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THE HOPE CIRCLE
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Our Leadership

Board of Directors

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Kurt A. Talbot

M.B.A.

Chair
Boerne, TX

Kurt is an experienced investor with deep expertise in problem-solving and investment prioritization for companies and private energy projects globally. He is the co-founder of EIG Global Energy Partners and served as the Chief Investment Officer and Chair of the Environmental Social Governance Committee. While at Goldman Sachs, he founded its oil and gas direct investment team in Houston. He has a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University and holds an M.B.A. from Texas A&M University.

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Chad Koyanagi

M.D.

Vice Chair
Honolulu, HI

Chad Koyanagi is Medical Director of the Crisis Continuum and Medicaid Services in the Hawaii Department of Health’s Adult Mental Health Division. In that role, he oversees the division’s crisis continuum of care services; oversees and directs the behavioral health services provided to Medicaid beneficiaries; and serves as a liaison between the AMHD and the Department of Human Services (DHS) Med-QUEST Division. He is a community psychiatrist whose professional mission is to improve the entire mental health system, but especially the care of vulnerable populations such as the chronically homeless.

Dr. Koyanagi earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College and his medical education at the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine.

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Gary Labovich

M.S., Public Management and Policy

Treasurer
Washington, DC

Gary Labovich is a retired Executive Vice President and Senior Partner of Booz Allen Hamilton, where he led large-scale management and technology consulting efforts across the federal government. During his tenure, he helped grow the firm’s technology business from $300 million to more than $5 billion and managed organizations of up to 8,000 professionals.
 
He brings deep expertise in financial management, governance, and organizational transformation, with advisory roles spanning government, higher education, and the private sector. Mr. Labovich currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees at Clark University and continues to advise organizations on strategy and execution.
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Donna Taylor

M.S.N., R.N., C.C.M.

At-Large
New York, NY

Donna Taylor has more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry and brings a unique perspective to the S&PAA Board, having worked in community, clinic, hospital and managed care settings. She currently serves as the Clinical Director of Behavioral Health at Healthfirst, a not-for-profit health insurance company. A dedicated clinical leader and passionate advocate, Donna collaborates with hospital and community partners to develop and implement innovative programs and policies to improve quality, integration and accessibility of care for individuals and families living with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Donna has a strong background in nursing, with a master’s degree in psychiatric/mental health nursing and a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania. She also volunteers with Team Daniel, a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization that advocates for research, engagement and meaningful recovery from psychosis.

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Angela Babaev

D.N.P., C.N.S., M.S.N.

Board Member
Queens, NY

Angela Babaev is an Advanced Nurse DNP/RN and Clinical Nurse Specialist CNS with more than 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Dr Babaev spent the last 20 years as an executive nursing leader promoting quality excellence in patient care.

Dr. Babaev has overseen the educational, managerial and financial operations in hospital systems, created an innovative nurse recruitment and retention program, led workshops locally and internationally, served as a Lecturer of Program for International Nurses (PIN) and served as 2021-2023 president of the Greater New York Organization of Nurse Executives and Leaders.

In addition to her professional role, Dr. Babaev has dedicated more than 20 years as an active community volunteer, philanthropist and passionate mental health advocate for people with serious mental illness and their families, serving as a board member for NAMI-QN and a Family To Family Instructor (a NAMI program for caregivers).

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Anthony Brown

M.S.N., P.H.N., R.N.

Board Member
Anaheim, CA

Anthony is the founder and director of Coordinating & Assisting Recovery Environments located in Anaheim, CA. Since 1999, Anthony’s passion has been focused on providing specialized treatment for individuals who suffer with a mental illness combined with a substance use disorder. After graduation in 2004, Anthony launched his career in Southern California where he began to specialize in co-occurring disorders. This eventually led him into a four-year partnership with a prominent treatment center where he developed and directed a long-term residential treatment model for this specialized population. In 2013, Anthony introduced Coordinating & Assisting Recovery Environments (C.A.R.E.) as a community-based recovery program. He is the author of the life changing book “From Park Bench to Park Avenue.” Anthony is a graduate of California State University, Fullerton, where he received his B.S. in Nursing. Anthony has received numerous awards and certificates in the field of Addiction Counseling, Anger Management, and Dual Diagnoses.

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Robert Laitman

M.D.

Board Member
Bedford, NY

Dr. Laitman is a private practice physician in Bronx, New York. He specializes in internal medicine, nephrology, geriatrics, and the optimal management of clozapine. He loves being a physician and involves himself in the total care of his patients. When his son was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2006, Robert expanded his practice and became an expert on the treatment of psychosis spectrum disorders and began to specialize in the optimal management of clozapine.

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Patrick McElyea

J.D.

Board Member
Davenport, IA

Patrick McElyea serves as district court judge in the Seventh Judicial District in Iowa and is the presiding judge for the Seventh Judicial Mental Health Court. He received his law degree from Drake University Law School and his undergraduate degree from Central College. He formerly served as a special assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Iowa and was an assistant attorney in Scott County. Judge McElyea has been committed to volunteering with several civic and service organizations to promote mental wellness, education and civic engagement.

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Raquelle I. Mesholam-Gately

Ph.D. Clinical Psychology

Board Member
Cambridge, MA

Raquelle I. Mesholam-Gately, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist with more than 25 years of experience in psychosis-focused research, clinical care, and teaching and training. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Health Alliance.

Her work has advanced understanding of cognitive and functional difficulties in schizophrenia-spectrum and other psychosis conditions, with leadership roles in numerous funded projects, contributions to important assessment tools, and partnerships with individuals who have lived experience with psychosis. Dr. Mesholam-Gately serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance and is committed to integrating lived experience into research and care.

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Eric Smith

M.S.W.

Board Member
San Antonio, TX

Eric Smith is a nationally recognized mental health advocate, public speaker and consultant. He is the founder and owner of Eric W. T. Smith Consulting, LLC. Through lived experience, Eric offers consultation to families and individuals who are impacted by serious mental illness. Eric serves as commissioner with the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health, appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. He has given multiple educational presentations to Stanford law students, and has been featured widely in major media, including People magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Oprah Daily, National Public Radio, Dr. Drew’s podcast and live show, The New York Daily News and Yahoo! News.

Eric’s speaking engagements include the 2022 Judicial Summit on Mental Health in Texas and the first-ever Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health Summit in 2023. Part of his journey is featured in the book You Are Not Alone, written by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ken Duckworth. Eric wrote a chapter about being incarcerated without treatment for mental illness in Navigating Bipolar Country, a book that reached #1 in Amazon’s New Releases in five categories. Eric also authored a section in Awakenings: Stories of Recovery and Emergence from Schizophrenia, a #1 New Release book on Amazon. Eric is a member of the NAMI Texas Public Policy Committee.

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Ariel W. Snowden

Ph.D. Neuroscience

Board Member
Pittsburgh, PA

Ariel Snowden is a neuroscientist examining disease-related genetic and molecular changes that shape neural circuitry in schizophrenia and psychosis spectrum conditions. She is currently a T32 Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh.

Her work is grounded in lived experience as the daughter of an incarcerated parent living with schizophrenia, shaped by navigating mental health and criminal legal systems that continue to deny appropriate care. She serves on the Family Advisory Committee of S&PAA and the Board of the Schizophrenia Policy and Action Network.

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Tanya Trevett

M.Ed.

Board Member
Boston, MA

Tanya Trevett is an educator, family partner and mental health advocate with a background in special education. She supports families navigating the complexities of mental illness, particularly focused on young adults and adolescents facing serious mental illness during their college or high school years. Her dedication to mental health advocacy is demonstrated through her former roles at organizations such as OPLM, MPATH and NAMI, where she supported caregivers and helped improve mental health policies and practice.

Tanya is involved in two family advisory councils in Massachusetts. She also leads a monthly support group for the National Shattering Silence Coalition for caregivers of those living with schizophrenia or psychotic disorders. She continues to advocate for mental health awareness and better support systems, leveraging her vast experience to influence policy and create impactful educational content. Tanya is the author of the book Help, I’m Failing as a Mom: The Survival Guide to Raising a Child with a Mood Disorder, a compassionate and insightful resource for parents grappling with similar challenges.

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Lauren Kennedy West

B.A. Social Development Studies, B.S.W

Board Member
Edmonton, AB, Canada

Lauren Kennedy West is a mental health advocate, speaker, and content creator who brings both lived and professional experience to her work. She was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type, and has a background in social work, offering a dual perspective on recovery and mental health system.

She is the creator and host of a widely viewed educational YouTube channel, formerly called Living Well with Schizophrenia, focused on serious mental illness, recovery, and hope. In 2024, she publicly shared and documented her experience of trying metabolic therapies, particularly medical ketogenic therapy, to treat her schizoaffective disorder. It completely changed her experience of her illness and her life. Her channel is now called Living Well After Schizophrenia and she is dedicating her advocacy to bringing this therapeutic intervention to as many others as possible, and challenging limitations of our current understanding of treatment and recovery.

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Joel White

B.S.

Board Member
McLean, VA

Joel founded Horizon Government Affairs in 2007 and is a veteran of Capitol Hill who served as staff director for the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee. He also is president of the Council for Affordable Health Coverage, whose mission is to lower health costs for all Americans. He founded a service organization called Arlington Bridge Builders, which serves 20,000 low income food- and housing-insecure people in his community. He is on the board of directors of the Samaritan Inns, one of the largest homeless treatment and housing shelters in Washington, D.C. Joel spent 12 years on Capitol Hill as professional staff, where he helped enact nine laws, including the 2002 Trade Act, the 2003 law that established the Medicare prescription drug benefit and Health Savings Accounts, the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act and the 2006 Tax Reform and Health Care Act. Joel is co-author of the book Facts and Figures on Government Finance and holds a B.S. in Economics from the American University.

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Michael Wolfe

B.B.A.

Board Member
Doylestown, PA

Mike spent nearly 37 years at Johnson & Johnson in executive management positions with a strong focus on patient advocacy leadership responsibilities across brain health and neuroscience.  He held leadership roles in sales, sales management, marketing, payer, policy and advocacy (advocacy group types: patient, professional and trade organizations), and built and led several innovative and successful internal and external coalitions.  He also held commercial, Medicaid and state mental healthcare system responsibilities across New York and New England. Mike obtained his BBA in Marketing from East Tennessee State University.

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Mindy Greiling

M.Ed.

Board Member
Roseville, MN

Mindy Greiling served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years, where she initiated the first state bipartisan mental health caucus after her son was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She served on state and national NAMI boards and is the immediate past president of NAMI Ramsey County. She co-chairs NAMI Ramsey County’s advocacy for Clubhouse International and is leading advocacy for more affordable housing that fits people with serious mental illnesses. Greiling’s memoir, Fix What You Can: Schizophrenia and a Lawmaker’s Fight for Her Son, was published in 2020, and she co-hosts the podcast Schizophrenia: Three Moms in the Trenches.

Staff

Gordon Lavigne

M.Ed.

CEO
Alexandria, VA

Gordon joined Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance as Chief Executive Officer in November 2020. He previously served as Executive Vice President of Operations since September 2018.

Before joining the organization, Gordon held executive management positions with leading nonprofits including the Alzheimer’s Association, the ALS Association, and Autism Society of America coordinating and executing strategies to accelerate organizational growth. 

Gordon earned a B.S. in Psychology from Lewis & Clark College and a Master of Education degree from the University of Vermont.

Anne Pappas

Anne DeGeorge

Director of Development

Anne joined the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance in June 2025 as Director of Development. She leads the organization’s fundraising strategy in support of its mission and long-term growth. Her background in healthcare development includes roles at the American Heart Association and the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, where she focused on building meaningful relationships that connect donors with causes that improve the health of our communities. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from Indiana University and is deeply committed to mental health advocacy, volunteering with both local and national organizations to expand access to care and reduce stigma.

Erica Tingler

Erica Tingler

Director of Communications

Erica joined Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance in May 2025 as a marketing and communications strategist with 20 years of experience in leading integrated campaigns that drive both business growth and public health impact. With expertise in digital marketing, internal and external communications, and content creation, she’s supported enterprise-level initiatives across sectors including Mayo Clinic, the D.C. Department of Health, and United States Pharmacopeia. She is deeply experienced in mental health and pharmaceutical journalism. Erica holds B.S. degrees in communications, English and education from Kent State University and is pursuing an MPH from the University of Maryland, Global Campus.

Krissa Rouse

Krissa Rouse

M.A., L.C.P.C.

Director of Programs and Community Engagement

Krissa is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) who joined Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance in March 2025 to bring clinical expertise to the oversight of support groups and resource line. Krissa has nearly a decade of experience supporting individuals and families after an initial episode of psychosis as a clinician, community educator, and family supporter. Krissa earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Towson University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology at University of Baltimore. Krissa has a private practice and volunteers for local nonprofit organizations to support individuals and families living with schizophrenia and other serious mental health conditions with psychosis.

Priya Chirayil

Priya Chirayil

Director of Scientific Affairs

Priya is a health scientist supporting the research goals of S&PAA. They have nearly two decades of experience in health research, with training in both the molecular biology and social determinants of health conditions. Priya earned master’s degrees in epidemiology and social work from Columbia University, and also holds a master’s degree in virology from the University of Texas. They are passionate about health equity, and about incorporating the micro-, meso-, and macro- environments of mental health conditions into outcomes research.

Davy Yue

Program Manager: Education & Care

Davy has worked with S&PAA since February 2024 on the resource line and since then lead the development of technical resources and educational initiatives across the organization. He now serves on the staff as program manager to spearhead the education/care strategic efforts to drive greater organizational and strategic impact. Davy has worked in the mental health ecosystem as a consultant/advisor to nonprofits, public speaker at conferences and summits, and is a cross-sector advocate for innovations in biopsychosocial holistic recovery. Davy earned his bachelor’s from Vanderbilt University in engineering and his work is centered on the perspective that the body is hardware and mind is software, open to resilient updates and system revisions.

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Mindy Valeria

Operations Coordinator

Mindy joined Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance in March 2026 as the Operations Coordinator. Her background is primarily nonprofit and higher education administration, with experience coordinating programs, strengthening internal systems, and helping teams stay organized and connected in mission-driven environments. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Gonzaga University. It is there she discovered her passion for contributing to efforts that expand understanding, advocacy, and support for individuals and families navigating complex and difficult circumstances.

Scientific Advisory Committee

The Scientific Advisory Committee provides strategic guidance and direction for S&PAA’s global programming on:

  • Research projects, specifically our research strategic plan development and execution.
  • Scientific education, specifically our education strategic plan development and execution.
  • Scientific communication, including contributing to the dissemination of scientific findings relevant to S&PAA’s mission and providing expertise on involvement in media or legal affairs.
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Holly Krasa

M.Sc.

CEO and Managing Director, Blue Persimmon Group

Committee Chair

Matcheri Keshavan

Matcheri Keshavan

M.D.

Stanley Cobb Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Head of Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

Committee Co-Chair

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Kristen R. Choi

Ph.D., PMHNP-BC, FAAN

Assistant Professor, School of Nursing University of California, Los Angeles

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Lynn DeLisi

M.D.

Attending Psychiatrist and Professor, Cambridge Health Alliance Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School Editor-in-Chief, Psychiatry Research

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Chad Koyanagi

M.D.

Medical Director, Crisis Continuum and Medicaid Services Hawaii Department of Health, Adult Mental Health Division

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Diane Gooding

Ph.D.

Full Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry and Medicine University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Phil Harvey

Ph.D.

Leonard M. Miller Professor of Psychiatry, Vice Chair for Research and Director of the Division of Psychology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Senior Health Research Scientist, Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center 

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Dolores Malaspina

M.D.

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Raquelle Mesholam-Gately

Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Health Alliance

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Jason Shafrin

Ph.D.

Senior Managing Director, Center for Healthcare Economics and Policy, FTI Consulting Adjunct Professor, Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California

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Michael Townsend

M.A., L.C.S.W.

Internship Coordinator, Gateway Counseling Center

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Peter Weiden

M.D.

Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University

Peer and Family Advisory Council:

The Peer and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) brings together people with lived experience of schizophrenia and psychosis and family members, loved ones, and caregivers. Their diverse perspectives, expertise, and skills provide essential insight into the needs and priorities of the people S&PAA serves and help guide our strategic planning. The PFAC is integral to building the community and infrastructure needed to advance our mission and significantly scale our impact.

Peer Members

Rita Bourke

Ireland

Rita Bourke is a registered nurse and mental health advocate from Ireland. Growing up with a mother who had schizophrenia and experiencing her own mental health challenges during her teenage years, she was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2010. Treatment with clozapine and later lithium put her on the road to recovery and enabled her to return to work as a healthcare professional.

Rebecca Chamaa

Rebecca Chamaa

California

Rebecca Chamaa is a writer, speaker, writing workshop developer and facilitator, and Certified Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist with lived experience of schizophrenia. She holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts and a Certificate in Narrative Medicine from Columbia University. Rebecca serves on the Lived Experience Advisory Council for Early Psychosis Intervention California (EPI-CAL) at UC Davis and works as a Peer Support Specialist for the NAMI Warmline, providing support to individuals experiencing mental health challenges nationwide. She is a nationally published freelance writer whose work has appeared in HuffPost, Business Insider, Glamour, Teen Vogue, and numerous other national magazines and anthologies. She is a two-time recipient of grants from Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson) and was recently selected as a Fellow with The Center for Faith and Justice.

Rebecca is excited to join the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance Advisory Council and collaborate with fellow advocates who share a commitment to improving care, expanding hope, and amplifying the voices of people with lived experience.

Lisa Guardiola

Lisa Guardiola, CRSS

Illinois

Ms. Guardiola has a BA in psychology and studio arts from St. Xavier University. She is a Certified Recovery Support Specialist through the state of Illinois since 2025 and earned her WRAP facilitator certification in 2013. Ms. Guardiola is a board member of the Illinois Alliance of Peer Professionals, and Vice President of NAMI South Suburbs of Chicago where she is trained as a NAMI Connection support group facilitator, NAMI “In Our Own Voice” presenter, and a Peer to Peer Instructor. She has worked for Sertoma Star Services for the past 12 years where she started working as a PSR Case Manager transitioning into her current position as a Community Outreach and Education trainer for the past 10 years. Trained in both Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid, QPR Suicide Prevention, safeTALK and ASIST Suicide Prevention, she uses her lived experience of living with Schizophrenia to break the stigma of mental illness and provide mental health literacy throughout the state of Illinois. She also works part-time on the weekends for Envision Unlimited in their Drop – In Center providing peer support to their members. She is honored to have been chosen as WebMD A360 Patient Advocate for Schizophrenia in 2025 and finds purpose in sharing her mental health recovery journey.

Lisa is honored to partner with S&PAA to advocate for recovery from Schizophrenia and empower our community with education and support to gain equal access to care while fighting sigma and discrimination. 

James Hensley

James Hensley

Virginia

James currently works for Walmart as a food/consumables Team Lead in Waynesboro, VA. Previously, he worked for Jiji Solutions as a delivery driver and before that with Walmart as an associate. He previously also worked for Bollywood Masala in Hollywood, MD. James has served on the St. Mary’s County Commission for the Environment, the Harrisonburg Environmental Performance Standards Committee, and the Selective Service System Local Board. He attended St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Chayilee Inspira

Chayilee Inspira

Arizona

Chayilee Inspira is the founder of Successful with Schizophrenia, a consultant for behavioral health agencies and a professional lived experience speaker. Following her diagnosis, she faced years of persistent hallucinations, fear, and isolation before developing a recovery approach centered on structure, mindset, accountability, and consistent daily practice.

Drawing from her lived experience, Chayilee collaborates with behavioral health organizations to bridge the gap between clinical treatment and everyday recovery. She speaks to patients, caregivers, and mental health professionals about the practical challenges of living with schizophrenia while offering strategies that promote hope, engagement, and long-term success.

Her goal is to help create a future where every person diagnosed with schizophrenia knows that recovery is possible and feels empowered to actively participate in building the life they want.

Bethany Camille James

Bethany Camille James

Colorado

Bethany Camille James is a writer, poet, mental health advocate, and creative storyteller based in Colorado. She serves as a Peer Advisor with the Schizophrenia & Psychosis Action Alliance (S&PAA), where she collaborates on initiatives that amplify the voices of people living with schizophrenia and psychosis. Through her lived experience, Bethany is passionate about reducing stigma, promoting recovery, and helping others discover hope through storytelling and community.

In addition to her advocacy, Bethany is a freelance writer for Mood Magazine NYC and the founder of A True Poet’s Gloss by CP, a creative project that combines beauty, confidence, and self-expression. Her work centers on the belief that every person’s story has value and that sharing lived experiences can inspire understanding, resilience, and meaningful change.

“I advocate so that every person living with schizophrenia or psychosis knows their voice matters, their story has purpose, and recovery is possible.”

Theo Karantsalis

Theo Karantsalis

California

San Francisco native who lovingly served Miami’s Black community for many years as an offbeat librarian. Serious mental illness runs deep in Theo’s family, and he’s lived with schizophrenia himself since childhood. He struggles with how he processes information, perceives reality, and connects with others, but finds meaning serving with S&PAA to help others facing similar circumstances.

The meaning of life is making a difference in the lives of others

Douglas Meron

Douglas Meron

California

My life has been shaped by resilience, determination, and a long battle with schizoaffective disorder. I’ve faced hospitalizations, crisis centers, and years of therapy, confronting trauma and anxiety that once felt overwhelming. Through persistence and support, I learned to rebuild my life piece by piece. My diagnosis became not a limitation but a source of strength, guiding me toward purpose. Today, I work as a peer support specialist and share my recovery story through NAMI San Diego’s In Our Own Voice program, offering hope to people who feel lost in their struggles. I’ve helped peers recognize their own potential, including those with the same diagnosis, showing them that recovery is real and achievable. I continue to grow, heal, and pursue my dream of becoming a therapist. My journey reflects one truth: I have fallen many times, but every time, I rise stronger than before.

I am here to break down the stigma that a person who is diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder can still play an integral role in society.

Angela Smith

Angela Smith

California

Angela Smith is a mental health advocate, nonprofit leader, and writer passionate about helping others through service and storytelling. Drawing from her lived experience with schizophrenia, she works to reduce stigma, promote hope, and encourage open conversations about mental health. She serves as Vice President of the Board for NAMI Monterey County, where she supports programs that educate, empower, and connect individuals and families affected by mental illness. Angela is also writing a memoir that chronicles her journey to recovery with honesty, resilience, and humor. Through advocacy, public speaking, and writing, she hopes to remind others that healing is possible and that no one must face their challenges alone.

My goal is to use my lived experience to advocate for meaningful change, reduce stigma, and help build a mental health system where every person is treated with dignity, compassion, and hope.

Paulie VonEdWaerd Benajamin

Paulie VonEdWærd-Benjamin

Michigan

I have been living on and off with psychosis for most of my life yet have found that my love of nature has significantly aided my healing. And of course, continues to. I practice meditation in view of trees as often as possible. I am a strong believer in the power of self-knowing, and letting love fill one up, so that it overflows to help others.

Tagline: The voice of the patient guides all healing.

Additional Peer Members

Linda Griffith
New York

Elyse Piotrowski
Michigan

Family Members

Anusha Patil

Anusha Patil

Texas

Hi! My name is Anusha and I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin passionate about mental health advocacy. In my free time, I love playing badminton and spending time with family and friends. I am also a volunteer Medical Assistant at a psychiatry clinic, working closely with patients and families navigating psychosis. A relative of mine is currently diagnosed with Bipolar II, and my lived experience arises from understanding how our family can attempt to support her care. I am so excited to be on this journey with S&PAA!

Being on an advisory committee is very important to me as it allows me to play an active role in advocating against the stigma of psychosis disorders and lead care groups!

Keerti Prajapati

Keerti Prajapati

Edmonton, Canada

Curious Neurotech Enthusiast, exploring the intersection of Technology and Neuroscience.

I am a sibling of a person living with Schizophrenia. I always wanted to contribute and be a part of organizations who are supporting such a population in their well-being . I believe while every patient’s life history and recovery journey is unique, sharing individual experiences would help peers to manage their life. And more importantly, if more researchers know about patient past lives and present situations, it would help them build better treatments or frameworks that can be utilized for everyone’s wellbeing.

Keerti is honored to partner with S&PAA in advocating for recovery from schizophrenia and in empowering individuals living with serious mental illness to live independent and purposeful lives through education and community support.

Lauren Schroeder

Lauren Schroeder

California

Lauren is originally from the east coast and now lives in San Francisco, where she works in the tech industry.

Lauren brings a personal connection to S&PAA’s mission. Having a family member living with schizoaffective disorder, she’s spent years navigating the confusion, grief, and steep learning curve of supporting a loved one through psychosis and what follows. She knows firsthand how disorienting it is for families to find good information, how isolating the experience can be, and how much of a difference the right resources and community can make.

Outside of work, Lauren can be found running, reading, traveling, or spinning up small creative projects. She’s excited to serve on the Family Advisory Committee and contribute to the work S&PAA is doing for families like hers.

I know what it’s like to navigate a family member’s diagnosis without much support. I’m here to help build the resources and community my family and I could’ve used along the way.

Kayln Sims

Kalyn Sims

Maryland

Kalyn is the mother of five sons, including a son living with schizophrenia. Drawing from her family’s journey, she is passionate about supporting other caregivers and helping improve the lives of individuals and families affected by serious mental illness.

After retiring in 2025 following a career in executive leadership in the technology industry, Kalyn chose to dedicate her time to mental health advocacy, education, and caregiver support. She combines lived experience as a caregiver with decades of executive leadership experience, bringing both personal perspective and strategic insight to help organizations create meaningful change for individuals and families affected by serious mental illness.

Kalyn serves on the S&PAA Family Advisory Council, facilitates a S&PAA caregiver support group, and volunteers with organizations focused on mental health and community support. She enjoys working alongside clinicians, researchers, people with lived experience, and fellow caregivers to develop resources, strengthen support for caregivers, and improve outcomes for families.

Kalyn believes caregivers have invaluable insights to contribute and that meaningful progress happens when every voice is heard. She believes that when families, clinicians, researchers, and people with lived experience work together as partners, they can create lasting change for everyone affected by schizophrenia and psychosis.

Karen R Steingart

Karen R Steingart, MD, MPH

Oregon

Karen is a public health physician (retired 2024). During her decades of practice, she worked locally on outbreaks of infectious disease, such as measles and meningococcal disease, and globally on the effort to eradicate polio led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization (WHO) among other organizations. For the last 20 years, she was an Editor with Cochrane, an international network of providers, researchers, methodologists, patients, caregivers, and others, who aim to see a world with better health for all based on high quality evidence. She focused on tuberculosis (TB) and convened international medical teams to synthesize evidence on the accuracy of tests for diagnosing TB. This evidence helped inform global WHO guidelines on TB diagnostics. In 1980, Karen was a founding member and served as the first president of the Oregon chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, the US affiliate of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). IPPNW was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.

As a member of the Family Advisory Committee, I have been able to contribute to developing guidance and tools to help others. I wish these tools were available when I desperately needed them 20 years ago, when my son first experienced psychosis.

Kristy Stonehill

Kristy Stonehill

Virginia

Kristy Stonehill is a mental health advocate and has lived experience as a family member and caregiver of a loved one with serious mental illness. Kristy is currently the Executive Director of her local NAMI. She is active in her local community, providing support and peer services to individuals and their families in need. Kristy also travels, serving as a speaker and panelist for organizations from all over. Kristy believes that change can only come by talking about it and talking about it often.

Additional Family Members / Caregivers

Rachel Farrell
Pennsylvania

Heidi Fredrickson
Arkansas

Tracy Ganser
Minnesota

Gus Granger
Texas

Marjorie Greenberg
Virginia

Denise Keefe
New York

Glenn Morgan
California

Matt Peterson
Minnesota

Randy Rodriguez
Florida

Krishna Sreeneel
California

Wakitha Thomas
Georgia

Christen White
Arizona

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