Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) is proud to bring together our incredible community of peer leaders for this year’s convening. Over the next two days, Chapter Leaders, Support Group Facilitators, Peer Specialist Training Graduates, Advocates, and other dedicated partners from across the country will gather for connection, learning, and collaboration.
Schedule/Agenda
Day 1, September 27, 2025
- 8:30 AM Optional Breakfast
- 9:30 AM Opening Remarks: Michael Pollock, DBSA CEO
- 9:40 AM Keynote: Dr. Kay Redfield Jamison
The Consequences of Having Publicly Disclosed Bipolar Illness - 10:30 Panel Discussion #1
The Spectrum of Peer Support - Noon Lunch
- 1:00 PM Panel Discussion #2
Suicidality and The Role of The Peer Supporter - 2:40 PM 2026 & Beyond: Strategic Planning Session
- 4:00 PM Close
- 5:00 PM Dinner: 221 Blu Bar & Lounge
located above the FireLake restaurant, accessed from the lobby
Day 2, September 28, 2025
- 8:30 AM Breakfast
- 9:00 AM Peer Leadership Awards Ceremony
- 10:45 AM Closing Remarks
Keynote Speaker
Kay Redfield Jamison is the Dalio Professor in Mood Disorders, Professor of Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and co-director of the Johns Hopkins Mood Disorders Center. She is also Honorary Professor of English at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. She is co–author of the standard medical text on manic–depressive (bipolar) illness, which was chosen as the most outstanding book in biomedical sciences by the American Association of Publishers, and author of Touched with Fire, An Unquiet Mind, Night Falls Fast, Exuberance, Nothing Was the Same, and Fires in the Dark. Dr. Jamison has written more than 125 scientific and clinical articles about mood disorders, suicide, creativity, and lithium. Her memoir, An Unquiet Mind, which chronicles her own experience with manic–depressive, or bipolar illness, was on The New York Times bestseller list for five months and translated into thirty languages. Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide was a national bestseller and selected by The New York Times as a Notable Book of 1999. Exuberance: The Passion for Life was selected by The Washington Post, The Seattle Times, and The San Francisco Chronicle as one of the best books of the year and by Discover magazine as one of the best science books of the year. Dr. Jamison has been awarded numerous honorary degrees, including from the University of St. Andrews (Literature), Brown University (Medical Sciences), and the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church (Divinity). She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences as well as the Royal Society of Edinburgh, and the recipient of numerous literary and scientific awards, including the Lewis Thomas Prize, the Sarnat Prize from the National Academy of Medicine, and a MacArthur Fellowship. Her book about Robert Lowell, Robert Lowell: Setting the River on Fire, was a 2018 Pulitzer Prize Finalist.
Speakers
Michael Pollock
DBSA Chief Executive Officer
Michael Pollock serves as CEO for Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. A thoughtful, motivated, outcomes-oriented leader, Michael drives DBSA’s mission of providing hope, help, support, and education to improve the lives of people living with mood disorders. He is a fierce advocate for the value of peer support, accessible mental health care, and programs and policies that empower people living with mood disorders to reach their full potential.
During his 30+ years of non-profit leadership experience, Michael has held leadership positions at the National Safety Council, Thresholds, and United Way.
Michael is an alumnus of Bowling Green State University, where he earned both a BS in Business Administration and an MS in Organization Development.
Jimmy Gibbs
DBSA Board of Directors
Pastor/Consultant
Raleigh, North Carolina
Jimmy has been affiliated with DBSA for more than 30 years as a facilitator and board member for the Triangle Comfort Zone in North Carolina. He is a retired health care professional, journalist, ordained minister, and business consultant specializing in community engagement, church consulting, and strategic planning.
Morten Group, LLC, is a national consulting firm with deep expertise in nonprofit strategy and equity-driven organizational development.
Edelman is a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote, and protect their brands and reputations.
Panels
Panel #1: The Spectrum of Peer Support
Speakers:
- Jean Dukarski – DBSA Expert Peer Specialist Course Trainer
- Travis McClain – DBSA Louisville Chapter President
- Matt Rosenberg – DBSA Arlington Heights Veteran Support Group Facilitator and VHA Peer Specialist Course Trainer
- Monica Severson – DBSA Senior Strength Program Peer Specialist
- Moderated by: Douglas Hulst, DBSA Peer Workforce Development Senior Manager
Join our panelists for an engaging conversation on the many forms of peer support and the unique roles each plays in shaping the mental health landscape. From local Peer Support Facilitators leading community groups, to credentialed Peer Specialists offering one-on-one support, to peers using their lived experience to train others and lead programs—every approach adds value.
Our speakers represent the full spectrum of peer support delivery. Together, they’ll share their experiences, highlight why all forms of peer support are necessary, and explore how collaboration across roles can strengthen and advance the movement.
Jean Dukarski
DBSA Expert Peer Specialist Course Trainer
Jean Dukarski is a Certified Peer Support Specialist and Lead Trainer at the Appalachian Consulting Group. She has more than 30 years of experience in behavioral health advocacy, with work focused on organizing mental health consumer groups and developing the Peer Support Specialist workforce. Since 1992, she has concentrated on expanding peer-operated services and providing training for peers nationwide.
In her role as a consultant for workforce development, Jean has trained peer support specialists in over 40 states and has contributed expertise on subjects such as health and wellness, advanced directives, ethics, crisis services, and peer supervision. She also provides specialized training programs for Veterans preparing to work within the Department of Veterans Affairs and residents of correctional facilities to become Certified Peer Support Specialists.
Jean has collaborated with DBSA in training Peer Specialists for 12 years and serves as a Whole Health Action Management (WHAM) trainer for the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Her professional activities focus on supporting individuals in managing their own lives and recognizing personal growth potential.
Travis McClain
DBSA Louisville Chapter President
Travis McClain celebrated the tenth anniversary of attending his first DBSA Louisville support group meeting in August. The format appealed to Travis, and he quickly became a regular attendee. Within only a few months, he was recruited as a facilitator. All these years later, he feels comfortable doing it, but it always scares the hell out of him.
In 2017, he co-created an advocacy committee. This led to the cultivation of a dialogue with the office of Senator Mitch McConnell, relaying concerns expressed by DBSA Louisville participants concerning mental healthcare policy. Among the constructive products of this relationship were guest speaker Q&As with the field representative in the Louisville office, as well as the advisor who oversaw healthcare policy matters for the senator. Additionally, the senator helped pass a bill that allocated resources to bolster the peer support program within the VA.
In December 2019, Travis created an Inpatient Outreach program providing DBSA format support group meetings for inpatients at a local mental health facility. It has been met consistently with highly favorable feedback from attendees. It is a source of pride for every facilitator who has taken part in the program. Travis touts it as one of the most gratifying experiences of his life.
DBSA Louisville elected Travis chapter president in January 2024. Throughout his two years in the role, the chapter has experimented with various outreach initiatives. The intention has been to illustrate the truth of DBSA’s axiom that those of us who live with mood disorders are still capable of living full lives and thriving without being defined by them.
A personal highlight for Travis was representing DBSA Louisville in September 2024 at a Louisville Bats Triple-A baseball game that showcased the chapter as the charity of the game. He threw a ceremonial first pitch. It was not a strike.
Matt Rosenberg
DBSA Arlington Heights Veteran Support Group Facilitator and VHA Peer Specialist Course Trainer
Matt Rosenberg is a dedicated Peer Specialist Trainer with the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) and a proud U.S. Army Veteran. Drawing from personal experience with bipolar disorder, PTSD, anxiety, and substance use recovery, Matt channels his journey into powerful advocacy for mental health awareness—especially within the Veteran community. Utilizing their unique and lived experiences, Matt trains fellow veterans to support and educate the community effectively.
With a deep commitment to breaking stigma and building inclusive support systems, Matt uses both lived experience and professional training to uplift others navigating similar challenges as a leader, and facilitator of, multiple peer support groups. His work bridges compassion and action, creating spaces where individuals feel seen, heard, and empowered.
Mónica Severson
DBSA Senior Strength Program Peer Specialist
Mónica Severson is originally from Puebla, Mexico. She currently resides in Texas but lived in California for 20 years. She has served as a Delegate in Learning Cities, participating in UNESCO conferences in Mexico City, Mexico; Cork, Ireland; Medellín, Colombia; and Lowell, Massachusetts, USA.
Mónica holds a master’s degree in international Migration Studies from El Colef (El Colegio de la Frontera Norte), a bachelor’s degree in international business with a specialty in International Migration from El Colegio de la Frontera Norte (COLEF), several Diplomas, Certifications, and has participated in forums, seminars, courses, and workshops internationally. She has worked in the public and private sectors. In 2011, she was the director of “Mi Casa es Puebla” in Los Angeles, California, with the government of the state of Puebla, and was the Director of Community Relations for the law firm of the Chávez Law Group. Founded by the son of legendary Civil Rights activist Cesar Chavez, she has been a facilitator in parent groups, a counselor for older adults with depression and bipolar disorder, a Mental Health promoter with the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, and is currently a High School Teacher supporting Hispanic students in learning English. She also teaches adults English as a second language at the College.
She volunteered for the City of Burbank at the polling stations and participated in the homeless count in Los Angeles, California, among other activities.
Panel #2: Suicidality and The Role of The Peer Supporter
Speakers:
- Rhonda C. Greder, PSP – DBSA Colorado Springs, Vice President, DBSA National Support Group Facilitator Trainer
- Jean Duncan – DBSA Portland, President, DBSA National Support Group Facilitator Trainer
- Robert Dabney Jr., MDiv., CRSS – Executive Director, VetPark’s A.T.V.
- Nina J. Hotkowski, LCSW – DBSA Professional Advisor for Parent and Caregiver Support Group Facilitators
- Moderated by: Phoebe Snydersmith, DBSA Peer Support Services Coordinator
One of DBSA’s core values is that peer support is valuable at all stages of a person’s wellness journey. This includes when an individual is having thoughts of suicide. Support group facilitators and peer specialists may find themselves unsure how to respond in situations when suicidal ideation comes up. Join our panelists as we discuss the role of the peer supporter in these situations and how to have productive and meaningful conversations about this subject.
Robert Dabney Jr., MDiv., CRSS
Executive Director, VetPark’s A.T.V.
Robert Dabney Jr. is a Spiritual & Mental Wellness Coach who currently serves as Program Director for Warrior PATHH’s Mobile Training Team – Alpha, a 90-day immersive program that facilitates Post-Traumatic Growth among combat veterans and first responders across the nation. He also serves as Executive Director of VetPark’s A.T.V., a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting veterans with Certified Recovery Support Specialists for a yearlong peer mentorship experience focused on healing, empowerment, and whole-person wellness.
Jean Duncan
DBSA Portland, President, DBSA National Support Group Facilitator Trainer
Jean, a native Oregonian who retired from the IRS in 2008, became deeply involved with DBSA Portland in 2007, serving as a facilitator and board member. In retirement, Jean pursued her passion for teaching, contributing to the national DBSA Support Group Facilitator Training curriculum, leading peer educational programs with NAMI, and co-creating and teaching an eight-week peer wellness course called Wellness by Design.
Jean lives in Portland with her 16-year-old cat, Happy, and enjoys playing cards with close friends and golfing when the sun is shining.
Rhonda C. Greder, PSP
DBSA Colorado Springs, Vice President, DBSA National Support Group Facilitator Trainer
Rhonda Greder serves as Vice President and a Peer Facilitator for DBSA Colorado Springs. She is a National Facilitator Trainer as well as a Train the Trainer Facilitator. Rhonda also trains Peer Support Professionals for the Colorado Mental Wellness Network.
Nina J. Hotkowski, LCSW
DBSA Professional Advisor for Parent and Caregiver Support Group Facilitators
Nina J. Hotkowski is a licensed clinical social worker with experience working in a diverse range of roles in the mental health field. Nina is a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-Linehan Board of Certification Certified Clinician and supports adults and teens who struggle with emotional dysregulation, suicidality, traumatic stress, mood disorders, and borderline personality disorder. She is a professional advisor to the parent/caregiver support group facilitators through Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.
Peer Leadership Awards
This year, DBSA honors outstanding individuals and chapters that exemplify the values of peer support, leadership, and community impact. The 2025 Peer Awards celebrate those who have gone above and beyond in advancing mental health advocacy and peer-led initiatives.
Peer Support Specialist of the Year
Honors a credentialed peer specialist who serves as a role model through integrity, empathy, and dedication. This awardee uses lived experience to foster connection, reduce stigma, and advocate for change, while maintaining a commitment to professional growth and ethical practice.
Tim Long
National Online Support Group Facilitator, Certified Peer Support Specialist
Tim Long is a CPSS Facilitator for Heypeers.com. He facilitates groups for DBSA, Wake Up Narcolepsy, TBI-Washington, Heypeers certified, and Vet 2 Vet, and sees members for one-on-one support.
It is an absolute honor to be awarded Peer of the Year. His lived experience in combat PTSD, panic disorder, traumatic brain injury, Substance Use Disorder, homelessness, incarceration, and surviving suicide attempts gives him a unique connection to so many of our members. Being able to share his story instills hope and connection.
In his free time, Tim enjoys spending time with his service dog Jax and getting into nature as much as possible. He also enjoys surfing and snowboarding, but most of all, he volunteers.
He’d like to thank everyone who participates in DBSA, making it the best space for support, connection, and community.
Veteran Peer Support Specialist of the Year
Recognizes a Certified Peer Specialist and Veteran who exemplifies resilience, service, and leadership. Whether working within the VA or in the community, this individual transforms personal experience into hope and healing for fellow Veterans.
Gary Cooper
DBSA Certified Veteran Peer Support Specialist
Veterans Administration
Gary Cooper is a Certified Peer Specialist with eight years of experience and a Certified Veteran X Facilitator for five years. He works with the VA Veteran Justice Outreach Team, facilitating substance abuse, housing, coping and life skills, and money management groups at correctional facilities, including Fort Worth Green Bay Correctional Facility, and Ellis County Jail. He also leads housing groups at the Bonham VA and substance use disorder groups at the Dallas VA. A featured speaker at the 2019 VA Mental Health Summit and a VIP guest speaker at the Dallas VA Chief of Staff meeting in 2022, he brings lived experience as a past recipient of the VA Homeless Veterans program, which fuels his passion for recovery and service. Outside of his work, he enjoys running, writing poetry, and maintaining a health-conscious lifestyle.
Peer Support Specialist Graduate of the Year
Awarded to a DBSA-trained graduate who has shown exceptional leadership and advocacy while completing the course in 2025. This peer stands out for their compassion, communication, and commitment to creating safe, recovery-oriented spaces for others.
Tonya Chandler
DBSA Certified Veteran Peer Support Specialist
Veterans Administration
Tonya Chandler is a Peer Specialist for the Veterans Administration in the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary program in Missoula, Montana. This year, she was recognized as the VA’s Peer Specialist of the year for the state of Montana. Tonya graduated from Southern Illinois University of Carbondale with a Bachelor of liberal arts degree in English and Philosophy. She served in the United States Marine Corps. Tonya has been married for 13 years to a profoundly loving gentleman, Sean Chandler. She has dedicated her life to recovery, sharing her story and modeling the four A’s: Agency, Advocacy, Acceptance, and Autonomy.
Outstanding Chapter Award of 2025
Celebrates a DBSA chapter that excels in compliance, outreach, peer support, and innovation. Awarded to chapters that demonstrate strong leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to expanding access and improving lives through high-quality peer services.
DBSA Lehigh Valley, accepted by Shannon Emerich, Chapter Secretary, on behalf of the chapter.
Four support groups are available each week in different locations, including a virtual option. One site offers a dedicated friends and family group, though supporters and those seeking to learn more about mental health are welcome at all groups.
Alongside support groups, community outreach remains a key focus—expanding resources, raising awareness, and helping to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health. Regular events promote connection, socialization, and visibility in the community, while groups place a strong emphasis on coping skills, self-care, and the belief that we are stronger together.
DBSA Louisville, accepted by Travis McClain, Chapter President, on behalf of the chapter.
Twenty-five years after its founding, DBSA Louisville’s core ambition continues to be expanding its presence in both geographic and cultural communities. Despite its name, the chapter operates satellite groups in Lexington and Jeffersonville, Indiana. The chapter’s Inpatient Outreach program has provided a DBSA format support group for inpatients at a local mental health facility. It also provides a weekly Family & Friends support group and a group for the LGBTQ+ community. In response to rising requests for expanded support, in July 2025, DBSA Louisville expanded these groups to include Zooms available to peers wherever they may be.
Outstanding Peer Leader Award of 2025
Recognizes a DBSA leader—such as a Chapter Leader, Support Group Facilitator, Certified Peer Specialist, or National Volunteer—who inspires others, promotes mental health awareness, and demonstrates a peer-centered, recovery-oriented approach.
Caroline Fraissinet
Education Director and Support Group Facilitator
DBSA California
Dr. Caroline Fraissinet serves on the Board of Directors and the Education Committee with DBSA California and as a facilitator with DBSA City of Angels. Following her cyclothymia diagnosis in 2023, she attended her first DBSA meeting and discovered her passion for peer support and mental health advocacy. She combines her professional background as a career advisor with her lived experience managing a mood disorder to create innovative programming through DBSA California, including the “Career Navigation for People with Mood Disorders” workshop series and hosting the monthly Third Thursday Speaker Series featuring prominent mental health advocates. Outside of her DBSA involvement, Caroline enjoys watching movies/TV, crocheting, and spending time with her husband and two cats, Cheddar and Adelaide.
Laura Raynette Millsap
Support Group Facilitator and Past Chapter President
Mood Peers Pittsburgh Support Group, DBSA Delaware County
Ray has been in DBSA Pittsburgh since 1989. After the death of the prior president, Ray re-chartered the group as Mood Peers Pittsburgh in 2010 and has been the president and primary facilitator of the group. Although Ray moved to Orlando, FL, in 2021, Ray restarted the Pittsburgh in-person DBSA support group in 2023 after the pandemic and recruited four members to get trained as facilitators. She also still facilitates the Zoom group weekly. Ray is a Certified Peer Specialist, she has served on the DBSA Strategic Planning Committee, and has participated with the Think Tank.
Cy Sexton
Chapter Vice President
DBSA Louisville
Cy Fable Sexton is the current Vice President of DBSA Louisville. They care deeply about the DBSA community, as their recovery has made a drastic improvement since joining, and they believe it truly feels like a second family. They first attended a meeting three and a half years ago and were facilitating within six months. They were voted onto the Board of Directors in their second year as Secretary, they helped launch the LGBTQ+ Identity Focused group in June of 2024, they launched a bi-monthly LGBTQ+ Zoom group in response to DBSA President Michael Pollock’s “Mental Health Emergency” email, and they volunteer to staff tables, whenever possible, at events ranging from NAMI’s annual fundraiser walk to Anime-Fest Louisville. Sometime in 2026, they plan to resume working on their undergrad to pursue a Religious Studies PhD with a focus on how queer and disabled people find homes in esoteric practices both in history and the modern era.
Special Recognition
Dr. Frederick Jacobsen
Professional Advisor
DBSA National Capital Area
Dr. Frederick Jacobsen served as the founding and sole professional advisor of the National Capital Area chapter for 37 years, helping shape its growth, educational programming, and connection to leading institutions like NIMH. His dedication has empowered peers and enriched DBSA National Capital Area’s legacy.
Sten Johansen
Support Group Facilitator
DBSA Urbana-Champaign Chapter
Sten Johansen was a facilitator of the Urbana-Champaign DBSA chapter for 30 years. He loved the chapter and cared for all the many members he encountered. Sten considered the chapter group members his family and treated them as such. He went out of his way to help others by meeting with them outside of the group or even to take them to the hospital if needed. He created an unofficial meeting called “DBSA Sunday Coffee” that is for relaxing and getting to know others in a social setting.
Get Involved!
- Join our mailing list
Stay updated on mood disorder news and be the first to discover new programs, support groups, and events! Sign Up - Become an Advocate
DBSA advocates for the interests of people with mood disorders, their caregivers, and their families. Get updates about issues and actions you can take to support the movement for mental health. When you subscribe, you’ll also receive timely action alerts informing you when it is most advantageous to contact your policymakers. Sign Up - Become a peer specialist
A peer specialist is a person with lived experience with trauma, mood and/or substance conditions who is willing to disclose and then trained to provide support, help, and encouragement to others working toward wellness. Learn More - Attend a support group
DBSA’s in-person and online support groups create a safe, welcoming environment where those living with depression and bipolar disorder can connect, learn from each other, and discover hope. Join a support group - Start a support group
Starting a DBSA support group is a powerful way to bring people together, create community, and offer hope to those living with depression and bipolar disorder. Learn More - Become a national facilitator trainer
We are looking for facilitators who are interested in taking the next step—those who want to become DBSA National Support Group Facilitator Trainers. Contact Victoria Tompkins,
Program Manager of Support Group and Chapter Services. - Explore facilitator resources
Access tools, tips, and guidance to help you lead effective and engaging support groups. Learn more - Wellness tools
Your wellness journey starts with you. Use these tools to strengthen communication with your doctor, track your moods and symptoms, and see your progress. Get wellness tools - Donate
Help us empower the voices of those living with bipolar disorder! You can make it possible for peer leaders to share their stories, develop new skills, and drive change at the forefront of mental health. Together, we can build a more informed, supported community. Make a gift now
Sponsors
DBSA would like to thank the following sponsors for the Peer Leadership and Education Convening and for championing peer-led support.
