Business Summit on Mental Health

Kelly Calabria, Chief Communications, Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

Growing up in rural North Carolina and then working in public health and law grounded one of Anna’s goals as First Lady of North Carolina: ending the stigma around substance use disorder and mental health. Mental health and substance use disorders affect more than a million people in North Carolina. Stigma can be a significant barrier for people with these disorders to seek help. As First Lady, Anna Stein is working to reduce the stigma by holding open dialogues with state and local leaders and community members and promoting access to treatment and recovery services.

First Lady Anna Stein

Christoph Diasio, MD, shares a brief update on Sandhills Pediatrics’ approach to integrating mental health support, highlighting measurable progress, lessons learned, and opportunities for replication.

Christoph Diasio, MD, Sandhills Pediatrics

This session lifts up the strength, passion and drive of working professionals while also addressing the realities of stress, uncertainty, and burnout in the modern workplace. Participants will learn practical skills for wellbeing from the Community Resiliency Model (CRM) that individuals and teams can use to manage stress, improve focus, and build resilience on the job.

• Elaine Miller-Karas, Co-Founder, Trauma Research Institute
• J’vanete Skiba, Executive Director, New Hanover County Resiliency Task Force

Take a moment to refresh, reflect, and continue conversations sparked during the morning sessions.

Business leaders discuss emerging mental health trends in today’s workforce, common challenges facing employees, and practical strategies organizations are using to support well-being while maintaining productivity.

• Alice Magnuson, Attorney, Wyrick Robbins Yates & Ponton LLP
• Tammy Robertson MT,(ASCP), Vice President & General Manager Raleigh/SunCoast/Chesapeake Regions, Labcorp

North Carolina faces a stark reality. Studies have shown that mental health needs on college campuses are surging with more than 60% of college students meeting the criteria for at least one mental health problem, and the problem is particularly severe for minority college students living in rural areas. But innovation is meeting this crisis head-on. This panel explores how North Carolina is building a more integrated, accessible mental health system at every level, from university campuses embedding mental health services into student life, to groundbreaking statewide programs equipping frontline providers with the tools they need.

• Gary Maslow, MD, Gorrell Family Distinguished Professor in Children’s Psychiatry, Duke University
• Sy Atezaz Saeed, MD, MS, FACPsych, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University
• Moderator: Colleen Briggs, President, Blue Cross NC Foundation

Enjoy lunch while continuing conversations with fellow attendees, speakers, and partners committed to advancing mental health in the workplace.

Mental health challenges affect students, families, and the workforce across North Carolina, making statewide collaboration more important than ever. In this conversation, leaders in the public and private sectors will share how they are addressing mental health across education systems, communities, and business.

• Kelly Crosbie, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services, NC Department of Health and Human Services
• Dr. Anthony D. Jackson, Superintendent, Chatham County Schools
• Moderator: Meredith Archie, Senior Vice President of External Affairs, NC Chamber, and President, NC Chamber Foundation

A brief overview of research, trends, and resources from the UNC School of Social Work that can help employers better understand and respond to employee mental health needs.

Dr. Ramona Woods Denby-Brinson, Dean, UNC School of Social Work

Final reflections and a call to action, encouraging attendees to take what they’ve learned back to their organizations and communities.