Clinical Psychologist, Bestselling Author, & Scientific Consultant for Disney-Pixar’s Inside Out 2

Dr. Lisa Damour is a clinical psychologist, bestselling author, and internationally recognized expert on adolescent development and student mental health. For more than two decades, she has worked directly with young people and families while translating psychological research into practical, accessible guidance for the adults who support them.

She is the author of multiple New York Times bestselling books, including Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, which have become essential resources for parents, educators, and clinicians seeking to better understand anxiety, stress, and the emotional complexity of adolescence.

Dr. Damour is also the host of the podcast Ask Lisa: The Psychology of Raising Teens and Tweens, where she offers clear, steady psychological insight into everyday parenting, helping adults respond thoughtfully rather than reactively to young people’s emotions and behavior.

As a consultant on Disney Pixar’s Inside Out 2, Dr. Damour helped shape the film’s portrayal of adolescent emotional development and contributed research-informed insight to one of the most visible cultural conversations about teen mental health in recent years. Her ability to bridge rigorous science with mainstream storytelling reflects her broader commitment: bringing accurate, compassionate psychological knowledge into everyday life.

A frequent contributor to national media, including The New York Times and CBS News, Dr. Damour is known for her calm, evidence-based voice during moments of heightened concern about youth mental health. Rather than amplifying panic, she offers grounded perspective, helping adults distinguish between healthy, developmentally appropriate stress and signs that a young person may need additional support.

For district leaders, school mental health professionals, counselors, and educators, her insights are both practical and urgent. As schools continue navigating rising youth mental health needs and building sustainable, integrated systems of care, Dr. Damour’s perspective provides a roadmap rooted in science, developmental understanding, and deep respect for young people’s emotional lives.

At the 10th Annual Wellness Together Conference, Dr. Damour will bring research, clarity, and actionable insight to a national audience committed to strengthening student mental health.

New host of Reading Rainbow and Resident Librarian for PBS

Mychal Threets is a librarian, mental health advocate, and, by his own admission, the library’s number-one fan.

A lifelong lover of libraries, Mychal was homeschooled and raised among the stacks, receiving his first library card at the age of five.

He began his career as a library shelver at the same library he grew up in, eventually working his way up to become its Supervising Librarian. Mychal is open and honest about his mental health, sharing his experiences in hopes of helping others on their own journeys. He’s known for reminding people—again and again—that he’s genuinely happy they’re here.

He considers it an honor to the library people who influence and inspire him that he is a recipient of the 2024 I Love My Librarian Award from the American Library Association, inclusion in School Library Journal’s 2024 Movers and Shakers, TIME Magazine’s 2024 Next Generation Leaders, a 2024 Webby Award for Social Impact, and a spot on TIME’s inaugural 2025 list of 100 Creators.

Mychal is the author of I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy (Random House Children’s Books), illustrated by Lorraine Nam. He currently serves as Resident Librarian for PBS and PBS Kids—and still can’t quite believe he’s the host of the revival of Reading Rainbow.

Jean M. Twenge, Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, is the author of more than 190 scientific publications and seven books, including 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World and Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents—and What They Mean for America’s Future. She holds a BA and MA from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. She writes the Generation Tech Substack.