Stakeholders
Project Consultant
Jon Delman, JD, PhD, MPH
Jon will provide insight on involving the voices of people with serious mental illness (SMI) and those of stakeholders throughout the field of healthcare in the research process. He has extensive knowledge of how to successfully implement Community Based Participatory Research.
Stakeholders Committee
THE STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE PROVIDES ADVICE AND FEEDBACK TO GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THE PROJECT SO THAT THE MOST EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED WIDELY. The committee is comprised of individuals REPRESENTATing A BROAD SPECTRUM OF STAKEHOLDERS THAT CONSTITUTE LIVED EXPERIENCE, ADVOCACY, AND ORGANIZATION AND DELIVERY OF SERVICES.
Rudolf Armando
Rudolf has worked with a variety of people who have lived with SMI and has personal experience with SMI. He will bring his depth of his experience to his role on the committee.
Judy Ashton
Judy has served as a peer volunteered at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital for 14 years, where she is known as a strong advocate for patients. She is also a retired attorney who practiced discrimination law for 35 years.
Vanessa Davy, LCSW
Vanessa is the leader of a resilience team in First Episode Psychosis who will ensure that the study’s procedures take into account needs of young adults and will help review clinician training procedures.
Margaret Guyer-Deason, PhD
Margaret will bring her expertise in evaluation and dissemination of evidence-based practices to the committee.
Maria Edwards
Maria will inform the committee based on her lived experience, her work as a peer support specialist, and her experience serving on other advisory boards. She hopes to help the study recruitment and by reaching out to other stakeholders locally.
Steve Fedele
Steve will inform the committee based on lived experience and his work coordinating a program that serves young adults experiencing psychosis, where he also assists with the programs ongoing research and data collection.
Catherine Haines
Catherine will review outreach, treatment, and feedback procedures to ensure that the study is made accessible to individuals seeking mental health care.
Nathan Schwirian
Nathan will inform the committee from his perspective as an individual actively involved in mental health communities throughout the Boston metro area and as a person with lived experience.
Paula Rego
Paula has worked at Hartford Hospital’s Institute of Living for 20 years. She will share about her experience with assisting in the implementation of cog. rehab and social skills programs and her passion for helping to inform and educate individuals living with SMI and their families.
Ziona Rivera
Ziona will contribute to the committee based on her lived experience, her work as a peer support specialist, and her knowledge of community organizing and peer group facilitation.
Brenda Venice
Brenda will advise the committee based on her experiences confronting stigma associated with SMI. She also looks forward to helping to inform the study’s recruitment and retention efforts.
Anne Whitman
Anne will inform the committee based on her diverse background, which includes lived experience; founding, leading, and consulting with peer support and recovery organizations; serving as a peer support specialist; and academic work. She will contribute her expertise to help improve the knowledgebase and help the study connect with other stakeholders throughout her network.
Saras K. Yerlig
Saras will share insights about engaging with those experiencing SMI. She will share feedback from peers about experience participating in research, treatment, and general community functioning.