Who will be speaking at this conference…
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Dr. Daniel Tomasulo / Learned Hopefulness
Dr. Karim-Aly Kassam / Hope in Practice: The Role of Ecological Calendars
Jamie Meade / Education Consultant
Tim Whitcomb / Sheriff, Cattaraugus County
Elijah Murphy / Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. Student
Dr. Barbara Connor / Clinical Researcher and Medical Mission Volunteer
Father Vasile Colopelnic / Ukrainian Catholic Priest
Dr. Daniel Tomasulo
Psychologist, Professor, Speaker, Author
Sharecare* honors Dr. Tomasulo as one of the top ten online influencers on the issue of depression, and was also recently honored by Teachers College, Columbia University with their 2021 Teaching Award.
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His clinical specialization is in psychodrama and sociometry, with an academic specialization in intellectual disabilities. Tomasulo developed Interactive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) and later Positive-Interactive Behavioral Therapy (P-IBT), forms of group psychotherapy for people with intellectual disabilities, and coauthored the American Psychological Association’s first book on the subject: Healing Trauma: The Power of Group Treatment for People with Intellectual Disabilities (2005) with Nancy Razza. Tomasulo is also the author of: Action Methods in Group Psychotherapy: Practical Aspects (1998), Confessions of a Former Child: A Therapist’s Memoir (2008), American Snake Pit (2018), and Learned Hopefulness, The Power of Positivity To Overcome Depression (2020).
His most recent book, Learned Hopefulness, The Power of Positivity To Overcome Depression, is hailed as: “…the perfect recipe for fulfillment, joy, peace, and expansion of awareness.” by Deepak Chopra, MD: Author of Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential. Martin Seligman, Ph.D., author of Flourish, adds: “This is the best go-to book on how to use hope to relieve your depression.”
Dan is certified as a trainer, educator, and practitioner by the American Board of Examiners in psychodrama, sociometry, and group psychotherapy and is the 2017 winner of the International Positive Psychology Association’s Avant-Garde Clinical Intervention competition for the Virtual Gratitude Visit (VGV) and the 2019 winner of the case study competition for his research using psycho-dramatic methods to deliver positive interventions.
Dan’s passion is Positive Psychology. While traditional psychology focuses on our weaknesses, positive psychology focuses on our strengths, cultivating our best selves so we can lead meaningful and fulfilling lives.
*Sharecare is an online health and wellness site launched in 2010 by Jeff Arnold, founder of WebMD, and Emmy-award winner Dr. Mehmet Oz, in partnership with Harpo Studios, Sony Pictures Television and Discovery Communications.
Learned Hopefulness: The Power of Positivity to Overcome Depression
by Dr. Tomasulo
(2020)
Dr. Karim-Aly Kassam
Professor, Cornell University
In 2018, Professor Kassam, in collaboration with the Canadian Embassy in Kabul, senior advisors at the Presidential Palace, and the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, initiated the process that led the President of Afghanistan to create a position devoted specifically to addressing climate change adaptation in all government agencies. In 2017, he was awarded the University of Bayreuth (Germany) International Senior Fellowship for his contributions to the Faculty of Biology, Chemistry and Earth Sciences. In 2013, he received the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Diversity Award for creating and fostering diversity in research and teaching. From 2008 to 2011, he was Director of Graduate Studies of the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program.
Prior to joining Cornell, Dr. Kassam was Associate Professor with the Faculty of Communication and Culture at the University of Calgary, Canada. He founded the Theme School in Northern Planning and Development Studies at the University of Calgary in 1995 and was its Director until 2003. From 1998 to 2001, he was the first Murray Fraser Professor of Community Economic Development at the University of Calgary. In 2003, Venture Magazine named him one of Alberta’s 50 most influential people along with business and political leaders.
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Professor Kassam's aim is to seamlessly merge research and teaching in the service of communities. His research focuses on the complex connectivity of human and environmental relations, addressing indigenous ways of knowing, food sovereignty, sustainable livelihoods, stewardship, and climate change. This research is conducted in partnership with indigenous communities in the Circumpolar Arctic, Boreal Forest, as well as the Pamir Mountains of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Xinjiang. In 2016, he was awarded 1.35 million dollars to lead a project to develop anticipatory capacity for climate change. By investigating the relationship between biological and cultural diversity, he seeks to expand the foundations of the notion of pluralism. Through applied research and teaching, he is articulating a rigorous methodology and pedagogy of hope.
Jamie Meade
Education Consultant
With a career spanning over 35 years in education, Jamie is dedicated to positive change and impact in our nation’s education systems. She began her career as a High School English teacher in the rural Appalachian region of Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia, where her passion for empowering students through knowledge and inspiration took root. Jamie’s dedication led her to leadership roles in School and District-level Administration, including Curriculum, Instruction, Data, and Assessment.
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Today, Jamie travels the country, sharing the message of hope – and how to cultivate it – with teachers and education leaders. She is an experienced speaker at numerous district, state, and national events, including the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), the American Association of School Administrators (AASA).
Jamie Meade (Battelle for Kids) and Ed Hidalgo (Cajon Valley Union School District) discuss The Purpose of K-12: Instilling Hope at the 2021 ASU+GSV Summit.
Making Hope Happen
by Dr. Shane J. Lopez
(2013)
Lopez's work is hailed by Jamie Meade as a crucial guidebook for fostering hope in education.
Tim Whitcomb
Sheriff, Cattaraugus
Sheriff Whitcomb became the Sheriff on August 18th, 2009. Sheriff Whitcomb was elected in November 2009 to a full four-year term, commencing January 1, 2010. Since 1997 he has been in law enforcement, including 7 years working major crimes in the Criminal Investigation Bureau. It was in this role that he was recognized as the Blue and Gold Officer of the Year in October 2000.
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Sheriff Whitcomb possesses a Masters degree in Counseling Education from St. Bonaventure University and is a certified police instructor in the areas of Interview and Interrogation, Basic and Advanced Juvenile Officer Training, the Investigation of Sex Crimes, and the Law Enforcement Response to School Violence. Sheriff Whitcomb is a graduate of the 206th Session of the FBI’s National Academy and his specialized training includes Crisis Negotiation with the Los Angeles Police Department, Death Scene Management with the FBI, and a Sex Offense Seminar with the New York State Police. He has also recently been certified as a SWAT Team fitness specialist.
Sheriff Whitcomb also is a Past President of the State of New York Police Juvenile Officer Association. He is currently an active instructor for NYSDCJS and a private consultant for educational seminars on Post traumatic Stress Disorder and Law Enforcement Suicide.
Elijah Murphy
Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Student
Elijah Murphy is a current PhD student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Houston. His career is dedicated to promoting well-being in marginalized communities by developing culturally competent mental health interventions that consider the impact of culture, identity, and stigma.
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Murphy has actively engaged in community outreach and professional development. He was invited to present at the Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center, where he addressed race-based stress and trauma in psychotherapy. His participation in specialized trainings and workshops, such as addressing racial trauma in military populations and interpersonal considerations in PTSD treatment, showcases his commitment to enhancing clinical practices and promoting mental health awareness.
Dr. Barbara Connor
Clinical Researcher and Medical Mission Volunteer
Dr. Barbara Connor, MD is an internal medicine specialist in Syracuse, NY and has over 42 years of experience. She graduated from State University of New York Downstate Health Sciences University College of Medicine in 1983. She is affiliated with medical facilities Auburn Community Hospital and Cayuga Medical Center at Ithaca.
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She brings extensive experience to the Auburn VA Clinic along with a dedication to her community and serving those in need. Previously, she resided overseas and founded two non-profit humanitarian medical missions in El Salvador and South Sudan.
Father Vasile Colopelnic
Ukrainian Catholic Priest
The Rev. Vasile Colopelnic has a sobering task preaching a message of hope to his parishioners at Saints Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church in this Cayuga County city of Auburn, NY.
The Feb. 24 invasion of his homeland by Russian forces and the ensuing war — with its devastating toll of physical destruction, and civilian and military casualties — is on the minds of all of the world’s citizens, not just those with Ukrainian connections. Colopelnic calls the war “an extremely difficult and challenging situation for all humanity and for all freedom loving people in the world.”
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But, despite the heavy weight that reality carries, Colopelnic says he has to look no further than the Gospels for his message of hope on Easter Sunday.