Activate 2024 Program Schedule

The third annual Activate summit will build on insights from previous years and focus on identifying and uplifting solutions that require coordinated and strategic investments to accelerate meaningful impact in the mental health sector.

Funders will have the opportunity to explore key topics of interest. These include how mental health support advances outcomes in adjacent giving areas like education and criminal justice, as well as mental health focus areas such as the current and future workforce, and advancing youth mental health by centering mothers and other caregivers. Attendees will also be invited to reflect on the opportunities for greater collaboration to transform how individuals and communities engage in mental health care.

Please note that this program is subject to change.

All sessions are held in the Oak Ballroom unless otherwise noted.

Day 1 | Monday, November 18th

Day One will ground attendees in the power of collective healing by highlighting opportunities to align efforts that foster greater community, connection, and hope, even in divisive times. 

12:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Registration, Lunch, & Optional Pre-Event Activities

2:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Programming

  • 2:00 - 2:10 PM | Welcome Remarks

    Mindful Philanthropy’s Chief Executive Officer, Alyson Niemann, will welcome guests to Activate 2024 and introduce event emcee, Thuy Vu.

  • 2:10 - 2:45 PM | Opening Conversation: The Body Keeps the Score

    Activate will open with an intimate conversation on acknowledging and understanding the individual and collective trauma we are holding in these polarizing times. This curated conversation with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk will explore how trauma impacts our bodies, minds and our communities. The conversation will also include Dr. van der Kolk’s thoughts on approaches for addressing trauma to foster resilience and well-being.

  • 2:45 - 3:25 PM | Using Our Why to Drive Action Toward Impact

    Ross Szabo will help set intentions for our time together by leading us through an interactive workshop and Activate’s ritual exercise: “Defining Your Why.” Activate newcomers will reflect on their ‘why’ for connecting with mental health, while returning attendees will revisit and examine how their  ‘why’ has evolved. Participants will also be invited to set their intention for this time together. 

  • 3:25 - 3:35 PM | Break

  • 3:35 - 3:55 PM | Mental Health at the Center: National Funding Landscape Review

    Mindful Philanthropy's Kristen Ward will share learnings from partnering with philanthropies across seven cities as part of our Mental Health at the Center Roadshow to guide and align new and existing funders looking for impact in mental health in their own communities. She will explore key insights from our series of reports on the current state of giving toward mental health and opportunities for collaboration to effectively transform the mental health sector.

  • 3:55 - 4:45 PM | Exploring the Evolution and Future of Mental Health Funding

    Building on the insights shared in the previous session, Margaret Laws, Linda Rosenberg, and Bill Smith will join Mina Lu to dive deeper into the evolution of mental health funding, examining the history, key milestones, and current gaps. As both experts and funders, they will discuss how the mental health funding landscape has changed over time, where future opportunities lie to close critical gaps, and the role of diverse types of capital building capacity to meet the growing need and demand for mental health support.

4:45 PM - 5:30 PM | Break

5:30 PM - 10:00 PM | Riverboat Cruise, Cocktail Hour, & Dinner

  • Location: Moreland Landing. Boats will depart from Grace Dock at 5:30 PM.

Day 2 | Tuesday, November 19th

Day Two will include deep dives into strategic priority areas in the mental health sector and examine areas that varied types of funding can have outsized impact, including supporting women and girls, community-led initiatives, youth support systems, novel innovations in treatment, reimagined systems of care, and more.  

7:30 - 8:00 AM | Optional Morning Meditation

  • Location: Hush

  • Led by Mindful Philanthropy’s Janna Bilski, a UCLA-trained mindfulness and meditation teacher

8:00 - 9:00 AM | Breakfast

  • Location: River House Restaurant

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Programming

  • 9:00 - 9:30 AM | Community-Driven Solutions for Mental Health

    Drawing on his experience in revitalizing communities and connecting with young people, Ché Anderson will share his vision for equitable mental health solutions rooted in community engagement, youth empowerment, and workforce development. 

    He will present actionable insights, including uplifting those communities most in need to become a vital part of the future mental health workforce, while also illustrating how local, grassroots approaches can effectively reduce mental health disparities and create lasting change.

  • 9:30 - 10:30 AM | The Power of Cultivating Connection

    Many people are experiencing a loss of connection, both inner and outer, caused by factors such as distraction, social comparison, and loneliness. In this session, contemplative scientists Drs. Sará King and Eve Ekman will discuss the critical role that community plays in promoting positive mental health, building resilience, and providing early intervention opportunities. They will highlight effective community interventions and explore innovative ways technology can support community-building, offering insights for philanthropy to think more creatively about enhancing community mental health and well-being. 

  • 10:30 - 10:50 AM | Break

  • 10:50 - 11:15 AM | Funder Story: Valinhos Foundation

    Julie Veldman Harris will share learnings from her family’s evolving support of mental health and how her family has amplified their investments in increasing care access, quality, and connectivity through community partnerships, while also attending to the systems that underpin mental health in Indiana and beyond.

  • 11:15 - 11:45 AM I With Her in Mind

    Taryn Bird and Tracie Jade Jenkins will join Mindful Philanthropy’s Julya Loder to consider the unique pressures and challenges facing women today, leading to rapidly rising mental health needs. This discussion will center on how supporting women’s mental health is not only beneficial for their own well-being, but also presents a strategic investment opportunity that creates a ripple effect that shapes the futures of children, families, and communities for generations to come. 

  • 11:45 AM - 12:05 PM | Philanthropy Across Borders: Global Lessons for National Impact

    Sean Mayberry will discuss the similarities and differences in philanthropic approaches to resource allocation, scale, scope, and prioritization across national and global contexts. Sean will highlight how innovative strategies, data-driven approaches, and collaborative models from international contexts can be adapted and applied domestically, as well as what barriers are impeding impact in the U.S. philanthropic sector.

  • 12:05 PM - 12:30 PM | Charting the Future of Mental Health Philanthropy

    Based on the review of the field of mental health philanthropy, Mindful Philanthropy will guide participants through an interactive workshop that illuminates how our own assumptions, biases, and actions are helping and hindering efforts toward a moonshot in mental health.

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM | Lunch

  • Location: River House Restaurant

2:00 PM - 5:30 PM | Programming

  • 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM | Demystifying Youth Mental Health

    In a curated conversation, Dr. Lisa Damour will present the unique pressures and challenges that are impacting youth mental health, and she will also share her expertise on the importance of caregiver relationships on child development.

  • 2:30 - 3:10 PM | Empowering Youth Mental Health and Well-Being

    Together, Louise Langheier, Erika Nesholm, and Dr. Sarah Vinson will redefine and level-set the challenges faced by today’s youth that are contributing to worsening mental health outcomes. By reassessing the roles of families, schools, and communities, this session will offer fresh perspectives on how funders can catalyze meaningful, systemic improvements in youth mental health through data-driven strategies and innovative approaches that emphasize holistic well-being over traditional mental health support frameworks.

  • 3:10 PM - 3:30 PM | Funder Story: The Pew Charitable Trusts

    Dr. Kil Huh will reflect on The Pew Charitable Trusts' past and current investments in mental and behavioral health and how these investments are informing the next iteration of their work in this sector. Dr. Huh will highlight Pew’s approach to funding investments with enough evidentiary basis to ensure confidence, while also making strategic investments and collaborating to build the field.

  • 3:30 - 3:50 PM | Break

  • 3:50 - 4:10 PM | Landscape of Innovations in Detection and Treatment

    Brandon Staglin will provide an overview of key areas of mental health innovation, including those that support prevention, treatment, and maintenance. He will also address key considerations and cautions in assessing promising innovations, while highlighting bright spots for philanthropy to effectively support and scale these innovations. 

  • 4:10 - 4:50 PM | Implementing AI and Technology for Better Care

    Barbara Mulvee, Ashley Newton, and Max de Vere will join a conversation with Linda Rosenberg to reflect on the opportunity for diverse investment types to advance technology and artificial intelligence in improving care processes, reducing administrative burden, increasing treatment capacity, and achieving better patient outcomes. Speakers will share not only the benefits, but also the challenges that they've experienced in adopting and implementing these tools and how they've overcome them.

  • 4:50 - 5:20 PM | Scaling Well-Being

    Just like being physically in shape means regular exercise, supporting one’s emotional well-being begins with a training program - for the mind. In this interactive TED-style talk, world renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Richard J. Davidson discusses the scientific concept of neuroplasticity and how research in the lab confirms that well-being is a skill that can be taught. By learning and practicing the skills associated with awareness, connection, insight, and purpose - anyone can have a healthier mind, despite their external circumstances.

  • 5:20 - 5:30 PM | Learn. Connect. Act: Putting Learnings to Action

    Alyson Niemann will guide participants in reflecting on learnings from the first day of Activate and how we set intention to build toward action together. 

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM | Break

6:30 PM - 9:00 PM | Cocktail Hour & Dinner

  • Location: Somerset Chapel

Day 3 | Wednesday, November 20th

Day Three will focus on avenues for funders of all types to activate toward impact, including an examination of the challenges and benefits associated with collaborative funding and current investment opportunities toward systemic change that are ready to fund now.  

7:30 - 8:00 AM | Optional Morning Meditation

  • Location: Hush

  • Led by Mindful Philanthropy’s Janna Bilski, a UCLA-trained mindfulness and meditation teacher

8:00 - 9:00 AM | Breakfast

  • Location: River House Restaurant

9:00 AM - 11:45 AM | Closing Plenary Session

  • 9:00 - 9:15 AM | Mindful Reflections from the Field

    Kristen Ward will share learnings from partnering with philanthropies across seven cities as part of our Mental Health at the Center Roadshow to enhance collaboration and improve strategies for funding in your own communities.  

  • 9:15 - 9:55 AM | Setting a Vision for Mental Health Systems Change

    Highlighting solutions from Colorado, Indiana, and Georgia, Jay Chaudhary, Bonnie Hardage, and Deb Mahan will join Priya Bery to provide guiding principles for achieving systemic impact in mental health. Speakers will draw on learnings from their own work, and how we can collectively align efforts more intentionally to achieve greater impact in the mental health system, including how to right size expectations by time and level of investment, and how to approach measurement.

  • 9:55 - 10:15 AM | Funder Story: Michele and David Hirsch

    Michele and David Hirsch will reflect on how their family’s experience has inspired their commitment to mental health, including strategic investments in the systems that support those with the most significant levels of need. The Hirsches will share how their experience at Activate in 2023 has informed significant investments in youth mental health and an interest in greater collaboration.

  • 10:15 - 10:30 AM | Break

  • 10:30 - 11:00 AM | Data and Measurement for Impact

    Richard Johnson will join Dr. Cynthia Ambres to discuss how we fund mental health for greater impact, highlighting examples on how to deliver more meaningful outcomes for vulnerable populations through performance-driven contracting and outcomes measurement in the public health sector and mental health services globally. They will explore how philanthropy can play a pivotal role in driving meaningful outcomes for individuals, families, and communities by integrating performance metrics into evaluation procedures, collaborating with grantees, and promoting greater transparency.

  • 11:00 - 11:35 AM | Big Bold Bets and Collaborative Ventures

    In this closing conversation, members of the Mindful Leadership Council, including The Arthur M Blank Foundation’s Beth Brown and The Esler Family Foundation’s John Esler will join Alyson Niemann and Paul Heller to reflect on their commitment to join a collaborative effort, in partnership with Mindful Philanthropy, to help build the infrastructure needed to enable the entire philanthropic community to make meaningful, transformative investments in mental health. 

  • 11:35 - 11:45 AM | Closing Remarks

11:45 AM - 2:00 PM | Lunch

  • Location: River House Restaurant

WHY MENTAL HEALTH?

Over 20% of the population lives with a mental health or substance use disorder.

From academic achievement to economic mobility and overall equality, mental health and addiction play a central role in every major social issue.

Mindful Philanthropy envisions a world in which all funders are invested in solutions that integrate mental health and well-being so that all people have equitable access to the tools and resources they need to be well.

ABOUT

Mindful Philanthropy was founded in 2020 with the mission to catalyze impactful funding in mental health, addiction, and well-being. We envision a world in which all funders are invested in solutions that integrate mental health and well-being so that all people have equitable access to the tools and resources they need to be well.