GXC 2022’s Special Speakers Dr. Sara Polley & Desire Vasquez – The Global Exchange Conference 2023 in Orlando

Special Speaker
Tammy Malloy

Dr. Tammy Malloy received her PhD in Social Work, from Barry University, and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. Dr. Malloy has facilitated research for over ten year and has published in academic journals on Addiction, Depression and Spirituality as well as clinical personality pathology and syndromes. Dr. Malloy’s most recent research is in the area of internet pornography use among young adult women. Dr. Malloy has worked in the field of behavioral health for over fifteen years and brings a wealth of knowledge in trauma informed care, family systems, and high-risk behaviors that encompass all addictive behaviors. Dr. Malloy has spoken at conferences both Nationally and Internationally on substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health disorders, and high-risk sexual behaviors. Dr. Malloy’s passion is for teaching others while empowering staff and patients to take ownership of improving their overall quality of life.

Special Speaker
Jason Shumake

Dr. Shumake has 20+ years of scientific research experience and has co-authored more than 60 journal articles in the fields of behavioral neuroscience, experimental psychology, statistics, and machine learning. As the former chief data scientist at the Institute for Mental Health Research, he advanced research in precision psychological medicine and digital mental health. Dr. Shumake brings a valuable set of hybrid skills at the intersection of experimental design, psychometrics, statistical analysis, machine learning, and behavioral science theory/methods.

Special Speaker
Louise Stanger

Dr. Louise is a preeminent family systems coach, interventionist, and thought leader in the behavioral health and addiction treatments industry. She has received many distinguished awards and performed thousands of family interventions in the US and abroad, gives presentations around the country on various topics related to mental health , trauma and addiction, process disorders and chronic pain, and has received prestigious awards from her fellow industry colleagues for her dedication to intervention and recovery Harvard McLean Hospital an affiliate of Harvard University and DB Resources honored her as Interventionists of the year In addition to her work with clients and families, she is former University faculty at San Diego State University and University of San Diego, where she brought in over 5 million in grants for substance abuse and alcohol training and education.

Special Speaker
Maks Ezrin

Born and raised in New York, Maks Ezrin had his own experience with early addiction. As a child, Maks enjoyed everything the city had to offer. He attended the best schools, maintained a rigorous course load, enjoyed a wide and varied social circle, and had the support of a loving family.

Despite these advantages, by age 14, Maks began experimenting with drugs and alcohol. His substance dependence worsened during college, eventually leading to a near-fatal overdose in his mid-20s. Through the help of friends and family, Maks has been sober since 2016.

Recognizing the importance of early detection and support of sober mentors, Maks has dedicated himself to giving back by helping other young pre-addicts. His experience propelled him to connect with leaders in the addiction and recovery field to raise awareness and help mitigate the effects of addiction- the ‘silent problem’ most families don’t notice until it is too late. Together with Natasha Silver Bell, an internationally recognized figure in the recovery field, and Dr. Rami Kaminski, a renowned pioneer in the psychiatric field, Maks founded Youth Prevention Mentors.

In addition to his Addiction Recovery Coaching certifications, Maks has a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Special Speaker
Benjamin Fry

Benjamin is the Founder of Televagal, Khiron House and Get Stable. He is an accredited psychotherapist, author and entrepreneur. He has had a rich and varied career, combining his interests in psychology, the media and business. In his twenties he went to film school and made a feature length film which was distributed by HBO and Paramount, then founded and ran nightclubs and restaurants, before starting a family, training as a psychotherapist and writing his first book which led to presenting a television series for the BBC, as the psychotherapist in Spendaholics.

More recently he has combined his business experience, clinical training and media skills to set up Khiron Clinics, one of the only residential trauma-treatment centres in the world; to lobby for more effective treatment in the public sector through his non-profit Get Stable; and to develop Televagal which delivers nervous-system informed technology for a variety of behavioural health problems. Benjamin is also a practicing couples’ therapist, using trauma and nervous-system informed therapies to help his clients optimise and heal their relationships.

Special Speaker
Ester Nicholson

Ester Nicholson, author of Soul Recovery – 12 Keys to Healing Dependence is a trauma specialist, She Recovers coach, presenter, and training facilitator. She is a woman in long-term recovery who brings her incredible journey of transformation to a practical curriculum—addressing the root causes of dependence as they occur in contemporary living. Her Soul Recovery programs expand the traditional concept of 12-Step Recovery into spiritual practices that have served thousands.

Her story of addiction and recovery was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN), Super Soul Sunday’s “In Deep Shift”.

Ester has inspired thousands with her keynotes at conference events including:

The National FED-UP Rally, NCADD, NAATP, DFBHS and She Recovers and Foundation Recovery Network—in addition to alumni and featured events at Ashley Treatment Center, Gosnold Treatment Center, Renewal House, and as a former host at InTheRooms.com. Unity.fm and Hay House.

Ester is a trusted advisor on the She Recovers and NAATP DEI committees and is instrumental in shifting “the business as usual” practices in the recovery industry with her training “Compassionate Accountability: Healing Unconscious Racial Bias “.

Special Speaker
Don Grant, MA, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV, PhD

Dr. Grant is an internationally recognized and award-winning media psychologist, author, published researcher, Doctoral Addictions Counselor, and educator with specific expertise in technology’s impact on mental health. He was the 2022 President of the American Psychological Association, Division 46 (The Society for Media Psychology & Technology), currently chairs the APA (Division 46) “Device Management & Intelligence” committee, co-chairs the APA (Division 46) “Strategic Planning” committee, is an APA Advocacy Division Partner Liaison, and serves as Secretary of the California Psychological Association Division VI (Media Technology and Communication). He designs, presents, and facilitates Healthy Device Management and Good Digital Citizenship treatment strategy and educational training workshops for clinicians, educators, parents, and academic communities. Dr. Grant is a globally respected keynote speaker, podcast and onscreen interview guest, and print content contributor in the field of device-related behaviors, addiction, and media psychology.

Special Speaker
Barbara Nosal, PhD

Barbara Nosal, PhD, has worked with teens, young adults, and families in the field of mental health, depression, and addiction treatment for more than 20 years. She developed and oversees the clinical and family programs for Newport Healthcare’s treatment programs. Dr. Nosal holds a Doctorate in Transpersonal Psychology and a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, in Palo Alto, California. Also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, she specializes in family systems, including restructuring family dynamics and healing childhood trauma.

Special Speaker
Dr. Mario Martinez

Dr. Mario Martinez is a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in how cultural beliefs affect health and longevity. He proposes, based on research evidence, that longevity is learned and the causes of health are inherited. He has studied healthy centenarians (100 years or older) worldwide and found that only 20 to 25% can be attributed to genetics – the rest is related to how they live and the cultural beliefs they share. He is the founder of biocognitive science and author of the bestselling books The MindBody Code and The MindBody Self. Dr. Martinez is the proponent of cultural psychoneuroimmunology.

Special Speaker
Dr. Marsha D. Brown

Dr. Marsha D. Brown is a Licensed Psychologist with extensive experience in the assessment, evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of individuals of all ages. Dr. Marsha has worked in the mental health field for over 15 years, much of it in high-conflict, court-involved settings. As a mental health expert, Dr. Marsha is needed and present for intense, critical, and complicated situations. She is also often tasked with helping those who are struggling to overcome extreme crises. Dr. Marsha is the Founder and CEO of Deconstructing Wellness, LLC (DW). DW works with organizations to implement procedures that prioritize well-being and teach their teams skills to conquer stress. Dr. Marsha has provided trainings for organizations including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Red Cross of South Florida, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI of Broward County), and the United Way of Broward County. She has also been featured in media outlets including the New York Times and USA Today.

Special Speaker
Robert Weiss PhD, LCSW

Robert Weiss PhD, LCSW is Chief Clinical Officer of Seeking Integrity LLC which provides online education, support and residential treatment for male sexual addicts and their families. Seeking Integrity also offers specialized residential treatment for men with cooccurring sexual and substance abuse disorders An educator author and licensed clinician for nearly 30 years, Dr Weiss has created six residential intimacy and addiction treatment programs in the US, Southeast Asia, and the US military. He has served as a subject-matter expert for numerous major media outlets, including CNN, NPR, and The New York Times, among others. He is the author of eleven books, including Prodependence, Sex Addiction 101, and Out of the Doghouse. His Psychology Today blog, “Love and Sex in the Digital Age,” has over 21 million reads, while his podcast, “Sex, Love, & Addiction,” has over 1.2 million downloads.

Special Speaker
Dr. Mary Affee

Dr. Mary Affee is a licensed clinical social worker and a registered play therapist-supervisor. She is the founder and clinical director of Horizon Integrated Wellness Group, PLLC, a practice that provides mental health services for children, adolescents, and families. Dr. Affee specializes in play therapy, and she is the past President of the North Carolina Association for Play Therapy. Dr. Affee received the 2023 NASW-NC Social Worker of the Year award. In 2022, she was also awarded the Emerging Leader National Award of Excellence from the Association for Play Therapy. In 2014, she received an Award of Excellence from the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children. Dr. Affee is the author of four children’s books. In April 2020, Dr. Affee volunteered her time and expertise to provide psychological first-aid to New York’s first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Affee teaches a summer creative and expressive play therapy course at Molloy University, and she is a field supervisor for North Carolina State University’s MSW program. She is also an advisory board member for Hope Connection International and for Carol’s Hope for Childhood Cancer.

Special Speaker
Courtney Leak, LCSW

As the CEO of Haven Wellness, Courtney Leak, LCSW works to transform the narrative around what healing is and when we deserve to receive it. She utilizes her vast knowledge of human development, trauma informed care and systems theory to create a framework that is person-centered, creative and experiential. Courtney has curated interactive and dynamic wellness experiences for individuals, couples, families and groups for over 14 years. She firmly believes that the client is the expert of their story and that if they can view their journey in truth, love and compassion without judgment, they will find their whole selves and the freedom to live a life of purpose and connection.

Courtney doesn’t just preach these beliefs to others, she works consistently to model her values in how she ethically and creatively runs her business, consciously raises her son, and how she intentionally shows up in her community. Whether she is developing new practices for healing with clients, sharing innovative concepts through speaking engagements, or allowing her inner child the freedom to engage in a Hamilton rap battle with her son, her goal is to live and work with authenticity, purpose and joy.

Areas of Expertise:

Trans-generational Trauma
Complex Trauma
Attachment Issues
Adult Child/Parent Issues
Conscious Parenting
Accountability Tolerance
High Performer Stress
Racial Trauma
LGBTQIA+ Needs
Grief and Loss

Special Speaker
Doug Paul, LPC, LMHC, LCPC, QS, CPCS

Doug Paul, LPC, LMHC, LCPC, QS, CPCS has been working as a clinician with substance use disorders since 2007. He completed a Bachelor of Arts from University of Central Florida in 2002. He went on to complete a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from Georgia State University in 2007. During his graduate training, he participated in and presented University-sponsored research findings at the American Counseling Association’s Annual Convention in Montreal, Quebec; going on to present at over 35 professional conferences over the next 17 years. While at two nationally-recognized treatment programs in the Atlanta area from 2007-2019, he gained skills in both clinical and leadership acumen. Currently in private practice, he continues to provide therapy, consultation and program development. Doug continues to practice his own recovery program over the last 23 years.

Special Speaker
Janet McDonald

Janet leads Onsite’s consulting division focused on mental health and wellness in the businesses and organizations. She has experience working with a variety of clients across both for profit and non-profit sectors. Most recently she served as Co-President, Chief Strategy and Operating Officer for BUNTIN. Janet leverages 20+ years of
experience to partner with clients in the development of leaders and teams to unlock potential and build capacity.

As an experienced C-suite executive, she is uniquely positioned to understand firsthand the challenges that executives face when addressing the need to grow. Prior to BUNTIN, Janet served as the Chief Operating Officer of Onsite Partners and prior to Onsite, she was a partner and leader of the strategy, change leadership, and
facilitation practice areas of c3/consulting, which was acquired by Ankura in 2018. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions in business development, finance, sales, operations, and customer experience in a variety of industries. This first-hand experience has shaped her ability to connect with executives and team members at all levels while fostering cross-functional collaboration and connected cultures.

Special Speaker
Dr. Cornel West

Dr. Cornel West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. Dr. West teaches on the works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, as well as courses in Philosophy of Religion, African American Critical Thought, and a wide range of subjects — including but by no means limited to, the classics, philosophy, politics, cultural theory, literature, and music. He has a passion to communicate to a vast variety of publics in order to keep alive the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. – a legacy of telling the truth and bearing witness to love and justice.

Dr. West is the former Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard University and Professor Emeritus at Princeton University. Cornel West graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard in three years and obtained his M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy at Princeton.

He has written 20 books and has edited 13. He is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. His most recent book, Black Prophetic Fire, offers an unflinching look at nineteenth and twentieth-century African American leaders and their visionary legacies.

Dr. West has partnered with MasterClass.com to provide teachings on several influential courses including a class with Pharrell Williams on Empathy, MasterClass’s first-ever multi-instructor class on Black History, Black Freedom & Black Love, as well as Dr. West’s standalone class on Philosophy. Visit www.cornelwest.com and click the MasterClass banner to learn more.

TITLE: Living and Loving Out Loud: In Conversation with Dr. Cornel West on Self-Care, Justice, and the Power of Music

Dr. Cornel West is one of America’s most provocative and admired public intellectuals. As a philosopher, academic, and social activist, he has consistently reminded us of the power of love, hope, and human connection. We will learn about his deep love of music and theology, and how these passions inform his social justice work.

In conversation Dr. West will be exploring the importance of self-care and self-love as essential tools for avoiding burnout and sustaining efforts over the long-term. We will learn how he sees self-care as an act of resistance against the oppressive forces of society, and as a means of building resilience and strength for the ongoing struggle for justice. As he once said, “If you don’t love yourself, then you’re not going to have the energy and vitality to love others, to fight for justice, to deal with the pain and trauma that comes with it.”

We will also have an opportunity to share Dr. West’s love of jazz music, which he sees as a form of spiritual expression that reflects the diversity and richness of human experience. He will share how his love of music has influenced his work and how it can be used as a tool for personal and social transformation.

Dr. West’s insights and experiences offer valuable lessons for anyone seeking to live a life of integrity, compassion, and justice. We will hear about his work as a theologian and how it has influenced his thinking on social justice issues. We will learn about his personal struggles with depression and addiction, and how he has used his experiences to inspire others to persevere in the face of adversity.

At GXC, Dr. West will share his thoughts on what it means to be human, and how we can live and love out loud in a world that often seems divided and uncertain. His wisdom and guidance will undoubtedly be valuable for anyone seeking to make a positive difference in the world.

Special Speaker
Dr. Pamela Harmell

“Dr. Pamela Harmell is a national lecturer specializing in legal and ethical issues in clinical practice. She is a Clinical Professor at the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology and has written extensively in professional publications on ethical practice and has formally studied law. She is the Past President of the Board of Psychology. Dr. Harmell is former Chair of the California State Ethics Committee and former Chair of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association Ethics Committee. She served on the Board of Directors of the California Psychological Association and is Past President of the Los Angeles County Psychological Association.”

Special Speaker
Licia Sky

Licia Sky is a somatic educator, artist, singer-songwriter, and bodyworker who works with traumatized individuals and trains mental health professionals to use mindful meditation in movement, theater exercises, writing, and voice as tools for attunement, healing, and connection. She is a regular instructor in trauma healing workshops at Cape Cod Institute, Kripalu, Menla, and Esalen. For the past decade, she has been teaching expanded awareness in workshops to clinicians and laypeople around the world.

www.trauamresearchfoundation.org

Special Speaker
Dr. Kevin McCauley

Dr. Kevin McCauley is a Meadows Senior Fellow, joining the Meadows Behavioral Healthcare team in 2016. A 1992 graduate of Drexel University School of Medicine, he first became interested in the treatment of substance use disorders while serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon where he observed the U.S. Navy’s policy of treating addiction as a safety (not a moral) issue and returning treated pilots to flight status under careful monitoring.

After developing his own addiction to prescription opioids, however, Dr. McCauley was court-martialed and imprisoned at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. There he read voraciously of what was known about the disease of addiction at that time. Today, he has over 15 years of continuous sobriety and has worked in a non-clinical capacity at several treatment centers, giving over 2,000 lectures on the neuroscience of addiction and recovery management.

Dr. McCauley wrote and directed two films: Memo to Self, about the concepts of recovery management, and Pleasure Unwoven, about the neuroscience of addiction, which won the 2010 Michael Q. Ford Award for Journalism from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers.

Kevin currently lives with his wife, Kristine, in Sedona, Arizona, where he is a graduate student at the University of Arizona School of Public Health.

Special Speaker
Kristin Kirkpatrick

Kristin Kirkpatrick is the former lead dietitian and manager of Wellness Nutrition Services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Cleveland, Ohio. A bestselling author, experienced presenter, and award-winning dietitian, Kristin is a sought-after national speaker on a variety of nutrition and wellness-related topics, appearing on the TODAY show, NBC Nightly News and The Dr. Oz Show. She has also contributed to national publications including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, TIME, Runners World, Oprah, Martha Stewart Living, Food Network, Costco Connection, Self, Women’s Health, TODAY.com, The Huffington Post, US News and World Report, and she is a featured expert on Cleveland Clinic’s Health Essentials. The Huffington Post named Kristin “one of 35 diet and nutrition experts you need to follow on Twitter,” and in December 2017, her show The New Rules of Food aired nationally on PBS.

Kristin’s career began in Washington, DC, where she assisted in lobbying efforts for medical nutrition therapy reform on behalf of the American Dietetic Association Policy and Advocacy group. She then went on to become the regional coordinator of the Hearts N Parks program in Montgomery County, Maryland. During her time there, she designed, implemented, and measured health promotion programs within the Washington, DC metro area. Kristin then returned to Ohio to work for the Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Cardiovascular Genetics. She eventually became the lead dietitian in the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute. In addition, she serves on Dr. Oz’s medical advisory board as well as the advisory board for Lose it!

Kristin has more than 17 years of experience in the health management arena and holds an MS in health promotion management from American University and a BA in political science from George Washington University. A Licensed Registered Dietitian in the state of Ohio, In May 2012 she received the Ohio Outstanding Dietetic Educator of the Year Award. In January 2017, Kristin published her first book, Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic—Fatty Liver Disease.

Special Speaker
Jean Collins-Stuckert, MSW, LCSW, LISAC, CSAT-S
Executive Director of Rio Retreat Center at Meadows Behavorial Healthcare

Jean Collins-Stuckert, Executive Director of Workshops at the Rio Retreat Center at The Meadows, is licensed in the state of Arizona as a clinical social worker (LCSW) and substance abuse counselor (LISAC). She received her master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University. Collins-Stuckert is also a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT-S) and is trained in Post Induction Therapy (PIT), Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Psychodrama.

Jean Collins-Stuckert has been in the behavioral health field for more than two decades and joined the Meadows Behavioral Healthcare team in 2007. At MBH, she has held positions that range from family and primary counselor to workshop facilitator, intake interventionist, and program and clinical director of workshops. In addition to bringing her vast experience and passion for intensives to Rio Retreat Center, Collins-Stuckert also owned and operated a successful private practice in Phoenix for a decade.

Special Speaker
Nikki Myers

An accomplished speaker and teacher, Nikki is an MBA, E-RYT500, Yoga Therapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Addictions Recovery Specialist, and Ayurvedic Specialist. Born from her struggles with addiction and work with countless students, Nikki is the founder of Y12SR, Yoga of 12-Step Recovery. Based on its theme ‘the issues live in the tissues’, Y12SR is a relapse prevention program that weaves the art & science of yoga with the practical tools of 12-step programs.

Nikki’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Black Enterprise, The Huffington Post, Origin Magazine, CBSnews.com and countless podcasts. She is honored to be a co-founder of the annual Yoga, Meditation and Recovery Conferences at Esalen Institute and Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Nikki has been featured as a keynote speaker at the International Association of Yoga Therapist (IAYT) conference and the International Conference on Integrative Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She was named a Yoga Journal Game Changer and is an honored recipient of the esteemed NUVO Cultural Visionary Award.

Special Speaker
Seth Porges

Seth Porges is the co-author with Stephen Porges of Our Polyvagal World: How Safety and Trauma Change Us. He is also the director, writer, and producer of the hit film Class Action Park, which debuted at number one on HBO Max, was nominated for a Critics Choice Documentary Award, and won “Best Documentary” at the 2021 Hollywood Critics Association Film Awards. He is currently directing an upcoming film for a major streaming service, as well as a documentary about professional pickleball. A longtime journalist, Seth was previously the technology editor at Popular Mechanics magazine, a columnist for Bloomberg Businessweek, and has appeared in roughly 50 episodes of the Travel Channel’s Mysteries at the Museum.

Special Speaker
Dr. Richard Schwartz

Richard Schwartz began his career as a family therapist and an academic at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There he discovered that family therapy alone did not achieve full symptom relief and in asking patients why, he learned that they were plagued by what they called “parts.” These patients became his teachers as they described how their parts formed networks of inner relationship that resembled the families he had been working with. He also found that as they focused on and, thereby, separated from their parts, they would shift into a state characterized by qualities like curiosity, calm, confidence and compassion. He called that inner essence the Self and was amazed to find it even in severely diagnosed and traumatized patients. From these explorations the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model was born in the early 1980s.

IFS is now evidence-based and has become a widely-used form of psychotherapy, particularly with trauma. It provides a non-pathologizing, optimistic, and empowering perspective and a practical and effective set of techniques for working with individuals, couples, families, and more recently, corporations and classrooms.

In 2013 Schwartz left the Chicago area and now lives in Brookline, MA where he is on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Special Speaker
Annelies Richmond

Annelies Richmond is an international master trainer of breathwork, meditation, SKY Breath Meditation and leadership development programs for the International Association for Human Values and the Art of Living Foundation. She has taught upward of thirty thousand people in the last 22 years, and has trained over 1,500 certified meditation and leadership teachers in 5 countries.

She has been meditating and practicing mindful breathwork techniques daily for 23 years. She started using these practices daily during her 15-year career as a professional ballet dancer with the Metropolitan Opera in NYC and found that they enhanced not only physical stamina and capacity, but also mental clarity and emotional resilience.

She is founding director of SKY Campus Happiness Program, a national leadership, resilience and well-being program on 101 campuses in the USA, and growing in 15 countries now around the world. Through SKY Campus Happiness, she trains and empowers student leaders, staff and faculty to become breathwork & well-being coaches for their campus. She travels across the USA teaching and lecturing at institutions such as Yale University, Purdue University, UPENN, MIT, Northeastern University, Texas A&M, Columbia University, the United Nations, and Google.

Her courses, talks and sessions are known for their authenticity, lightness, and humor, combined with a depth of wisdom that brings one to the present moment.

Special Speaker
Dr. James Flowers

For nearly three decades, Dr. James Flowers has been one of the most recognized and respected names in the field of chronic pain, addiction, and pain recovery. With his broad educational background and extensive experience in evaluating and treating mental health, chronic pain, and co-occurring addiction, he is recognized as an expert.

Dr. Flowers has completed several fellowships in behavioral pain management and has completed clinical rotations at the top healthcare institutions in the country.

He developed mental health, pain, and addiction recovery programs for some of the country’s best-known healthcare and addiction treatment centers. He directed medical and clinical programs integrating evaluation, diagnosis, and healthcare planning with treatment to promote successful recovery.

Dr. Flowers co-founded several well-known, exclusive treatment programs throughout the country, dedicated to his passion – that of designing multidisciplinary mental health and addiction treatment with medical and clinical protocols – to help individuals suffering from mental health, addiction, chronic pain, and other underlying disorders, successfully recover. With a demonstrated commitment to creating positive change in the lives of his clients, he is dedicated to progressive healthcare, human healing, and developing healthcare systems that best serve this population.

Dr. Flowers has been executing the protocol for assessments and evaluations for many years. Still, in founding J. Flowers Health Institute, he has advanced the process to satisfy a great void – to provide truly comprehensive assessment and evaluation for those who need a diagnosis and develop post-evaluation treatment recommendations. Having spent over 28 years in the medical and clinical community, Dr. Flowers is uniquely qualified to assemble some of the finest health care professionals in the world to perform these evaluations and provide treatment.

Over the years, Dr. Flowers’ passion and dedication to his clients, as well as his unique approach, has earned him an exceptional reputation as one of the nation’s premier experts. He is a popular public speaker and lecturer to audiences across the United States and abroad and has led an exceptional and distinguished career.

Dr. Flowers’ latest endeavor is hosting his weekly podcast “Understanding the Human Condition.” In each episode of Understanding the Human Condition, Dr. Flowers and his most-admired mentors, respected colleagues, and VIP guests share valuable insight into underlying health causes, conditions, and issues. These in-depth yet approachable episodes are an excellent resource for both private individuals and industry professionals.

Special Speaker
Dr. Constant Mouton

Dr. Constant Mouton is a registered psychiatrist currently living in The Netherlands. He works with clients and their families throughout Europe and focuses on providing culturally sensitive mental health care for people with addiction and complex mental health problems.

He is the owner and psychiatrist at Live The Road, his private practice in The Netherlands, works at a Recovery Centre in the Netherlands, and is the director of ARISE® Consulting, Europe.

During his training as a medical doctor and later specialising as a (neuro)psychiatrist in South Africa, he was trained to work cross-culturally, respecting and utilising peoples’ cultural heritage, religion and spiritual beliefs to understand and treat the person in their context better. As a medical specialist, he has experienced the value of the bio-psycho-social model of psychiatry. His studies and personal experience also led him to approach mental health and addiction problems holistically and engage and utilise clients’ strengths, families, and communities.

The Southern African philosophy of Ubuntu, “I am because we are”, resonates throughout his work. He believes that we access combined resilience and restore connectedness between people by working collaboratively. Through this connection, we are more robust and able to overcome adversity. Furthermore, the connectedness creates a space where we can learn, improve and grow, bettering our own lives and those of others. The process of personal growth, recovery and healing occurs when we know to focus on our strengths and resilience, creating our own story of mastery and success.

Special Speaker
Judy Crane

Judy Crane, author of The Trauma Heart has over three decades of clinical experience in the field of trauma and substance use disorders. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of Guest House Ocala.

Prior to that she founded and developed one of the nation’s leading treatment centers specializing in trauma and substance use disorders, as well as the development of Spirit 2 Spirit, a trauma certification program for clinical therapists. She currently serves as a consultant for many of the country’s leading treatment centers.

Judy has presented workshops, trainings, and has been a keynote speaker on PTSD nationally and internationally since 2009. She has been the recipient of multiple awards including High Watch Recovery Center’s Marty Mann Award, NAATP’s CEO of the Year, and Behavioral Health Champion in recognition for her contribution through life changing therapies to those suffering from mental health and substance use disorders.

Judy has recognized the need for the treatment industry to be able to create congruency in supporting recovery and wellness within an organization; essentially “taking care of our own”.

Special Speaker
Dr. Tian Dayton

Dr. Tian Dayton is a senior fellow at The Meadows and Director of The New York Psychodrama Training Institute, author of fifteen books including , Neuropsychodrama in the Treatment of Relational Trauma, The ACoA Trauma Syndrome: How Childhood Trauma Impacts Adult Relationships, Emotional Sobriety: From Relationship Trauma to Resilience and Balance, Trauma and Addiction: Ending the Cycle of Pain Through Emotional Literacy, Heartwounds : The Impact of Unresolved Trauma and Grief on Relationships, , The Living Stage: A Step by Step Guide to Psychodrama and Experiential Therapy, The Magic of Forgiveness ….she is a Huffington Post blogger and creator of innerlook.com.

Films and Videos include: The Process: A 73 Minute award winning docudrama that uses Psychodrama to tell stories of Addicts and ACOAs Psychodrama and Trauma Resolution Training Tape, a compressive psychodrama training tape illustrating the effect of unresolved trauma on the personality and its resolution through psychodrama and sociometry available through tiandayton.com Tian Dayton has a masters in educational psychology and a PhD in clinical psychology and is a board certified trainer in psychodrama and a licensed Creative Arts Therapist. She is aalso a certified Montessori teacher. Dr. Dayton is the director of The New York Psychodrama Training Institute where she runs training groups in psychodrama, sociometry and experiential group therapy. She is a nationally renowned speaker, expert, and consultant in psychodrama, trauma and addiction and has served as their director of program development for eight years. Dr, Dayton was on the faculty at NYU for eight years teaching psychodrama. Dr. Dayton is a fellow of the American Society of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy ASGPP, winner of their scholar’s award, the President’s award and editor in chief of the Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy and sits on the professional standards committee. She is also the winner of The Mona Mansell Award and The Ackermann Black Award. Dr. Dayton has been a guest expert on NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Montel, Rikki Lake, John Walsh, Geraldo. For further information log onto tiandayton.com

Special Speaker
Dr. John Amaral

Dr. John Amaral DC is a practitioner and educator who has worked behind-the-scenes helping celebrities, entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers and thought-leaders feel and perform their best for over 20 years. He has provided care for thousands of people from over 50 countries and has been a personal practitioner for Anthony Robbins since 2006. John co-created the Generative Body, Generative World program with Neuro Linguistic Programming innovator Robert Dilts and founded the Energy Flow Formula and Body Centered Leadership programs. In 2020 John was featured in The GOOP Lab Netflix series with Gwyneth Paltrow and he has appeared on numerous podcasts.

Special Speaker
Jay Shetty

Jay Shetty is the #1 New York Times Bestselling Author of Think Like a Monk and 8 Rules of Love, Host of the #1 Health & Wellness Podcast “On Purpose,” Co-founder of Sama Tea, Chief Purpose Officer at Calm and Former Monk.

Jay has a myriad of accolades under his belt. In 2019, AdWeek dubbed him a Young Influentials cover star, describing him as “an emanation of spiritual force.” In 2017, Forbes named him to the 30 Under 30 List for being a game changer in media. People Magazine has named him “one to watch.” In 2018 and 2019, the Streamy’s named him the Best Health & Wellness Creator of the Year. His videos have been viewed more than 10 billion times and he is followed by over 50 million people across social media.

In 2019, Jay created “On Purpose,” which is now the world’s #1 Health & Wellness podcast and its opening year ranked #1 on Spotify in India and in Apple’s Top 20 Podcasts of the Year. Guests have included talent from various backgrounds, such as superstar athletes Kobe Bryant and Novak Djokovic, music icon Alicia Keys, business powerhouse Ray Dalio, among others.

In 2020, Jay authored his first book, “Think Like A Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Everyday.” The book debuted at #1 on the New York Times, #1 on the Sunday Times and was deemed “un-put-down-able” by Amazon, where it held the #1 spot worldwide.

Inspired by Vedic wisdom and modern science, Jay’s latest book (Jan 2023), 8 RULES OF LOVE: How to Find it, Keep it, and Let it go, tackles the entire relationship cycle – with actionable steps on how we can all love ourselves, our partners, and the world better than we ever thought possible.

When Jay isn’t writing or making videos, he’s coaching as the founder of the Jay Shetty Certification School, a purpose driven educational institution offering accredited certifications in life coaching to individuals and organizations. He’s been a keynote speaker around the world on global stages on behalf of powerhouses like Google, Microsoft, Netflix, HSBC, and has developed corporate training programs for many of these organizational clients. His online courses have been attended by over 2 million students and his “Genius Community” provides weekly programming on the principles and practices for health and wellness to thousands of members in over 100 countries.

Special Speaker
Dr. Kristin Neff

Our society teaches us that self-compassion is the enemy of productivity; that to be kind to ourselves is to invite complacency. But in fact, the opposite is true, says DR. KRISTIN NEFF. A pioneer in the field of inner strength training and self-compassion, Dr. Neff is the first person to empirically study the concepts and create a simple, actionable guide proven to increase motivation, boost resilience, and improve mental health. As we emerge from the pandemic, when burnout is threatening the happiness, success, and productivity of us all, she shows us why we need self-compassion more than ever.

Dr. Neff is an Insight Meditation practitioner and an associate professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and Harvard Business Review, among others, and her TEDx talk has been viewed over 1.7 million times. She’s also the co-developer of an empirically supported training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, which is taught by thousands of people worldwide, and the co-author of The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook as well as Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals. She is also co-founder of the nonprofit Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.

Special Speaker
Bessel van der Kolk M.D.

Bessel A. van der Kolk M.D. is a pioneer clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of posttraumatic stress. His work uniquely integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic, somatic and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

His #1 New York Times Science best seller, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma (translated in 38 languages), transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, psychedelic therapy, psychodrama, mindfulness techniques, parts work, yoga, and body work. Dr. van der Kolk and his various collaborators have published extensively on the impact of trauma on development, such as dissociative problems, borderline personality and self-mutilation, cognitive development, memory, and the psychobiology of trauma. He has published over 150 peer reviewed scientific articles on such diverse topics as neuroimaging, self-injury, memory, neurofeedback, Developmental Trauma, yoga, theater and EMDR.

He is founder of the Trauma Center (now the Trauma Research Foundation) in Boston, MA; past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School and Principal Investigator Boston site of MAPS sponsored MDMA assisted psychotherapy study. He regularly teaches at universities and hospitals around the world. Visit besselvanderkolk.com for more information.

Special Speaker
Deb Dana

Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant and author specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, consultant to Khiron Clinics, and advisor to Unyte.

Deb is the developer of the signature Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible for clinicians and curious people alike. Deb’s clinical work published with W.W. Norton includes The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, the Polyvagal Flip Chart, and the Polyvagal Card Deck. She partners with Sounds True to bring her polyvagal perspective to a general audience through the audio program Befriending Your Nervous System: Looking Through the Lens of Polyvagal Theory and her print book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory. Deb can be contacted via her website www.rhythmofregulation.com.

Special Speaker
Stephen W. Porges, PhD

Stephen W. Porges, PhD is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He is professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. He has published more than 350 peer‐reviewed scientific papers. He is the creator of the Polyvagal Theory and a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol TM, currently used by more than 200 therapists to reduce hearing sensitivities, improve language processing, and increase spontaneous social engagement. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation, The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe, and Polyvagal Safety, as well as co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies, and Polyvagal Safety.

Special Speaker
Dr. Karol Darsa

Dr. Darsa is a licensed psychologist, an author, creator of RITTM (Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Model), and founder of Reconnect Treatment Center, in CA. She has more than 20 years of clinical and administrative experience in trauma and mental health disorders. Dr. Darsa began her career in 1998 as a foster care social worker and continued her work with abused children and their families and adults abused as children.

In 2012 Dr. Darsa became the co-creator of Invisible War Recovery, a program designed to treat military sexual trauma survivors.  She has been interviewed by Katie Couric, Susan Ortolano, and Lisa Tahir, and was featured on the Voice of America. She lectures about trauma treatment at various universities such as the University of Southern California, UCLA and Cal Lutheran. She also speaks at treatment centers and conferences.

A native of Turkey, Dr. Darsa has been living in the United States for 25 years. She has also lived in Spain, France and Brazil. Dr. Darsa’s exposure to numerous ethnic and social groups allows her to understand the cultural differences in human thought and behavior. She can provide therapy in English, Spanish, French and Turkish and is able to converse in Italian and Portuguese as well.

Annie Peters, PhD, LP

Dr. Annie Peters “The Allure of Self-Destruction: How Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Can Redefine Addiction Recovery”

Pain and suffering are ubiquitous, and the great secret is that many of us have an inner experience so unpleasant that we act in ways that temporarily please, but ultimately destroy us – body, mind, and spirit. Once an addiction or other disorder manifests, even the strongest motivation to change often results in countless unsuccessful efforts to recover. Understanding the various manifestations of the self-destructive urge, as well as theories describing its causes, is key to helping people move in valued directions in the presence of pain. This presentation will provide a summary of the ACT approach to addiction treatment and the research supporting it. Participants will practice evidence-based ACT techniques designed to build awareness of self-destructive thoughts, develop psychological flexibility, and create new cognitive-behavioral pathways to recovery-oriented living.

Learning objectives:

Define ACT principles such as experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion, including their significance in the development of addiction and co-occurring disorders
Describe the empirical evidence and theoretical models supporting ACT as an effective intervention for people with substance use disorders
Practice cognitive exercises to build awareness and acceptance of self-destructive thoughts and respond with self-compassion and value-focused action

Annie Peters, PhD, LP, is Director of Research and Education at the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) and Executive Director of the NAATP Foundation for Recovery Science and Education (FoRSE), leading the national effort to further understand substance use disorders through collaborative quality improvement and research. Dr. Peters is a clinical psychologist with 15 years of experience in substance use and mental health assessment, psychotherapy, education, and leadership.

Ruth Ann Rigby, CRS

Ruth Ann Rigby, CRS currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at BRC Healthcare in Austin, TX. She has been a leader in the behavioral health and addiction recovery field for over 24 years with 25 years in Recovery. She represents the very principles that she strives for every day—honesty, integrity, humility, and grace.

Rigby is a prominent figure in the addiction recovery and mental health industry working with some of the leading treatment providers in the nation. Most recently she was recognized by High Watch Recovery Center with the Marty Mann Award presented in the Fall of 2021. She has also been recognized by a Resolution from former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant in 2020 for her dedication to fighting for those caught in addiction within our communities and nationally. Also in 2020, she was awarded the Fred R. French Award for Excellence presented by C4 Recovery Foundation for her outstanding service in the field of addiction with the emphasis on mentoring and/or educating others. Because of her consistent ethical and professional standards, she was recognized nationally at the 2018 Admissions and Marketing Symposium with the Silver Shoe Award. In 2008, she was appointed by former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour to serve on the Mississippi Drug Court Advisory Board to offer her first-hand knowledge and insight into strengthening the Drug Court System.

Rigby has served on the board of numerous community organizations, church leadership committees, and behavioral health associations such as the Mississippi Association of Drug Court Professionals, Central Mississippi Chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependency, Mississippi Association of Addiction Professionals, American Diabetes Association, National Alliance for Mental Illness (Mississippi Chapter) and National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers.

In her spare time, Ruth Ann serves on the Advisory Board for the Center for Hope and Healing at Broadmoor Baptist Church where she is on-call to work with any family that crosses her path. She is dedicated to fighting for those caught in addiction and ending the cycle of dependency. Her leadership in action has been proven repeatedly by her tireless energy and passion to change and save a person’s life. Ruth Ann, along with her husband LTC (Ret) Joseph Rigby, are cofounders of a 501c3 nonprofit organization called First Responders of Mississippi. They created this organization to help first responders (Individuals, Families and Agencies) in their greatest time of need with assistance, wellness, and hope.

Rigby and her husband Joseph along with their (3) Cocker Spaniels—Graciee, Cailee and Darbee reside in Madison County MS on their farm “Stil-Wurkin Farm”

Barry Jacobson

Barry Jacobsen Barry Jacobson, a former Executive for the Walt Disney Company, is the principal owner of Barry Jacobson Consulting. The firm provides insight and hands-on training to companies in building a culture of excellence, focusing on leadership and management practices, employee engagement, event operations, and customer-centric experiences.

While at Disney, Barry’s leadership roles included Disney Resort Operations, Food and Beverage, Convention Operations, Event Management, and Premium Services. As Director of Event Management, Barry was responsible for planning, organizing, and delivering events directly related to the Disney brand: Disney Corporate Retreats, Board of Director Conferences, Annual Shareholder Meetings, Investor Conferences, marketing press events, and theme park and resort grand openings teams: Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, and the Disney Cruise Line. Barry was selected to lead the Inaugural 2009 D23 Expo, Disney’s first-ever fan exposition held at the Anaheim Convention Center. Most recently, Barry launched the opening of these signature Disney experiences: Golden Oak, a private residential community, Club 33, Disney’s in-park membership clubs, and Disney’s Spa and Salon operations.

Barry’s career has taken him from Disney, the finest name in family entertainment, to the Dallas Cowboys, the greatest name in sports entertainment. As the Cowboys Vice President of Special Events, Barry was responsible for premium services for suites, private clubs, and corporate/stadium wide events, including hosting Superbowl XLV. He was also General Manager with ClubCorp, Director of Convention and Conference Management at Venetian and Palazzo Resort for the Sands Corporation, and Director of Meetings and Education for Meeting Professionals International (MPI).

Marvin Ventrell

Marvin Ventrell became the CEO of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) in 2015, continuing his 30-year career as a lawyer, association director, teacher, and addiction treatment executive. NAATP, founded in 1978, is professional membership association of addiction treatment providers whose mission is to provide leadership, advocacy, training, and member support services that ensure the availability and highest quality of addiction treatment.

Mr. Ventrell’s career has been devoted to advocating for populations in need and building legal and health care system responses to meet those needs. In addition to serving in executive leadership roles in several national social welfare and justice agencies, he has authored two textbooks on law and social justice, book chapters and professional articles on law, medicine, social services, behavioral health, and addiction treatment and recovery.

Prior to joining NAATP, Marvin served as Program Director at Harmony Foundation, and as a consultant to the CeDAR, both Colorado based addiction treatment centers. He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and has received distinctions including an American Bar Association National Advocacy Award, the National Council of Juvenile Court Judges Meritorious Service to the Children of America Award, the University of Colorado School of Medicine Award for Career Contributions, and the Innovator Award from given for impact in the field of recovery through innovation, commitment, and dynamic thinking. Under Mr. Ventrell’s leadership, NAATP has emerged as a powerful voice for addiction treatment under his vision of quality, professionalism, equity, and ethics.

He can be reached at NAATP National headquarters in Denver, CO at www.naatp.org, info@naatp.org, or 888.574.1008.

Greg Williams

Greg Williams Greg is the award-winning filmmaker of feature length documentaries, The Anonymous People and Generation Found. In 2015, he executive produced the historic UNITE to Face Addiction Rally on the National Mall when tens of thousands of people including from around the world gathered alongside major musicians to end the silence surrounding addiction. He also produced the launch of the first-ever Surgeon’s General Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health: Facing Addiction in America. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Washington Post, ABC World News, LA Times, and countless other news outlets. He also serves as a member of the United States of Care’s Voices of Real Life advisory group.
Greg is a health policy consultant and communications specialist, providing strategic oversight and direction to numerous initiatives. Most notably, Greg manages the Alliance for Addiction Payment Reform, a national collaboration aimed at improving outcomes for patients, payers, and health systems, and served as a managing editor of the Addiction Recovery Medical Home Alternative Payment Model. Greg has over a decade of experience working with non-profits and government agencies on addiction. As person in long-term recovery from addiction himself, Greg’s work has been dedicated towards creating positive changes in access to quality health care and recovery supports for the over 20 million struggling. Greg received his master’s degree in addiction public policy and media production from New York University.

Jason Perillo

Jason Perillo Jason is Vice President of Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at High Watch Recovery Center. He is a communications strategist with many years of experience in healthcare and advocacy.

Prior to his work at High Watch, Jason was a political operative with years of experience in campaign operations, press, social and digital media, grassroots organizing, and television and direct mail.

He has managed and advised candidates for U.S. Congress, state legislatures, and statewide office. He has also served as an advisor to state party initiatives and has overseen caucus campaign committee efforts.

Jason is a frequent presenter at conferences, seminars, and webinars speaking primarily about public affairs, advocacy, and the ethics of marketing. He is proud of the work that his team does

in maintaining close ties with alumni and in sharing High Watch’s expertise with colleagues both locally and around the world.

Nanette Zumwalt

Nanette Zumwalt is currently recognized as one of the top interventionists and an industry expert, both nationally and internationally. Nanette began working in the field of mental health and addiction treatment nearly three decades ago as a direct care technician at inpatient acute psychiatric hospitals. With her vibrant and engaging personality, knowledge, experience, and sincere desire to help those in need, it is no surprise that her career has included various management titles throughout top national therapeutic schools and recovery programs.

Early on in her career, Nanette notes that she developed a specific passion for the “willing but not able” individuals struggling in treatment transitions. In 2002, Nanette began the journey of developing, building, and growing Hired Power. Under her care and leadership, Hired Power has taken the pioneering role in clinically supporting adolescents, young adults, and adults during the high risk and critical transition periods of recovery.

Dan Valha

Dan Valha Daniel S. Valha is the CEO of KDV Consulting, a boutique consulting firm for the meetings industry.

Dan is the former Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations for the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the Veterinary Meeting and Expo (VMX). He led operations, leadership initiatives, and oversaw event operations, sales, customer service, and exhibits teams. VMX is the largest Veterinary conference of its kind and recognized as one of the top 20 medical conferences and expos in the world. In his previous roles, Dan oversaw meetings and events totaling $100+ million in revenue as Senior Vice President of Global Accounts at ConferenceDirect.

Dan served as Walt Disney World Resort’s Managing Sales Director, which included leading National Sales teams for all Disney properties, Disney Cruise Line, and Resorts around the globe, with a specific focus on the group and convention line of business. In addition, Dan directed the Sales and Marketing efforts as Hyatt Hotels Divisional Director of Sales & Marketing for the Northeast region.

Jerry Schwab

Jerry Schwab is the CEO of High Watch Recovery Center in Kent, CT.
He has over twenty years of experience as an executive with non-profit healthcare organizations.
With Jerry at the helm, High Watch has experienced tremendous growth while remaining true to its mission as the world’s first treatment center founded on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. During Jerry’s tenure, High Watch opened its first-ever sober living opportunities, which it offers on four different properties. High Watch’s new detoxification center provides detox care for the first time in the organization’s history. Jerry and the High Watch team also opened “The Hilltop”, which is a partial hospitalization program situated in an ornate villa in the hills of Litchfield County, Connecticut.
“Wilson’s Bakery and Cafe” opened in the summer of 2021 and is dedicated to providing career opportunities for High Watch alumni and others in the program. Also in 2021, High Watch initiated an effort to educate the world about addiction by starting “High Watch Media”, which is focused on developing films and documentaries about recovery.
Outside of his work with High Watch, Jerry is very active in charitable social service organizations. Domestically, Jerry has served as a municipal Ethics Commissioner, as a Board member of the Pomperaug Health District, and as a member of the Connecticut Department of Public Health EMS Advisory Board and the Council on Alcoholism and Addiction.

Dr Marc H Boff, DPT/ATC/CES/PE

Dr Marc H Boff, DPT/ATC/CES/PE Dr. Boff is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a Certified Athletic Trainer, and a Strength and Conditioning Coach who is not only an expert in his profession but is also extremely passionate about the intersection of health, wellness and function. With over 20 years of professional sports experience as a physical therapist and trainer for the NBA, he has been able to transform bodies and change lives with incredible success. His Los Angeles-based company, MHB (Manage your Health and Body) Fitness, grew from his own philosophy to take ownership of managing one’s health and body. MHB Fitness is a concierge health and wellness service that specializes in providing an elite level of individualized client care in addition to consulting services.

With the belief that optimal physical health can only be achieved in conjunction with optimal mental and spiritual health, Dr. Boff utilizes a comprehensive approach incorporating human movement with lifestyle to create customized programs designed to meet the specific goals of each individual.

Dr. Boff has also served as the Director of Sports Medicine for NBC’s reality weight-loss series “The Biggest Loser.” Dr. Boff graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Brandeis University in 1996 and went on to earn an MSPT in 2002 and DPT in 2005 from Simmons College.

Sam Quinlan

Sam Quinlan Samantha Quinlan works in the Behavioural, Mental and Emotional Health sector and is the founder of the international conference on Addiction -iCAAD. She has extensive knowledge and networks on specialist issues across the world on Addiction and mental health.

Sams reputation in the events industry catapulted when she co-founded the Brighton Fringe Festival in the UK over 25 years ago. Today the month-long city festival attracts over half a million people.

Today Sam is working with The Global Exchange 2022 to deliver a diverse programme of knowledge and skills and is leading a team of experts in developing a programme that honours the four foundation tracks of the conference – Mental Health, Addiction, Wellness and Leadership.

She has devised and delivered programmes for vulnerable adults and young people, adolescents with extreme childhood trauma, workplace leadership and solutions and adults with learning disabilities.

Sam, in her own time and as a volunteer, has helped support 100s of people. She reflects that when she needed help, she was one of a lucky few and could access service without charge or bias, so today she strives to connect those in need to the right help or signpost them to organisations that can help.

Sam likes to build theatre sets in her spare time and would one day love to perform again!

Nikki Soda

Nikki Soda is a passionate advocate for recovery, experienced marketer, and meeting planner. With over 10 years of nonprofit and corporate meeting planning, she brings an energy and level of professionalism used to create successful outcomes. Prior to working in the healthcare industry, Nikki was an event planner and organized large scale events while working for both corporate and nonprofit organizations. Her background in recovery led her to shifting into the behavioral health field. Previously, Nikki has worked in the capacity of Director of both Business Development and Marketing for nationally recognized treatment facilities, as well as overseeing several Alumni programs while being on the board of the Treatment Professionals and Alumni Services. Advocacy and Public Policy are two passions that Nikki continuously puts effort into, through volunteering and community engagement.

Nikki holds a BA in Communication from the University of Tampa. Her experience working on both the front end and back end of treatment has given her a wealth of knowledge and has contributed to her understanding of systems within the field of substance use.

Gary S. Seidler

Gary S. Seidler Gary Seidler has been one of the foremost advocates of the addictions. and mental health field for the past 40-plus years as a book, magazine publisher and professional conference organizer.

Gary began his career as a newspaper reporter, editor, political speech writer, in the Metropolitan Toronto area before joining the Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario as its Press Officer. For them he created a trade newspaper, The US Journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

In 1976, Gary immigrated once again, to the United States, where he co-founded Health Communications (HCI), a self-help publishing company, and US Journal Training. ( USJT), orchestrating over 250 continuing education conferences throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand for health professionals in the addictions and mental health field.

Gary is the co-author of Chicken Soup for the Recovery Soul, Chicken Soup for the Horse Lovers Soul, Heart Reconnection, and Success Stories from The Heart.

Gary with his life partner, Sheri Laine, an acupuncturist, herbalist, author, and wholeness guide, share Global Synergistic Living (GSL), a consulting group focusing on education, healthy living, loving and communicating.

Gary lives in Santa Monica, CA. He is most proud of his three adult children and three awesome grandchildren.

Robbin Mooney

Robbin Mooney has served in the behavioral health industry since 1998, creating and implementing dynamic marketing solutions, design, and branding strategies for a variety of companies and institutions.

Business development, public relations, and recovery advocacy roles have been her passion, and through these roles she’s found a way to help others find a full and successful life.

Robbin is co-founder and Chief Development Officer of J. Flowers Health Institute, an integrative mental health and medical concierge healthcare center, offering comprehensive health and wellness evaluations and treatment services located in Houston, Texas.

Robbin was recognized in 2021 by the Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce celebrating many of Houston’s leading executive women and men entrepreneurs. Robbin also currently serves on the board of directors for the Humane Society of Southern Coastal Georgia.

Robbin served as the Outreach and Communications Liaison for Crossroads Centre Antigua 4 years which is an internationally recognized addiction treatment program founded by Eric Clapton in 1998 as a holistic, 12- step medical model providing detox and residential services.

Jeff Krasno

Jeff Krasno Hand-picked by Oprah Winfrey as one of her Super Soul 100 changemakers, Jeff helms Commune Media — offering an assemblage of in-depth wellness courses, podcasts, and other media featuring the field’s foremost experts, including Deepak Chopra, Russell Brand, and Sharon Salzberg. “Our goal is to democratize well-being,” says Jeff. As creator of the global Wanderlust festivals, host of the popular Commune podcast (120,000 monthly downloads), and the author of three books, Jeff presents his audience with knowledge and guideposts to becoming their best selves. Classes, podcasts, and books offer a roadmap to creating a better society through compassion, community-building, and hands-on activism. An expert in mindfulness and a sociopolitical commentator with a degree in political science and American history from Columbia University, Krasno digs to find common ground when people divide along political lines, and offers a path to connection.

Speaker Bio & Presentations

Dr. Sara Polley

Desirae Vasquez

Supporting Youth Resilience: Exploring the 2021 U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Youth Mental Health

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