Kayla Berry

Writer and producer of King of the World film

Kayla Berry is an aspiring physician who recently graduated from Amherst College. She was introduced to film during a study abroad program her junior year. After her brother's passing she turned to film as an outlet. She is so grateful to have been able to work with the glowmedia project to bring her brother's spirit and love for the arts to life through King of The World.

I am honoring my brother Kevin Berry who passed away after battling Bipolar. He was loving, kind, and dreamed of being an actor. The film was inspired by Kevin's kind soul and he would have loved to see how his story is helping others who struggle with mental health.

Dr. Neil Bernstein

Child/Adolescent Psychologist, Author, Speaker, Media Resource

www.drneilbernstein.com

Dr. Neil Bernstein is a practicing clinical psychologist, author, and speaker based in Washington, DC. He is a nationally recognized expert who has spent over twenty five years guiding teenagers and their families through difficult times. Dr. Bernstein speaks frequently around the country to groups of parents, school counselors and mental health professionals. He also serves on the advisory board of the Partnership for a Drug Free America and is a consultant to the Washington Nationals Baseball Team.

Dr. Bernstein’s latest book is There When He Needs You: How to Be an Available, Involved, and Emotionally Connected Father to Your Son (Free Press). His previous books are How to Keep Your Teenager Out of Trouble and What to Do If You Can’t (Workman) and Treating the Unmanageable Adolescent (Jason Aronson).

Dr. Bernstein is a frequent guest on The Today Show and MSNBC News. He has also been featured on Good Morning America, Donahue, Sally Jesse Raphael, Charlie Rose, Nightline, CNN, Oprah, 20/20, Dr. Laura, the Dateline NBC Special, 411: Teens and Sex, and over two hundred local news programs and talk shows. In addition, he has been interviewed for articles in Newsweek, Redbook, Parents, Time, Parade, U.S. News and World Report, Ladies Home Journal, McCalls the Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, Boston Globe, USA Today, Detroit Free Press, Rocky Mountain News, and other print media.

Col. Michael M. Cannon (Ret.)

Mike is a 1980 graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburg, PA where he was also commissioned a second lieutenant in the U. S. Army. Mike served 30 years in the U. S. military in various assignments that took him to Nurnberg, Germany, Tacoma, Washington, Fayetteville, NC and finally Washington, D. C. One assignment was in the Pentagon where Mike served on September 11, 2001. His final assignment was at the National Defense University at Fort McNair. Mike continued to serve at the National Defense University until October 2014 as the Chief of Staff until he transitioned to private academia at the Columbia Southern Education Group. Mike began his Project 22 push-up challenge on August 26 th and today is his 22 nd day of the challenge to help bring awareness to Veteran suicides in this country and to honor those who are serving and those who continue to serve in our Armed Forces. He accepted the challenge from an officer he served with in the Military, and has handed the baton to the next Project 22 challenger so that the campaign may continue. Mike is a professional contemporary of COL (Ret.) Mary Lowe Mayhugh who extended the invitation today to participate in this symposium.

Dr. Gregg Pane, MD, MPA

Principal, Health Technical Center, MITRE

Dr. Pane currently is a Physician Principal in the MITRE Health Technical Center working on projects across HHS, VA and DoD. Dr. Pane previously served as Senior Director, Health Care Affairs at AAMC, focusing on health innovation and quality. He also was Medical Director for Aetna National Medical Policy and Operations, serving as a member of the Medicare team.

He has a broad background in academia, public health, government and the private sector including senior level transformational leadership experience as Chief Policy and Planning Officer for the Veterans Health Administration; System VP for Quality at Henry Ford Health System; Director of the DC Department of Health; Director of Hospital Preparedness for HHS/ASPR; and as Medicaid Director for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

In addition, he was the founding Emergency Medicine Residency Director at the University of California, Irvine, and was VP/CMO at Unisys Health Information Management where he served as Louisiana Medicaid Medical Director.

Dr. Pane serves on the Admissions Committee at the University of Michigan Medical School and on the Public Health Advisory Committee at UM-Flint. He has also served on various national committees and task forces including with NAPA, NQF, NAM, NHPF, ASTHO, ACPE, NAMD and NACCHO.

Dr. Brian L. Meyer,  Ph.D., LCP, PTSD-SUD Specialist

Interim Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator, Veterans Administration

Brian L. Meyer, Ph.D., LCP, is a Clinical Psychologist and the Post-Traumatic Stress

Disorder/Substance Use Disorders Specialist at the Central Virginia VA Health System and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and an Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He obtained his A.B. from Harvard University in 1980 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a specialization in adolescents and families from Duke University in 1990. Dr. Meyer has worked in the child welfare and the child and adult mental health fields as a clinician, administrator, teacher, policy maker, program developer, expert witness, researcher, and trainer. He has been the Deputy Clinical Director of the New Mexico CYFD Protective Services Division, the Executive Director of the Albuquerque Child and Family Guidance Center, the Executive Director of the Virginia Treatment Center for Children, and the Interim Associate Chief of Mental Health Clinical Services and the Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator at the McGuire VA Medical Center. In his current roles, Dr. Meyer provides evidence-based treatments for Veterans who have problems with PTSD, substance abuse, depression, TBI, and other co-occurring conditions; works with Veterans and their families to address post-combat adaptations; trains psychology trainees; and develops and conducts research on treatments for PTSD, substance abuse, and co-morbid conditions. Dr. Meyer is also a nationally in-demand speaker on a wide range of content areas including the treatment of trauma and co-morbid conditions, substance abuse, complex trauma, the effects of trauma and substance abuse on families, Veterans’ mental health, mindfulness meditation, secondary traumatization and self-care, and collaborative courts. He is also the co-author of Transcending Self Therapy: Group Integrative Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Book for Facilitators (2019), a treatment manual for people with Substance Use Disorders, along with Dr. Jarrod Reisweber. He has been happily married to his wife Sharla for 32 years and has three adult children and one granddaughter, all of whom he adores.

Dr. Jarrod Reisweber, Psy.D.

Substance Abuse Psychologist, Veterans Administration

Jarrod Reisweber, Psy.D., Ed.S., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist at the H.H. McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has authored or co-authored six books about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and/or Integrative Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He received his graduate training at The College of William and Mary and James Madison University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania under the direct supervision of Aaron T. Beck, M.D. Dr. Reisweber worked with Dr. Beck in directing a research project investigating the impact of Cognitive Therapy on patients with substance abuse disorders, as a clinician utilizing Cognitive Therapy to treat individuals with schizophrenia, and while co-authoring multiple articles and the book Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents in School Settings. Dr. Reisweber has also co-authored many book chapters and developed the psychological perspective Transcendent Self Theory which was featured in his book Psychology of Religion: From a Transcendent Self Theory Perspective. He has trained clinicians worldwide in a variety of settings and authored numerous psychological interventions. More information on Dr. Reisweber, his work, and services can be found at www.tstpsychologicalservices.com

Matt Miclette, MPH, MS, RN

Director of Clinical Operations, Neuroflow

Matt Miclette is the Director of Clinical Operations at NeuroFlow, a behavioral health technology company. He is a military veteran and a psychiatric and mental health board certified registered nurse. During his tenure in the U.S. Army he provided direct patient care for service members that sustained physical and psychological trauma during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. After his service, Matt was involved in developing and evaluating mental health and substance use disorder policies at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics and as a member of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Opioid Task Force. Matt earned a Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania and Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Vermont.

Dr. Susie Carmack, PhD, MFA, MEd, ERYT, NBC-HWC

Assistant Professor, Department of Global and Community Health; Senior Scholar, Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, George Mason University

Dr. Suzie Carmackis an award-winning well-being scholar and executive yoga coach with 30 years of experience exploring the intersections of mind-body communication and well-being. She currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Global and Community Health and Senior Scholar in the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being at George Mason University, where she trains future public health communication scientists; creates evidence-informed  teleyoga, telewellness and telecoaching interventions that aim to reduce chronic disease, stress contagion, maladaptive perfectionism and suicide outcomes; and serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders in the public and private sectors. In 2012, Dr. Carmack was personally commissioned by the Pan American / World Health Organization to raise global awareness of sitting disease as as a population health issue, and to share her unique methodology for bringing more mindfulness and movement into the work and school day as a way to prevent it. In 2015, she was comissioned to write a series of white papers and 20-year strategic plans for the Department of Defense that helped senior Pentagon leadership to re-think wellness and well-being as a “force multiplier.” In 2018, she was personally commissioned by General James Michael Holmes, USAF (retired) to create and deliver the first-ever resilience training for senior leaders for the U.S. Air Force. In 2020 she was personally commissioned by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Treasury Executive Institute, to coach and train senior leaders (SES, GS-14 and GS-15) from all 45 government agencies  in the practices of self-compassion and mindful movement in order to adapt to the increased stress demands of the COVID- 19 pandemic, and to create well-being cultures with their remote teams. She is a sought-after keynote speaker and author of two #1 best sellers that bridge the gaps between Eastern medicine and Western well-being science, to help readers get more strategic about their self-leadership, self-compassion and break-taking practices: Well-Being Ultimatum: A Self-Care Guide for Strategic Healers - Those Who Live in the Service, Leadership and Healing of Others and Genius Breaks: Optimize Your Workday Performance and Well-Being. She is also co-author (with Mason’s Dr. Larry Cheskin) of the forthcoming Weight Loss for Life(Johns Hopkins University Press, 2021) and the Founder of the Genius Break Project which brings mindful movement into the school day. Learn more about Dr. Carmack, and take her free well-being pulse check at www.DrSuzieCarmack.com.

Alexis Hartwik, MA, RYT 200

Creative Artist and Author and Director of Education, Keegan Theatre

Alexis Hartwick is the Director of Education & Administration at the Keegan Theatre, as well as the Curriculum Director for YogaMedCo. She has been on the stage management team for over 20 productions at the Keegan Theatre. Prior to joining Keegan, she taught and directed theatre to middle school students in the Fairfax County Public School district for 10 years. She is preparing to launch Creative Wellbeing, a website, book, and keynote exploring the importance of creativity in a well balanced life. She received her Masters in the Art of Teaching from The University of Southern California, her Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and has her RYT200 from Yoga Alliance.

Billie Krishawn

Actor, Visual Artist, and Teaching Artist

Billie Krishawn is traditionally a theatre and film actor originally from Washington, DC. She is a graduate of Duke Ellington School of the Arts and Drew University (BA). In recent years she has delved deeper into her visual arts work which has a focus on protecting Women of color. Some of her theater credits include: Airnessat 1st Stage and Keegan Theatre; Treasure Island at Synetic Theater; HERstory at The Kennedy Center;Winnie the Pooh and Jumanji at Adventure Theatre (Helen Hayes Outstanding Youth Performance Award Recipient); Blood at the Root at Theater Alliance; A Civil War Christmas at 1st Stage; Melancholy Play (Helen Hayes Outstanding Lead Actress Award Nominee, Helen Hayes Outstanding Play Award Recipient), The Caucasian Chalk Circle and Skin of Our Teeth at Constellation Theater Company; Andromeda Breaks and America’s Wives with Capital Fringe; Emilie at WSC AvantBard; How Old is a Hero at Discovery Theatre; Greensboro Lunch Counter at The Smithsonian’s National American History Museum. Some of her film credits include: Water in a Broken Glass and TVOne’s: For My Man. She works as a teaching artist in NY, NJ and the DMV (including: The Manhattan Theatre Club’s education program and Tectonic Theater Project).

Amy D. Yamashiro, Ed.D.

Reiki Master & Tao Practitioner

In 2015, Amy trained to become a Reiki Level I and II Practitioner and Reiki Master to provide daily distance Reiki to her then 80-year-old mother and 82-year-old uncle both of whom lived in California and had serious, chronic health conditions. In January 2016, Amy applied to become a Reiki Volunteer at Capital Caring’s Halquist Inpatient Center in Arlington, where she offers in-person and distance Reiki. She has also trained in energy healing and meditation based on Traditional Chinese Medicine developed by the Tao Academy. During this period of the coronavirus safety precautions, she offers a free weekly online well-being meditation with Reiki that combines deep breathing exercises and guided meditation focused on loving-kindness and compassion to enable the recipient to be fully relaxed mentally, physically and emotionally while receiving the Reiki blessings. The intention of the session is promote wellness, restore balance, and increase the positive qualities in life.

Ms. Kathleen Koch

Founder and President, LeadersLink

Kathleen Koch is an author, freelance journalist and founder and executive director of LeadersLink, the first nonprofit to harness and share elected officials’ disaster lessons learned to help communities better prevent, prepare for and recover from similar crises.

Koch developed her expertise while covering numerous disasters for CNN including Hurricane Katrina. She anchored two prize-winning documentaries on the recovery of her hometown, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and recorded its journey in a best-selling book, Rising from Katrina, which was named Best Non-fiction in the Southeast Region in the 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards. For 18 years, Koch was a CNN Washington correspondent specializing in aviation reporting and covering the Pentagon, White House and Capitol Hill where she received multiple awards including the Peabody.

Koch currently writes op-eds for publications including CNN.com, USA Today and U.S. News & World Report. Koch is chair of Howard County, Maryland’s Community Organizations Active in Disaster, a network of more than 60 organizations working to speed and coordinate crisis preparation, response and recovery efforts in the region.

Brandee Izquierdo, MPA

Executive Director, SAFEProject.US

Brandee Izquierdo is the Executive Director of SAFE Project and is a person in long-term recovery. Her drive and determination are built on making an impact within behavioral health, promoting long-term recovery, and ensuring communities are educated and have the tools necessary to combat the addiction epidemic. Before leading the SAFE Project team, Brandee worked for Faces & Voices of Recovery as the Director of Advocacy and Outreach. In addition, she served as the Associate Director of Special Populations with Behavioral Health System Baltimore and as the Director of Consumer Affairs for the state of Maryland’s Behavioral Health Administration. In these leadership roles, Brandee has led advocacy efforts to expand access to behavioral health services and recovery support services while providing technical assistance both nationally and internationally, empowering others within the recovery movement. Her ability to build relationships and bridge gaps within behavioral health, community services, and criminal justice have been a catalyst for global peer expansion.

As a subject matter expert with Center for Social Innovation, Policy Research Associates, SAMHSA and the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC), Brandee has made vast contributions within behavioral health and within the recovery movement around public policy, outreach, and workforce development. Additionally, Brandee has made a significant impact within the judicial system, advocating for access to treatment and recovery and is the principle investigator of Maryland’s integrated-Forensic Peer Recovery Specialist curriculum.

Brandee’s passion for service work and knowledge of recovery support services extends beyond behavioral health. With a master’s degree in Public Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Government and Public Policy, Brandee is currently working on her Doctorate in Public Administration with a specialization in Administration Justice.

Tom Mutryn

Founder, Mike’s Place

Tom Mutryn is Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of CACI International Inc, a leading provider of expertise and technology to government enterprise and mission customers.  He joined CACI in September 2006. 

Besides the usual CFO duties, Tom’s role includes key leadership support for CACI’s successful M&A strategy. He brings significant capabilities in evaluating new opportunities, performing due diligence with acquisition candidates, and assessing how completed acquisitions meet the company’s strategic goals.

Mr. Mutryn previously worked for GTSI Corp. as Chief Financial Officer. Prior to GTSI, he worked for U.S. Airways as Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO. He also worked for United Airlines and American Airlines in various finance positions earlier in his career.

In 2015, Tom and his wife Donna opened Mike’s Place, a nonprofit entity whose mission is to provide a safe and supportive living community to young men who are in early stages of recovery from substance abuse. Mike’s Place operates a four-bedroom furnished house in Rockville, Maryland with a live-in group manager, having space for up to six residents. Mike’s Place believes that having a positive, structured, recovery-centric community allows residents to better develop life and employment skills and solidify their recovery.  www.mikesplacerockville.com

A native of Schenectady, NY, Mr. Mutryn attended Cornell University, where he studied architecture and engineering, and, after a short career in engineering, earned a Master of Business Administration degree.