Distinguished Guests
Keith Howard
was appointed Commissioner of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) by Mayor Eric Adams in June 2022. Commissioner Howard formerly served as NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) Associate Deputy Commissioner of the Sidewalk Inspection Management Division. He also was an Adjunct Professor at Queens College and the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies. Commissioner Howard has dedicated 30 years of his professional career to public service and held various senior level positions in New York City government.
While education and career are priorities in his life, there are more layers. As a child, he was taught by his parents about the importance of service to the community. So, in the summer of 2002, Commissioner Howard started the non-profit Harlem Group. The organization sponsored health fairs with government agencies and community-based organizations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. In collaboration with Health Plus Incorporated, the Harlem Group successfully enrolled over 100 families in free health care programs underwritten by the New York State government.
As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first Black Greek fraternity, Commissioner Howard has seen the need to build on the fraternity and a commitment to community service by creating a non-profit organization called Servants of All (SOA). For ten years, SOA has escorted more than 700 underprivileged high school and middle school students on college tours to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The goal of the tours is to bring college awareness to students who may not have the resources or access to visit college campuses across the country.
Commissioner Howard is married and the father of two young adults. He is a proud alumnus of John Jay College, where he was awarded a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in public administration.
Denice Williams is a native New Yorker dedicated to disrupting policies, practices, and procedures that obstruct the advancement of BIPOC people and their opportunity to live their best lives. Denice has devoted her professional life in service to others in nonprofit and government settings. Currently, she serves as Deputy Commissioner for the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development overseeing the Division of Planning, Program Integration and Evaluation (PPIE). The Bureau designs tools, processes, and policies to drive growth, impact, and innovation that make DYCD, its programs, and CBOs more effective and drives the implementation of best practices and data-informed decision-making both internally and externally.
Eva Wong is a compassionate leader committed to improving equitable access to behavioral health resources. As Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Community Mental Health, Eva is spearheading the City's efforts to tackle NYC’s behavioral health workforce crisis and pioneering system-level solutions to promote mental health. By forging strategic connections between government, community and academia, Eva believes we can build a stronger and more equitable behavioral healthcare system, and a healthier and resilient city.
Brenda Tong serves as Chief Program Officer (CPO) at Vibrant Emotional Health. In this role, Brenda oversees Vibrant’s portfolio of community wellness programs, H2H contact center operations, disaster response services, and educational initiatives, driving meaningful change for individuals and communities in need.
She has over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit sector, most recently as Deputy Executive Director at New Destiny Housing Corporation. Brenda also led Single Stop’s benefit access work in the New York and New Jersey region. The earlier years of her career were spent working directly with older adults, new immigrants, and formerly homeless families living in supportive housing.
Brenda earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Master of Social Work from the City University of New York, Hunter College.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Lena L. Green currently serves as the executive director of the HOPE Center, a community based mental health clinic in Harlem, NYC connected to the historic First Corinthian Baptist Church (FCBC). She is an associate professor and project manager in Population Health Science & Policy at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital and a clinical professor at both NYU and Columbia University schools of social work. In her more than 20 plus years of direct practice and management experience as a leader, clinician, professor and administrator, Dr. Green has had a tremendous impact on countless New Yorkers.
Her work encompasses the integration of faith-based mental health services, reducing mental health treatment disparities in communities of color, clinical interventions with various populations across the lifespan including interdisciplinary approaches for new and expectant parents. She is skilled in various areas of mental health, program planning and development, clinical supervision and building strategic partnerships. Her research focuses on fatherhood, mental health in communities of color and trauma informed practices.
Dr. Green is the recipient of numerous awards including the National Association of Health Services Executives NY Regional Chapter’s Community Service Award in November, 2024, the New York State Senate Women of Distinction Award in May 2024, the Jospeh R. Biden Presidential Service and Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2023, and the NYC Community Works Heroes of the Pandemic Award in April 2023. She was named The Mental Health Power 50 NY City & State in 2021, and the National Association of Social Workers, (NASW-NYC) Social Work I.M.P.A.C.T. Award in 2019. The award, which is the chapter’s highest honor, is presented to a social worker who “exemplifies the commitment to social justice, equity, empowerment, and civil rights, through their work, research, advocacy, practice, embodiment of the social work profession, and their dedication to the communities and individuals they serve.” Dr. Green has been featured in several news outlets including NPR News, Pix11 News focused on mental health in the Black community, and CBS news focused on minority mental health.
Dr. Green holds both a doctorate and master’s degree in social work from NYU, a BA in psychology from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, post-master’s certificates in Advance Clinical Practice from Hunter College, and the Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Addicted Clients from NYU. Dr. Green serves on several boards across the country including the American Psychiatric Association’s Mental Health Services Committee, a nationally appointed position.
Workshop Speakers/Facilitators
(Alphabetical by Last Name)
Justin DeMateo, MSW, is the Director of Runaway & Homeless Youth Services at The Door- A Center of Alternatives. Justin currently holds a MSW and has been in social services in an array of systems such as, homeless youth, after-school programing, and child welfare. His true passion is youth development and mental health services to our young people in the community.
Workshop: Restorative Practices Working with LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth [In-Person]
Kahshanna Evans is a Trauma-Informed Resilient Communities Consultant, TINRC Advisory Council Member, and Senior Strategist at Kissing Lions Public Relations, where she brings a passion for trauma-informed transformation and community building through communications. Her diverse background spans wellness, nonprofit, communications, and professional services, including leadership at PACEs Connection, where she spearheaded the Creating Resilient Communities Accelerator program. Kahshanna’s journey began in entertainment as on-camera talent and an associate producer, which fueled her love for storytelling and led to founding her own communications consultancy for purpose-driven brands. She is a lifelong student of human nature, committed to human rights, expression, and transformation as tools for social change. Kahshanna has presented at numerous summits and educational institutions, and her insights have been featured in the New York Times, Mashable, and other outlets. Her work is deeply rooted in personal experience, resilience science, and the belief in the power of community to nurture healing and growth.
Workshop: Breaking Cycles: Healing Generational Trauma Through Trauma-Informed Transformation & Collective Care [In-Person]
Jordan Friedman is known as The Stress Coach. For 25 years, he’s been helping people and communities around the world reduce stress and anxiety, including as director of Columbia University’s Health Education Program, host of The Chill Factory podcast and even as a New York City tour guide. Through his ‘chill factory’ of programs and resources, he has helped and learned from 9/11 survivors, educators, CEOs, students, incarcerated adults and many others who want to improve their performance, mood, sleep and health. Jordan’s specialty is training counselors, healthcare providers, coaches, parents and other helpers to use and teach evidence-based stress and anxiety reduction techniques to those they support.
Workshop: The Chill Factory: Everyone Can Be a Stress Coach [Virtual]
Lexie Korn, LMSW, SIFI is the Clinical Supervisor for membership at The Door. She is a highly accomplished Licensed Social Worker and Psychotherapist who is committed to the resistance of all systems of oppression and dedicated to healing communities through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens.
Workshop: Restorative Practices Working with LGBTQ+ Homeless Youth [In-Person]
Nick Schmitt has over a decade of dedicated experience in conflict resolution. He is a seasoned mediator, negotiator, and facilitator whose expertise spans diverse fields. Having worked for multiple organizations, Nick has played a pivotal role in civil, state Supreme, and Federal court disputes as well as private conflicts. His practice includes mediation, conflict coaching, motivational interviewing, circle-keeping, and dialogue facilitation. He has taught mediation and conflict resolution at the law school level, has presented at local, national, and international conferences on conflict resolution, and has been quoted in media outlets from U.S. News & World Reports, Newsweek, and Univision.
Workshop: Responding to Crisis: Showing Care Without Traumatizing Yourself or Others [In-Person]
Lansie Sylvia headshot
Lansie Sylvia, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Vibrant Emotional Health, manages the Stars of Hope program while cultivating key organizational relationships that expand Vibrant's mental health services nationwide. With her expertise in strategic development and relationship management, she identifies and nurtures new collaborative opportunities that align with Vibrant's mission of making emotional wellness a reality for everyone. Based in Philadelphia and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Lansie excels at creating immersive Stars of Hope experiences that strengthen team bonds through shared creativity, combining meaningful corporate social responsibility with powerful team-building
Workshop: Paint Party with Purpose: Creating Stars That Spread Joy [In-Person]
Linda Turner is a NYC based Visual Artist and Licensed Creative Arts Psychotherapist (LCAT) who has worked with a wide range of individuals and groups for 25+ years. Currently Linda is in private practice treating adults who struggle with complex trauma, anxiety and depression. Prior to this, she worked with youth for many years through the Chinatown YMCA, as well as at Catholic Charities, where she was art therapist and then clinical supervisor. Linda served on the board of NYCCAT (NY Coalition of Creative Arts Therapists) and is president of the LCAT Advocacy Coalition. As a workshop facilitator, Linda is passionate about reconnecting us to the profound value and impact of the creative process. She also has a robust mixed media art-making practice of her own.
Workshop: Wisdom Within: Discovering your gifts through guided imagery, reflection, and creative expression [Virtual]
Lorenzo Van Ness is a queer, trans, Dominican, lifelong New Yorker, dedicated to building access for New Yorkers pushed to the margins, supporting community, and growing knowledge. Currently serving as the Director of Community Organizing and Engagement at the NYC Commission on Racial Equity, they bring over a decade of expertise in the legal field. They previously worked as a paralegal and supervisor where they focused on addressing discrimination, access to public benefits, immigration, and health law. Lorenzo is passionate about language access, disability justice, community safety, leadership development, and QTBIPOC liberation. Lorenzo holds a Master of Education from Hunter College.
Workshop: Breaking Stigma and Bridging Gaps for Racial Equity [Virtual]