Friday, September 12
1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Strategies for Whole Health Wellness: Sharon Jenkins-Tucker
 Sharon Jenkins-Tucker is the Executive Director of the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Inc. She is the Chair of the Georgia Mental Health Services Coalition and a board member of the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association of Georgia. She previously worked for the West Virginia Mental Health Consumers’ Association and directed their Mental Health Consumer Network and the West Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs. Prior to that, she was a Behavioral Health Advocate for Legal Aid of West Virginia for nine years. She is a self identified consumer of mental health services and holds the credential of ITE (I’m the Evidence), I’m the evidence that recovery works. She has extensive experience with the consumer/survivor movement and has expertise with WRAP facilitation, Leadership Academy training, peer workforce development, advocacy and mind/body/spirit wellness. She is a Certified Peer Specialist. Her degrees are from West Virginia University and she holds a Masters and Bachelors of Arts. She lives in Decatur, GA with her husband Randy, their dogs Dusty and Maxwell and their cat Dolphin.
Alternative Therapies and Emerging Technologies: Lauren B. Marangell, MD
 Lauren B. Marangell, MD, is a Distinguished Scholar with Eli Lilly and Company, specializing in mood disorders. Before joining Lilly she was the Brown Foundation Chair of the Psychopharmacology of Mood Disorders in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, a tenured Professor of Psyciatry. Prior to joining the faculty of Baylor College of Medicine as the Founding Director of the Mood Disorders Program, she spent three years at the National Institute of Mental Health as a Fellow and Senior Staff. Dr. Marangell has received numerous awards, including the Established Investigators Award from the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders and the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. Dr. Marangell has served as advisor for the US Food and Drug administration, a reviewer for the National Institute of Mental Health and a member of the National Scientific Advisory Board of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. In addition to contributing to the scientific literature, she is lead author of the Concise Guide to Psychopharmacology, published in 4 languages by The American Psychiatric Press, Inc.
Genetics Studies of Mood Disorders: The Future is Ours: Melvin G. McInnis, MD
 Melvin McInnis, MD, FRCPsych, is the Thomas B and Nancy Upjohn Woodworth Professor of Bipolar Disorder and Depression, Professor of Psychiatry with the Department of Psychiatry and Depression Center at the University of Michigan.
Dr. McInnis is an established and internationally renowned researcher in the genetics of bipolar disorder. He has published widely in the field and is an active participant in one of the largest and longest standings collaborations in BP disorder that began as the NIMH Genetics Initiative for Bipolar Disorder. This endeavor (known colloquially as the "G11") now consists of a collaboration between 11 universities within the USA and is dedicated to the genetics of BP disorder. Dr. McInnis' involvement began as a fellow genetics in 1989, at the time the collaboration between the 4 founding sites.
Effectively Managing Your Illness & Finances: Judith A. Cook and Peter Ashenden
 Judith A. Cook is Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Medical Center. She directs the Mental Health Services Research Program (MHSRP) which houses a federally funded center on self-determination and recovery, and a number of research and evaluation projects addressing severe mental illness. The UIC National Research and Training Center on Psychiatric Disability is funded for five years to conduct a series of research and training projects addressing evidence-based practice, consumer-directed services, and alternative financing mechanisms. Dr. Cook also directs the Coordinating Center for the Employment Intervention Demonstration Program, a federal multi-site, clinical trials study of supported employment interventions for people with major mental disorders. Dr. Cook's published research includes over 150 books, edited volumes, and peer-reviewed journal articles in areas such as rehabilitation, recovery and self-determination; mental illness among youth; post-secondary education for people with mental illness, gender issues in psychiatric disability, and coping strategies of parents of adult offspring with severe mental illness. She served as expert consultant to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, and as an advisory committee member and reviewer of the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health. Dr. Cook has consulted with the British Columbia Ministry of Health, and with numerous federal agencies and administrations in the U.S. including the White House, the Office of the Surgeon General, the Department of Labor, the Government Accountability Office, the U.S. Department of Education, the National Institute of Mental Health, the Veteran’s Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration. With staff at the MHSRP, Dr. Cook has created a series of training manuals and curricula in areas such as: reduction of seclusion and restraint in inpatient settings, community safety for women with mental illness, hiring consumers as direct service providers, job coaching in psychiatric rehabilitation, assertive case management for homeless persons, vocational transitioning for youth with severe emotional disorders, and outreach to minority families of persons with mental illness.
 Peter Ashenden joined DBSA as Executive Vice President in July of 2007. Prior to this, he served as Secretary on the Executive Committee of its Board of Directors. He is the former Executive Director of the Mental Health Empowerment Project in Albany, N.Y., which provides training to consumer/survivors and mental health professionals throughout New York State.
Additionally, Mr. Ashenden is President-elect of the U.S. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA) and representative for the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, (NYAPRS). He also serves as Chair-elect for the newly-formed board of USPRA. Mr. Ashenden is also a member of the board of directors for the Baltic Street Mental Health Board, a member of the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) and a former board member of PEOPLE, Inc., a leading nonprofit human services agency serving western New York State.
Saturday, September 13
10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Person-Centered Treatment & Planning: Larry Fricks and Diane Grieder, MEd
 Larry Fricks currently serves as the Director of the Appalachian Consulting Group, Inc. For nearly 13 years he was Georgia’s Director of the Office of Consumer Relations ad Recovery in the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Diseases. He is a founder of the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, Inc., that now has some 3,000 members, a founder of Georgia’s Peer Specialist Training and Certification and a founder of the Georgia Peer Support Institute. He served on the Planning Board for the Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance and the Board of Directors of the National Mental Health Association. He is also on the Advisory Board for The Carter Center Mental Health Journalism Fellowships. Mr. Fricks has a journalism degree from the University of Georgia and has won journalism awards from the Associated Press, the Georgia Press Association, Gannet Newspapers, the National Mental Health Association of Georgia and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill-Georgia. He is the 1995 recipient of the Clifford W. Beers Award given annually by the National Mental Health Association and the 2001 recipient of the American Association for World Health Award for significant contributions to improving community mental health. In 2004, he received the Recovery Award from International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services.
 Diane Grieder is the owner of AliPar, Inc., a behavioral health consulting firm committed to improving organizational performance, and co-author of Treatment Planning for Person-Centered Care: The Road to Mental Health and Addiction Recovery. She is also a consultant with the National Council of Behavioral Healthcare and with NASMHPD/NTAC.
AliPar, Inc. was awarded a SAMHSA small business grant to create four person and family centered training guides to be disseminated by SAMHSA. These guides, one for family members, one for consumers, one for direct service providers and one for administrators, are due to be published by SAMHSA in 2008.
Ms. Grieder regularly conducts trainings throughout the country on strategic planning, performance improvement and clinical documentation and a person-centered/recovery oriented approach to treatment planning.
Successful Interpersonal Relationships: Julie A. Fast
 Julie A. Fast is a best selling author, speaker and radio host on the topic of mental health education. ms. Fast speaks openly of her struggles as a partner of someone with a mood disorder as well as how she currently manages her bipolar disorder.
Ms. Fast is the recipient of the mental Health America award for excellence in mental health journalism as well as the Eli Lilly achievement award for her mental health writing and advocacy.
Shared Decision Making: Partnering With Your Clinician: Gregory Simon, MD, MPH
 Gregory Simon is a psychiatrist and researcher at Group Health Cooperative in Seattle.
He currently chairs DBSA's Scientific Advisory Board. His research focuses on improving the quality and availability of mental health services for people living with mood disorders. He has a specific interest in activating consumers to expect and demand more effective mental health care.
1:15 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
Mental Health Parity…& Beyond: Randy Revelle
 Randy Revelle, Senior Vice President for Policy and Public Affairs for the Washington State Hospital Association, is an outspoken advocate on behalf of people living with mental illness. Since 1981, he has told his personal story of recovery to thousands of people in Washington State and to national audiences. As chairman of the Washington Coalition for Insurance Parity, Mr. Revelle led successful efforts in Washington State to enact a comprehensive mental health parity law. He also serves as National Vice Chairman of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
Mr. Revelle has received numerous honors and awards for public service, including the Governor Booth Gardner Mental Health Champion Award presented by Sound Mental Health. He graduated with honors from Princeton University and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He also earned a J.D. working his way through Harvard Law School as a Fuller Brush Salesman.
Cultural Inclusion: TBA
Successful Career Planning: Karen Fuqua, CPC
 Karen Fuqua has more than 18 years experience in the commercial staffing industry and human resource management. She has produced a wide variety of career fairs, events and workshops designed to assist all types of employees from those on the frontline, up through middle management to top tier executives in their career planning. She is currently a college teacher specializing in the areas of human resources, communication and ethics and consulting with local boutique staffing firms. Her breakout session will draw on both her personal and professional experiences and provide practical and sound career path advice to those with mood disorders. Ms. Fuqua holds a Bachelor’s of Business Administration Degree from Faulkner University.
Stamp Out Stigma and Rev Up Your Recovery: Stephen Propst, MBA
 Stephen Propst is Chair of the DBSA Board of Directors, president of DBSA Metro Atlanta and is an active voice on radio/television and in print. His Mind Over Mood column appears regularly in bp Magazine. He is a writer, a conference speaker and a consultant to families and patients who seek to successfully confront mental illness and have meaningful lives. Stephen has an MBA from Michigan State University and previously worked in the hotel/restaurant field.
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Women & Mood Disorders: TBA
Online Support & Recovery Tools
Nathan Henry serves as the Web Manager for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Since joining DBSA in August of 2006, his primary duties have been to maintain and enhance DBSA’s online presence through effective web delivery of products, programs, information and services. Mr. Henry graduated magna cum laude from Kaplan University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Technology.
Cindy Specht, DBSA's Director of Programs, leads the development of on- and off-line educational programs, events and services. She has an extensive background in program development, consulting and marketing with a particular emphasis in technology integration.
Trauma: Looking Back & Moving Forward: Victoria Maxwell
 Victoria Maxwell is one of North America’s most sought-after educators and consultants on the lived experience of mental illness and recovery. She is Creative Director of Crazy for Life Co. and an award-winning actress and playwright with more than 15 years experience. Her critically acclaimed one-woman show Crazy For Life tours internationally to sold-out audiences. Her efforts recently captured the Gordon Armstrong Theatre Award, honors as a finalist in the Canadian National Playwriting Competition and the Courage to Comeback Award. Ms. Maxwell’s work is also featured in the Knowledge Network documentary Living with Depression.
A frequent guest on radio and television, Ms. Maxwell writes monthly columns for various health magazines, and websites, including BC’s Mood Disorders Association, Chapters Bookstore’s Chapters of Health and Calgary’s Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorders.
Sparking Creativity in Healing: Elizabeth Maynard Schaefer, PhD
 Elizabeth Maynard Schaefer, author of Writing through the Darkness: Easing Your Depression with Paper and Pen, is a science journalist, mental health advocate, and pioneer in using creative writing as a tool for easing depression. Since 1998 she has led a unique creative writing program for people with mood disorders, meeting at the Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. This group draws members from across the San Francisco Bay Area and has been recommended by mental health care professionals.
Dr. Schaefer, who has bipolar disorder, has lived through severe depressions, and her knowledge and insight allow her to address the fears and concerns of people with these conditions. She speaks on mental health issues, both personal and professional, to audiences including healthcare providers, police officers, community groups, and people with mental illness and their families.
She served as the West Coast Correspondent for Nature; has written on science and medicine for the Stanford News Service, The San Jose Mercury News and other publications; and has contributed to science textbooks. Dr. Schaefer earned her Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at Stanford University.
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