Featuring expert insight from leaders throughout the Charlotte area, the ‘Local Leaders. Global Impact.’ Speaker Series hosted each semester by Northeastern University Charlotte dove deep into the topic of mental health in the workplace. On Sept. 28, this fall’s panel discussion – Mental Health is Everyone’s Business: Why Team Members Deserve Support – offered the perspectives and experience of professionals in the health care, nonprofit, human resources and education fields.
“The ‘Local Leaders. Global Impact.’ program has been such a great way to connect Northeastern University Charlotte with the community over the years, and we were excited to host an important discussion surrounding mental health,” Angela Hosking, CEO and Dean of Northeastern University Charlotte, said. “Mental health is everyone’s business. This panel shared the thoughts of respected leaders covering all aspects of mental health that I think really resonated with the community.”
Claire Donnelly, health reporter and host of FAQ City Podcast at WFAE, moderated the discussion. The event was held in the Kearney Solarium and Silverman Pavilion at Foundation for the Carolinas. A reception kicked off the evening at 5 p.m. with the discussion following from 6 to 7 p.m. This fall’s panelists included:
- Laura Dudley serves as assistant clinical professor and program director for the Applied Behavior Analysis programs at Northeastern University. She is a doctoral-level board certified behavior analyst (BCBA-D) and a licensed applied behavior analyst (LABA) with more than 20 years of clinical and research experience in applied behavior analysis.
- Patrick Meadors, PhD, LMFT is an assistant professor of medicine at Atrium Health, an AAMFT approved supervisor, and the director of the psycho-oncology section within the Department of Supportive Oncology at Levine Cancer Institute (LCI). Meadows is well published and presented nationally and internationally on topics of compassion fatigue and burnout with health care providers, screening and early symptom identification in oncology, and other supportive oncology subjects.
- Kathy Rogers has been the executive director of Mental Health America of Central Carolinas since October 2017 and has more than 20 years of executive nonprofit management experience.
- Jill Olmstead serves as LendingTree’s chief human resources officer and has more than 20 years of experience in human resources roles at various Charlotte-based companies. Olmstead focused much of her career on building out talent and leadership development programs, employee engagement strategies, and developing high-performing and inclusive cultures.
Michelle Hunt, executive director of the Steve Smith Family Foundation, gave a brief introduction to the Smith Family Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC). The designated intervention and treatment center where community members with urgent primary behavioral health needs can receive triage, care, and referral is expected to open in 2023.
Since 2012, Northeastern University Charlotte’s “Local Leaders. Global Impact.” series has brought together leaders from Northeastern University and the Charlotte Region community to highlight important topics with a local, national and global impact. The series is a free event and open to anyone in the community.
