Featured Breakout Sessions

9th Annual Wellness Together Conference

Sept 29 - Oct 1, 2025 | San Diego, CA

Featured Breakout Sessions at the Wellness Together Conference

Learn from top voices in education, mental health, and student wellness. These sessions are designed to equip and inspire you with practical strategies for real-world impact.

  • ⟡ Timely Topics

    Explore the latest trends and data

  • ⟡ Practical Tools

    Walk away with ready-to-use strategies

  • ⟡ Fresh Perspectives

    Get inspired with new ways to support students

Featured Breakout Speakers

  • Merve Lapus

    Vice President, Education Outreach & Engagement, Common Sense Media

  • Dr. Willough Jenkins

    Psychiatrist & Associate Clinical Professor, UCSD and Rady Children's Hospital

  • Chris Gethard

    Comedian, Actor, and Author

  • Autumn Boylan

    Deputy Director, California Department of Health Care Services

More Featured Breakout Sessions

  • School Counseling 2.0

    Transforming the Future of School Counseling through Policy, Standards, and the New Residency Program

    Key Takeaways:

    • Understand new state policies and standards
    • Learn how to access reimbursement funding
    -•Discover how the Residency Program supports workforce development

    Lead by:

    • Dr. Loretta Whitson, California Association of School Counselors (CASC)

  • Leaning In and Leading Out to Renew

    Navigating Lived-Polycrisis School Leadership

    Key Takeaways:

    • Understand the emotional and strategic dynamics of crisis leadership
    • Validate lived experiences of leading through crisis
    • Gain tools for recovery and renewal beyond the immediate response

    Lead by:

    • Leora Wolf-Prusan, Center for Applied Research Solutions

    • Matt Reddam, Butte County Office of Education (BCOE)

    • Cynthia Vega

    • Amy Castellanos, Director of Leadership Development & Community Engagement, Arizona School Board Association

  • Mental Health Literacy (MHL) Awareness for Educators

    Building Confidence and Competence in Mental Health

    Key Takeaways:

    • Learn the four core components of Mental Health Literacy
    • Explore how MHL can be used in schools and communities
    • Boost confidence in discussing and addressing mental health

    Lead by:

    • Annie Slease, CoFounder & CEO, Mental Health Literacy Collaborative

  • Policy to Practice

    Exploring a Comprehensive Approach to Suicide Intervention in K12 Schools

    Key Takeaways:

    • Reproducible Tools: Get ready-to-use tools, templates, and resources for implementing suicide risk screening and intervention.

    • Proven Model: Learn from a successful, large-scale initiative in San Diego County that standardized suicide prevention in over 430 schools.

    • Enhanced Support: Gain the knowledge and resources to better support students experiencing suicide ideation, improving student safety and wellness.

    Lead by:

    • Mara Madrigal Weiss, Executive Director, Student Wellness and School Culture, SDCOE

    • Heather Nemour, Coordinator, Student Wellness and School Culture

Additional Breakout Sessions Announced Soon

Who Should Attend:

  • School District & Site Administrators

  • K-12 Educators

  • School Counselors & Social Workers

  • Community & School-Based Mental Health Clinicians

  • School Psychologists

  • School Nurses

  • MTSS/SEL Leadership

  • State and County Offices of Education

  • Wellness Coaches

  • School Resource Officers

  • Higher Ed Counselors & Support Staff

  • Education Specialists

  • Classified Staff

  • School Board Trustees

  • Policymakers

& MORE!

The views, business practices, and opinions expressed by the conference speakers, attendees, exhibitors, individuals, organizations, and corporations do not necessarily represent those of Wellness Together, Inc. or the California Department of Education. Presentations, presenters, and partners are all subject to change at any time for any reason. All keynote presenters planned to be in person unless otherwise noted. Laughing Together is not sponsored by the California Department of Education and is separate from the Wellness Together Conference.