Meet Our Speakers
Dr. Eric L. Davis, DSW, LCSW, LCAC
Chief Clinical Officer, MHAI
Dr. Eric L. Davis, DSW, LCSW, LCAC
Chief Clinical Officer, MHAI
Dr. Eric L. Davis is the Chief Clinical Officer for Mental Health America of Indiana (MHAI). He also teaches for the Indiana University School of Social Work at Indiana University – Indianapolis. He co-founded Life Recovery Center in 2004 and served as Executive Director for 20 years until the agency’s merger with MHAI in 2024. Dr. Davis is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor, ICADV-Certified Abuse/Batterers Intervention Program Senior Facilitator, International Certified Gambling Counselor-II, and was the first person in Indiana to become certified as a Board Approved Clinical Consultant in Problem Gambling. He obtained his Doctor of Social Work from Barry University, Master of Social Work from Indiana University, and Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Indianapolis.
Indiana Youth Advisory Board (IYAB)
The Indiana Youth Advisory Board (IYAB) was established in 2022 through a partnership between the Indiana Department of Health Division of Maternal and Child Health and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addiction. The IYAB consists of young leaders aged 14-24 living throughout Indiana. The IYAB exists to assess youth-targeted public health, mental health, and suicide prevention initiatives and to advance and advocate for youth health and well-being in Indiana.
Emma, Kylie, Amya, Jayma, and Bethanie are members of the IYAB. Through their work with the IYAB, as college and high school students, and as young leaders, they work to raise awareness around mental health and resources, break the stigma surrounding mental health, and pursue their passions to make a difference for youth in Indiana.
Colleen Carpenter, MA, MPH
Director, Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana
Colleen Carpenter, MA, MPH
Director, Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana
Colleen Carpenter provides evidence-based training and targeted consultation to build long term capacity to prevent suicide and improve mental wellness. Her mission is to help organizations and communities tighten their safety nets so that people who are struggling with suicide and mental health issues are identified and helped. Besides providing training and consultation, she is the Director of Stop Suicide Northeast Indiana. She also sits on numerous local and state level mental health and suicide-related committees, including the Indiana Suicide Prevention Network’s advisory board. She recently became a Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) facilitator. She has master’s degrees from Loyola University Chicago (sociology) and the University of North Carolina (public health). She has won local and national awards for her work in suicide prevention. She is also a survivor of her Uncle John’s suicide.
Tennisha N. Riley, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida
Tennisha N. Riley, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida
Dr. Riley is an Assistant Professor of Youth Development and Prevention Science in the Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences at the University of Florida. Prior to her appointment with FYCS, she was an Assistant Professor of Human Development at Indiana University, where she also completed her postdoctoral fellowship with the Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society. Dr. Riley received her Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University in Developmental Psychology with a focus on adolescent health and emotional well-being. As the principal investigator of the Black Youth Emotional Development and Identity in Group Contexts (BEInG) research lab, her work focuses on two primary areas : (1) how emotions and emotion regulation are influenced by Black youth experiences in contexts such as family, peers, and schools and (2) processes of emotion regulation might underly negative health behaviors and/or prosocial behaviors during adolescence.
Lisa Hutcheson, MEd
Vice President, Prevention and Policy, MHAI
MHAI – IN Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking
Lisa Hutcheson, MEd
Vice President, Prevention and Policy, MHAI
Lisa has been leading the Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking since it began in 1997 and also directs the Indiana Collegiate Action Network. She holds a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Tennessee. As the Vice President of Prevention and Policy at Mental Health America of Indiana, Lisa plays a key role in the organization’s lobbying efforts, focusing on prevention policies related to alcohol, tobacco and vaping, cannabis, and gaming. Through her work and support of grassroots coalitions, ICRUD and ICAN have successfully advanced significant alcohol regulations over the past two decades.
Beyond her professional work, Lisa serves on the Lebanon Community School Corporation Board of Trustees and is an active member of Tri Kappa sorority. She and her husband, Scott, a professor at Purdue, have been married for 35 years and are proud parents to two sons, Oliver and Henry, both of whom attend Purdue University. In 2022, their family welcomed Pippa, a silky terrier, and in March of this year, Cosette, a toy poodle. Lisa enjoys dreaming of an English garden (with plans of enjoying one of her own someday), baking, reading on her screened-in porch, and playing the piano.
Melissa Helm, LMHC
Dir, Crisis Services, Centerstone of IN
Melissa Helm, LMHC
Dir, Crisis Services, Centerstone of IN
Melissa Helm graduated from Indiana State University with a Master’s in Counseling. She is an Indiana Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Licensed Addictions Counselor who has been with Centerstone nearly 25 years providing individual, group and family therapy. She is currently the Director of Crisis Services. She has served on the Department of Family and Child Services Board, provided direct crisis services to children and adults and has helped with developing infrastructure for Same Day Access, Telehealth Services for Day time crisis services and oversite of CRSS and Mobile Crisis Response.
Melissa has extensive experience over the continuum of behavioral healthcare, including such areas as Crisis Intervention, Family Therapy, Risk Assessment, Trainer for Risk Mitigation and Suicide Specific Care, and building Staff Resiliency and reducing staff burn-out. She has written and presented on topics related to behavioral healthcare for adults and children. Melissa is motivated by, and committed to, building relationships among her colleagues in the community to advance the causes of continuity of care and integrated care.
Kelly Benedict, LMFT
Clinical Documentation and Training Supervisor
Kelly Benedict, LMFT
Clinical Documentation and Training Supervisor
Kelly is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 34 years of experience in the field. Kelly graduated from Milligan College in 1988 with a BS in Psychology and from Indiana State University in 1990 with a MS in Marriage and Family Therapy. Much of her career has focused in the area of treating trauma and mental health challenges primarily with children. Kelly has been with Centerstone for 15 years in a variety of positions. Currently she is athe Clinical Documentation and Training Supervisor; RAPID RESPONSE, STRIDE and Mobile Crisis. Kelly provides clinical training and support for Centerstone’s crisis services.
B. Levi Bolin, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Clinical Affairs
Millennium Health LLC
B. Levi Bolin, Ph.D.
Associate Director, Clinical Affairs, Millennium Health LLC
Dr. Levi Bolin received his Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Kentucky and is a Behavioral Pharmacologist who is interested in the etiology, treatment, and public-health impacts of substance use disorders. For over a decade, Dr. Bolin studied the behavioral effects of drugs and their impact on basic learning, motivation, and decision-making processes involved in the pathology of addiction. His research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals including Drug and Alcohol Dependence and the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
As the Associate Director of Clinical Affairs at Millennium Health, Dr. Bolin aims to help improve patient care by providing clinical and scientific support to practicing clinicians and help address the nation’s substance use and overdose crisis by sharing insights into real-time illicit drug and polysubstance use trends from Millennium Health’s Emerging Threat Intelligence (ETI) Program™. He actively contributes to ongoing research within the ETI Program, is a co-author of the Millennium Health Signals Report™, and works closely with several of Millennium Health’s collaborators including the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
Sarah Bailey, M. Ed, IECMH-E®, PMH-C
Director of Outreach and Training, INfancy Onward
Sarah Bailey, M. Ed, IECMH-E®, PMH-C
Director of Outreah and Training, Infancy Onward
Sarah Bailey is the Director of Outreach and Training at INfancy Onward. Sarah graduated from Indiana University with teaching licenses in both Preschool and Early Childhood Education. She was the Director of a child care program, taught Kindergarten for years in several elementary schools, as a therapist for First Steps, and then transitioned to becoming the Inclusion Specialist for an Indiana Child Care Resource and Referral. She worked as an Inclusion Specialist, Child Care Provider Trainer, and Coach, working with child care providers, families, and children. Sarah received her Master’s degree in Education from Indiana Wesleyan and her Adult Education Coaching Certification from Ball State University. She received the Infant Mental Health Endorsement® in 2016 and the Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® in 2020. Recently, Sarah received her Perinatal Mental Health Certification, with Postpartum Support International.
Anne Gabbert, IMH-E®
Education and Resource Manager, INfancy Onward
Anne Gabbert, IMH-E®
INfancy Onward
Anne Gabbert brings 40 years of experience working in the field of Early Childhood Education to her work with children, families, and the early care and education providers who serve them. Dedicated to enhancing opportunities for children, families, and communities, Anne is involved in research projects as the Education and Resource Manager for INfancy Onward, part of Mental Health America of Indiana (MHAI). Anne holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Butler University and has utilized her education and experience in the roles of classroom teacher, center director, grant writer, executive director, and project manager. Anne was one of the original Quality Advisors for the Paths to QUALITY™ program in 2008 when it rolled out statewide in Indiana; in addition, she worked for 5 years in community programs for children and families in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico and for 6 years at United Way of Central Indiana managing the portfolio of grants and projects in Early Childhood Education. Anne is a Master Trainer for the ACE Interface (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and loves to share the importance of the NEAR Sciences: Neurology, Epigenetics, ACES, and Resilience.
Jackie Franks, MPH, CHES, CPS
Executive Director, Indiana Alliance on Prenatal Substance Exposure
Jackie Franks, MPH, CHES, CPS
Executive Director, Indiana Alliance on Prenatal Substance Exposure
Jackie Franks is the Executive Director of Indiana Alliance on Prenatal Substance Exposure. Jackie received her Bachelor of Science in health science and Master degree in Public Health from Benedictine University in Lisle, IL and is also a Certified Health Education Specialist and Certified Prevention Specialist. Currently, Jackie is a graduate student at Indiana University-Indianapolis in the Doctorate in Public Health in Global Health Leadership program. Jackie has worked extensively in health education, promotion, and primary disease prevention for over a decade and has committed her career and much of her personal life to helping Hoosiers live their healthiest lives. Jackie serves on several local and statewide coalitions and collaboratives including the Kosciusko Cares Drug Free Coalition, Fetal Infant Mortality Review Committees and the Indiana Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative for the Indiana State Department of Health.
Jackie enjoys birding, traveling, DIY home projects and currently resides in Knox, Indiana with her two rescue dogs, Luke and Leia.
Amelia Miller
Discovery Café Catalyst Coach (Youth Development & Training Manager), We Bloom
Amelia Miller
Discovery Café Catalyst Coach (Youth Development & Training Manager), We Bloom
Amelia Miller is thrilled to have recently joined the staff at We Bloom, an organization dedicated to catalyzing health in communities through creating spaces for love, healing, and justice. She is the Catalyst Coach (Youth Development & Training Manager) for Discovery Café, a peer-to-peer support group for young people ages 13-17 who are seeking recovery, community, and overall well-being. In her role, she works to support and expand the network of Discovery Cafés across Indiana and the country. She has nearly 20 years of experience in youth development and education, with a focus on youth well-being, leadership development, and civic engagement, as well as training and empowering youth workers.
Amelia has worked previously as a Community Initiatives Coordinator at the Marion County Commission on Youth; as Key Club Leadership Specialist at Kiwanis International; as Executive Director of the Perry Township Education Foundation; and as Executive Director of the Indiana Chapter of Multiplying Good. She facilitates training on a contract basis for the Center for Racial Justice in Education, where she helps students, teachers, and administrators to dismantle interpersonal and institutional racism in and out of school. Amelia has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Webster University in St. Louis, MO, and a Graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from IU Indianapolis.
Gabriela M. Rodríguez, PhD, HSPP
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Gabriela M. Rodríguez, PhD, HSPP
Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Gabriela M. Rodríguez, PhD, HSPP is a licensed clinical psychologist and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Indiana University School of Medicine. She is Clinical Director of the ADHD and Disruptive Behavior Disorders Program at the Riley Hospital for Children Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic. She directs the Indiana Statewide Implementation of Multisystemic Therapy (MST) and the Indiana INTREPID Center.
Dr. Rodríguez earned her BS in Psychology from Indiana University Bloomington. She earned her PhD in Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology from Florida International University. She completed her clinical internship at the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University.
Kenya Anderson
Senior Director of Client Services, IYG, BS
Kenya Anderson
Senior Director of Client Services, IYG, BS
Kenya serves as the Senior Director of Client Services at IYG, one of the oldest youth LGBTQIA organizations in the United States. It proudly houses the largest youth rapid re-housing program in Indiana. In her role, Kenya leads a devoted team of professionals who tirelessly ensure that young people across the state receive comprehensive support and vital resources. Her exceptional leadership and vast experience in education and social reform have fostered remarkable outcomes, empowering youth to overcome adversity and reach their full potential. Throughout her impressive 18-year career, Kenya Anderson has consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to creating positive change in the lives of others. Her passion, extensive knowledge, and compassionate approach have earned her the deep respect and admiration of colleagues, students, and community members alike. Kenya’s work is not just impactful; it shines as a beacon of hope for those she serves.
Bailey Wisher, CSPR-PR, CAPRC ll, M.A.T.S
Peer Lead, Indiana Recovery Network
Bailey Wisher, CSPR-PR, CAPRC ll, M.A.T.S
Peer Lead, Indiana Recovery Network
Bailey Wisher is the Peer Recovery Team Lead at Indiana Recovery Network and holds credentials as a Certified Supervisor of Peer Recovery, a Certified Peer Recovery Coach Level ll, a Medicated Assisted Treatment Specialist, and is currently working towards a degree in Human Services. She is also the Chapter Lead for our local YPR-INDY Chapter (Young People in Recovery). Bailey believes in the transformative power of Peer Support Services and employs a person-centered approach that emphasizes intentionality and connection-building. Because she firmly believes in the expression of the power of autonomy, she supports, believes in, and advocates for harm reduction and many pathways to recovery.
Ken Mackie, MD
Indiana University, Bloomington
Ken Mackie, MD
Indiana University, Bloomington
Ken Mackie received his MD from Yale University, did his Anesthesiology Residency at the University of Washington, and performed post-doctoral work at Rockefeller University and the University of Washington. For the past thirty years, Dr. Mackie’s research has sought to understand the pharmacological and physiological relationships between phytocannabinoids (such as THC and CBD), synthetic cannabinoids, and endogenous cannabinoids. Major areas of cannabinoid research include the effects of phytocannabinoids on the developing brain and potential therapeutic benefits of manipulating the endogenous cannabinoid system. More recently his lab has also been investigating novel treatments to detect and counteract an opioid overdose. His lab incorporates diverse approaches (imaging, electrophysiological, behavioral, molecular, and biochemical) to address these questions.
Zachary Adams, PhD, HSPP
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Riley Children’s Health
Zachary Adams, PhD, HSPP
Associate Professor of Psychiatry, IU School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Riley Children’s Health
Dr. Adams is an Associate Professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the IU Department of Psychiatry. His clinical and research interests center on improving care and promoting healthy outcomes for young people with co-occurring mental health and substance use problems, with a particular emphasis on youth and families impacted by trauma and adversity. He leads several research, service, and training programs focused on making effective assessment and treatment services more available and accessible to youth and families.
Helen C. Fox
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University
Helen C. Fox
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University
Dr. Fox is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Indiana University. She has spent the past twenty years developing and refining a greater understanding of stress and immune system mechanisms underlying motivation for alcohol and substance use in a range of addicted and non-addicted individuals. In addition, she has expertise in the impact of sex, gender, menstrual cycle and gonadal hormones on these biobehavioral processes. More recently, this has culminated in a broader focus on women’s health within addiction. Using a range of experimental methodologies, including randomized clinical trials, human laboratory paradigms and intense, repeated measurement techniques, she has begun to elucidate novel targets for medications development in alcohol and substance using women.
Gina Fears
Peer Innovation Manager, MHAI/ICAADA
Gina Fears
Peer Innovation Manager, MHAI/ICAADA
Gina Fears, Peer Innovation Manager, Mental Health America of Indiana identifies as a person in recovery from substance use issues which motivates her work daily. She is a believer that all should have a chance to recover without judgement and by any pathway they choose. She has worked for the last 27 years in the behavioral health field, focused on re-entry, recovery support, substance use treatment and supportive housing. As a Contractor of DMHA and MHAI, and in her chas trained Peer Recovery Coaches across the State of Indiana for certification, including in IDOC therapeutic communities since 2009. She has partnered for research with Fairbanks, Wayne State University and IUPUI School of Public Health, studying “Why Women don’t complete HELP programs,” “Benefits of Peer-to-Peer Coaching for Re-entry populations,” and “Harm Reduction.” She is pleased to have been involved in the continued development of a strong and growing Recovery Infrastructure spanning all 92 counties of the state of Indiana. Since the continued rise in overdose, and fatalities as a result of overdose since 2016, including spikes during the Covid health crisis, she has maintained a focus on Harm Reduction Community Education and solutions. She has worked with the Midwest Harm Reduction Institute to further educate herself and others that work in the field. She is currently partnering with a coalition formed by Overdose Lifeline and IU Bloomington to study overdoses specifically in Communities of Color in Indianapolis.
Payge Redman
Outcomes Coordinator, ICAADA
Payge Redman
Outcomes Coordinator, ICAADA
Payge Redman is the Outcomes Coordinator at ICAADA, where she excels in data collection and evaluation, focusing on the success and impact of specific ICAADA programs. Her role is crucial in tracking and ensuring the outcomes of various initiatives, with a particular emphasis on the PATCH program, which has successfully guided scholar recipients toward becoming Certified Peer Recovery Coaches. Payge’s dedication to behavioral health was solidified during her internship at the Richard M. Fairbanks Center for Health Policy, where she discovered her passion for the field. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Management from Indiana University-Indianapolis, equipping her with a strong foundation. Outside of her professional endeavors, Payge is a devoted pet owner, sharing her life with two beloved dogs. Her personal interests reflect her commitment to a balanced and fulfilling life, which she brings to her work and presentations.
Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth
Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Science, and Director, Military Family Research Institute, Purdue University
Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth
Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Science, and Director, Military Family Research Institute, Purdue University
Shelley M. MacDermid Wadsworth is a Distinguished Professor of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, where she directs the Military Family Research Institute, which she co-founded, and serves as Director Emerita of the Center for Families. Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth holds an M.B.A. in Management and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Human Development and Family Studies from The Pennsylvania State University. Her primary research interest is the relationship between work conditions and family life, with special focus on military families. She is an author of over 140 articles and chapters. Her research has been supported by the National Institutes of Health; the Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture; state governments; and numerous private philanthropies. She has served on federal advisory committees for the National Academies of Science and the Department of Defense, and has testified in Congress on multiple occasions regarding military and veteran families. Dr. MacDermid Wadsworth is a recipient of the Morrill Award, Purdue University’s highest faculty honor, for outstanding career achievements that have had an impact on society. She is a fellow of the National Council on Family Relations, from which she also received the Felix Berardo Scholarship Award for Mentoring (2018) and the Burgess Award for continuous and meritorious contributions to theory and research in the family field (2022). She has been named a “Top Ten Extraordinary Contributor” and in 2024 received a lifetime achievement award for contributions to work-family research worldwide.
Susan Conroy, MD PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
Susan Conroy, MD PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine
Dr. Conroy is a psychiatrist and neuroscientist who trained at the Indiana University School of Medicine. She specializes in the treatment of mood disorders, particularly treatment-resistant depression, with an interest in neurostimulation treatment modalities. Clinically, she is the medical director of the Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) service at IU Health Methodist Hospital and the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) service at Goodman Hall Adult Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. Her research focuses on how neurostimulation methods might improve dysfunctional neurocircuitry in depression.
Olawale Ojo MD, MSc
Addiction Psychiatrist, Indiana University
Olawale Ojo MD, MSc
Indiana University
Olawale Ojo earned his medical degree at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. He completed his general psychiatry residency at Interfaith Medical Center, Brooklyn New York before further training at the Indiana University at the Addiction Psychiatry program. He is ABPN board certified in general psychiatry and addiction psychiatry. He is currently the Director of Addictions program at Methodist Hospital, runs an outpatient clinic and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
Lauren A. Magee, PhD
Assistant Professor, Indiana University Indianapolis
Lauren A. Magee, PhD
Assistant Professor, Indiana University Indianapolis
Dr. Lauren A. Magee is an Assistant Professor in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Indianapolis. She is a criminologist and health services researcher, with an interdisciplinary research agenda focused on preventing firearm injuries, reducing health disparities within communities, and identifying opportunities for intervention among people impacted by firearm violence. Her research has been funded by National Institutes of Health and the Indiana Clinical and Translational Science Institute and she received the Multidisciplinary Science Award at the National Research Conference for the Prevention of Firearm-Related Harms in 2023.
Dwight Holland, MA
Owner, Co-CEO, Family and Community Partners Counseling Services, LLC
Dwight Holland, MA
Owner, Co-CEO, Family and Community Partners Counseling Services, LLC
Dwight Holland is a humanitarian, philanthropist, business owner and psychotherapist with many years of experience working collaboratively with community businesses, churches and mental health agencies. His goal is to develop a safe space to help individuals, families and employees change unhealthy patterns of thoughts, feelings and behaviors to achieve desired success. He is the author of “People Stuck in Hard Spaces” a journey from trauma to transformation.
Bwana Clements, MSW, LCSW
Founder/President, BC Consultant Group, LLC
Bwana Clements, MSW, LCSW
Founder/President, BC Consultant Group, LLC
Bwana Clements is a practitioner skilled at connecting. His personal
mission statement reads, “To be a positive force in the life of those I engage through the power of relationships; encouraging, educating and empowering them to be better and more capable than they were before.” Bwana is an Indianapolis native and graduate of Arsenal Tech High School. He is a published author of three books including: The Urban Initiative Guide to Transformational Youth Life Coaching and EMPOWER (Engagement Manual for Police Outcomes Where Everyone’s Respected.
Bwana is a gifted leader. Currently he serves as Director for Morningstar African Wellness Center at Flanner House. He is also Director for Race and Culture Relations Leadership Network at GIPC.