Speaker

Home > Blog > Speaker

Category: Speaker

By

Vandyke, Melanie, PhD

Melanie VanDyke earned her Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 2002 and has extensive experience in evidence-based treatments for anxiety-related disorders, including OCD, hoarding, social anxiety, BDD, and Tourette syndrome. She also treats people who are struggling with depression, emotional regulation, and interpersonal difficulties. Dr. VanDyke assesses and treats individuals and their families, and she enjoys being an active professional psychologist. She is the Chair of the Evidence-Based Practice committee at Missouri Psychological Association (MOPA). Dr. VanDyke has presented on how to help families who are struggling with a loved one who refuses to seek mental health care to enthusiastic, national audiences of clinicians and families alike.
Dr. VanDyke works to make treatment information accessible. She has contributed to online resources for consumers and published her treatment research in professional journals, including her work with families of treatment refusers. She enjoys helping students at various levels of training learn more about culturally-responsive, evidence-based treatments. Dr. VanDyke has previously served as the Director of Postdoctoral Education, an Associate Professor, and an interprofessional educator for students in healthcare professions. She was awarded Psychologist of the Year from the Missouri Psychological Association and earned Special Recognition as an active member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s (ADAA) Public Education Committee.
 

Presentation(s): 

Families of Treatment Refusers: The Neglected Victims of Untreated Mental Health Problems


 

 

By

Lee, Zipporah, MDiv

Zipporah Lee, a graduate of Eden Theological Seminary, has worked in social services to the unhoused population since the COVID pandemic in 2020. An advocate for Housing First policies and low-barrier Safe Haven shelter models, Zippy has 5+ years of experience in crisis intervention for youth and adults struggling with mental illness. They completed a unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at Christian Northeast in their ICU and neurology units, leading to an interest in serving those with complex medical needs. Currently, they work at St. Patrick Center on the Hospital to Housing team as the St. Louis University Hospital Service Coordinator, providing side-by-side case management for unhoused persons with complex medical needs, behavioral health concerns, and those struggling with substance use. They actively volunteer on the Core Team for St. Louis Winter Outreach, an all-volunteer collective addressing the gap in agency-led homeless services during winters in St. Louis, and facilitate one of their largest temperature-based emergency shelters at the AmeriCorps St. Louis location.

Presentation(s): 

A Conversation of Best Practices for Service Delivery in the Unhoused Community


 

 

By

Preston, Rebecca, PhD

Dr. Rebecca N. Preston serves as as Clinical Lead for Missouri’s Early Psychosis Care (EPC) Center. She received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Hosftra University with training strongly rooted in evidence-based treatment modalities and rigorous research methods. Her research interests concentrate on stressors and impaired self-regulatory behaviors that both predate and maintain disorders of self-control and co-morbid psychiatric disorders in vulnerable populations. Dr. Preston facilitates the implementation of evidence-based practices for first-episode psychosis services, building capacity across the state to prevent the onset of and provide treatment for early psychosis. Her work with the EPC Center focuses on reducing implementation and service barriers thereby improving youth mental health care access and quality.

Presentation(s):

Aggression, Violence, and Psychosis – Facts and Misconceptions 

By

Coffey, Bridget, MA, MSW

Bridget Coffey (MA, MSW) is a research consultant on the Addiction Science team at UMSL-MIMH. At work, Bridget enjoys asking questions, exploring possibilities, and figuring out how things work. In the ASPIRE lab, Bridget serves as a liaison with the Addiction Science team and helper with things like Zotero and Qualtrics. She is currently interested in creating systems to nurture and champion the efforts of peer support workers in substance use treatment and recovery settings. Outside of work, Bridget enjoys spending time with her dogs, kayaking (though she doesn’t get out as much as she’d like to), and reading.

Presentation(s):

By

Johnston, Ethan, MD

Dr. Ethan Johnston is a current PGY3 Psychiatry Resident at the University of Missouri- Kansas City. Dr. Johnston did his undergraduate and medical doctoral training at the University of Missouri Kansas City, graduating in 2021. He is currently the Residency Association President and Class Representative for the Program Evaluation Committee, and has been selected as the Chief Resident for the upcoming academic year. Dr. Johnston’s research and presentation portfolio include the following topics: Electroconvulsive Therapy in the Geriatric Population, Malingering of Psychotic Symptoms, Separation Anxiety Disorder in Children Mistaken for Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Involuntary Movement Disorders. Dr. Johnston has a strong interest in LGBTQ+ care with his recent Grand Rounds Presentation “Psychiatry for All. Considerations in psychiatric care for the gender diverse”. Dr. Johnston also has a passion for teaching, currently pursuing a Masters of Health Professions Education.

Presentation(s):

By

Hall, Alicia, MEd, LPC, NCC, EdS, IECMH

I, Alicia Buck-Hall, strive to utilize a Clinical Coordinated Care Approach to improve the lives of individuals, families, communities, and front-line responders by creating, enhancing, and accessing a system of support through a strengths-based, clinically relevant, consumer-driven model. I have fined tuned skills in accomplishing this by facilitating behavioral health services for professionals and non-professionals that encourage a safe, welcoming, engaging, culturally appropriate and responsive environment for treatment In developing a deeper understanding of the issues that impact and relate to individuals’ mental health, more specifically early childhood, and youth mental health, my passion is teaching other professional in utilizing practical skills daily through observation, including being able to spot the signs and symptoms of mental health issues and developing confidence in guiding people towards support as and early intervention practice.
By being diligent in advocacy, I am passionate about working with providers, professionals, community client serving specialist, in addition to clientele to strengthen skills in addressing wellness, behavioral and mental health concerns, thereby understanding the importance of self-awareness and self-care, while at the same time always being cognizant of cultural vulnerability. I am a trained and experienced Clinical Supervisor with the State of Missouri, and Behavioral Health Consultant skilled in providing integrated primary care and capacity building to behavioral health
teams. I am a National Mental Health First Aid Trainer to train and support client serving personnel and the community at large thereby promoting symptomology identification and intervention leading to promoting overall wellness from a culturally relevant lens. I also have obtained post graduate certification in Infant Early Childhood Mental Health through Georgetown University, currently seeking endorsement in the state of Missouri. I currently serve on the board MO-AIEMH – EC since 2020 in the state of Missouri.

Presentation(s):

By

Echols, Michelle, DSW, LMSW, CADC

Dr. Michelle Echols, DSW, LMSW, CADC earned her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Kentucky in May of 2022 and her Doctor of Social Work degree in May of 2023. Services provided by Dr. Echols include teens, couples, substance use, and family therapy. As a Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor, she is looking to implement a substance use course/group for the community. Dr. Echols is focused on community wellness and self-empowerment. As a self-proclaimed “wellness broker” Dr. Echols teaches people how to leverage their time and money to intentionally be well in areas of fitness, finances, mental health, and spiritual health. Future plans for Dr. Echols include opening a wellness center in her hometown of St. Louis, MO. Until the wellness center is manifested, Dr. Echols will continue providing therapy, training, and participating in workshops/community forums to fulfill her commitment to service.

Presentation(s):

By

Yates, Tara, MA

Tara Yates works for the Division of Behavioral Health as the Director of Quality Management for two adult psychiatric hospitals and one children’s hospital. She has been with the Department of Mental Health for 20 years. She started her career as a recreational therapist at St. Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center. Tara graduated for the University of Missouri- Columbia with a Bachelor’s of Science in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism with an emphasis in Therapeutic Recreation. During her time at Mizzou, she worked at Mid-MO Mental Health Center where she first began working with individuals with mental illness. She went on to earn in Master’s in Healthcare Administration from Lindenwood University in 2020. Tara is a certified Black Belt, Master Change Leader, and Healthcare Quality Professional.

Presentation(s):

By

Osborne, Heather, MA

Heather Osborne currently serves as the Fatality Review Coordinator and as a Disaster Services Planner for the Department of Mental Health. She has been with the Department of Mental Health since 2011, where she started out as a ward therapist for Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center. Her most recent role there was serving as the Director of Treatment Services-Adult Psychiatric Services. Heather has a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in clinical counseling, both from Central Methodist University. She also holds a graduate certificate in Gerontology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and a certified Master Change Leader.

Presentation(s):