Students & Psychosis: A Panel Discussion - HeadsUp

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Penn Medicine

Thank you to our organizers, partners, panelists, and attendees!

A recording of this event is coming soon.

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For questions or concerns contact: crystal.vatza@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Registration is now closed.

For questions or concerns contact: crystal.vatza@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

HeadsUp is delighted to welcome Emeka Chima as the keynote speaker for our Students & Psychosis panel discussion! For the past two years, Emeka has served as an Executive Board Secretary for the non-profit Students with Psychosis coordinating with different hubs and communities worldwide next to his fellow students and advocates with the lived psychosis experience. Using his lived experience with schizophrenia Emeka has networked with various audiences through his advocacy work and hopes to serve underrepresented communities to create more fulfilling lives. Watch and share this brief video message from Emeka!

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Emeka lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and has been a six-month Peer Support Specialist in recovery within the first episode psychosis On Track Maryland program significantly improving the lives of adolescents and young adults living with mental health diagnoses. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus. He has contributed as a Keynote speaker for mental health organizations such as the Tennessee Conference, Mental Health America National Conference, and the Schizophrenia International Research Society in Florence, Italy.

We want to thank our partners for uplifting this event and for their work in supporting the mental health of students.

Meet the Panelists

<img width="584" height="592" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.55-PM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.55-PM.png 584w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.55-PM-296x300.png 296w" sizes="(max-width: 584px) 100vw, 584px" />

Emeka Chima

Students with Psychosis Representative

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Christian Kohler, MD

Co-Director, HeadsUp

<img width="354" height="354" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/monica_calkins.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/monica_calkins.jpg 354w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/monica_calkins-300x300.jpg 300w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/monica_calkins-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 354px) 100vw, 354px" />

Monica Calkins, PhD

Co-Director, HeadsUp

<img width="1206" height="1156" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.33-PM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.33-PM.png 1206w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.33-PM-300x288.png 300w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.33-PM-1024x982.png 1024w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.33-PM-768x736.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1206px) 100vw, 1206px" />

Christine Michaels, MSHSA

Chief Executive Officer, NAMI Keystone Pennsylvania

<img width="398" height="498" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.03-PM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.03-PM.png 398w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.03-PM-240x300.png 240w" sizes="(max-width: 398px) 100vw, 398px" />

Tushita Mayanil, MD

Child Psychiatrist, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

<img width="688" height="752" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-11-at-1.25.48-PM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-11-at-1.25.48-PM.png 688w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-11-at-1.25.48-PM-274x300.png 274w" sizes="(max-width: 688px) 100vw, 688px" />

Marci Sturgeon-Rusiewicz, MS, LPC, NCC, CPSS, CPRP

Senior Manager of Recovery and Resiliency, Wesley Family Services

<img width="1376" height="1704" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-14-at-11.59.30-AM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-14-at-11.59.30-AM.png 1376w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-14-at-11.59.30-AM-242x300.png 242w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-14-at-11.59.30-AM-827x1024.png 827w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-14-at-11.59.30-AM-768x951.png 768w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-14-at-11.59.30-AM-1240x1536.png 1240w" sizes="(max-width: 1376px) 100vw, 1376px" />

Bailey Higgins

Case Manager, East Stroudsburg University

<img width="1252" height="1672" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.20-PM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.20-PM.png 1252w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.20-PM-225x300.png 225w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.20-PM-767x1024.png 767w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.20-PM-768x1026.png 768w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Screen-Shot-2023-02-01-at-3.12.20-PM-1150x1536.png 1150w" sizes="(max-width: 1252px) 100vw, 1252px" />

Jaimi Laurie

Administrative Supervisor for the On My Way Program at Child and Family Focus

<img width="1296" height="1624" src="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-07-at-3.31.53-PM.png" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" decoding="async" srcset="https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-07-at-3.31.53-PM.png 1296w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-07-at-3.31.53-PM-239x300.png 239w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-07-at-3.31.53-PM-817x1024.png 817w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-07-at-3.31.53-PM-768x962.png 768w, https://headsup-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Screen-Shot-2021-01-07-at-3.31.53-PM-1226x1536.png 1226w" sizes="(max-width: 1296px) 100vw, 1296px" />

Crystal Vatza, MS

Education and Tele-Health Manager, HeadsUp

This training was made possible through a Community Mental Health Services Block Grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Grant Award Number: SM063411-01. © 2021 HeadsUp. All Rights Reserved.

Catherine (Cat) Conroy, M.Ed, Manager of HeadsUp
Neurodevelopment and Psychosis Section, Department of Psychiatry
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
10th floor, Gates Pavilion, HUP
3400 Spruce Street, Rm. 10054, Philadelphia, PA 19104
headsuppaorg@gmail.com

We are available during standard business hours (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) to answer any questions you may have about our organization or to direct you to programs in Pennsylvania that can offer clinical help.