SPEAKERS

King Davis, Ph.D. (Keynote Speaker) - Executive Director, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health,
                                                                 University of Texas at Austin

Carolyn Spiro, M.D. & Pamela Spiro Wagner (Plenary Speakers)

Suzanne Vogel Scibilia, M.D. - President, NAMI National

Kevin Martone, L.S.W. - Assistant Commissioner, Division of Mental Health Services

Phil Lubitz, M.S.W. - Director of Advocacy Programs, NAMI New Jersey

Peggy Swarbrick, Ph.D., O.T.R., C.P.R.P. - Director of Wellness and Recovery,
                                                                     Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey

Kathleen Considine, M.S.W. - Affiliate and Professional Education Coordinator, NAMI New Jersey

Robert Stern, M.D. - Senior Psychiatrist, Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital

Leslie Stivale, M.A., C.P.R.P. - Executive Director, CCC Housing

Mike Armstrong - Executive Director, Community Hope

Gary Van Nostrand - President/CEO, SERV Behavioral Health System

Patti Holland, M.S., C.R.C. - Assistant Director, Office of Housing and Community Development,
                         Division of Mental Health Services

Lorna Hines-Cunningham, LCSW, R/LCSW, ACSW - Assistant Director, Office of Quality                          Improvement & Specialty Services, Division of Mental Health Services

Chandrakala Kamath, M.D. - Vice-President (2005-06), Indian American Civic Forum

Esther Lam, M.A., L.P.C. - Senior Primary Therapist, Princeton House

Ed Madara, M.A. - Executive Director, Self-Help Group Clearinghouse

Andrew Sperling, J.D. - Director of Federal Legislative Advocacy, NAMI National

Jill Williams, M.D. - Director of Mental Health Tobacco Services,
                                 UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

Libby Bartholomew, M.Div. - NAMI NJ Hearts & Minds Program Presenter

Judith Carrington - Founder, Mental Health Resources

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

King Davis, Ph.D.

King Davis, Ph.D. is the Executive Director of the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, and holds the Robert Lee Sutherland Chair in Mental Health and Social Policy at the University of Texas at Austin, School of Social Work. Dr. Davis has written and published numerous articles, and reports on mental health, managed health care, fund raising, and social justice. His book on The Color of Social Policy was published in March, 2004. He recently served on the Surgeon General's Workgroup on Mental Health, Culture, Race and Ethnicity and helped write the report on cultural competence for the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health (2003). 

Pamela Spiro Wagner

Pamela Spiro Wagner is a prize-winning writer and poet who has been published in Tikkun, Schizophrenia Bulletin, The Connecticut Writer, Hartford Courant, LA Weekly and the New York Times Sunday Magazine, among others. She won the 1993 Connecticut Mental Health Media Award; took second place in the 1997 Mental Illness Awareness Media Awards; first place in the Tunxis Poetry Review twice, and First Place in the 2002 BBC World Service International Poetry Awards. She graduated from Brown University and lives in Wethersfield CT with her cat, Eemie. She is now recovering from schizophrenia after more than 35 years of chronic illness.

Carolyn S. Spiro, M.D.

Carolyn S. Spiro, M.D., is a psychiatrist and writer living in Wilton, CT. She was trained at Harvard Medical School and Mass. Mental Health Center before moving here in 1984. Her professional interests include obsessive-compulsive disorders, Lyme disease, and educating the public about neuropsychiatric disorders. She is an accomplished International Standard ballroom dancer, takes ballet classes 3-4 times a week, and is learning, slowly, to speak Italian.

Suzanne Vogel Scibilia, M.D.

A clinical psychiatrist, Dr. Suzanne Vogel-Scibilia operates an independent mental health clinic. On the Board of NAMI Pennsylvania, Suzanne who has had bipolar disorder since the age of fifteen, is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Western Psychiatric Institute and serves on the faculty of two community hospitals. She stays very active leading local peer education and support groups and acts in an advisory capacity for national organizations, as well.

Kevin Martone, L.S.W.

Kevin Martone was appointed as Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services in the Department of Human Services on August 8, 2005. Prior to his appointment, Kevin served as the President/CEO for Advance Housing, a non-profit supportive housing provider in northern New Jersey. In addition, Kevin recently served as the Vice President of the Supportive Housing Association (SHA) of New Jersey where he played a key role in advancing the policy direction of SHA with both the State and provider community. Kevin also served on Governor Codey’s Task Force on Mental Health as the Housing Advisory Committee Chairperson. Kevin is a Licensed Social Worker and has a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University.

Phil Lubitz, M.S.W.

Mr. Lubitz is the Director of Advocacy Programs for NAMI NEW JERSEY. He has more than 30 years of experience in the public mental health system as a therapist, administrator and family advocate. He has also served as the New Jersey Family Support Coordinator for ten years, a position created by the Family Support for Persons with a Serious Mental Illness Act of 1995. In this role he coordinates planning groups of family members affected by a mental illness in each region of the state. He is responsible for adopting the State Family Support Plan for Persons with a Serious Mental Illness. Mr. Lubitz is currently the Vice Chair of the New Jersey Mental Health Planning Council. He is a founding member and twice president of the New Jersey Coalition of Residential Providers. He was awarded the Senator Paul Wellstone award for mental health Advocacy by the New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies. Mr. Lubitz received a BA from the George Washington University and was awarded his M.S.W. by the Rutgers School of Social Work.

Peggy Swarbrick, Ph.D., O.T.R., C.P.R.P.

Margaret (Peggy) Swarbrick, Ph.D., O.T.R., C.P.R.P. is CSP-NJ Institute for Wellness and Recovery Training Director, and is a post doctoral fellow in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - School of Health Related Professions. Peggy has been involved in the mental health field since 1977 personally and professionally since 1986. Peggy worked as an occupational therapist in a variety of settings providing wellness and recovery focused services. Peggy has lectured nationally and internationally on recovery and wellness and consumer-operated services and completed doctoral work at New York University, in the Occupational Therapy Program. Peggy has published on the wellness and recovery model, consumer operated services, a commentary on a cognitive behavioral treatment for persons diagnosed with mental illness who experience PTSD, and peer delivered wellness and recovery programs.

Kathleen Considine, M.S.W.

Kathleen Considine, MSW, has worked in mental health family/consumer support, education and advocacy for the past 16 years. Kathleen, a family member/professional, is currently Affiliate and Professional Education Coordinator for NAMI NJ. In one aspect of her role she liaisons with NJ's IFSS staff statewide and develops, coordinates and produces at least four trainings annually for IFSS clinicians who support and educate NJ families affected by mental illness. Kathleen coordinates NAMI NJ's Task Force on Children and Adolescents, as well as NAMI NJ's "Educating the Educators" (ETE) Program, an innovative professional development presentation, whose physician, parent and teacher presenters have informed and enlightened well over 400 K-12 educators, and others, about mental illness since its inception in the spring of 2005. The ETE Program models collaboration between the medical/psychiatric community, the family and the education system. The goals of the ETE Program are to enhance the school experience of the estimated 1-in-5 children affected by emotional disorders/mental illnesses and provide school personnel with the tools that will lead to a more enriching experience for everyone involved in guiding each child towards a successful future. Kathleen was responsible for coordinating NJ's first-ever statewide Walk to raise awareness about mental illness in May 2003, as well as its even-more successful second walk at Liberty State Park in October 2004. Over 6,000 people participated in these pioneering walks, which celebrated inclusion, wellness, recovery and hope.

Robert Stern, M.D.

Dr. Robert Stern is Clinical Director of Hudson County Meadowview Psychiatric Hospital in Secaucus, NJ and is Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ. For the past 15 years Dr. Stern's clinical and research work have focused on the treatment of patients with severe mental illness in general and schizophrenia in particular. Dr. Stern has published over 50 articles, book chapters and abstracts. Dr. Stern graduated from Sackler School of Medicine, University of Tel Aviv and completed his residency training and fellowships at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in NYC. Dr. Stern is a member of several State wide professional committees focusing on psychiatric care for patients with severe mental illness.

Leslie Stivale, M.A., C.P.R.P.

Leslie Stivale is the Executive Director of Triple C Housing, a grassroots non profit agency whose mission is to enlist the private and public sector in the rehabilitation and recovery of persons diagnosed with mental illness, provide comprehensive community supports, and increase safe, decent and affordable housing stock. She holds a master's degree in psychology and is a certified psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner (CPRP). Leslie possesses 16 years human services experience in housing development, property management, supportive housing, residential services, day/outpatient and clubhouse programs serving adults, children and families with special needs. She is a trustee of the Supportive Housing Association and NJ Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, and Vice Chair of the Middlesex County Professional Advisory Committee (PAC).

Michael Armstrong

Michael Armstrong is currently the Executive Director of Community Hope, Inc., a regional provider of residential and support services. He has been in this position since 1999 and led the organization to CARF accreditation and a 400% increase in beds provided. Prior to joining Community hope, he was the Executive Director of SERV Centers of New Jersey, Inc. and the Director of Substance Abuse Services at Elizabeth General Medical Center.

Gary Van Nostrand

Gary Van Nostrand is a healthcare executive with more than 32 years in the field. He has an undergraduate degree from Tulane University, graduate degree from the University of Florida and completed his training with a residency at the Mayo Clinic. In the course of his career, he has served in executive positions in a variety of settings. He directed a substance abuse program serving 33 counties in Iowa with three inpatient units and seven outpatient clinics. He directed a community mental health center serving five counties in West Virginia. He was Vice President of the Medical Center at Princeton and Senior VP of the Essex Valley VNA in NJ. He joined SERV as Senior VP in 1998 and became President and CEO in 2001. He has served with distinction on numerous non-profit boards of directors.

Patti Holland, M.S., C.R.C.

Patti has worked in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation for the past 25 years, primarily in housing settings. Currently she is the Assistant Director for the Office of Housing and Community Development for NJ DMHS. She is also an adjunct professor at UMDNJ in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

Lorna Hines-Cunningham, LCSW(NJ), R/LCSW(NY), ACSW

Ms. Hines-Cunningham has worked in the field of mental health for over 30 years with extensive background in psychoanalysis, family systems treatment, cultural competence, incest, adult child sexual abuse and trauma. Ms. Hines-Cunningham presently holds the position as Assistant Division Director of Quality Improvement and Specialty Services of the Department of Mental Health Services of New Jersey. She has received recognition as Social Worker of the year by NYC Mayor's Office, Rockland Psychiatric Center's Outstanding Service Award, Harlem Hospital JCAHO Appreciation Award, Generation Plus/Northern Manhattan Health Network Women's History Month Award, and Drew University Frances Sellers Award. Ms. Hines-Cunningham graduated from Drew University in 1973; she was 1 of 3 African Americans, and the only African American woman graduating that year. She received a Master's degree in Social Work in 1975 from Columbia University, NY.

Chandrakala Kamath, M.D.

Dr. Kamath has been a board member at the Indian American Civic Forum, a non-profit organization dedicated to community service. Dr. Kamath has spent a considerable amount of her time developing and sustaining NAMI NJ’s SAMHAJ project, and is a strong advocate for South Asian families affected by mental illness. She received her M.B.B.S at Seth G.S. Medical College and King Edward Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, an M.S. in General Surgery from KEM Hospital, Bombay University, and completed her Residency in General Surgery at UMDNJ Rutgers Medical School. She is Board certified in General Surgery and has been in private practice since 1984. She is affiliated with St. Peters University Hospital and University Medical Center at Princeton.

Esther Lam, M.A., L.P.C.

Esther Lam is the Senior Primary Therapist at Princeton House Behavioral Health in North Brunswick. She sits on NAMI NJ's Chinese Outreach Advisory Committee and has greatly contributed to the successful outreach to Chinese immigrants in NJ who are affected by mental illness. Ms. Lam received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Psychology and Music from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, and a Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College, IL. She also has three years of extensive doctoral studies and clinical training in Clinical Psychology. With her skills in psychotherapy and performing arts, Ms. Lam is knowledgeable in designing creative and expressive art and spirituality therapy sessions with the primary theoretical orientation of Person-centered and Experiential Therapy. Fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, she has also been involved in a myriad of Chinese community activities and services in both Illinois and New Jersey.

Edward Madara, M.A.

Ed has been helping people to find and form mutual aid self-help groups for over 30 years. In 1980, he founded the New Jersey Self-Help Group Clearinghouse as a service of St. Clare's Hospital. Since then, Ed and his staff have helped individuals to start over one thousand new community support groups in the State. With an M.S. degree in Community Development, he has written a variety of journal articles and training guides on the development, operation, and benefits of mutual-aid self-help groups. He has also spoken and provided training at many state and national conferences on how member-run groups can help support and empower individuals and families.

Andrew Sperling, J.D.

Mr. Sperling directs NAMI's legislative advocacy program in Congress and before federal agencies. Since 1994, he has also served as a Co-Chair of the Consortium for Citizens With Disabilities (CCD) Housing Task Force - a coalition of national disability advocacy and provider organizations dedicated to promoting policies and funding to increase access to affordable housing opportunities for non-elderly adults with severe disabilities.

Jill Williams, M.D.

Jill Williams is a psychiatrist specializing in treatment of tobacco dependence and other addictions in mentally ill populations. She is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Dr. Williams is the recipient of a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Career Development Award (K23), entitled, Nicotine DependenceTreatment in Psychiatric Comorbidity. Dr. Williams currently conducts research to study pharmacological and psychosocial treatments to help patients with schizophrenia quit smoking.

Libby Bartholomew, M.Div.

Libby Bartholomew is from Pennington, NJ, where she grew up. She is close by to Princeton, NJ where she later attended graduate school at Princeton Theological Seminary. She has a Masters of Divinity degree from the seminary and a Bachelors in Religion from Duke University in Durham, NC. She was first diagnosed with Bipolar disorder at the age of 26, when she was working for a church in the New Jersey area. She has made great strides in overcoming her illness and hopes to one day go on for further schooling. She is currently working in a part-time job with NAMI NJ as the coordinator for the Hearts & Minds program. In addition, she enjoys volunteering as a deacon for her local church and as a volunteer leader for NAMI's social group, "Just Friends". She first became involved in NAMI when she moved in to NAMI's house in Lawrenceville, NJ in 1997. Her parents live nearby in Pennington and she enjoys getting together with them for dinner, and for help in planning "Just Friends" events. She believes in recovery and overcoming the stigma against mental illness.

Judith Carrington

Judith Carrington, family activist/advocate, is the author of a definitive guide to help families navigate the mental health maze featured on NAMI New York’s websites. Ms. Carrington’s organization, Mental Health Resources, includes consumers and providers promoting universal mental health education in all its formats from first entry into the system. In addition, she conducts coaching for families. She is currently working with two lawyers on a definitive fact sheet to delineate families’ rights. At our conference, Judith will share how she and her daughter transitioned from a desperate place of little hope to an independent life for her daughter, a close bond between the two and a rosy future for both, extrapolating seven positive steps to be effective in dealing with the complex emotional and systemic challenges along their path. Ms. Carrington shares practical information and insights for families.