacs

Senior Director Corporate and Foundation Relations

Katie devoted her entire career to healthcare marketing, working across a range of therapeutic areas including opioid dependency, women’s health, dermatology, diabetes, oncology and cardiovascular health to name a few. Prior to joining The Jed Foundation, she was a Managing Partner at CDM, a health and wellness advertising agency. Katie was responsible for overseeing the account management team and ensuring the success of client relationships and agency health alike. She made sure all measures of agency well being were on point – revenue, profitability, client relationships and staff retention. Katie worked with numerous healthcare clients such as Merck, AbbVie, Pfizer, Biogen, NS Pharma and BMS to name a few. Katie’s achievements were recognized with a Healthcare Businesswoman Association Rising Star award. Katie lives in New York City with her husband, Jonathan, and three rising stars of their own, Zoe, Dean and Joshua.

Richa Sadana

Manager, Development Operations

Richa Sadana

Manager, Development Operations

Richa joined JED in February 2022. Prior to JED, Richa worked as a Development Coordinator with the Salvadori Center, handling development operations and managing grants and fundraising. She also worked in production for three years in the Indian news broadcasting industry, producing news stories on political, health care and educational issues. Richa holds a Masters degree in Global Affairs from New York University and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism from SACAC (India).

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.

Thea Zunick, Ed.D.

Senior Manager, Community Engagement

Thea Zunick, Ed.D.

Senior Manager, Community Engagement

Thea brings more than 15 years of experience in higher education, volunteer engagement,  wellness initiatives, fraternity and sorority engagement, and training and development to JED. Her passion for supporting teens and college students stems from direct engagement with student leaders across the country through speaking engagements and campus advisement. Thea earned an Associates Degree from Middlesex County College, a bachelors degree in Psychology and Elementary Education from The College of New Jersey, a Masters degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education from University of Florida, and a Doctorate of Education for the Design of Learning Environments from Rutgers University.

Subject Matter Experts

Angela E. Batista, Ed.D.

External Contributor

Angela E. Batista, Ed.D.

External Contributor

Angela is a passionate ICF trained and certified Coach, author, speaker, and diversity, equity and inclusion strategist. She is the Founder and CEO of Batista Consulting Services, LLC and the 2020-21 NASPA Board Chair. She is also the lead editor of the 2018 publication, Latinx/a/os in Higher Education: Exploring Identity, Pathways, and Success. With nearly thirty years of leadership experience, Angela is the former Vice President of Student Affairs and Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at Champlain College. She has worked in higher education institutions and non-profits across the United States and also held senior level positions at Oregon State University, the University of Southern Indiana and Mills College. Angela is a former Marriage and Family Therapist and an experienced high school teacher, counselor and administrator. Angela is recognized as an expert, both nationally and internationally, and has received multiple awards throughout her career. In 2020, she was named as a NASPA Pillar of the Profession and the University of Vermont established the Angela Batista Social Justice Award, awarded to an undergraduate student every year, in 1999. Angela earned her doctorate in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University and her master’s degree from the University of Vermont. Her undergraduate work was completed at Brooklyn College in New York City. Additionally, Angela earned a Coaching Certification from  the Academy of Creative Coaching (ICF accredited), an International Certificate in Gestalt Leadership and Organization Change (iGold), Appreciative Inquiry Certification, from the David L. Cooperrider Center for Appreciative Inquiry and a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. More information about Angela can be found at www.drangelabatista.com.

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.

Phillip M. Satow

Chair & Co-founder, The Jed Foundation

Phillip M. Satow

Chair & Co-founder, 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. He was co-founder, chairman and CEO of JDS Pharmaceuticals LLC, which developed and marketed branded pharmaceutical products before it was acquired 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 (where he currently serves as Chairman of the Board) with his wife Donna after the loss of their son Jed.  Phil has subsequently been an active member of the suicide prevention community serving 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 a suicide task-force which created, A Prioritized Research Agenda for Suicide Prevention:  An Action Plan to Save Lives.

Kamelia Aryafar

Head of Cloud Retail Engineering and AI, and Senior Director of Engineering, Cloud Artificial Intelligence at Google

Kamelia Aryafar

Head of Cloud Retail Engineering and AI, and Senior Director of Engineering, Cloud Artificial Intelligence at Google

Dr. Kamelia Aryafar is currently 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.

Eric Blattman

Partner, Maple Row Partners

Eric Blattman

Partner, Maple Row Partners

After a successful career on Wall Street, Eric Blattman founded Maple Row Partners a hedge fund investing in small growth companies. Today Eric is primarily an angel investor and advisor to several startups. Additionally he has served on various boards including the King School, Shakespeare on the Sound and Norwalk Youth Basketball. He currently serves on the Columbia Baseball Advisory board. He also enjoys coaching little league baseball and basketball. Mr. Blattman graduated from Columbia University where he played both football and baseball.

Alex Chi

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Alex Chi

Managing Director, Goldman Sachs

Alex Chi is a partner in the asset management division of Goldman Sachs and is currently 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

Partner, Hildred Capital Management LLC

William Meury

Partner, Hildred Capital Management LLC

William Meury is a Partner at Hildred Capital Management, where he currently serves 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

Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley on Technology and Innovation

Robert Rooney

Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley on Technology and Innovation

Rob Rooney is a Senior Advisor to Morgan Stanley on Technology and Innovation.  He was previously Morgan Stanley’s 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 Santone oversees AT&T’s global human resources strategy, which supports employees across four business units around the world. She leads a team of HR experts who are rethinking talent development practices, total rewards and benefits programs, and culture initiatives to engage employees of an evolving modern media company.

Santone was appointed to this role after serving as Chief Administrative Officer for AT&T, where she managed initiatives tied to the Office of the Chairman and the Board of Directors. She was previously Executive Vice President and Global Chief Human Resources Officer for Turner, where she led a global HR strategy aligned to Turner’s portfolio of brands and businesses – and developed and engaged top talent around the world.

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.

Michael S. Satow

Co-Founder, CEO, and Board Member at Bonafide Health

Michael S. Satow

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

Louise A. Douce, PhD

JED Subject Matter Expert, retired from Ohio State University as Assistant Vice President of Student Life

Louise A. Douce, PhD

JED Subject Matter Expert, retired from Ohio State University as Assistant Vice President of Student Life

Louise A. Douce, PhD, is a specialist in college student mental health and has been active in college and university psychology for the past 40 years. She has published and presented in the areas of career development for women, multicultural competency with a special focus on LGBT issues, sexual assault, relationship violence, and stalking. She has served on the APA Board of Directors, Council of Representatives, Finance Committee, and is a past chair of the APA Board of Educational Affairs. Douce received her graduate degree in counseling psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1977. She joined the Counseling and Consultation Service at The Ohio State University where she served as Director from 1987-2010 and retired as Assistant Vice President of Student Life in 2012. She maintained a part-time independent practice until 2019 and currently serves in consulting roles.

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.

Jennifer B. Jackson, LCSW-R, MSW

Psychotherapist & CEO of Safe Space Therapy Services

Jennifer B. Jackson, LCSW-R, MSW

Psychotherapist & CEO of Safe Space Therapy Services

Jennifer B. Jackson, LCSW-R, MSW, is the CEO and Senior Psychotherapist of Safe Space Therapy Services, LCSW, PLLC. Jackson is a New York State Licensed Clinical Social Worker and became a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor in 2015. Also, Jackson is a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) and a New York State Impaired Driver Provider. Jackson received her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the State University of New York at Albany. She has over twenty four years of combined clinical and managerial experience in hospital-based, forensic, outpatient mental health clinic settings and chemical dependency programs. Jackson’s treatment mantra is “Healing is the Only Option.” Safe Space Therapy Services, LCSW, PLLC provides psycho-social assessments, individual psychotherapy, couples therapy, and EAP services.

Website: www.safespacetherapyservices.com

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

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).

Young Leadership Council (YLC)

JED’s Young Leadership Council was created to engage and connect young people (ages 25-40) to one another in support of The Jed Foundation’s mission. Through their work, they seek to raise awareness of young adult mental health needs and raise the necessary funds JED needs to strengthen its programs.

Members of the YLC attend quarterly meetings (either in person or by video) and engage in one of the five key initiatives hosted by the Council each year. Additionally, they spread the mission of JED through direct event attendance & participation, brand awareness, and press following YLC initiatives.

YLC Co-Chairs