In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, APSL will be moving to an online peer support format. Please contact us to learn more.
Full Biography of 2018 Speakers
Lauren Grimes is currently the Director of Network & Peer Services at On Our Own of Maryland. She
directs the activities of the Statewide Consumer Network Grant Project, provides direct linkage and
technical assistance to 23 local nonprofit Wellness & Recovery Centers, and liaisons with local and state
agencies. She supervises the Transitional Age Youth Outreach, the MARS Maryland Project and MSW
interns.
Lauren has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and International Relations from McDaniel College
and is currently working toward her Masters of Public Administration/Nonprofit Management at
University of Baltimore. Lauren has extensive personal experience with the mental health system from
which she freely draws in her work in the peer world. She has worked with youth and adults involved in
the behavioral health system, as well as youth in the foster care, child welfare and juvenile justice
systems. She has worked for 9 years within the field of peer support and peer-led systems change on
local, state, and national levels, aiding organizations in incorporating the peer voice into their policy and
operations, and helping peers to create an equitable and reciprocal relationship with their service
systems. Lauren is a trained WRAP and Anti-Stigma Project Facilitator, a Storytelling for Advocates
Trainer, a YouthMOVE National consultant, and she currently stands on boards/committees including
the Maryland Behavioral Health Advisory Council, the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration Opioid
Treatment Program Quality Improvement Workgroup, Maryland’s Peer Certification Board, the
Maryland Consumer Quality Team’s Youth & Family Steering Committee, the Maryland Early
Intervention Program’s Advisory Council, and several others as a behavioral health peer advocate. She
is also the 2013 winner of the SAMHSA’s Young Adult Advocacy Voice Award as well as University of
Baltimore’s 2018 Excellence in Public Administration Award.
Ann Geddes has worked at the Maryland Coalition of Families since 2007. She came to this work after
caring for a child (who is now 30) with significant mental health needs. During her employment at the
Coalition, she has served as a Family Advocate, Transition-Age Youth Specialist, and the Director of
Public Policy.
Dr. Nelson is currently the Section Chief for School Safety and Climate and the
Specialist for School Psychological Services at the Maryland State Department of
Education. The School Safety and Climate Team oversees issues such as student behavior
and discipline, alternatives to suspension, student arrests, bullying prevention, student
mental health, suicide prevention, human trafficking prevention, student safety, and
`crisis planning for schools. She serves on the Governor’s Commission for Suicide
Prevention, Maryland’s Educational and Behavioral Community of Practice, and co-
facilitates the State Board of Education’s Mental Health Committee. She is a Nationally
Certified School Psychologist who has practiced for the past 20 years. She has worked in
Howard County Public Schools, Baltimore City Public Schools, and DC Public Schools.
In addition, she has also served as Coordinator of Psychological Services for DC Public
Schools and as an Assistant Professor in the School Psychology Program at Bowie State
University. Dr. Nelson received her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Howard
University. She received her doctorate degree in School Psychology from the University
of Maryland College Park. She is the co-author of several articles and book chapters.
Lynne Muller, Ph.D., NCC , LCPC, is the Section Chief, for Student Services and School Counseling at the Maryland State Department of Education. Lynne served as the Coordinator of School Counseling in the Baltimore County Public Schools and is a former associate Instructor at Johns Hopkins and Loyola Universities and adjunct at instructor at McDaniel College and Stevenson College, where she taught in the Masters School Counseling program. Her areas of specialization include school counseling and counselor education and supervision
Dr. Gray is a pediatric psychologist who completed her graduate school training in clinical psychology at The George Washington University, with internship training at Boston Children’s Hospital and went on to complete a pediatric pain fellowship at the Pain Treatment Service also at Boston Children’s Hospital. She provides behavioral treatments to patients with chronic pain conditions, acute and chronic headaches, concussions, and other nervous system disorders including Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) . Dr. Gray works as part of several interdisciplinary teams to provide evidence-based interventions for patients struggling with chronic pain. Her interventions include behavioral pain management strategies incorporating cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and biofeedback. Dr. Gray also provides pediatric psychology training and supervision for psychology interns, postdoctoral fellows, and externs. Dr. Gray is also an active participant in the Society of Pediatric Psychology and serves as reviewer for conference presentations. Her clinical and research interests include the impact of pain on social, emotional, and academic functioning, and interventions that help improve patients’ quality of life.
Dr. Fletcher is a pediatric psychologist providing psychological services to patients and families suffering from acute and chronic pain conditions. Dr. Fletcher also collaborates with the Division of Neuropsychology providing behavioral medicine services to patients suffering from cognitive and emotional difficulties following concussions. She strives to improve the outcomes and enhance quality of life for youth with chronic pain and concussions by teaching medicinal pain management skills including but not limited to cognitive and behavioral treatments. Dr. Fletcher supervises the provision of psychological program and services to children, adolescents, and families impacted by chronic pain by participating in the training of psychology predoctoral interns, postdoctoral fellows, and externs. Further, she serves on the Editorial Boards for several journals including Health Psychology, the Journal of Clinical Practice of Pediatric Psychology and is an active participant in the training of psychology and medical students, nurses as well as interns, fellows, and junior faculty members. Dr. Fletcher’s research interests include the interrelationships between pain, sleep, and psychological factors. She has been one of the leaders involved in developing and researching outcomes utilizing innovative and virtual reality treatment approaches to pediatric pain.
Kelly Davis is the Director of Peer Advocacy, Supports and Services at Mental Health America (MHA) in Alexandria, VA. A strong advocate in college mental health, she was president of Active Minds at American University and leads MHA's Collegiate Mental Health Innovation Council, dedicated to filling gaps in supports on campuses. She also works on the expansion of peer support throughout all healthcare and speaks and writes frequently about the importance of youth advocates, peer support, trauma-informed services, empowerment, and recovery. She has created multiple curricula around mental health topics for young people and has spoken across the US, including at a number of SAMHSA events and the Obama White House. “I believe that young people have the potential to transform mental health services, making them more person-centered, trauma-informed, culturally informed, and empowering. I want to be involved in any way I can to promote tools and opportunities for young people to live the lives they want.”
Ryan Tempesco is an openly transgender transition age youth who has found peace and wellness through community support, connection, and understanding. He is the youngest Certified Peer Specialist in Virginia and is currently the Program Support Coordinator for Doors To Wellbeing National Consumer Technical Assistance Center, a Program of The Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery. He was a part of the team that developed the Peer Generation Youth Empowerment Training and always continues to advocate for youth peer support, wellness, and equal rights in his community. He also brings his experience as a board member of a consumer operated organization in VA, VOCAL
Christopher L. Bishop, Psy.D., LICSW is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Human
Relations at Trinity Washington University. He is also the President and CEO of Mid-Atlantic
Children’s Services, Inc., and Mid-Atlantic Psychological Services. Dr. Bishop is a licensed
clinical-forensic psychologist and clinical social worker in the Washington D.C. metropolitan
area. Dr. Bishop conducts therapy and psychoeducational evaluations in the Washington D.C.
Public Charter Schools as well as in his private practice. His research interests include juvenile
and adult forensic psychology, exploring multicultural issues in psychological practice, and
child/clinical dilemmas.
Charla A. McKinzie Bishop, Ph.D., M.S.ed. is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Child
and Adolescent Studies at Bowie State University. She is also the Director of Training at Mid-
Atlantic Children’s Services, Inc and also conducts educational, behavioral, and vocational
assessments with children and adolescents in the Washington DC Public Charter Schools. Dr.
McKinzie Bishop’s research interest include factors that promote academic and social success
among adolescents and young adults.
Kenna Chick is currently a junior in the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Her greatest passion is mental health policy and advocacy, especially on destigmatizing mental illness and removing barriers to treatment.
As the current Chair of the Georgetown University Student Association Mental Health Policy Coalition, [and soon to be Vice-President], Kenna is working on many projects that focus on destigmatizing, educating and eliminating barriers around mental health resources. One of her projects is to implement off-campus therapy stipends, as psychotherapy in the DC area is notoriously expensive and Georgetown University’s services are short-term. In addition to that, she is the President of Project Lighthouse, an anonymous peer to peer chat-line that provides peer support and information about campus resources. She was also previously a member of the Youth Advisory Board of the Steve Fund, a group that aims to destigmatize mental health and increases access to services for people of color in college, and Young Mind Advocacy’s Generation Bold, a group that focuses on mental health care for transition-aged girls. Finally, Kenna has previously served as a member of Mental Health America's first Collegiate Mental Health Innovation Council. In her free time, she enjoys Netflix, karaoke, and a good book!
Kim serves as the Senior Client Experience Executive for Kognito, helping clients define what success looks like and exceed their goals. Kim's has had a diverse career across the education, business and non-profit community, but her focus has always remained on helping communities build capacity to tackle challenges and seize opportunities at the local level. Prior to joining Kognito, Kim served as the Executive Director of the Industrial Supply Association, an international trade association representing one of the largest manufacturing and distribution channels. Kim graduated from Washington Adventist University in Takoma Park, MD with degrees in History and Secondary Education. Kim also earned a MPH in Global Health from George Washington University. Having spent over a decade living and working in the Washington DC region, Kim is now a resident of Philadelphia and a reluctant Eagles fan thanks to the lobbying efforts of her 7 year old son Asher.
Deon Brown graduated from Towson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Psychology. He received his Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola College, and a certificate in Chemical Dependency Counseling from Dundalk Community College. He is experienced in working with adolescents and adults in individual, group and family counseling. Brown worked as a Psychiatric Therapist in the Community Psychiatry Program at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and has over 13 years working in the counseling field. His areas of focus include adolescent and men conflicts, depression, spiritual challenges, addictions, family system dynamics and conflict resolution. In addition, Brown specializes in providing mental health evaluations, as well alcohol and drug evaluations for adolescents and adults. Brown is also trained to integrate the behavioral sciences with his client’s individual religious traditions and/or spiritual foundations. He is presently a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), a licensed Clinical Professional Counselor and a licensed Clinical Addictions Counselor within the state of Maryland with the board of professional counselors.