NYC launches Ease Program to support young people’s mental health

Ivan is a thought leader and entrepreneur in the field of human performance and wellness. As Founder of The Zone, Ivan has taken on the mission of improving student-athlete wellbeing through mobile technology and data analytics. He has a Masters Degree in Applied Physiology from Columbia University, where he focused on data, wellbeing, and human performance. A former captain of the men’s basketball team at Concordia College, Ivan has been involved in athletics for 20+ years. He is passionate about helping the younger generation achieve wellness and long-term success.

Dr. Adam Brown has extensive experience developing programs to promote mental health awareness, providing training, technical guidance, and support in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of scalable, evidence-based, culturally responsive mental health strategies that can be delivered in a wide range of contexts by non-specialists. Dr. Brown is a co-founder and member of the Human Rights Resilience Project, an interdisciplinary group of scholars and practitioners carrying out research and creating tools to improve resilience and well-being in the human rights community. He has served as a consultant for organizations such as the United Nations, UNICEF, and Amnesty International. He is the recipient of grants from the National Institutes of Health, USAID, Fulbright, and numerous private foundations. His work has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed journals and as book chapters.

Jennifer Krippner is a recognized expert in the field of patient experience and human-centered care. She has over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, patient experience, physician development, and employee/community engagement. Jennifer is most passionate about building and nurturing connections and relationships. Prior to her lead role at The Institute for Healthcare Excellence, Jennifer was the director of physician development and guest/public relations at Maple Grove Hospital in Minnesota. While there, she led staff-driven patient experience advisory teams and developed projects that directly contributed to consistent top-tier performance in key patient and staff satisfaction results.

Ruth Strom McCutcheon’s connection to healthcare runs deep. From her early career as a nurse practitioner to her work in healthcare administration, Ruth has always been committed to improving health and well-being.  Her personal experience with a sister battling schizoaffective disorder, combined with her awareness that many of her patients were struggling with the effects of lifestyle stress, fueled her passion for mental health. This inspired her to pursue a master’s degree in the field, believing that true healing can only happen when the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—is considered. 

Thomas Jensen is a Director, Behavioral Health at Tamarack Health based in Ashland, Wisconsin. Previously, Thomas was a Director, Behavioral Health at Essentia Health.Thomas received a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Saint Louis University and a Master of Social Work from University of Minnesota Duluth

Rachael Steimnitz (she/her), MPH, is a public health leader with over 15 years of experience in mental health, patient care, and community outreach. She currently serves as Senior Manager of Employee Care and Support at The Walt Disney Company. Previously Rachael was Director of Workplace Mental Health at NAMI-NYC, where she led training and consulting efforts and oversaw the Workplace Mental Health Collaborative—a coalition of 20+ employers committed to reducing stigma and promoting mental health at work. Rachael was also Senior Manager at Thrive in Your Workplace at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health, a public-private partnership to help employers support employee mental health through a public health lens. She also oversaw system-wide quality improvement initiatives at NYC Health + Hospitals, including integrating palliative care into primary care across 17 sites and leading efforts to increase completion of advance directives for thousands of patients. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.

As a founder and Executive Director of Divine Konnections, Deyona is dedicated to transforming the lives of BIPOC youth and young adults through affordable housing and comprehensive support. Through her experiences and growth she has grown DKI to provide the support lacking for so many in our world. DKI’s mission is to create a model of community care that encourages those who have been helped, to give back, fostering a cycle of service and support.

Sophie Pauze is Senior Director, Strategy & Impact at the NYC Health + Hospitals Office of Behavioral Health. Her cross-functional leadership role spans strategic planning, workforce development, external affairs, and performance and project management, to maximize processes and outcomes as our portfolio expands to meet the growing behavioral health crisis. Sophie is also charged with implementing strategic priorities in partnership with City and State agencies, such as the Behavioral Health Centers of Excellence and the 1115 Waiver, critical NYS investments to rebuild core acute inpatient and outpatient capacity system-wide.  Outside of her work in healthcare, Sophie has been teaching and mentoring for the last 15 years with organizations such as Tribeca Language, Cambridge Coaching, Citizen Schools and others. Sophie has a Master’s in Public Administration from NYU Wagner School of Public Service (2017) and an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College (2008). She also sits on the board of Barbershop Books as Chair of the fundraising committee. 

Rick Gertsema has dedicated over 40 years to the mental health field, working in a diverse range of settings and continually expanding his expertise. For the past 25 years, he has played pivotal behavioral health roles in the Essentia Health System, where he has spent a decade in leadership positions. Notably, he served for three years as the Manager for Outpatient Behavioral Health for Essentia Health’s East Region, overseeing critical mental health services and initiatives. In addition to his extensive clinical experience, Gertsema is also an accomplished author. His book, Peaceful and Practical Parenting, offers valuable insights and strategies for fostering healthy family dynamics. Gertsema’s comprehensive approach to mental health, combined with his commitment to education and leadership, has made a lasting impact on the communities he serves.

With a profound passion for ensuring quality healthcare access, Traci Marciniak has dedicated her life’s work to improving the mental health and well-being of individuals and the communities where they reside. Recognizing that everyone is touched by the need for care—whether personally or through a loved one—Marciniak leads ArcaMind with focus on innovation and impactful projects. In addition to her role at ArcaMind, Marciniak serves as President of the Miller-Dwan Foundation, where she champions the Foundation’s vision of creating a healthy, resilient world free from mental health crisis. Under Marciniak’s leadership, ArcaMind continues to make significant strides in addressing global mental health needs, fostering an environment where care is not only accessible but also consistently delivered.