About this Event
The 3rd Annual Behavioral Health Summit is a power packed event where open, honest conversations build understanding, empathy, and community well-being.
This can’t-miss gathering features 3 keynote speakers, 8 breakout sessions, and resources provided by dozens of local behavioral health partners and organizations.
Participants will leave equipped and empowered to create healthier, more supportive environments in their families, classrooms, workplaces, and communities across Polk County.
Who Should Attend?
This event is perfect for parents, grandparents, family members of those struggling with behavioral health issues, educators, human resources professionals, behavioral health providers & professionals, team leaders & managers, law enforcement, and more. Anyone dedicated to showing up for those that need support the most and taking action to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health are encouraged to attend.
Presented by
Hosted by
Breakout Sessions Sponsored In Part by
2026 Speakers
Keynote Speaker
Kati Morton, LMFT
Kati Morton is a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and leading mental health YouTube creator with over 1.5 million subscribers. Through accessible, educational videos, she has helped millions better understand mental health, reduce stigma, and feel empowered to seek support and care.
Keynote Speaker
Tony Hoffman
An internationally-recognized mental health and substance use speaker, author, treatment center owner, and a former professional BMX athlete whose life was transformed through recovery, Tony uses his lived experience to inspire hope, resilience, and honest conversations about mental health, addiction, and healing.
Keynote Speaker
Frederick Heid
The Superintendent of Polk County Public Schools, Frederick Heid is a lifelong educator and systems leader and a strong advocate for student and staff well-being. He champions mental health awareness, support services, and safe, supportive school environments as essential to learning, leadership, and long-term success.
Breakout Session Speaker
Dr. Edith Shiro
Dr. Edith Shiro is a renowned clinical psychologist, author, and speaker specializing in post-traumatic growth and trauma healing. Through her research, global speaking, and acclaimed work The Unexpected Gift of Trauma, she helps individuals and communities transform trauma into resilience, meaning, and personal growth.
Breakout Session Speaker
Dr. Judith Grisel
Dr. Judith Grisel is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Bucknell University and the New York Times bestselling author of Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction. Drawing from both decades of sobriety and leading-edge brain science, she bridges lived experience and neuroscience to illuminate the causes, consequences, and prevention of addiction.
Breakout Session Speaker
Natasha A. Pierre
Natasha A. Pierre is a mental health educator, coach, and author who helps individuals and communities build emotional intelligence, resilience, and meaningful connection. With over 20 years of experience, she is known for her grounded, relatable approach to reducing stigma, fostering honest dialogue, and strengthening community well-being through practical, human-centered strategies.
Breakout Session Speaker
Sharon Fekete
Sharon Fekete is a keynote speaker, author, and business and life coach who brings lived experience and executive leadership to conversations about mental health in the workplace and community. With over three decades of sobriety, she challenges leaders to move beyond performative wellness and build cultures that truly support people through awareness, access, and accountability.
Schedule for the Day
9:00 am | Auditorium
Opening Keynote
Tony Hoffman
“From Prison to the Olympics” A journey through mental health, addiction, homelessness, incarceration, recovery, and success. Tony shares his story with vulnerability, packed with education and inspiration.
10:10 am
Breakout Session A
Natasha A. Pierre
“From Overwhelmed to Anchored: Practical Skills for Mental and Emotional Stability” This session gives participants accessible strategies for managing emotional overload during challenging seasons. Through lived experience and neuroscience-based tools, attendees learn how to ground themselves, reset stress responses, and support others with empathy and clarity. Natasha will arm attendees with a set of emotionally intelligent practices that can be used daily to build resilience across home, work, and community.
This breakout session is sponsored in part by Orlando Health.
Sharon Fekete
“Mental Health in the Workplace: From Homeless to Healthcare Executive” With decades of experience leading healthcare teams and speaking nationally on mental health in business, Sharon Fekete brings both professional insight and lived experience to this conversation. She will explore how workplaces and communities can move beyond awareness and into meaningful, human-centered support. Attendees will leave with practical perspective on culture, communication, and the role each of us plays in building a more mindful, supportive environment.
This breakout session is sponsored in part by AdventHealth.
Dr. Judith Grisel
“Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction” Judy’s research on the use and abuse of recreational drugs began during adolescence. After hitting bottom and getting clean and sober in her twenties, she went on to earn a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience. Judy’s talk will explain the neural changes associated with addiction, and why some of us are more prone than others.
Dr. Edith Shiro
“The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: Unlocking the Journey of Post-Traumatic Growth” Dr. Shiro explores the concept of Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) and how individuals can move from simply surviving trauma to truly thriving. Participants will learn the five stages of PTG while gaining insight into the impact of ancestral and intergenerational trauma. Through practical tools and reflective practices, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of their healing journey and tangible strategies for transformation.
11:10 am
Lunch
Provided by PCPS Culinary Students
12:30 pm | Auditorium
Mid-Day Keynote
PCPS Superintendent Frederick Heid
Presentation details coming soon!
1:40 pm
Breakout Session B
Natasha A. Pierre
“From Overwhelmed to Anchored: Practical Skills for Mental and Emotional Stability” This session gives participants accessible strategies for managing emotional overload during challenging seasons. Through lived experience and neuroscience-based tools, attendees learn how to ground themselves, reset stress responses, and support others with empathy and clarity. Natasha will arm attendees with a set of emotionally intelligent practices that can be used daily to build resilience across home, work, and community.
This breakout session is sponsored in part by Orlando Health.
Sharon Fekete
“Mental Health in the Workplace: From Homeless to Healthcare Executive” With decades of experience leading healthcare teams and speaking nationally on mental health in business, Sharon Fekete brings both professional insight and lived experience to this conversation. She will explore how workplaces and communities can move beyond awareness and into meaningful, human-centered support. Attendees will leave with practical perspective on culture, communication, and the role each of us plays in building a more mindful, supportive environment.
This breakout session is sponsored in part by AdventHealth.
Dr. Judith Grisel
“Never Enough: The Neuroscience and Experience of Addiction” Judy’s research on the use and abuse of recreational drugs began during adolescence. After hitting bottom and getting clean and sober in her twenties, she went on to earn a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience. Judy’s talk will explain the neural changes associated with addiction, and why some of us are more prone than others.
Dr. Edith Shiro
“The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: Unlocking the Journey of Post-Traumatic Growth” Dr. Shiro explores the concept of Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) and how individuals can move from simply surviving trauma to truly thriving. Participants will learn the five stages of PTG while gaining insight into the impact of ancestral and intergenerational trauma. Through practical tools and reflective practices, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of their healing journey and tangible strategies for transformation.
2:50 pm | Auditorium
Closing Keynote
Kati Morton
“From Awareness to Action: Teaching Coping Skills That Actually Work” In this keynote, Kati Morton moves beyond awareness to focus on what truly helps people cope in everyday life. Drawing from her clinical experience, she shares practical, easy-to-apply strategies that can be used across a wide range of settings and situations. This talk reframes coping as a learnable life skill, explores how nervous-system responses shape behavior, and highlights how small, consistent practices can support emotional regulation over time. Kati also normalizes seeking mental health support, including how to “interview your therapist” to find the right fit, empowering individuals and communities to approach mental health with greater confidence and clarity.
Voices from the Conversation
Read reflections shared by those who attended last year's event.
Scenes from 2025
Conversations in Behavioral Health
