DEPRESSION AND BIPOLAR SUPPORT ALLIANCE - Key Persons
Aidan is passionate about mental health advocacy. Having lived with a mood disorder for over 10 years, he is committed to creating resources and spreading hope for others. He is currently at a mental health startup, where he is learning about the latest trends in mental health care. He is excited to take his learnings to the DBSA board, where he hopes to help make a difference in the lives of people with mental illness, as well as those who act as a source of support.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Chairman of the Nominating Committee
Altha Stewart, MD, is a well-known leader in mental health. She was the recipient of the American Psychiatric Association Solomon Carter Fuller Award in 2021 and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Psychiatrists of America in 2017. She has served on the board since 2021.
Stewart is active in several professional organizations having previously served as president of the Association of Women Psychiatrists and the Black Psychiatrists of America. She received her medical degree from Temple University Medical School.
Job Titles:
- Community Engagement Director
- Public Health Social Worker
Andrew Smith is a public health social worker with more than 15 years' experience working as a program manager and advocate on behalf of individuals who live with mental health conditions and various disabilities.
In his role at DBSA, he helped develop and now presents a series of community education workshops to help individuals better understand how to access quality care. Additionally, Andrew works to galvanize mental health advocates and policymakers to improve mental health care at the state and federal level.
Andrew received his master's degrees in both public health and social work from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has an extensive work history as a mental health professional and case manager. His direct-practice experience as a licensed social worker gives him the insight needed to improve the mental healthcare system.
Job Titles:
- Senior Office Administrator
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Staff Attorney
- Staff Attorney With Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP / Chicago, IL
Bridget Maul is the staff attorney at Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP and focuses her practice in the areas of collections and post-decree transfer of assets. She handles internal legal matters for the firm including filings, citations to discover assets, 3rd party citations, and garnishments. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the DBSA Greater Chicago chapter. Since her time with the Greater Chicago chapter, they have expanded educational events, resources, support groups, and enhanced their web presence with a new website and new social media outlet. She has served on DBSA's national board since 2022.
Bridget earned her J.D. from Chicago Kent College of Law in 2013 and received her B.A. from Western Michigan University in 2010. Outside of the office, she enjoys participating in competitive ping pong, traveling, and cooking. She lives with her husband Quinton and their dog Cooper, in the Buena Park neighborhood of Chicago.
"I joined the DBSA community because I feel everyone should have access to free, local peer support when struggling with mood disorders. I am passionate about expanding DBSA's reach and helping as many people as possible find the support they need."
Bridget is currently working in the corporate social impact space at a leading global expert network. She has years of nonprofit and volunteer experience and is passionate about supporting communities that are close to her heart. Bridget is looking forward to supporting mental well-being and is excited to bring her allyship to the mood disorder community through the DBSA Associate Board.
Job Titles:
- Development Director
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Senior Communications and Public Affairs Executive for Corporations Including Abbott Laboratories
Christy Beckmann has been a longtime supporter of DBSA, having first served on the board in 2007. Beckmann has served as a senior communications and public affairs executive for corporations including Abbott Laboratories and for nonprofits such as the United Way of Greater St. Louis. She has recently worked as the development officer for a number of mental health and arts organizations. Christy has served on the board of twelve nonprofits organizations, and been the chair of four. Her commitment to mental health began when her late daughter was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Job Titles:
- Branch Chief / National Institute of Mental Health / Emotion and Development
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig / New York, NY
Daniel I.A. Smulian is a shareholder in Greenberg Traurig's Litigation Practice. He is also a member of the firm's Pharmaceutical, Medical Device & Health Care Litigation Group and Appeals & Legal Issues Group.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry / Director, Child and Adolescent
Job Titles:
- Clinical Professor / Department of Psychiatry / Texas Tech University
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Treasurer
- Chief Executive Officer / the Governance Partners / Chicago, IL
- Corporate Directors Board Leadership Fellow
Eileen Kamerick is a National Association of Corporate Directors Board Leadership Fellow with an M.B.A. and a J.D. from The University of Chicago. She teaches corporate governance and finance at leading universities.
Eileen is featured in The Board Game: How Smart Women Become Corporate Directors.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry / University of British Columbia / Program Director, APEC Digital Hub for Mental Health
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Executive Director, Global Clinical Development
- Psychiatry / Neurology Global Clinical Development Leader
Eva Kohegyi is a Psychiatry/Neurology Global Clinical Development Leader and pharmaceutical physician with EU board-certification in Psychiatry. She has over 23 years of experience in clinical research in academia and industry, including 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry.
Job Titles:
- Founding Director
- Psychiatrist
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry / Weill Medical College of Cornell University / White Plains, NY
Job Titles:
- Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology / Professor of Psychology and Human Development
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Founder of SmileStyle Entertainment
- Youth Empowerment Director
Greg Dicharry is an award-winning filmmaker and mental health advocate who served as the National Youth Empowerment Director for Magellan Health from 2007 to 2022. Dicharry has over 25 years of lived experience with mental health and substance use issues and recovery.
Dicharry is the founder of SmileStyle Entertainment, where he produces and directs mental health-related documentary films to reduce stigma and help others find recovery. He co-directed and produced the 2018 film "Suicide the Ripple Effect," and produced and directed the documentary feature "My Ascension," which focuses on youth suicide prevention. His third film "Big Infinite's Power of Expression" also addresses mental wellness and suicide prevention and will be released in the fall of 2022.
In recognition of his work, Dicharry was awarded a 2021 Media Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Mental Health America's top honor, the Clifford Beers Award in 2019, a SAMHSA Voice Award, a National Council Reintegration Award, and others. But his biggest reward is co-parenting his 6-year-old daughter, Gracy.
Dicharry earned his BS in communication and media studies from Arizona State University.
Job Titles:
- Senior Investigator, Psychiatry / Center for Health Studies / Group Health Cooperative / Seattle, WA
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry / University of Pittsburgh
Job Titles:
- Professor in - Residence / Psychiatry and Biobehavioral
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Managing Director, Infrastructure Investments, Nuveen a TIAA Company / New York, NY
Isela Bahena leads infrastructure investment origination and structuring across renewables, digital, transportation, and energy transition assets for Nuveen Infrastructure. She joined Nuveen in 2004 and has over 20 years of investment and portfolio management experience across a variety of sectors and asset classes. Today, serves on the board of multiple portfolio companies in Europe and North America. Isela graduated with a B.S. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences / Medical University of South Carolina / Charleston, SC
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Team
Janae Myers is a marketing and development professional with more than a decade of business development experience. She currently serves as the Chief Advancement Officer for Independent Living, Inc. and Independent Home Care, Inc., two organizations dedicated to advocacy and service for people with disabilities, deeply rooted in the peer model.
As the Chief Advancement Officer and a member of the Executive Team, Janae is the lead fundraiser, strategist and ambassador responsible for shaping the trajectory of both organizations through the development and expansion of programs and services, strategic leadership, and community engagement. Janae oversees marketing, advertising, public relations, social media, events, and fundraising. Janae is focused on amplifying community impact by building strategic partnerships, cultivating donors and being catalyst to systems policy changes.
Janae received her Master's Degree in Integrated Marketing and Communication and Bachelor's in Public Relations from Marist College.
Prior to 2019, Janae did not have any personal experience with depression or Bipolar Disorder. It was not until her family member was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, experiencing first-hand the stigma and systematic barriers, that Janae devoted time to educating herself, and becoming a caregiver and passionate advocate. Janae envisions a world where there is universal access for all people, without the systemic attitudinal or physical barriers; she believes herself, and all people, to be an integral piece of the puzzle to creating an inclusive and equitable future.
Jane is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of a communications plan in support of DBSA's strategic priorities. This includes understanding the audiences DBSA reaches, their interests and needs related to peer support, mood disorders, and mental wellness. This strategy will broaden and diversify the organization's reach through print, web, social media collateral, emails, presentations, and digital communications tied to strategic and programmatic objectives.
Jane previously worked at Heartland Alliance as an Associate Director of External Communications, where she was responsible for the communications strategy and execution for a 134-year-old human rights organization of 1400+ employees, which provided a broad array of diverse social services.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Philanthropic Partnerships
Jenna leads institutional fundraising for RefugePoint, an organization that supports refugees globally through third-country resettlement solutions and pathways to self-reliance. She has 8 years of experience in non-profit fundraising, primarily in the international development and human rights space. She holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of Edinburgh and a Bachelor of Political Science from McGill University.
Job Titles:
- Therapist and Founder of the Eating Disorder Center
Jennifer Rollin is a therapist and founder of The Eating Disorder Center, a group therapy practice in Rockville, Maryland, who specializes in working with adolescents and adults with eating disorders including, anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, body image issues, as well as bipolar disorder and depression.
Jennifer has experience working in a variety of settings including, an outpatient mental health clinic, residential programs for adolescents, and a sexual assault crisis hotline. She served as the chairwoman of Project Heal's national network of eating disorder treatment providers. She received a Best of Rockville Award for 2020-2023 under the category of psychotherapists. Jennifer has been named as one of the top eating disorder experts in the country by a leading eating disorder treatment center.
Jennifer has been interviewed speaking about eating disorders on television including on NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, DC News Now, and PBS. She has also been interviewed by The Washington Post, TIME Magazine, CNN, US News & World Report, Forbes, The Huffington Post, The Today Show, Seventeen Magazine, In Style Magazine, and Esquire Magazine. She has given talks about eating disorders at national eating disorder conferences, therapy centers, retreats, and colleges. She is the co-author of the book ‘The Inside Scoop to Eating Disorder Recovery: Advice From Two Therapists Who Have Been There.'
In addition to working with individuals with eating disorders, she also has a passion for and has received training in helping those struggling with bipolar disorder and depression. She has been trained in interpersonal social rhythm theory, which is designed for individuals with bipolar disorder. She has been interviewed as a specialist on the "Live Well Bipolar" podcast. She has compiled and contributed to the book "How to Thrive: Expert Tips For Coping With An Eating Disorder and Depression."
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- 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.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Psychiatrist / New Hope, PA
John Budin, MD, is an accomplished psychiatrist and public speaker. Previously, he worked as an associate professor of psychiatry at hospitals in New York City affiliated with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Budin also directed large hospital programs in underserved communities with a focus on those living with mood and anxiety disorders. Budin has been a board member since 2019.
Budin earned his MD from Tel Aviv University Sackler. He also lives with bipolar disorder, which was the subject of a DBSA documentary.
"As a physician living with bipolar disorder, I have been both a caregiver and a care receiver. Too many of those with mood disorders suffer in silence without the education, advocacy and support they need. DBSA provides a beacon of hope to those living with mood disorders by illuminating a pathway toward mental wellness."
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Partner, a.T. Kearney, Inc / Los Angeles, CA
John Kurtz's career in management consulting has unfolded over 30 years across several continents. He is a Partner at A.T. Kearney, Inc and served as Kearney's head of Asia Pacific for ten years. He also served on its Board and as head of its Compensation Committee. John is known for his deep client relationships around the world and has a particular passion for advising family-owned companies.
Alongside Board service with leading US and international institutions at the secondary and university level, John has served as a Board advisor to USINDO, the leading business organization supporting and enhancing US-Indonesian relations.
Currently based outside of Los Angeles, John has an MBA in Finance and Organization Behavior from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor / Rush University / Department of Psychiatry / Chicago, IL
Job Titles:
- Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College / Greenwich, CT
Job Titles:
- Director, Mood Disorders Program
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair / Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences / Galveston, TX
Job Titles:
- Lead Investigator, Brigham and Women 's Hospital / Member of the Faculty, Harvard Medical School / Boston
Job Titles:
- CFO / VP of Finance and Administration
Kathleen has worked in both the business and nonprofit sectors in finance and accounting. Previously, she served as finance director at Bernie's Book Bank, and served as the board treasurer at Erika's Lighthouse, whose mission is to provide free mental health services to schools.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Chairman, Keystone Capital / Chicago, IL
Kent Dauten's career in private equity investment spans 40+ successful years. He co-founded Keystone Capital in 1994 and now serves as its chairman. Dauten has served on DBSA's board of directors since 2018.
He and his family have been longtime supporters and advocates for mental health, having established the Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dauten graduated from Harvard Business School with an MBA.
Job Titles:
- Mental Health Equity and External Partnerships Senior Manager
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Co - Founder
- Psychiatrist
Job Titles:
- Director of Psychology / Bipolar Clinic
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Digital Communications Manager
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Member of the DBSA Scientific Advisory Board
- SAB Chair / Stephen & Shelly Jackson Family Professorship in Individualized Medicine
- Scientific Advisory Board Chair
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry, Emeritus / Harvard Medical School / Boston
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry and of Neurology / Director, Neurological Outcomes Center
Job Titles:
- Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Human Behavior / Brown Medical School / Providence, RI
Job Titles:
- Director / Academic Affairs and Research Development / Nationwide Children 's Hospital
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- Chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Diane Goldman Kemper Family Professor of Epidemiology and Psychiatry / Columbia University
Job Titles:
- Hedberg Professor and Chair / University of Wisconsin Department
Job Titles:
- Chairman in Psychiatry / Director - Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Psychiatry, University of Chile / Research Assistant Professor, Tufts University School of Medicine
Job Titles:
- Development Senior Coordinator
- Development Senior Program Manager
Job Titles:
- Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences / Research Professor Emeritus, Michigan Neuroscience Institute
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
To inquire about opportunities to serve on the DBSA Board of Directors, contact Michael Pollock at mpollock@dbsalliance.org.
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychology / Department of Psychiatry at SFGH / San Francisco General Hospital / San Francisco, CA
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
- FRCPC, past SAB Chair / Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Canada
Job Titles:
- Professor of Health Care Policy / Harvard Medical School / Boston
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor / Assistant Director, Yale Depression Research Program
Job Titles:
- Corporate and Foundation Relationships Manager
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Development Committee
- Chairman of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry / University of San Diego / San Diego, CA
Job Titles:
- Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology / Professor of Psychology and Human Development
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Secretary of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences / Palo Alto, CA
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology / University of Pittsburgh / Department of Psychiatry / Pittsburgh, PA
Job Titles:
- Development and Communications Vice President
Job Titles:
- Support Groups and Chapter Services Senior Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences / Northwestern University
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean of Health Disparities
Job Titles:
- Department of Psychiatry / Boston Children 's Hospital / Boston