Our Speakers

Thomas Insel, M.D.
Director, National Institute of Mental Health

Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention
Saturday, June 7th 9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

Dr. Thomas Insel’s illustrious career has taken him from lab to the top of the foremost mental health research agency in the United States. Join us for a roundtable session on Sat., June 7 at 9:15 a.m. to hear him discuss genetic and neuroscience research at the NIMH. Prior to his appointment as Director of NIMH, Dr. Insel was a Professor of Psychiatry at Emory University where he was founding director of the Center for Behavioral Neuroscience and concurrently, director of an NIH-funded Center for Autism Research. In his capacity as a researcher, he has studied the neurobiology of complex social behaviors in animals and conducted clinical research on obsessive-compulsive disorder, including some of the first trials using SSRIs to treat the disorder. In addition to his research positions, Thomas Insel has served on numerous academic, scientific and professional committees. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine, a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and recipient of several awards. His work has been published in over 200 scientific articles and four books.

 

Carl C. Bell, M.D.

An Update on the Institute of Medicine Report "Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth, and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions”
Friday, June 6th 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Clinician, scientist, internationally respected lecturer, author and award winner, Carl Bell has dedicated his life to mental wellness and violence prevention. He is currently a member of the IOM/NRC Committee on Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth, and Young Adults and was recently appointed to the NIMH National Mental Health Advisory Council. At our plenary on June 6, at 9:30 a.m., he will share his perspective as both an advocate and a scientist on issues relevant to the prevention of mental disorders and promotion of mental health. Dr. Bell’s multi-faceted work has earned him numerous awards and been featured in over 350 articles and television shows including the Today Show, Nightline, 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning and Frontline. Of recent note, his campaign to prevent Black on Black violence has been featured in several publications including Ebony, Jet, Essence, Emerge, the New York Times, Chicago Tribune Magazine and People Magazine.

 

Susan Dentzer
On-air Correspondent, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention
Saturday, June 7th 9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

An accomplished journalist, most commonly known for her current work as a correspondent on “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” and frequent appearances on ABC’s “Nightline,” CNN and “The McLaughlin Group,” Susan Dentzer has won multiple awards for her coverage of health care issues in print and television media. She’ll get to the bottom of the biggest breakthroughs in brain science as the moderator of our Summit session, “Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention” on Sat., June 7 at 9:15 a.m. In addition to her media work, Ms. Dentzer dedicates her time and expertise to the Boards of the International Rescue Committee, Global Health Council, Japan Society of New York, California Health Benefits Review Committee and is a member of the National Advisory Committee for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Investigator Awards in Health Policy Research.

 

Gregor Henderson, MSC
Director of the Scottish Government’s National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing

Adopting a Prevention and Promotion Framework—Galvanizing the Political and Social Will for Change
Friday, June 6th 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Gregor Henderson will draw upon his knowledge and experience to offer insight about what it takes to get a promotion and prevention agenda adopted in the United States at the plenary, “Adopting a Prevention and Promotion Framework—Galvanizing the Political and Social Will for Change” to be held Fri., June 6 at 3:30 p.m. Leader of Scotland’s successful National Programme, Mr. Henderson is one of the world’s foremost experts in promotion and prevention implementation strategies. His notable career also includes advisory roles to the World Health Organization, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership and the Journal of Public Mental Health.

 

Helen Herrman, M.D., MBBS, B.MedSc, FRANZCP, FFPH, FAFPHM

Professor of Psychiatry, ORYGEN Youth Health, University of Melbourne
Director, World Health Organization’s Collaborating Centre for Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia

Adopting a Prevention and Promotion Framework—Galvanizing the Political and Social Will for Change
Friday, June 6th 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Dr. Helen Herrman is an internationally known expert on the prevention of mental illness and the promotion of health. In her plenary address she will give insights from Australia’s pioneering efforts to adopt a national program in Promotion/Prevention as well as her international experiences working with the World Health Organization in promoting health. The session titled, “Adopting a Prevention and Promotion Framework—Galvanizing the Political and Social Will for Change,” will be held Fri., June 6 at 3:30 p.m. and will feature international reflections on these critical topics. A true mental health champion, Dr. Herrman is a Psychiatrist and Professor at the University of Melbourne and Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre in Melbourne. She also serves as the Secretary for Publications at the World Psychiatric Association, and Regional Vice-President Oceania for the World Federation of Mental Health.

 

William McFarlane, M.D.
Professor of Psychiatry, University of Vermont
Director, Center for Psychiatric Research at Maine Medical Center

The Cutting Edge: Research on Early Intervention & Prevention of Schizophrenia
Saturday, June 7th 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.

William McFarlane, M.D., is renowned for his groundbreaking research in severe mental illness. He has developed and rigorously tested psychosocial interventions that have dramatically improved the lives of people with severe mental illnesses and their families. Recently, Dr. McFarlane has turned his attention to early intervention techniques that are designed to prevent the onset of psychosis in persons at substantial risk to become ill—with very promising initial results. Get a first-hand account of his work at the plenary, “The Cutting Edge: Research on Early Intervention & Prevention of Schizophrenia” on Sat., June 7, at 8:30 a.m. Dr. McFarlane will summarize the national and international literature on the prevention of psychosis, and feature his own integrated approach, which is being tested in six communities throughout the nation.

 

Katya Andresen
Vice President, Marketing, Network for Good
Author, Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes
Blogger, Katya’s Non-Profit Marketing Blog, www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com

Affiliate Executive Fundraising Training Session
Wednesday, June 4th 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.

Katya Andresen develops and executes Network for Good's marketing strategy, including consumer outreach, media relations, corporate partnerships and nonprofit marketing. She has trained hundreds of causes in effective marketing and media relations, and her marketing materials for non-profits have won national and international awards. She is the author of the book, Robin Hood Marketing: Stealing Corporate Savvy to Sell Just Causes; was featured in the e-book, Nine Minds of Marketing; and contributed to a chapter in the book, People to People Fundraising - Social Networking and Web 2.0 for Charities. At our Affiliate Executive Fundraising Training Session, at Noon on June 4, Katya will teach affiliate executives, board members and development professionals how to position their MHA’s brand and elaborate on tactics from her book to reveal how use of success strategies from the for-profit world can benefit affiliates across the country. Prior to her career in marketing, Ms. Andresen was a foreign correspondent for Reuters News and Television in Asia, the Associated Press, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Dallas Morning News in Africa.

 

David Shern, Ph.D.
President and CEO, Mental Health America

No Health Without Mental Health
Friday, June 6th 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.

With more than 30 years of distinguished service in mental health services research and system reform, David Shern, Ph.D., is one of the nation’s leading mental health experts. Before his appointment as President and CEO of Mental Health America, Dr. Shern has worked in academic and research positions and helped re-engineer mental health care systems in Colorado, New York and Florida. He has also participated in several national reform and research demonstration efforts. To kick off the Summit, Dr. Shern will unveil the groundbreaking FundaMENTAL Health presentation on Fri., June 6 at 8:30 a.m. at the “No Health Without Mental Health” plenary. Evocative and informative, this presentation will be the mental health community’s own “Inconvenient Truth.” Dr. Shern will show in vivid detail the state of mental health and the proven strategies we can use to drive down the tragic rates of death and co-morbidity. You don’t want to miss this call to action to improve wellness.

 

William Beardslee, M.D.
Academic Chairman, Department of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital Boston
Gardner Monks Professor of Child Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

An Update on the Institute of Medicine Report "Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth, and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions”
Friday, June 6th 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Dr. William Beardslee, the Gardner-Monks Professor of Child Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, is an internationally known physician and author. He served on the 1994 Institute of Medicine’s Committee on the Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth and Young Adults and also serves on the Institute of Medicine’s current Committee on the Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse. He has conducted both groundbreaking research on risks and resilience in children of parents with mood disorders and developed the first public health evidence-based family-strengthening prevention programs for families where parents are depressed. More recently, he has focused on the development of large scale systems-wide approaches for families at high risk in countrywide efforts in Finland and Norway, in Head Start, and in numerous other settings. He is the author of numerous articles and chapters and the recipient of many awards including the National Mental Health Association’s Lela Rowland Prevention Award. On Friday, June 6th at 9:30 am, Dr. Beardslee will discuss the background that led to the formation of the IOM committee, the current status of scientific research on prevention, and some of the prevention and promotion issues presented at the committee's public sessions with a focus on family approaches and on what citizens and organizations like MHA can do to help His presentation will be a science-based call to action for the promise of promotion and prevention.

 

John R. Seffrin, Ph.D.
CEO, American Cancer Society

Keynote Luncheon
Friday, June 6th 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Dr. Seffrin has been a long-time champion of the cancer cause. He is a past president of the International Union Against Cancer, the first globally-oriented cancer organization. He served as chairman of the board of Independent Sector, the largest coalition of nonprofit groups, and he helped to create the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, among his many collaborations and affiliations. In his current position Dr. Seffrin has transformed the world’s largest voluntary cancer-fighting group into one of the world’s most progressive public health organizations. Under his leadership, the American Cancer Society has become a leading advocacy organization, educating lawmakers about health issues and holding them accountable to every American citizen touched by cancer. Join us for his keynote address during lunch on Fri., June 6 at Noon to hear how the mental health movement can model its efforts after those of the American Cancer Society to achieve victory over mental illnesses.

 

Kevin Haggerty, M.S.W.
Assistant Director, Social Development Research Group, University of Washington in Seattle

An Update on the Institute of Medicine Report “Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth, and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions”
Friday, June 6th 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

For 23 years, Kevin Haggerty has been developing methods to organize the scientific knowledge base for prevention in ways that empower people to use it to organize, assess and prioritize approaches that meet their needs.  He is a specialist in the development and implementation of prevention programs at the community, school and family levels. Mr. Haggerty is also an international trainer and speaker in the areas of substance abuse and delinquency prevention and has written extensively in the field.  At the plenary, An Update on the Institute of Medicine Report “Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse among Children, Youth, and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions” on June 6, at 9:30 a.m., Mr. Haggerty will speak from his deep knowledge and understanding to the effectiveness and cost-benefit of prevention programming.  

 

Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health

Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention
Saturday, June 7th 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Recently named on of Time Magazine’s “Top 100 People Who Shape our World,” Dr. Volkow’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain.  Her studies have documented changes in the dopamine system affecting the brain regions involved with motivation, drive, and pleasure and the decline of brain dopamine function with age.  Dr. Volkow has also made important contributions to the neurobiology of obesity, ADHD, and the behavioral changes that occur with aging.  On Saturday, June 7 at 9:15 a.m., “Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention,” Dr. Volkow will share her extensive expertise on neurobiology.

 

Leslie Leve, Ph.D.
Research Scientist, Oregon Social Learning Center

Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention
Saturday, June 7th 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

As a scientist at Oregon Social Learning Center, Dr. Leslie Leve’s research focuses in the area of developmental psychopathology, with an emphasis on understanding how family factors, peer relationships, gender, and genetics combine to influence developmental outcomes.  Her contributions to the research community help show that genetic and environmental processes operate together and understanding their joint influences on development can aid the creation of effective interventions.  At our roundtable session, “Breakthroughs in Genetics and Neuroscience and What they Mean for Prevention,” Dr. Leve will shed light on the “nature vs. nurture” debate.  

Questions?

Contact Danielle Fritze, Project Manager, Public Affairs, Mental Health America at dfritze@mentalhealthamerica.net