Whether you call them Gen Zers, post-millennials, or the iGeneration, you know you’ve found them when you see young people sitting together in total silence, everyone glued to their phones.
Statistically speaking, today’s youth are known both as the “connected” generation — but also the loneliest. Research has found that loneliness has the same impact on mortality as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, making the epidemic of isolation even more dangerous than obesity. What are the factors making the mental health crisis of teens and post-millennials today so acute? How are the problems of today’s youth different than previous generations? And most importantly, what can we do about it?
These are the questions we’ll be asking at Mental Health and Youth: Breakdown or Breakthrough, the 3rd annual conference hosted by Talkspace and this year’s guest, world champion swimmer Michael Phelps. Join us for a day of panels and conversation at the TimesCenter on October 25, 2018, where we’ll be revealing the relationship between mental health and social media, substance abuse, gun control, the economy, among other factors.
Discussing these topics will be a diverse array of experts — from clinicians at New York University, Columbia University, and Harvard University to politicians, media thought-leaders, New York Times best-selling authors, tech entrepreneurs, and more. We look forward to seeing you there.
Oren Frank is a Co-Founder and the CEO of Talkspace, the leading online and mobile psychotherapy company that has made therapy accessible and affordable to people across the globe. In a day and age when mental health care is recognized as a global societal crisis, the effectiveness and convenience Talkspace provides to those seeking to improve their mental health and well-being stands out. Under Oren’s leadership, Talkspace has so far helped more than 500,000 clients connect with licensed therapists — the vast majority of whom did not have access to help prior to using Talkspace.
Roni Frank is a Co-Founder of Talkspace, an online therapy platform and mobile app that connect clients directly with licensed therapists anytime and anywhere. Roni, who serves as Head of Clinical Services, is leading the company’s provider network of more than 3,000 therapists and responsible for quality of clinical service and therapist network growth. Roni is committed to open access to mental health care for every person in need. Roni and her husband co-founded Talkspace in 2012, while she was pursuing her Master’s degree in Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy at the New York Graduate School of Psychoanalysis.
Dr. Neil Leibowitz is a psychiatrist, attorney, and the Chief Medical Officer at Talkspace online therapy. He also teaches Health Law at St. Francis College. He received his MD from New York Medical College, his JD from the New York University School of Law, and his BA in Economics from Johns Hopkins University. He was previously a Senior Behavioral Health Medical Director at United Healthcare and faculty member at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine .
Lynn Hamilton is the Chief Commercial Officer at Talkspace responsible for strategy and enterprise growth across multiple sectors including employers, payors, health delivery systems, universities and local, state and federal agencies. Prior to Talkspace, Lynn was at Magellan Health for nearly seven years as the Senior Vice President for Magellan Health’s Employer and Federal Government behavioral health business.
Melisse Gelula is the Co-Founder of Well+Good, a leading health and wellness digital media company with a community of 10+ million monthly. She is also the Senior Vice President of Brand of Leaf Group’s Fitness & Wellness Division. As a wellness media expert, Melisse has lead the editorial, branded content, design, and video teams at Well+Good.
Alison Brettschneider has become a true WARRIOR of the digital age, sparking her followers to stand up for what matters. As @25park, Alison has leveraged her platform to become a fiery and inspirational social justice figure, outspoken thought leader to thousands around the world, and a role model for women everywhere.
Denise Albert and Melissa Musen Gerstein, THE MOMS, are co-creators of a multi-platform lifestyle brand featured on TV, online, in print, in taxicabs and now on radio nationwide. The MOMS hosted the Sirius XM radio Stars program The MOMS with Denise & Melissa from 2013-2016. Albert and Gerstein have turned motherhood into a major business venture that reaches millions of parents each month.
Alexis Conason, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and founder of The Anti-Diet Plan, a mindfulness-based program to help people stop dieting, start eating in alignment with their bodies, and live more peaceful and pleasurable lives. She is in private practice in New York City where she specializes in the treatment of overeating disorders, body image concerns, psychological issues related to bariatric weight loss surgery, and sexual functioning. She is also a Research Associate in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at Mt. Sinai-St. Luke's Hospital. She is a regular contributor to Psychology Today where she writes the “Eating Mindfully” column. Dr. Conason is a fierce advocate for helping women recognize and question the societal norms that encourage feeling not good enough about ourselves so that we can live our most fulfilling lives - at any size!
Jordan is the chief executive of Sigma Kappa Sorority serving in this position since 2011. In this role, she has the primary staff responsibility to lead and manage the work of the Sorority in alignment with its purpose, guiding principles and strategic plan. She works with the national council in the formation of the Sorority’s future direction, policies and procedures to achieve its goals. Jordan attended Bowling Green State University where she was a member of Sigma Kappa.
Elizabeth is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Virginia and is a therapist and Adolescent Expert with Talkspace. She has worked with adolescents for over 14 years at Inova Kellar Center, a non-profit, community based treatment center. At Kellar, Elizabeth has served in a variety of roles, both as a direct service provider, as well as in leadership. Elizabeth has provided clinical supervision to interns and residents since 2010 and in supervision focuses on Self as Therapist, transference / countertransference, and sustaining compassion while setting boundaries.
Dr. Rachel O’Neill is an Ohio-Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Supervisory Endorsement. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from Kent State University in 2009. She is a primary therapist for Talkspace, Core Faculty in the graduate clinical mental health counseling program at Walden University, and a clinician in private practice
Dr. Danielle Ramo is an expert in teen substance use, a clinical psychologist, and Director of Research Operations at Hopelab, a social innovation lab making digital tools to support adolescent health and emotional well-being. She is also Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Francisco where she has conducted research at the intersection of teen substance use and digital health.
Michael Nguyen is a senior pre-medical student at Case Western Reserve University pursuing a Bachelor's in Biology with a minor in Chemistry. Through his local chapter of the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity and as the founder of his campus' Vietnamese Student Association, he frequently works closely with the diverse Case Western student body. Nationally, he serves the Fraternity as a member of the Undergraduate Council - the legislative body which represents the voices of all Delt undergraduates across the country.
Jill E Daino, LCSW-R is a New York-Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 24 years' experience in the mental health profession. In addition to her work at Talkspace she is the co-director at the Center for the Study of Anorexia and Bulimia which is a division of the Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy. She has supervised graduate interns and staff therapists, developed curriculum and spoken extensively to professional and lay audiences on domestic violence, eating disorders and compassion fatigue.
Podium Pictures is an Emmy Award-winning scripted and non-scripted media production company based in Los Angeles, CA and helmed by Six-Time Emmy Nominated Writer /Producer / Director Brett Rapkin.
Among many projects at various stages of development, production, or distribution, Podium is currently in production on a planned trilogy of documentaries focused on the intersection of sports and mental health. "The Weight of Gold," a feature-length documentary Executive Produced by Michael Phelps that explores the roller coaster of emotions that Olympic athletes experience and explores whether the US Olympic Committee is providing sufficient mental health resources for its athletes.
Wynn Smiley serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity. ATO has more than 145 chapters across the United States and 140,000 living alumni around the world. As CEO, Mr. Smiley oversees the operations of the National Fraternity. Given the life experiences and expectations of today’s college students, ATO National has developed and maintains a sophisticated communication and education strategy that deals with subjects ranging from business etiquette to risk management to personal faith.
Amy Keller Laird is an award-winning lifestyle journalist and brand leader. She is currently the wellness correspondent for Self, a writer for Time and Elle, and a social media consultant for wellness and beauty companies. She is the founder of the new Instagram brand @club_mental, which explores mental health through a lifestyle lens, and was previously the Editor-in-Chief of Women's Health, where she oversaw the print, digital, and social teams.
As Bumble's Sociologist, Dr. Jess regularly analyzes user data to align social needs with product and user experience. Her primary responsibility is to improve Bumble's user experience through understanding their needs and behavior. Dr. Jess was recently named one of the 100 Most Creative People by Fast Company magazine. Her work has been featured in major news outlets including The New York Times, Time Magazine, Marie Claire, Cosmo, Men's Health, New York Magazine and The Colbert Report.
Mark is a global employee health expert known for his ability to reduce costs while creating a culture of health in which employees can actively engage in their health and achieve their "best self" at work. Mark is president of Worldwide Health Consulting LLC, which focuses on transforming companies and delivering business growth through engaged, healthy and productive employees.
Lizzie Eaton is a senior at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. After the tragedy, she and her friends traveled to Tallahassee, Washington D.C., and more recently North Carolina, to encourage people young and old to make their voice heard and create much-needed change in the world. Living through an experience like this has taught her to care for her mental health and the importance of it as well.
At Little Bird HR, Antonia, directs national business development strategy and activities to achieve growth and expansion objectives. She and her team have developed an outsourced HR solution for charter schools including payroll, benefits, workers comp, recruiting, employee engagement, wellness programs resulting in a decrease in employer and employee cost.
Expert therapist for the hit reality series "Married at First Sight: The First Years," former team psychiatrist for the Brooklyn Nets and author of the self help book, "Reinvent Yourself: Essential Tools from a Brooklyn Psychiatrist Who Has Seen It All." Dr. Lops is known for being a "therapist's psychiatrist." He is Board Certified in Adult Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Lops is a Professor of Psychiatry for NYCOM and at the residency training program at Maimonides Medical Center.
Sasha Cohen is a two time Olympian and Olympic silver medalist, three-time World medalist, Grand Prix Final champion and U.S. champion. In 2016, Sasha was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Sasha took a four-year break after the 2006 Olympics to pursue other opportunities, including skating tours, modeling and acting. In 2016, Sasha graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University with a degree in Political Science. Sasha has been actively involved with Figure Skating in Harlem for over 15 years and MIECHV for the past 2 years. MIECHV - The Maternal, Infant and Childhood Home Visiting Program gives pregnant women and new mothers from disadvantaged communities access to coaching and resources to prepare as they bring a child into this world.
Andrew Burmon is Editor-in-Chief of Fatherly, where he oversees the creation and execution of editorial initiatives across the brand’s many touchpoints. An experienced journalist and digital media strategist, Burmon previously served as the founding and Executive Editor of the science and technology publication Inverse, Deputy Editor of Maxim, and Staff Editor of Men's Journal. Burmon started his career as a crime reporter in Southeast Asia and subsequently worked as a travel journalist. His writing has appeared in New York Magazine, The Atlantic, GlobalPost, and a variety of other publications. He holds Bachelor’s degrees in English and American History and a Master’s in Journalism from Stanford University.
Kathleen Mahieu is the Lead Business Consultant for Strategy and Innovation for Aetna Behavioral Health. In her role, she develops initiatives and partnerships that drive strategy and innovation. Within the business, she works to refine and articulate our network strategy and expand access to virtual care. She also serves as an enterprise representative of the business to build integrated solutions.
Kathleen also serves on Aetna’s Federal Mental Health Parity task force. As part of the leadership team, she helps establish and interpret parity compliance rules.
Seth Feuerstein, MD, JD, is on the faculty at the Yale School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry where he is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Digital Health and Innovation and Program Director of Innovation to Impact, an NIH funded program designed to accelerate innovation in substance abuse treatment. He has worked to develop, study and scale technologically based innovations to enhance access, data collection, research and care in the healthcare ecosystem. He has done this by attacking the problems in the field from multiple angles including as an entrepreneur [he built and ran a successful digital health firm] and as the Chief Innovation Officer at Magellan Health, a national health insurance company. Most recently he has been focused on the use of technology to improve suicide prevention.
Cynthia Stocker is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker based in Idaho, and is a therapist and Trauma Expert with Talkspace. She has worked in the field of social work for over 30 years. In her private practice she utilizes a wide array of treatment modalities to assist in the treatment of trauma including the use equine and canine to assisted therapy.
Dr. Carney currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Magellan Rx Management, and is responsible for developing and supporting the clinical mission, vision, product innovation. She recently transitioned from her position with Magellan Healthcare, where was the Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Behavioral Health and Specialty Medicine. Dr. Carney also closely supports Magellan Complete Care of Arizona, where she contributes to both behavioral health and medical initiatives and programs.
Barbara Van Dahlen, Ph.D., named to TIME's 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world, is the president of Give an Hour™, a nonprofit she founded in 2005 to provide free mental health services to the military and veteran community. A licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Washington, D.C., she received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland in 1991, her M.A. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland in 1987, and her B.A., summa cum laude, from California State College in 1982. Give an Hour's nearly 7,000 mental health professionals have given nearly 265,000 hours of care valued at over $26M.