Speaker Bios

March 12, 2024 Speaker Bios

Jump to March 13, 2024 Speaker Bios

Opening keynote: The New Generation of College Students & Climate Anxiety
Image	Michaela Zint, Ph.D., M.B.A., is the associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and an Arthur F. Thurnau professor with appointments in SEAS, the College of Literature, Science & the Arts and the Marsal Family School of Education. Dr. Zint’s research and teaching has focused on advancing environmental, sustainability and climate education in middle and high school as well as higher education. She has focused on identifying the predictors of environmental responsible behaviors as well as on pedagogies able to foster the development of these predictors and behaviors.

Opening keynote: The New Generation of College Students & Climate Anxiety

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Michaela Zint, Ph.D., M.B.A., is the associate dean for academic affairs at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and an Arthur F. Thurnau professor with appointments in SEAS, the College of Literature, Science & the Arts and the Marsal Family School of Education. Dr. Zint’s research and teaching has focused on advancing environmental, sustainability and climate education in middle and high school as well as higher education. She has focused on identifying the predictors of environmental responsible behaviors as well as on pedagogies able to foster the development of these predictors and behaviors.

Workshop: Building Capacity for Transformational Change: Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Students of Color
Image	Jan Collins-Eaglin, Ph.D., is a national advisor to the Steve Fund. In this role, she serves as a campus coach, university consultant, speaker and is the co-leader for the Equity in Mental Health Framework project. She is a nationally recognized organizational effectiveness coach. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to providing initiatives that promote student well-being and success.
Image	Jeanne E. Manese, Ph.D., is a counseling psychologist and national advisor to the Steve Fund. Throughout her career, her passions have included clinical supervision and implementing strengths-based programs and services for first generation college students, students of color and students from low income backgrounds. In her current roles, Dr. Manese continues her lifelong commitment to addressing disparities in mental health treatment for people of color, mentoring students from underrepresented backgrounds through the higher education pipeline and promoting civil rights and social justice.
Image	David Rivera, Ph.D., is an associate professor and coordinator of the graduate programs in mental health and school counseling at Queens College, City University of New York (CUNY), where he is also the founding director of the CUNY LGBTQI Student Leadership Program. A counseling psychologist, his research is guided by critical theories and social justice frameworks and explores cultural competency development and issues impacting the marginalization and well-being of oppressed groups.
Image	Meloni Rudolph Crawford, Ph.D., is the assistant vice chancellor for Student Health, Wellbeing and Advocacy at the University of Colorado Denver. The areas she oversees are the Dean of Students Office, Counseling Center, Disability Resources and Services and Residential Life Programming. Before joining the CU Denver, Dr. Rudolph Crawford has spent her career dedicated to student affairs at schools around the state of Colorado and on Semester at Sea.

Workshop: Strengths-Based Resilience: A Positive Psychology Based Well-being Program for Adolescents and Young Adults
Image	Jane Gillham, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Swarthmore College. Her research and applied interests are at the intersection of clinical psychology, developmental psychology and education. Together with her collaborators, she has developed several well-being programs and curricula, including the Penn Resiliency Program and Strengths-Based Resilience. She has led several large-scale evaluations of school and community well-being programs.

Workshop: Strengths-Based Resilience: A Positive Psychology Based Well-being Program for Adolescents and Young Adults

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Jane Gillham, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at Swarthmore College. Her research and applied interests are at the intersection of clinical psychology, developmental psychology and education. Together with her collaborators, she has developed several well-being programs and curricula, including the Penn Resiliency Program and Strengths-Based Resilience. She has led several large-scale evaluations of school and community well-being programs.

Mini-workshop: A Framework for Whole Self-Connection - Mini Workshop with Somatic Experiential Integrative Tools and Parts Discovery
Image	Kerry Biskelonis, LPC, is the founder and clinical director at Reset Brain and Body. She is an acclaimed international speaker on topics related to mindfulness-based mental wellness, somatic therapies, integrative methods and conscious leadership. Prior to founding Reset Brain and Body, Kerry worked in start-up and Fortune 500 corporate environments, leading human resource, recruitment, and training and development departments. Now with a team of 40 staff and clinicians, Reset is revolutionizing the way clients understand and care for their mental wellness rooted in holistic and research-supported methods.

Mini-workshop: A Framework for Whole Self-Connection - Mini Workshop with Somatic Experiential Integrative Tools and Parts Discovery

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Kerry Biskelonis, LPC, is the founder and clinical director at Reset Brain and Body. She is an acclaimed international speaker on topics related to mindfulness-based mental wellness, somatic therapies, integrative methods and conscious leadership. Prior to founding Reset Brain and Body, Kerry worked in start-up and Fortune 500 corporate environments, leading human resource, recruitment, and training and development departments. Now with a team of 40 staff and clinicians, Reset is revolutionizing the way clients understand and care for their mental wellness rooted in holistic and research-supported methods.

Mini-workshop: Living Well in College and Beyond: Student Leaders as Change Agents for Holistic Well-being
Image	Brett Cohen, B.S., is a graduate program assistant at Wolverine Wellness studying social work and higher education at the University of Michigan. He serves as the course coordinator for the course ALA 240: Living Well in College and Beyond. His role includes developing course materials and peer facilitator guides, building and managing the Canvas course page, and leading the weekly peer facilitator meetings.
Image	Madilyn Lay is a peer facilitator and program assistant at Wolverine Wellness at the University of Michigan. Full bio coming soon!
Image	Joy Pehlke, M.Ed., is the assistant director of Wolverine Wellness at the University of Michigan, leading out the unit's Student Engagement & Academic Partnership work. She is also a wellness coach and serves as an adjunct lecturer in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts. She helped build the curriculum for ALA 240: Living Well in College and Beyond, and has taught the course since 2017.
Image	Timberlee Whiteus, M.P.H., is the health promotion specialist at Wolverine Wellness and an adjunct lecturer at the University of Michigan. Full bio coming soon!
Image	Zoe Wright peer facilitator for ALA 240: Living Well in College and Beyond and program assistant at Wolverine Wellness and undergraduate student at the University of Michigan where she is studying biopsychology, cognition and neuroscience. She also serves as the DEI and wellness chair for the Black Undergraduate Psychological Association

Mini-workshop: Actionable Policy Change and Community Engagement for Mental Health on College Campuses: Perspectives
Image	Joanna Hua, M.S., B.A., is a medical student at the University of Michigan. Before coming to Michigan, Joanna was the founder and president of the Cornell University Mental Health Task Force and a standing committee member and youth advisor for the Born This Way Foundation. In addition, she has been involved with Letters2Strangers, the largest global youth-run nonprofit seeking to de-stigmatize mental illness.
Image	Scott MacLeod, along with his wife Susan Hack, co-founded The Sophie Fund, a nonprofit organization established in memory of their daughter, Sophie, a Cornell University student who died by suicide in 2016. He is a journalist by profession. He worked as a correspondent and bureau chief for 25 years for TIME, and has been based around the world. He has also been a contributor to many other media outlets, including The New York Review of Books, The Los Angeles Times and Huffington Post.
Image	Lindsey Mortenson, M.D., M.S., is the inaugural chief mental health officer and associate executive director of the University Health Service. In addition, she serves as a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan. She has advanced training in healthcare quality, safety, and clinical informatics. Her work has been featured in American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal of Affective Disorders, Journal of the American Medical Association, the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and College Psychiatry: Strategies to Improve Access to Mental Health.

Mini-workshop: Opt Outside! Utilizing Outdoor, Nature-based, and Adventure/Experiential Approaches to Support Students at All Levels of Care
Image	Kallie England, LMSW, is a nature-based experiential therapist and facilitator from Ann Arbor, Michigan. She founded the first adventure therapy private practice in the Midwest, co-founded the Adventure Wellness Program at the University of Michigan, and teaches adventure/experiential therapy at the University of Michigan School of Social Work.
Image	Jessa Lytle, B.S., is the assistant director of adventure leadership and summer camps at the University of Michigan. Full bio coming soon!
Image	Anna Mausolf, M.A., is the program manager at Adventure Leadership at the University of Michigan. Full bio coming soon!
Image	Mikaela Schulz, B.A., is a graduate student at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work. Full bio coming soon!

Mini-workshop: The White Knuckle Effect: An Alternate Explanatory Theory for High Rates of Attrition Among College Students with Mental Health Conditions
Image	Michelle G. Mullen, Ph.D., is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Implementation Science and Practice Research Center (iSPARC) and Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research at the UMass Chan Medical School. She is also the senior vice president and chief impact officer at The Jed Foundation, a non-profit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults. Michelle’s research and practice has focused on young adult career development, specifically academic persistence, performance and progress among college students with mental health conditions.

Mini-workshop: The White Knuckle Effect: An Alternate Explanatory Theory for High Rates of Attrition Among College Students with Mental Health Conditions

Michelle G. Mullen, Ph.D., is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Implementation Science and Practice Research Center (iSPARC) and Transitions to Adulthood Center for Research at the UMass Chan Medical School. She is also the senior vice president and chief impact officer at The Jed Foundation, a non-profit organization that protects emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults. Michelle’s research and practice has focused on young adult career development, specifically academic persistence, performance and progress among college students with mental health conditions.

Mini-workshop: Actionable Policy Change and Community Engagement for Mental Health on College Campuses: Perspectives
Image	Riahanah Ali, M.S., (she/her) is a mental health project manager at the University of Michigan, within the division of Student Life. Holding a Master of Science degree in Clinical Psychology, she works to manage complex projects and advance initiatives in support of student mental health. Riahanah focuses on students’ holistic well-being, academic success, and effective management of mental health symptoms via change management and clinical care optimization. Her lifelong efforts contribute to U-M’s collaborative effort to reduce suicide rates and cultivate an all-embracing campus environment.
Image	Kamara Gardner, M.P.H, (she/her) serves as a mental health project manager at the University of Michigan. She collaborates with a diverse range of departments and units across campus to support and advance student mental health and well-being through various projects and initiatives. Leveraging her expertise in strategic planning, suicide prevention, and emergency operations, Kamara continually strives to enhance the campus environment. Through her committed efforts, her foremost goal remains to encourage and establish a positive atmosphere that nurtures the mental health and vitality of all individuals.
Image	Roen Montalva, M.S., is a health data analyst at the University Health Service at the University of Michigan with a background in clinical psychology. She specializes in data analysis and interpretation, contributing to evidence-based and data-informed decision-making in mental health care. Her recent research investigates the use of measurement-based care in mental health treatment. In addition, Roen is involved in developing data visualization dashboards to allow for real-time monitoring of mental health-related treatment operations on a college campus.
Image	Lindsey Mortenson, M.D., M.S., is the inaugural chief mental health officer and associate executive director of the University Health Service. In addition, she serves as a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan. She has advanced training in healthcare quality, safety, and clinical informatics. Her work has been featured in American Journal of Psychiatry, Journal of Affective Disorders, Journal of the American Medical Association, the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and College Psychiatry: Strategies to Improve Access to Mental Health.

March 13, 2024

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Plenary panel session: Serious Adverse Event Review: A New Approach for College Health
Image	Kelly Cruz, J.D., (she/her/hers) is an associate general counsel for the University of Michigan’s Office of the Vice President and General Counsel. She provides legal and policy advice regarding student life on the University’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses. In her role, Kelly promotes effective risk management and compliance related to student academic and non-academic misconduct, accommodations for students with disabilities, student privacy rights and responsibilities, student organizations and the greater student community.
Image	Jim Dolan, Ph.D., LP, (he/him/his) is the associate director of clinical services and clinical director at the University of Michigan Counseling and Psychological Services. He has served in this role for over 9 years. As associate director, his responsibilities include developing and directing the delivery of clinical services, administration and operations, administrative and clinical supervision, and providing direct services to U-M students.
Image	Chris Frank, M.D., Ph.D., (he/him/his) is the medical director of University Health Service at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining the U-M Department of Family Medicine, he worked for 8 years as a full-scope family physician and as the health officer/medical director of a local health department. He is an educator and clinical consultant for the Michigan Opioid Collaborative, and a faculty educator for the American Society of Addiction Medicine.
Image	Victor Hong, M.D., (he/him/his) is a clinical associate professor, the medical director of Psychiatric Emergency Services and the associate director of adult hospital services in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan. He also treats student athletes for the University of Michigan Athletic Department. His areas of clinical and scholarly interest are emergency psychiatry, suicidology, college mental health and personality disorders.
Image	Brianna LoPiccolo, LMSW, (she/her/hers) is a clinical social worker at the University of Michigan’s University Health Service. In her role, LoPiccolo serves on the Dean’s Behavioral Intervention Team, Clinical Case Management Team, Sexual Assault Response Team and supervises U-M Master of Social Work student interns and limited licensed MSW staff. Prior to joining UHS, LoPiccolo worked as a therapist providing counseling to those with depression, anxiety and trauma.
Image	Angela McGrady, M.D., M.P.H., (she/her/hers) is a staff physician in the University Health Service and adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan. She serves UHS as the patient and staff safety officer, co-chair of the Quality Improvement and Safety Committee, and chair of the U-M campus Adverse Event Review Committee. Prior to joining UHS, McGrady was co-medical director of the U-M Regional Alliance for Healthy Schools and a core faculty member of the U-M Family Medicine Residency Program.

Concurrent session: Toward the Prevention of Mental Health Problems Among Incoming Students in Their First Semester at Higher Education Institutions: Lessons Learned from Four Prospective Cohort Studies
Image	Steven Brunwasser, Ph.D., is a psychologist whose research focuses on developing, evaluating and implementing interventions to prevent common health problems. Much of his research has focused on the prevention of depression in late childhood and early adolescence. His recent work evaluates the impact of perinatal maternal adversity in the development of chronic health complications and if interventions can prevent transmission.
Image	Katherine Gotham, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Rowan University. Dr. Gotham directs the Social, Emotional and Affective Health Lab. Her team uses behavioral and psychophysiological methods to learn about mechanisms underlying depressed mood in autistic adults. Their goal is to use that knowledge to develop more effective treatments to support emotional health in neurodivergent people across all ages.
Image	Nicole Kelso, M.P.S., is a doctoral student studying clinical psychology at Rowan University. Her research focuses on the prevention of depression during students’ transition into college. She is also interested in improving the way depressive symptoms are measured. She recently received the Well-Being Funding Award from the American College Health Foundation to partially support her dissertation research, which is a prospective cohort study that follows students throughout their first semester at a new higher education institution. She is passionate about improving the lives and well-being of college students.
Image	Erin McKenney, M.A., is a doctoral student studying clinical psychology at Rowan University. Under the mentorship of co-presenter Dr. Katherine Gotham, she studies predictors of depression and anxiety for autistic adults, particularly during the transition to college. Erin’s current work evaluates repetitive negative thinking, satisfaction with social connectedness, and distressing sexual experiences as predictors of mood concerns during the first semester of college in both autistic and non-autistic students.

Concurrent session: Evolving Mental Health Care at Community Colleges: Barriers, Innovations, and Future Directions
Image	Sara Abelson, Ph.D., M.P.H., is an assistant professor in the Department of Urban Health and Population Science at the Temple University School of Medicine. She also serves as senior director at The Hope Center–an action research center focused on securing the human needs of every college student. An American Association of Colleges & Universities Cross Awardee, Dr. Abelson conducts applied research and leads education and training services focused on advancing upstream and structural approaches to enhance mental health equity in higher education.
Image	Alex Ammann, M.P.H., is the project manager of the Mental Health Improvement through Community Colleges (MHICC) project and a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Public Health in the department of Health Management and Policy.
Image	Timothy Mayer, B.A., is a dual-degree master’s candidate at the University of Michigan's Schools of Social Work and Public Health and a research assistant at the School of Public Health. Tim has been working in the collegiate mental health realm in a variety of spaces for several years. He is passionate about cultivating community and connectedness on college campuses while advocating for normalization of help seeking behaviors. He aims to support initiatives that promote cultural shifts towards wellness and inclusive access to resources on college campuses through mental health focused policies, systems and practices.
Image	Amy Rusch, M.P.H., is a second-year doctoral student in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education and research area specialist in the Department of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Her work focuses on the implementation of programs primarily focusing on improving behavioral health in community-based settings across the State of Michigan. Recently, her work has focused on the implementation strategies and methods of mental health evidence-based practices in school-based settings including high schools and community colleges across the State of Michigan.
Image	Shawna Smith, Ph.D., is the John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Health Management and Policy at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. As a health services researcher and implementation scientist with a background in sociology, her work focuses on understanding the best way to support adoption of innovative and/or evidence-based healthcare practices, as well as ways to bridge gaps in access to care by implementing evidence-based practices in innovative and non-traditional ways. She is also on the leadership team for the Michigan Program on Value Enhancement (MPrOVE), a joint venture of Michigan Medicine and the Institute for Health Policy and Innovation (IHPI) that aims to improve value-based care within Michigan Medicine.

Concurrent session: A Comprehensive Partnership Model for College Suicide Prevention Programs
Image	Laura Lewis, M.A., LPCC-S, is the assistant director of the Suicide Prevention Program at The Ohio State University, the largest campus comprehensive suicide prevention program in the U.S. In this role, she provides day-to-day leadership and supervision for all programming and a large staff. She also develops and sustains more than 200 campus and community partnerships and works closely with all program partners as they assist with implementing the work of the Suicide Prevention Program.
Image	Mickey Lin, M.Ed., NCC, is a doctoral student in counselor education at The Ohio State University. Currently, Mickey works as a graduate teaching assistant in the OSU Suicide Prevention Program, specifically within the RUOK? Buckeyes program. His dedication to suicide prevention extends to his research interests, which include developing suicide prevention strategies for historically marginalized students, exploring traditional healing practices and studying social determinants of health.

Concurrent session: A Comprehensive Partnership Model for College Suicide Prevention Programs

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Laura Lewis, M.A., LPCC-S, is the assistant director of the Suicide Prevention Program at The Ohio State University, the largest campus comprehensive suicide prevention program in the U.S. In this role, she provides day-to-day leadership and supervision for all programming and a large staff. She also develops and sustains more than 200 campus and community partnerships and works closely with all program partners as they assist with implementing the work of the Suicide Prevention Program.

Mickey Lin, M.Ed., NCC, is a doctoral student in counselor education at The Ohio State University. Currently, Mickey works as a graduate teaching assistant in the OSU Suicide Prevention Program, specifically within the RUOK? Buckeyes program. His dedication to suicide prevention extends to his research interests, which include developing suicide prevention strategies for historically marginalized students, exploring traditional healing practices and studying social determinants of health.

Concurrent session: Integrative Wellness Pop-Up BIPOC Barber Shop
Image	Brandon Bond, M.P.H., LLMSW, CHES, (he/him) is a mental health and well-being student advocate at the University of Michigan. In this role, he is responsible for assessing the needs of students, advocating for systemic-level changes, and implementing solutions that produce health-promoting environments. His research interests include the impact that cultural conceptions of mental health have on one’s health-seeking behavior, DEI/culturally-tailored integrative health interventions and 2SQTPOC+ mental health.

Concurrent session: Integrative Wellness Pop-Up BIPOC Barber Shop

A black man with dark rimmed glasses wearing a dark blue shirt wiht a striped collar

Brandon Bond, M.P.H., LLMSW, CHES, (he/him) is a mental health and well-being student advocate at the University of Michigan. In this role, he is responsible for assessing the needs of students, advocating for systemic-level changes, and implementing solutions that produce health-promoting environments. His research interests include the impact that cultural conceptions of mental health have on one’s health-seeking behavior, DEI/culturally-tailored integrative health interventions and 2SQTPOC+ mental health.

Concurrent session: Securing Student Basic Needs: An Upstream Approach for Improving Mental Health
Image	Sara Abelson, Ph.D., M.P.H., is an assistant professor in the Department of Urban Health and Population Science at the Temple University School of Medicine. She also serves as senior director at The Hope Center–an action research center focused on securing the human needs of every college student. An American Association of Colleges & Universities Cross Awardee, Dr. Abelson conducts applied research and leads education and training services focused on advancing upstream and structural approaches to enhance mental health equity in higher education.
Image	Camara Lewis, B.A., is the community outreach strategist at the Office of Sixty by 30 within the new Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP). In her role, she provides recommendations to the division director on strategies to engage and inform a vast network of collaborators and community partners about the Sixty by 30 postsecondary attainment goal and supportive programs.
Image	Precious Miller, LMSW, is the director of basic needs & belonging at the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA). Throughout her tenure at MCCA, she has emerged as a dedicated leader focused on advancing student well-being and championing equity. She excels in forging strategic partnerships, providing technical assistance, and spearheading professional development initiatives for member institutions. Notably, she oversees the development and maintenance of the Professional Learning Space, a micro-training platform empowering student success advocates to lead in areas such as transfer, career exploration, student basic needs, data discovery, and gateway course success.

Concurrent session: Accommodating and Holistically Supporting Transgender College Students with Mental Health Disabilities
Image	Jackie Heymann, M.A., is a disability access coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Services for Students with Disabilities. Jackie is passionate about supporting students at the intersection of their disabled and other oppressed identities. She is also passionate about partnering with faculty and staff to create a more inclusive, accessible and equitable campus.
Image	Kat Nic, M.Div., (they/them) is a disability access coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Services for Students with Disabilities, which is part of the larger unit Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services. Kat’s greatest passion is working with all disabled students, especially graduate students, to help them have equal access to their programs, and helping promote holistic wellness as well as access in all students, especially students with disabilities.

Concurrent session: Accommodating and Holistically Supporting Transgender College Students with Mental Health Disabilities

A woman with long, dark brown hair weaing a heathered gray-blue, v-neck blouse

Jackie Heymann, M.A., is a disability access coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Services for Students with Disabilities. Jackie is passionate about supporting students at the intersection of their disabled and other oppressed identities. She is also passionate about partnering with faculty and staff to create a more inclusive, accessible and equitable campus.

A person with short cropped hair wearing a teal blazer with a teal and white patterned shirt underneath

Kat Nic, M.Div., (they/them) is a disability access coordinator at the University of Michigan’s Services for Students with Disabilities, which is part of the larger unit Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services. Kat’s greatest passion is working with all disabled students, especially graduate students, to help them have equal access to their programs, and helping promote holistic wellness as well as access in all students, especially students with disabilities.

Concurrent Session: A Microaffirmation Approach Toward Understanding Mental Health and Well-Being Among Black Male College Students
Image	James M. Ellis, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work and Marsal Family School of Education. His research investigates the degree to which everyday supports and everyday discrimination promotes or impedes the college transition experiences of first-generation and racial-ethnic minoritized college students. In addition to his scholarship, James has served in a variety of professional roles in partnership with programs and organizations dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for adolescents and young adults for racial-ethnic and socioeconomic marginalized backgrounds.
Image	Leon Mason Jr., M.A. Ed., is a graduate research associate in the School of Social Work and Marsal Family School of Education at the University of Michigan. Leon has been engaged in research examining microaffirmations, microaggressions, and depressive symptoms among Black college males in higher education. He is also a co-investigator on research evaluating culturally sustaining pedagogy and its impact on the educational experiences for K-16 students. These experiences reflect his broader scholarly interests on issues of educational equity, justice, and social transformation. As an emerging young Black male scholar and leader, Leon is committed to furthering his understanding of the ways educational justice and equitable practices contribute to the success of racially and ethnically marginalized communities. In turn, he strives to effectively communicate these consequential findings with the communities in which he works.

Concurrent Session: A Microaffirmation Approach Toward Understanding Mental Health and Well-Being Among Black Male College Students

A black man wearing a gray suit jacket with a light green shirt underneath and a dark green, patterned tie

James M. Ellis, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work and Marsal Family School of Education. His research investigates the degree to which everyday supports and everyday discrimination promotes or impedes the college transition experiences of first-generation and racial-ethnic minoritized college students. In addition to his scholarship, James has served in a variety of professional roles in partnership with programs and organizations dedicated to advancing educational opportunities for adolescents and young adults for racial-ethnic and socioeconomic marginalized backgrounds.

Leon Mason Jr., M.A. Ed., is a graduate research associate in the School of Social Work and Marsal Family School of Education at the University of Michigan. Leon has been engaged in research examining microaffirmations, microaggressions, and depressive symptoms among Black college males in higher education. He is also a co-investigator on research evaluating culturally sustaining pedagogy and its impact on the educational experiences for K-16 students. These experiences reflect his broader scholarly interests on issues of educational equity, justice, and social transformation. As an emerging young Black male scholar and leader, Leon is committed to furthering his understanding of the ways educational justice and equitable practices contribute to the success of racially and ethnically marginalized communities. In turn, he strives to effectively communicate these consequential findings with the communities in which he works.

Concurrent Session: STEER College Support Program
Image	Joseph Durney, Ed.D., is the chief executive officer and a co-founder of STEER for Student Athletes. Joe has four decades of experience in education where has served as a teacher, coach, educational leader, and administrator for children and young adults at the elementary, intermediate, high school, and collegiate levels. Additionally, Joe is an adjunct professor at Manhattanville College in the Graduate School of Education, teaching in the Educational Leadership Program.
Image	Jordan Lewis, B.A., is the communications, social media and marketing coordinator at STEER For Student Athletes. He was part of the inaugural group of student athletes that were inducted into STEER when the program began. He is a recent graduate of SUNY-Cortland. In addition to his work with STEER, he has interned with NBC sports anchor Bruce Beck's sports broadcasting camp where he was tasked with mentoring a small group of aspiring journalists and assisting them with learning the fundamentals of sports journalism.
Image	Hector R. Morales-Negron, Ph.D., CMPC, ACSM-CPT, is an innovative, applied performance psychology consultant and coach who has used his knowledge to build championship experiences as an athlete, coach and leader. A certified mental performance consultant, he has served and volunteered with non-profit organizations to assist minority student athletes in improving the mental aspects of their approach to sports and academics.
Image	Astrid Vargas, M.A., is the director of college and alumni engagement at STEER for Student Athletes. She saw success as a high school student, thanks in part to her co-presenter Dr. Joseph Durney’s mentorship. Following her undergraduate career, Astrid taught students at the University of Rennes in France before returning to the United States to teach in Miami-Dade County as part of Teach for America. She has since earned her master’s of arts and is currently working toward completing her second master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University while serving as a resource for students with her work at STEER.

Closing Keynote: Disabusing Disability^TM: Demonstrating That DISability Doesn't Mean INability
Image	Oluwaferanmi Okanlami, M.D., M.S., is the director of student accessibility and accommodation services at the University of Michigan. “Dr. O” was born in Nigeria before immigrating to the US at a young age. At the beginning of his 3rd year of residency, he experienced a spinal cord injury, paralyzing him from the chest down. After two surgeries and intense rehabilitation, he was blessed with some return of motor function, and navigates the world as a proud wheelchair user. He speaks around the country on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including, but not limited to, creating a health system that is accessible to and inclusive of both patients and providers with disabilities, and providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education.

Closing Keynote: Disabusing Disability^TM: Demonstrating That DISability Doesn't Mean INability

A black man wearing dark rimmed glasses and a patterned suit jacket with a floral shirt underneath and a bowtie

Oluwaferanmi Okanlami, M.D., M.S., is the director of student accessibility and accommodation services at the University of Michigan. “Dr. O” was born in Nigeria before immigrating to the US at a young age. At the beginning of his 3rd year of residency, he experienced a spinal cord injury, paralyzing him from the chest down. After two surgeries and intense rehabilitation, he was blessed with some return of motor function, and navigates the world as a proud wheelchair user. He speaks around the country on topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including, but not limited to, creating a health system that is accessible to and inclusive of both patients and providers with disabilities, and providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities in higher education.

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