EMPOWERING HUMANITY: MENTAL HEALTH AMONG POST-PANDEMIC YOUTH
CONFERENCE AGENDA
*All times listed are in EST
MARCH 8TH - LONELINESS EPIDEMIC
10:30AM - 11:00AM Opening Ceremony & Welcome
11:00AM - 12:00PM Panel: “The Loneliness Epidemic: Understanding & Addressing Youth Isolation” with Panelists Simone Heng and Dr. Pamela Rutledge
Simone Heng
Simone Heng is a human connection specialist and award-winning author. Her mission is to inspire people to connect in a world thirsty for connection. She has spoken to thousands, and for organizations like Harvard University, Google, Meta, Amazon, ByteDance, Lucasfilm, the United Nations, and many more. Simone and her work have been featured on CNN and Al Jazeera and in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, BBCRadio, and many others.
Simone is based and was born in Singapore but has also studied in Switzerland, was raised in Australia, and worked in the United Arab Emirates.
Her book “Let’s Talk About Loneliness” has been recognized with 6 international accolades including the 2024 silver Nautilus Book Award in the social change and social justice category. Simone also sits on the advisory board for the Foundation for Social Connection in the United States.
Dr. Pamela Rutledge
Dr. Pamela Rutledge is a media psychologist dedicated to understanding how stories--whether social media, entertainment, or digital platforms— shape our thoughts, identity, and social connections. As the Director of the Media Psychology Research Center, she collaborates with companies like Fox Films and Warner Bros to help them understand engagement and identity in the online world.
Dr. Rutledge is passionate about digital literacy and fostering a healthy relationship with technology. She is the author of "Exploring Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Well-Being," a co-host of the Cyberwise podcast, a long-time contributor to Psychology Today, and has published extensively on digital culture for academic and popular audiences. A go-to expert for outlets like The New York Times and ABC News, she analyzes trends—from TikTok to cell phone bans—always focusing on the human motivations behind media use.
12:15PM - 1:15PM Lunch Break & Optional Virtual Networking Rooms
1:15PM - 1:45PM Workshop: “Using UNICEF as Platform for Change”
1:45PM - 2:15PM Launch of Connection Challenge
2:30PM - 3:00PM Interactive UNICEF-Themed Games
3:00PM - 3:45PM Keynote: “The Impact of COVID-19 on Adolescent Development: Lessons for a Post-Pandemic World” with Robert Jenkins
Dr. Robert Jenkins
Robert Jenkins brings over 30 years of experience in international development and humanitarian programming in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Prior to his current appointment at HGSE, he served as the global director of education and adolescent development for UNICEF from 2019 to 2024. He joined UNICEF in 1995 and served as the UNICEF representative, Jordan, from 2014 to 2019, and deputy director, Division of Policy and Strategy in UNICEF Headquarters from 2009 to 2014. From 1995 to 2009, Jenkins served with UNICEF in programme and management positions in Uganda (1995–1997), Bangladesh (1997–2000), Myanmar (2000–2003), India (2003–2006), and Mozambique (2006–2009). Jenkins earned a doctor of education degree from the University of Bath and a master’s degree from the London School of Economics in the United Kingdom.
3:45PM - 4:30PM Breakout Rooms: Challenge/Presentation Work Sessions
4:30PM - 5:00PM Day 1 Closing Reflections
5:00PM - 7:30PM Optional (Additional) Work Session
MARCH 9TH - FROM ECO-ANXIETY TO ECO-ACTION
10:00AM - 10:30AM Opening & Grounding Exercise
10:30AM - 11:45AM Panel: “From Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Action” with Panelists Dr. Jennifer Atkinson, Dr. Elizabeth Allured, and Dr. Lise van Susteren.
Dr. Jennifer Atkinson
Dr. Jennifer Atkinson is an author and Professor of environmental humanities at the University of Washington in Bothell. She researches eco-anxiety, grief, and hope, and teaches seminars on climate and mental health that have been featured nationwide. Dr. Atkinson’s most recent book, The Existential Toolkit for Climate Justice Educators, offers strategies to help young people navigate the emotional toll of climate breakdown. Her podcast “Facing It” also gives listeners the tools to channel eco-anxiety into action.
Dr. Elizabeth Allured
Elizabeth Allured, Psy.D., is a practicing clinical psychologist who has published articles on the environmental crisis and mental health. She has been presenting her ideas about this at local, international, and national conferences since 2007. She is a co-founder of the Climate Psychology Alliance North America, an organization that addresses the psychological aspects of the climate crisis, and focuses on personal and community resilience. She resides in Northford, Connecticut.
Dr. Lise van Susteren
Dr. Lise Van Susteren, a general and forensic psychiatrist in Washington, DC, is an expert on the physical and mental health effects of climate change. In 2011 she co-authored “The Psychological Effects of Global Warming on the U.S. – Why the US Mental Health System Is Not Prepared.” In addition to community organizing on climate issues, Van Susteren serves on several boards including the Climate Psychology Alliance. She is a frequent contributor on television, radio and in the print media. In 2006 Dr. Van Susteren sought the Democratic nomination for the US Senate from Maryland. Her book, Emotional Inflammation was released in April 2020.
12:00PM - 1:00PM Lunch Break & Optional Climate Café Discussion
1:00PM - 2:30PM Wrap-Up of Presentations
2:30PM - 3:30PM Challenge Team Presentations
3:30PM - 4:00PM Closing Keynote: “Building Resilient Youth in an Age of Climate Crisis”
Lexi Nutkiewicz
Lexi Nutkiewicz (she/her) is a PhD student in Climate & Human Health at the Colorado School of Public Health, advised by Dr. Megan Cherewick. She received her BA in Psychology with a Minor in Dance from the University of Colorado Boulder, and her Masters in Public Health in Behavioral Health from the University of San Francisco. Her research focuses on eco-anxiety in adolescents and the effects of participation in climate activism. She also has other research interests in climate education and environmental justice. Lexi currently works as a Research Assistant for the Dickinson Lab for Environmental Justice and Policy, led by Dr. Katie Dickinson, and has previously worked for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, and Stanford School of Medicine.
4:00PM - 4:30PM Closing Ceremony & Awards