SPEAKERS

Congressman Rush Holt - Congressman, 12th Congressional District

Aabha Adhiya, M.A., M.S. & Aashish Kumar, M.A., M.S., M.F.A. - Omusha Communications

Thomas J Garrity, B.A., C.P.M., C.I.S. - Chief of Police, Collingswood Police Department

Ronald S. Honberg, J.D. - National Director for Policy and Legal Affairs, NAMI

Kevin Martone, L.S.W. - Deputy Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Human Services

Demott O'Grady - Assistant Attorney General and State Police Affairs Director, Office of the Attorney General, State of NJ

David Allen Axelrod, Ph.D.

Lorrie Bauman, M.A. - Every Mind Matters and Educating the Educators Programs Coordinator, NAMI NJ

Richard W. Brown - Chief Executive Officer of Monarch Housing, Chairperson of the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness

Kathleen Considine, M.S.W. - Director of Educating the Educators Program, NAMI NJ

Anthony Davis - Director of the Career Center at the Mental Health Association in Southwestern New Jersey (MHASWNJ)

Steven M. Fishbein, M.S., C.R.C., L.R.C. - Supervisor, Rehabilitation Services, NJ DMHS

Ariella Hiesler, M.A. - Clinician, L.E.A.R.N. program, Saint Clare’s Health System

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

Ed Murphy, M.A. - Executive Director, Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey (SHA)

Cheryl Polo - Program Specialist, Preferred Behavioral Health of NJ

Jeanne Rohach, B.A. - Trainer & Group Facilitator, NJ Self-Help Group Clearinghouse

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

Alicia Stevenson, B.S. - Program Coordinator of NAMI Basics, NAMI NJ

Jay Yudof, M.S., C.P.R.P. - Statewide Consumer Outreach Liaison, NAMI NJ

 

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES

MEET THE KEYNOTE:

CONGRESSMAN RUSH HOLT

Rep. Holt serves as the Congressman for the 12th District of New Jersey. Born in West Virginia, Rush Holt inherited his interest in politics from his parents. His father was the youngest person ever elected to the U.S. Senate, at age 29. His mother served as Secretary of State of West Virginia and was the first woman to hold that position.

Rep. Holt earned his B.A. in Physics from Carleton College in Minnesota and completed his Master's and Ph.D. at NYU. He has held positions as a teacher, Congressional Science Fellow, and arms control expert at the U.S. State Department where he monitored the nuclear programs of countries such as Iraq, Iran, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union. From 1989 until 1998, Holt was Assistant Director of the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, the largest center for research in alternative energy in New Jersey. Holt was also a five-time winner of the game show "Jeopardy."

An active Member of Congress, Rep. Holt serves on the Committee on Education and Labor, the Committee on Natural Resources, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Holt is also the Chairman of the Select Intelligence Oversight Panel, which is working to strengthen oversight of the intelligence community by ensuring that policymakers receive accurate assessments, civil liberties are safeguarded, and the intelligence community is protecting Americans.

Rep. Holt has won several significant victories in Washington. He helped secure more than $700 million in new federal funding for science and technology research, passed an amendment to the Land and Water Conservation Fund providing millions in funding for protecting open space, and helped write the College Cost Reduction Act - the largest college aid expansion since the GI Bill.

In his time in office, Holt has helped secure more than a hundred million dollars to improve roads, reduce flood damage, build libraries, and protect historic sites in the five counties he represents. In July 2008, President Bush signed into law housing legislation that includes a property tax relief initiative that Rep. Holt proposed. The new Holt property tax deduction will benefit homeowners who do not itemize on their Federal tax returns.

Rep. Holt has received numerous awards and citations for his work, including the Planned Parenthood Community Service Award, the Biotech Legislator of the Year, and the Science Coalition's Champion of Science award. The magazine Scientific-American has also named Holt one of the 50 national "visionaries" contributing to "a brighter technological future." He is also one of only two Members of Congress to receive a lifetime 100 percent rating from the League of Conservation Voters. The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy awarded Rep. Holt an A+ for standing up for middle class families in its 2007 Congressional Scorecard, and the American Association of University Women awarded Rep. Holt a 100 percent score for his work on behalf of women throughout the 110th Congress. He received an A+ from the Americans for the Arts.

Rep. Holt is married to Margaret Lancefield, a physician and Medical Director of the Princeton charity care clinic. They have three grown children, Michael, Dejan and Rachel, and seven grandchildren, Niala, Noah, Boaz, Varun, Rohan, Cecile, and Joshua.

FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Aabha Adhiya, M.A., M.S. & Aashish Kumar, M.A., M.S., M.F.A., Omusha Communications

Aabha Adhiya has over 18 years experience in media production ranging from television commercials, corporate videos, documentaries and ethnic programming. Her areas of expertise are production management, professional presentation strategies, and communication consulting. She has also taught in the Communication department at Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut. She has a B.A. in English Literature and Psychology from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, an M.A. in Philosophy from Bombay University, and an M.S. in Radio/TV/Film from Indiana State University.

Aashish Kumar is a media educator and independent media producer whose production portfolio consists of documentaries, programs for public broadcasting and fundraising videos for nonprofit organizations. His reviews and research has been published in the Journal of Film and Video, Journal of Transnational Broadcasting, Feedback, and the Almanac of the International Council of NATAS. Aashish has a B.A. and an M.A. in Sociology from the University of Delhi, an M.S. in Radio/TV/Film from Indiana State University, and an M.F.A. in Television Production from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College. He is currently employed as an Associate Professor at Hofstra University School of Communication.

Thomas J Garrity, B.A, C.P.M, C.I.S

Chief Garrity is a US Army Veteran of the Military Police and a graduate of the FBI National Academy (195th Session). He joined the Collingswood Police Department as a Law Enforcement Officer in 1985 and was appointed as Chief of Police in 1996. After becoming CIT Certified in 2006, he established the first CIT Police Unit in the State of New Jersey, which he attributes to his strong desire to advocate for people with mental illness and the issues they face. In 2008, he became CIS Certified at MCES of Montgomery County, PA. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of MHASWNJ and is a member of NAMI-Camden County. Chief Garrity is currently married with two children and is pursuing his Masters degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Ronald S. Honberg, J.D.
National Director for Policy and Legal Affairs, NAMI

Ron Honberg received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of
Law and Master's degree in education from the University of Maryland. Prior to his work
with NAMI, he worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor for the State of Maryland
and in a variety of direct service positions in the mental illness and developmental disabilities
fields. Ron presently serves as the National Director for Policy and Legal Affairs at the
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), where he oversees NAMI's federal advocacy agenda and the NAMI Law and Criminal Justice Action Center. In recent years, he has worked on issues affecting people with mental illnesses involved with criminal justice systems, provided technical assistance to attorneys and NAMI affiliates on legal and public policy issues, monitored a clearinghouse of important cases in disability and health law, and served as a resource for print and broadcast media on legal and policy issues.

Kevin Martone, L.S.W.
Deputy Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS)

Kevin Martone currently serves as Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Human Services responsible for the Divisions of Mental Health Services (DMHS), Addiction Services, Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Prior to this appointment, Mr. Martone had been Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Mental Health Services (DMHS) since 2005. Prior to his government service he had served on former Governor Codey’s Task Force on Mental Health and as President and CEO of Advanced Housing. He is the 2007 Recipient of NAMI NJ’s “Richard J. Codey Mental Health Champion Award.” Kevin is a Licensed Social Worker and has a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University.

Dermot O'Grady
Assistant Attorney General and State Police Affairs Director, Office of the Attorney General, State of NJ

Dermot O'Grady served on The Attorney General's Advisory Committee on Less-Lethal Force that recommended that the Attorney General's Use of Force Policy be revised to authorize the use of less-lethal ammunition and include instruction on how law enforcement officers should deal with persons who appear to be suffering from mental illness.

WORKSHOP SPEAKERS:

David Allen Axelrod, Ph.D.

David Axelrod received his doctorate in economics from Rutgers University in 1990. His research examined the relationship between time and choice, as well as the economic consequences of spinal cord injuries. He is currently an economist with Falcon Management and is working on "Holonomics" (holistic economics). David has released many CDs of original music and is trained as a reiki master.

Lorrie Bauman, M.A.

Lorrie Bauman is an educator with over 30 years of experience. She is the Coordinator for NAMI NJ's Every Mind Matters and Educating the Educators programs. Lorrie has received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching (the nation's highest honor for a science teacher), and was also selected as the Somerset County teacher for the year.

Richard W. Brown

Richard W. Brown has 35 years of experience in both housing development and the management of affordable housing. Since 1991, Richard has been the Chief Executive Officer of Monarch Housing, the 1995 recipient of the Governor's Excellence in Housing Award in the organization category. In addition, Richard is the chairperson of the New Jersey Advocacy Network to End Homelessness and has been nominated to serve on the State Housing Commission.

Kathleen Considine, M.S.W.

Kathleen Considine serves NAMI NJ as Director of its two original mental illness education programs targeting the Educational System: Educating the Educators (ETE) and Every Mind Matters. Prior to her current role, Kathleen served NAMI NJ as Director of Affiliate and Professional Training, which included Support Group Facilitator Training, Local Affiliate Liaison, IFSS Training Coordination, and Coordinator of the 2003 and 2004 NAMI NJ "Freedom from Stigma" Walks. Kathleen is also a family member, former 1st Vice President of the NAMI NJ Board of Trustees and former Chair of its Public Policy Committee.

Anthony Davis

Anthony Davis was a founding member of the Camden City Multi-Agency Life Line (MALL) Project, which provides social services and alternative disposition options for at risk youth, and the co-chair of the Camden County Children's Assessment & Resource Team (CART). Anthony served on the Governor's Task Force on Mental Health subcommittee on Employment, Support and Rehabilitation and on the Division of Mental Health Services Wellness & Recovery Community Workforce subcommittee. He is a past Board President of the Fair Housing Council of Southern New Jersey and a recipient of the New Jersey chapter of the Association of Persons in Supported Employment (APSE) "Supervisor of the Year Award." Anthony is currently the director of the Career Center at the Mental Health Association in Southwestern New Jersey (MHASWNJ).

Steven M. Fishbein, M.S., C.R.C., L.R.C.

Steve M. Fishbein has a Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling and is a certified and licensed Rehabilitation Counselor with over 34 years of experience as a practitioner, supervisor, administrator and trainer in vocational and psychiatric rehabilitation. He is currently serving as the Supervisor of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services in the Office of Housing, Policy and Program Evaluation at the Division of Mental Health Services (DMHS), a coordinator for Justice Involved Services at DMHS, and an Adjunct Clinical Instructor in the Department of Psychiatric Rehabilitation & Behavioral Heath Care of UMDNJ-SHRP. He received a Deans Citation from the school in 1994 and is a Mary Switzer Fellow of the National Rehabilitation Association. He was also the first recipient of the annual Rebecca McDonald Memorial Leadership Award from the New Jersey Association of Persons in Supported Employment. In 2004 Steve received the prestigious Mort Gati Ward from the New Jersey Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association.

Ariella Hiesler, M.A.

Ariella Heisler is the clinician for the L.E.A.R.N. program of Saint Clare's Health System in Northern New Jersey. Ariella has worked for Career Services for three years. She received her Master's Degree and Student Awareness Coordinator (SAC) Certificate from Fairleigh Dickinson University and continues to further her research with the Dean of the University. Ariella has previously presented at conferences of the American Counseling Association, the American Psychological Association, and Collaborative Support of New Jersey.

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

Patti Holland received her Masters degree in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from Boston University and has worked in community mental health for over 26 years, primarily with organizations providing housing and residential services in New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts. She is currently an Assistant Director for the Division of Mental Health Services, Office of Housing, Policy and Program Development. Within her office at DMHS sits the various evidence-based, promising practices currently funded by the state, including Supportive Housing, Supported Employment and Education, Assertive Community Treatment, Family Psycho-education, and interventions for co-occurring disorders. She is also the co-chair of the DMHS Wellness and Recovery Transformentation Implementation Committee.

Ed Murphy, M.A.

Ed Murphy is the Executive Director of The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey (SHA), an organization with 80 organizational members whose mission is to assist the establishment of a strong supportive housing industry in New Jersey. Ed received his graduate training at New York University, earning an MA in Human Relations and Community Affairs.

Cheryl Polo

Cheryl Polo has 20 years experience working with mental health consumers in Supported Employment. In her current position as a Program Specialist at Preferred Behavioral Health of NJ, she oversees Career Services, which includes L.E.A.R.N of the Jersey Shore (Supported Education), Preferred Employment Services (Supported Employment), and Sanction Outreach Program for TANF.

Jeanne Rohach, B.A.

Jeanne Rohach is a freelance workshop facilitator providing trainings that are predominately wellness focused. Jeanne graduated from Chatham College and the American Conservatory Theater, Advanced Training Program. For the last seven years Jeanne worked as Trainer & Group Facilitator with the NJ Self-Help Group Clearinghouse, a program sponsored by Saint Clare’s Health System and funded by the Division of Mental Health Services. In this capacity, Jeanne developed and coordinated conferences for mental health consumers and professionals as well as members of peer support groups, provided workshops and presentations to increase the awareness and enhance the benefits of peer support groups, and wrote a multitude of articles published in a variety of New Jersey magazines and professional association newsletters.

Robert Stern, M.D.

Dr. Robert 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. For the past 20 years, his clinical work and research have focused on the treatment of patients with severe mental illness. In addition, Dr. Stern has published over 100 articles, book chapters, and abstracts. He is presently Director of Treatment Programs at Essex County Hospital Center and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Piscataway, NJ. He also serves as chairperson of the Public Psychiatry Committee of the New Jersey Psychiatric Association.

Alicia Stevenson, B.S.

Alicia holds a B.S. in Computer Science and a Paralegal Certification. In 2008, she received Advanced Training in Collaborative Problem Solving from Dr. Ross Greene. She is the proud parent of 2 daughters, the youngest having childhood-onset mental illness. Ms. Stevenson has been an active member of NAMI for over 13 years, during which time she served as the 2-time past president of NAMI Hunterdon. She has been involved with NAMI Basics (as a National Trainer, NJ Program Coordinator, & Educator), Educating the Educators, Visions For Tomorrow, and the Jail Diversion Task Force. Alicia has also served as a Hagedorn Psych Hospital monitor, orchestrated extensive community outreach, & given a number of mental health presentations. Moreover, she is a board member of Hunterdon Prevention Resources and the former Executive Director of the Family Support Organization (FSO) of Hunterdon/Somerset/Warren. In recognition of her work in the field, Alicia has received the Golden Bell Excellence Award for Family Advocacy (MHANJ), the Parent-Professional Collaboration Award (SPAN), and the Building Alliances Award (NAMI NJ).

Jay Yudof, M.S., C.P.R.P.

Jay Yudof, a Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Practitioner, received an M.S. in Psychiatric Rehabilitation from UMDNJ, an M.S. in Computer Science from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and a B.B.A in Management and Information Systems from Temple University. As NAMI NEW JERSEY's Statewide Consumer Outreach Liaison, he mentors the In Our Own Voice: Living with Mental Illness speaker program, the NAMI Connection Support Group program, and various other initiatives to help people pursuing psychiatric recoveries become and remain more involved with the state and local NAMI organizations. He also has leading roles within NAMI-Greater Monmouth, Collaborative Support Programs-NJ, the NJ Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, the Consumer Provider Association in NJ, and the Monmouth County MI/CA Co-occurring Recovery Task Force. In addition, he is the designer of the NAMI Hospital Outreach/Patient Education (NAMI HOPE) program, the What's Out There mental health system booklets, and the People with Mental Illness Enrich our Lives posters and postcards.