Watch the 2024 HOW Symposium on YouTube!
Event Information:
Date:
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Time:
9:00 a.m. CT
Location:
Parents Hall, Olmsted Center at Drake University
Live Stream on The Harkin Institute YouTube channel.
Registration:
This event is free, and your registration includes a provided lunch. If you are unable to attend, please email harkininstitute@drake.edu, or cancel through Eventbrite to help us minimize our food waste.
Accomodations:
American Sign Language (ASL) and live captioning (CART) will be provided for all main stage content, in-person and virtually. ASL for in-person breakout sessions available upon request. Those requests, as well as any additional accomodations requests can be made by emailing harkininsititute@drake.edu.
Event Summary:
Join The Harkin Institute and US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy for the 2024 Harkin on Wellness Symposium on April 3, 2024. The theme of this year’s Symposium is “Wellbeing in Schools.” The prevalence of mental health issues has increased dramatically in recent years, particularly in the wake of massive social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This led the nation’s leading child health organizations and the US Surgeon General to declare a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. As the location where children spend the largest portion of their time outside of the home, we believe the K-12 school system can be a key vehicle for changes that can positively impact children’s wellbeing across the United States.
US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy will be one of the event’s keynote speakers and will discuss the youth mental health crisis and how his office is addressing this challenge. The event will also bring together policymakers, education leaders, teachers, pediatricians, and practice innovators from around the country to address whole child wellbeing approaches, review the scientifically supported best practices, and consider the case for placing health and wellbeing squarely at the heart of our education system’s mission to prepare students for successful lives.
Agenda
| Time | Session | Speakers |
| 9:00 a.m. | Welcome Remarks |
|
| 9:15 a.m. | Fireside Chat |
|
| 10:05 a.m. | Break | |
| 10:15 a.m. | Panel 1: Healthcare Support for Student Wellbeing |
|
| 11:45 a.m. | Lunch | |
| 12:45 p.m. | Harkin on Wellness Designee Award Ceremony | |
| 1:00 p.m. | Afternoon Keynote |
|
| 1:55 p.m. | Designee Breakout Sessions | |
| 2:30 p.m. | Break | |
| 2:35 p.m. | Panel 2: Whole Health Learning in Schools |
|
| 4:05 p.m. | Reflections |
|
| 4:25 p.m. | Closing Remarks |
The 2024 “Wellbeing in Schools” agenda was developed in conjunction with WholeHealthED.org.
2024 Harkin on Wellness Report
The prevalence of mental health issues has increased dramatically in recent years, particularly in the wake of massive social disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This led the nation’s leading child health organizations and the US Surgeon General to declare a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health, an emergency that has both serious immediate consequences and ominous implications for the future. Though many ideas and approaches have been proposed to address this crisis, it is a challenge to implement any particular solution at a scale significant enough to truly tackle the problem.
It is the goal of the Harkin on Wellness Report to highlight the top wellness and nutrition organizations and initiatives in the country that have been able to make a large impact through effective policy, system, and environmental change. We encourage others to use this as a tool to build partnerships and create sustainable, cross-sector coalitions within their own community and beyond.
Speakers
Dr. Vivek Murthy
U.S. Surgeon General
Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in March 2021 to serve as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States. As the nation’s top doctor, Dr. Vivek Murthy helps to advance the health and well-being of all Americans and has worked to address critical public health issues. He has issued Surgeon General Advisories on the youth mental health crisis and social media’s impact on youth mental health, the epidemic of loneliness and isolation, and on burnout in the health worker community. Dr. Murthy also issued a Surgeon General’s Framework on mental health in the workplace and he is the first Surgeon General to host a podcast, House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy, where he invites guests and listeners to explore how we can all build more connected and meaningful lives.
As Vice Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Dr. Murthy oversees more than 6,000 dedicated public health officers serving underserved and vulnerable populations.
Dr. Murthy previously served as the 19th Surgeon General under President Obama. Raised in Miami, Dr. Murthy received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard, his medical degree from the Yale School of Medicine, and his Masters in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management.
Watch his Keynote Presentation or view the transcript below!
Dr. Kathleen Ethier
Director, CDC Division of Adolescent and School Health
Dr. Kathleen Ethier is a social psychologist and the Director of CDC’s Division of Adolescent and School Health in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
She has served as a leader at CDC in adolescent health as well as other capacities since 1999. Prior to joining CDC, Dr. Ethier spent six years on the research faculty at Yale University studying HIV, STDs, and unplanned pregnancy prevention among women and adolescents. Her research has primarily focused on psychosocial, behavioral, and environmental factors related to adolescent mental and physical health. Dr. Ethier earned her PhD in social psychology from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.
Lauren Bakosh, Ph.D.
Co-founder, Inner Explorer
Laura Bakosh, Ph.D., is a mindfulness teacher, published researcher, and co-founder of Inner Explorer, which brings ‘learning readiness and mental well-being’ skills to classrooms and centers. She earned a Ph.D. from Sofia University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College. Laura was trained as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor at the University of Massachusetts and is an Allstate/Northwestern University Nonprofit Fellow.
Laura has practiced and studied mindfulness for over 30 years and began teaching it to children 15 years ago. She realized it was difficult for children to commit to daily practice which led to the creation of Inner Explorer in 2011. Inner Explorer provides short, audio-guided, daily mindfulness practices, that are easy to implement in schools and centers. Students experience a 15% higher grade point average (GPA), 60% better emotional regulation and behavior, and 43% less stress.
Dr. Gerta Bardhoshi
Director of Research and Training for the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health, University of Iowa
Dr. Gerta Bardhoshi, a Certified School Counselor, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Approved Clinical Supervisor, is Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Iowa and serves as the Director of Research and Training for the Scanlan Center for School Mental Health. She received her Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from the George Washington University and has worked in multiple settings over the past decade, including schools, clinics, universities, and the federal government as a counselor, educator, clinical supervisor, and program evaluator. Her research focuses on examining best practices in mental health assessment and intervention with school-aged youth, as well as the factors that enable school counselors to practice effectively and stave off burnout.
Priya Cook
Director of Green Schoolyards and Communities at the Children & Nature Network
Priya Cook is driven by a vision in which all people and the natural world can thrive. She works at this intersection as Director of Green Schoolyards and Communities at the Children & Nature Network, advancing the Green Schoolyards Action Agenda and supporting locally-led systems change for equitable nature connection. Priya co-led the Cities Connecting Children to Nature initiative at the National League of Cities, directed front- and backcountry programs at City Kids Wilderness Project, and served on the Student Conservation Association Board of Directors. She began her career as a special education teacher and also worked in public education policy in Texas, Alaska, and DC. She holds a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MPP from UT Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.
Nancy Easton
Executive Director and Founder of the national nonprofit Wellness in the Schools
Nancy Easton is the Executive Director and Founder of the national nonprofit Wellness in the Schools (WITS). Through meaningful public-private partnerships, WITS empowers schools to provide healthy, scratch-cooked meals, active recess periods, and fitness and nutrition education. She has been honored by First Lady Michelle Obama at the launch of Chefs Move! to Schools, named a Food Revolution Hero by acclaimed chef-food activist Jamie Oliver, and recognized by Ann Cooper, the “Renegade Lunch Lady,” for her dedication to school lunch reform. Before founding WITS, Nancy was a teacher and school leader with the New York City Department of Education. She holds a school administration certificate from Fordham University, a master’s from Bank Street College of Education, and a bachelor’s from Princeton University, where she was a three-sport athlete.
Dr. Bengü Ergüner-Tekinalp
Professor of Counseling, Drake University
Bengü Ergüner-Tekinalp, Ph.D is Professor of Counseling at Drake University. She is from Turkiye She’s passionate about creating we-spaces, avoiding othering, and promoting healthy and safe dialogue for everyone. She integrates contemplative practices in her teaching and work. Benguis a Licensed School Counselor, Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, and Intercultural Development Inventory Qualified Administrator. Her research interests are positive psychology, mindfulness, multicultural counseling, and school counseling. She has written many journal articles and book chapters, has an edited book in press and has written four books in her native language, Turkish.
Lauren Finke
Senior Director of Policy with the Kennedy Forum
As Senior Director of Policy with the Kennedy Forum, Lauren leads the Forum’s state and national consumer health coverage and access advocacy efforts and partnerships. Lauren works with government leaders, regulators, policymakers, consumer and industry stakeholders, and c-suite leaders on issues around healthcare access and consumer rights including insurance parity, crisis care, and youth and family mental health. Lauren’s work has led to the successful passage of a number of comprehensive mental health consumer protection laws and regulations that have been replicated in other states. Lauren holds a Masters in Public Policy from the Goldman School at the University of California, Berkeley, and lives in Sacramento where Lauren spends her spare time DIY-renovating a 100-year-old house and finding the fun in not-so-fun endurance sports.
Lawrence Rosen, M.D.
Integrative pediatrician and founder of the Whole Child Center
Lawrence D. Rosen, M.D. is an integrative pediatrician and founder of the Whole Child Center. Dr. Rosen is appointed as Associate Professor in Pediatrics at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine and acts as the Assistant Director of the Human Dimension course. He also c-chairs the Environmental Health Working Group and teaches yoga and meditation to medical students. Dr. Rosen is a founding member and former Chair of the AAP Section on Integrative Medicine, and he received the AAP’s Pioneer in Integrative Medicine award in 2015. A graduate of New York Medical College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he completed his residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Dr. Rosen serves as Senior Advisor and Chair of the Health Advisory Board for WholeHealthED, a nonprofit devoted to bringing whole health learning to U.S. schools.
Kaitlyn Scheuermann, MPP-D, RDN, LD
Registered Dietitian for the Waukee Community School District
Kaitlyn Scheuermann, MPP-D, RDN, LD has been the Registered Dietitian for the Waukee Community School District since 2016. In her role, she develops menus for all K-12 buildings, assists families with special diet accommodations, facilitates Farm to School programming, and upholds the local wellness policy. Kaitlyn holds Bachelor’s degrees in Dietetics and Family and Consumer Sciences Education and a Masters of Professional Practice in Dietetics degree, all from Iowa State University. Farm to School is Kaitlyn’s favorite part of her role because it gives students the opportunity to learn where their food comes from, builds support for school nutrition programs, and provides a unique way to teach nutrition and wellness habits to students. In addition to her professional love of gardening, she’s a Master Gardener and owns a 1/4 acre donation garden where produce from the garden is donated to her local pantry in honor of her son, Noah.
Michelle Simon
President and CEO of the Institute for Natural Medicine
Dr. Simon is President and CEO of the Institute for Natural Medicine (INM), a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to educating consumers about natural medicine and improving the quality and delivery of healthcare through the greater utilization of integrative medicine and clinical nutrition. She is a naturopathic physician with a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
2019, Dr. Simon was chosen as Physician of the Year by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. In 2022, she was chosen as the Champion of Naturopathic Medicine by the Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians. She is currently on the board of the Integrative Healthcare Policy Consortium (IHPC) and co-chairs their Education Committee. She has served nine years on the Washington State Health Technology Clinical Committee. This practitioner panel examines the scientific evidence of efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of healthcare technologies for state-purchased healthcare. She sits on the Washington Health Corps Planning Committee, which helps guide loan repayment and scholarship strategy for Washington State. In 2023 she was invited to join the American Botanical Council Advisory Board. She presents, writes, and advocates for the importance of whole person health to our healthcare system, communities, and ourselves. In her free time, she teaches women to ride motorcycles, and she and her husband enjoy adventure travel in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Kaitlyn Tollefson
Whole Health Advocate
Kaitlyn is a passionate whole health advocate studying psychology and public health at the University of Colorado Boulder as they prepare to apply for a doctoral program. At 19 years old, they enjoy spending time lobbying and testifying for bills that improve healthcare access at our nation’s and Colorado’s state capitol. She serves on several national and state boards focused on mental health and policy change and works as a research assistant in the positive emotion psychology lab at her university. She has co-authored the Teen Lifestyle Medicine Handbook, now being shared nationwide across several hundred schools. She has presented at national conferences and panels on the importance of mental health, political engagement, and overcoming barriers as a young adult to create legislative change. They have been interviewed for a book, podcast, and local and national news stations about youth and young adult mental health and the power of change.
Taylor Walsh
Founder and Director, WholeHealthED
Taylor Walsh founded and directs WholeHealthED, the non-profit Center for Whole Health Learning in K-12. He previously served as a media strategist for leading integrative health and medicine professional organizations, which ultimately led to the creation of WholeHealthED. A writer and journalist, he was a pioneer in the early years of Internet publishing and contributed to the earliest forms of online community and social media.
LeMar Yeager
Program and Volunteer Manager, NAMI Iowa
LeMar Yeager is the Program and Volunteer Manager at NAMI Iowa, where he oversees NAMI programming statewide, including the Ending the Silence presentation for middle and high schools. Prior to NAMI Iowa, LeMar worked with Polk County Juvenile Court Services in formal probation and for two decades with the West Des Moines Police Department. During this time, LeMar studied restorative justice practices to help address youthful offending. He completed his collegiate studies in education at Drake University in 2009. His work experiences drive him to advocate for better access, equity, and awareness within the mental health system and for people experiencing mental health conditions.
Thank you to our HOW 2024 Sponsors!
Platinum Sponsor:
Gold Sponsors:
Silver Sponsors:
Phone: (515) 271-3623
Email: harkininstitute@drake.edu
Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Recent Comments