About

The Hero’s Journey Symposium is comprised of facilitated panel discussions and a closing synthesis session. The panel discussions bring together a wide array of stakeholders, including brain health researchers, physicians, military leaders, public policy experts, and community advocates. Our outcomes include shaping a “call to action” for a public information campaign; providing a collective sharing of best practices; identifying policy and research gaps; and providing a white paper summarizing the current state of affairs and offering solutions to create “better pathways to recovery, from wounds to wellness”.

Panels

• Panel 1: Improving Mental Well-Being For Children And Families
  Discussion on improving mental health awareness in families and children

• Panel 2: New Technologies and Integrative Models of Care In Managing Mental Health and Well-Being
  Embracing innovation and the role that new technologies play in advancing care and how we understand mental health

• Panel 3: Supporting Healing through the Healing Arts
  Discussion on incorporating Mindfulness, Yoga and other Art into the healing process and supporting long term mental health and resiliency

• Panel 4: Supporting Wounds to Wellness – Connecting
  Community Resources: How do we build collaborative relationships with the public and private sectors to shape sustainable pathways for mental health recovery and create a community blueprint to support resilient communities?

Special Guests

• The Honorable Dr. David Shulkin
  9th Secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs

• The Honorable John Boozman
  Senator, Arkansas

• The Honorable Elaine Luria
  Congresswoman, Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District

Itinerary

9:00 AM - Opening Remarks

• Col. Mary Lowe Mayhugh (Ret.) - Founder & President, John P Mayhugh Foundation

• Master of Ceremonies: Lou Celli, Executive Director, Bravo Victor

9:05am - Keynote

• The Honorable Cheryl L. Mason, Senior Advisor and Executive Director for Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Programs and Partnerships for The Department of Veterans Affairs

9:20am - Panel 1: Improving Mental Well-Being for Children and Families

• Facilitator: Dr. Sybil Russell MD MPH, Chief Scientist & Health Innovation Area Lead in the Health Innovation Lab at the MITRE Corporation

• Kelly Hurska, Director, Government Relations at National Military Family Association

• Trish Glowacki, Founder and Executive Director of the glowmedia project

• Thomas E. Trail, Senior Behavioral Scientist at RAND Corporation

10:30am - Panel 2: New Technologies and Integrative Models of Care in Managing Mental Health and Well-Being

• Facilitator: Dr. Kimberly Albero, DNP, RN, FNP, Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy Nurse Corps

• Dr. Brian Marx, Deputy Director of the National Center for PTSD at VA Boston Health Care System

• Dr. David R. Kraus, PhD, President, Chief Scientific Officer at Outcome Referrals, Inc.

• Professor Renata Gomes, BSc, MBAS, PhD, Professor of Veterans’ Health and Biomedical Research, and Chief Scientific Officer at BRAVO VICTOR

11:30Am - Keynote

• The Honorable Dr. David Shulkin, 9th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs

12:45Pm - Lunch

Break

1:30pm - Panel 3: Supporting Healing through the Healing Arts

• Facilitator: Dr. Alicia Christy, MD, Artist and Veteran (Col. Retired), and VA Deputy Director of Reproductive Health

• Leila Hertzberg, EAGALA-certified Equine-Specialist with Military Designation, Executive Director of Lifeline Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation, Lifeline Equine Therapy Services

• AnnMarie Halterman, PhD, DM, Executive Director, Uniting US

• Dr. Marilyn Peppers-Citizen, PhD, NBC-HWC, C-IAYT, Col (Retired), USAF

2:40pm - Panel 4: Supporting Wounds to Wellness – Connecting Community Resources

• Facilitator: Brigadier General (PA Ret), Maureen H. Weigl, Deputy Adjutant General for Veterans Affairs

• Karl Hamner, Ph.D., Clinical Professor in Education Studies and Director, the Office of Evaluation Research, for The University of Alabama College of Education

• Justin Phillips, MA (She/Her), Executive Director at Overdose Lifeline, Inc.

• Bob “Shoebob” Carey, CAPT, USN (Ret), Executive Director at National Defense Committee

• Capt Carey Handout

3:40pm - Closing Remarks

• Col. Mary Lowe Mayhugh (Ret.), Founder & President

4:00pm - Reception

Thank You To Our Sponsors!