Darcy Gruttadaro, J.D. joined the APA Foundation in 2017 as the director of the Center for Workplace Mental Health. As director, she is developing and implementing the Center’s strategic direction and continued growth. In this role, she will develop strategic relationships and collaboration with employers, business groups representing employers, colleague organizations and other key stakeholders.

Before joining the Center, Ms. Gruttadaro served in multiple senior level positions with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). This work focused on initiatives to expand access to effective mental health services and supports for people impacted by mental health conditions. Ms. Gruttadaro has extensive experience in advocacy, policy and programmatic approaches to expanding evidence-based practices, improving early intervention, securing insurance coverage for mental health services and building a broader array of effective services and supports that promote resiliency and recovery.

Dr. Ken Duckworth serves as the medical director for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. He is double board certified in adult and child and adolescent psychiatry. He has also completed a forensic psychiatry fellowship. Dr. Duckworth is currently an Assistant Clinical Professor at Harvard University Medical School and has served as a board member of the American Association of Community Psychiatrists. Dr. Duckworth has held clinical and leadership positions in community mental health, school psychiatry and now also works as Medical Director for Behavioral Health at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Prior to joining NAMI in 2003, Dr. Duckworth served as Acting Commissioner of Mental Health and the Medical Director for Department of Mental Health of Massachusetts, as a psychiatrist on a Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) team, and Medical Director of the Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Dr. Duckworth attended the University of Michigan where he graduated with honors and Temple University School of Medicine. Ken won the Patient Advocacy Award from the APA and is a distinguished fellow of that organization.

Amy Labenski is the Senior Director of National Impact & Engagement at WETA, Washington, DC. She is responsible for maximizing positive impact of WETA National Productions by expanding and reaching new audiences through the creation and delivery of innovative education and engagement initiatives and by leveraging diverse partnerships. Amy works with producers, funders, executive-level stakeholders, and PBS stations across the entire U.S. to effectively execute broad engagement initiatives from development to implementation to follow-up and final evaluation. Her overall professional background includes expertise in community engagement, educator outreach, project management, digital strategy, and strategic planning – primarily for non-profits and public media. She has a MA in developmental psychology from Teachers College at Columbia University and a BA in visual media from American University. Amy lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, their 2 year old son, and two naughty cats.

 

As Vice President, Education for NETA, Timothy leads NETA’s team to strengthen and amplify Public Media’s education mission. His team supports Professional Development, Education Services, NETA Peer Learning Communities, NETA Awards, and the NETA Conference. Prior to NETA, he was the Director of Development and Marketing with WGVU Public Media where he led the Development & Business Development team as well as Marketing, Outreach, Art, and Education areas.

He was with WGVU for twelve years, two as an Underwriting Sales Representative and the past ten years as Director of Development and Marketing.

Timothy is a proud Air Force Veteran, having served from 1990 – 1998 working with the 439th Military Airlift Wing and the 127th Air Wing as a PERSCO Team Member and the 110th Fighter Group as a Weapons Loader on A-10 Aircraft and has been deployed domestically and overseas in support of several Air Force operations.

Sherman Gillums leads strategic operations for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, where he oversees the organization’s efforts to universalize timely access to appropriate mental healthcare for underserved communities and the destigmatization of mental illness.

He served in the United States Marine Corps for 12 years, joining at age 17, and received an honorable discharge at the rank of chief warrant officer 2 after suffering severe injury while in uniform.

He has testified before Congress as an expert witness and appeared on national media as one of the most influential leaders in veteran advocacy. He currently serves as vice chairman of the Federal Advisory Committee for Veterans’ Family, Caregiver & Survivor as vice chairman, alongside chairperson Elizabeth Dole.

He holds a Master’s degree from the University of San Diego School of Business and completed his executive education at Harvard Business School. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Dayton.

Anita Herron serves as the Programs Manager of National Education Programs for NAMI. She began working at NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) in August of 2017 as the Programs Manager for NAMI Family-to-Family, NAMI Basics and NAMI Homefront. Prior to coming to NAMI, Anita served as Young Families Program Advocate at NAMI North Carolina for seven years. Anita relocated to Gainesville, Florida after her husband retired from the Army after 28 years of service. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Troy University.

Suzanne Robinson is Director of National Education Programs overseeing curriculum and the Education Team. She co-authored NAMI Homefront for military/veteran families and developed NAMI Family & Friends. Prior to coming to NAMI, Suzanne’s positions included Director of Programs at NAMI Ohio, Coordinator for St. Louis Partners AmeriCorps and Senior Program Director at the University of Minnesota YMCA. Her father served in the Army and her great uncle was one of the Monuments Men charged with preserving European art and cultural treasures in World War 2. Suzanne received a BA in history from Washington University in St. Louis and an MSW from Ohio State University.

Christine M. Crawford, MD, MPH is the Associate Director of Psychiatry Medical Student Education and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at BU School of Medicine. She completed her adult psychiatry residency as well as child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship training at Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital. Dr. Crawford is also the Associate Medical Director at NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She received her MD from University of Connecticut and her Master’s in Public Health at BU School of Public Health where she concentrated in Social and Behavioral Sciences. During residency, she was the recipient of the MGH Laughlin Award and was selected by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) as an APA/SAMHSA Minority Fellow which provided her funding to develop community-based interventions to reduce mental health stigma within the Black community. She has been engaged in a number of community outreach initiatives through the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, NAACP and NAMI. She has authored multiple book chapters on mental health disparities, sociocultural issues in psychiatry as well as peer reviewed publications focusing on major depressive disorder. She has made appearances on PBS, WGBH TV programming as well as provides seminars on mental health and racism at various community-based settings

Darlene Ifill-Taylor is a Psychiatric Physician, Founder of Three Strand Wellness, LLC, in Charlotte, NC and author of “Get Well! Making the Wellness of Our Mind, Body and Spirit a Priority”. She has treated Children and Adults for over 25 years and feels strongly about the integration of Mental Health into the overall wellness of individuals, families and communities. She is also a singer songwriter.

Christina Bott joined NAMI in 2019 and is Director of Public Safety and Health Care Initiatives. Christina has worked as a program manager and educator, overseeing Crisis Intervention Team and justice system programs. Her clinical management experience includes work with service members, veterans, and their families, and community mental health programs for the seriously mentally ill. Christina currently oversees NAMI’s Frontline Wellness Initiative as well as NAMI Hearts & Minds.

Allison Burfield Byler, RN, MSN, PhD is the Senior Manager of Health Care Initiatives in the Research, Support, and Education Department at NAMI. As a clinician, she has worked in mental health with children to older adults in the community and the acute care setting. In addition, she has over 25 years of experience working as a nurse consultant and outcomes researcher leading interdisciplinary teams focused on research, health care program development, educational content, and community wellness. Dr. Byler has published many articles, educational monographs, books, and book sections in health care.

Joe Weston is the founder of The Weston Network, Executive Director for the Fierce Civility Project, author of Mastering Respectful Confrontation, and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University teaching a masters level course: Body-Based Skill Building for Navigating Stress and Confrontation.

Growing up in a pugilistic environment led Joe on a quest to deeply understand the roots that underlie conflict; and subsequently, ways in which it can be safely addressed, or even prevented, through processes including confrontation and collaboration. These explorations took him around the world, where he studied diverse traditions, and learned from masters in the martial arts. Joe synthesized a body of knowledge and practices that combine theory with somatic exercises.

Drawing on these, along with his experience in theater and interest in neuroscience, Joe and his team have been working with organizations and movements around the world, including more than a decade of programs with NASA.

Joe’s work with women’s rights and other humanitarian organizations in the Middle East and the US, focuses on empowerment and leadership, reframing power/masculinity, and overcoming gender-based violence. He has also worked with veterans’ organizations in processes of integration and healing, and has also volunteered for the Liberation Prison Project, teaching meditation and leadership to inmates.