With growing interest in youth peer support, it is critical to ensure that policy change is driven by young people themselves. This session will feature co-presenters discussing Mental Health America’s Youth Policy Accelerator, a national youth peer support policy leadership program. Attendees will gain insights into the core components of effective advocacy and the current state of federal youth peer support policy. The session will also explore best practices in youth engagement and leadership training while providing actionable steps for attendees to get involved in youth peer support policy change at both federal and state levels.
About the presenters:
Kelly Davis, MS is the Vice President of Peer and Youth Advocacy at Mental Health America, where she works to expand peer support and young adult leadership. She is passionate about lived experience-driven programs, policies, organizations, and research. Kelly has been awarded the Disruptive Innovator Award by the National Association of Peer Supporters, the National Peer Leader of the Year Award by Peerpocalypse, and the 2023 Champion Award from Students with Psychosis. She holds certificates in yoga, applied positive psychology, and mental health leadership.
Kelly and her work have appeared in the New York Times, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, TIME, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and the White House. She recently earned her master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania, where she served as a research assistant in the Perelman School of Medicine studying lived experience perspectives of inpatient psychiatric units. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in public health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Tianna Celis-Webster is an eager 24-year-old currently pursuing her Psychology degree. Raised on the Big Island, Tianna is currently employed at EPIC ‘Ohana Inc. as a Pono Process Navigator, Tianna works collaboratively to ensure that youth rights are upheld within Child Welfare Services. Drawing from her own experiences navigating mental health and foster care systems at a young age, Tianna brings a unique perspective to her role, actively participating in crucial conversations aimed at improving system outcomes. In addition to her professional role, Tianna serves as the Vice President of the East Hawai’i HI H.O.P.E.S Youth Leadership Board. HI H.O.P.E.S., is dedicated to educating, advocating, and collaborating for improvements in the foster care system. Tianna’s commitment to creating positive change for Hawaii youth’s mental health includes being a Youth Advisor for the National Governors Association Policy Academy, where she helps create progress towards advancing holistic efforts to protect and support strong youth mental health and emotional well-being across state agencies, including strategies across prevention, awareness, treatment, and community and youth engagement. She is also involved with Mental Health America’s Youth Policy Accelerator, focusing on advancing youth peer support programs and services nationwide.
