Richard Taylor Jr. is a highly sought-after speaker who brings an empowering message of victory by creating a unique way to make the conversation of mental health easier and digestible for all of his audiences. He has been recognized for normalizing the conversation and helping people shift from “talking about mental health” to actually “mobilizing in their efforts towards healing and freedom.” Richard’s story of overcoming morbid obesity, depression, multiple suicide attempts, failing in college and domestic abuse, have struck a change within people from different walks of life. Richard’s goal is to create safe spaces for difficult conversations and encourage empathy in a society that is clouded with apathy. Over the years he has intertwined his background and experiences into a vulnerable message of love and empathy that surpasses motivating audiences. The end goal continues to be real life transformation.
Leilani Lewis is an award-winning, sought-after equity and belonging leader, speaker, and writer. With a strong background spanning the creative sector to higher education, Leilani is a distinguished executive recognized for her commitment to service and innovative partnerships within Seattle's creative industry. Her impactful work in university philanthropy and fundraising has led to the adoption of her DEIB frameworks by higher education institutions nationwide, establishing her as a thought leader. Currently, as the Sr. Director of DEIB within the University of Washington Advancement organization, Leilani's work is at the forefront of shaping strategies, fostering collaborations, influencing policies, and mentoring. Leilani holds a postgraduate degree from Seattle University and is a certified DEIB practitioner.
A national Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) conference presenter and consultant, Dr. Joan King has a BA in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing, an MA in English, and a Doctorate in Education. She is a United States Air Force veteran, published author, and former high school teacher for Washington state. Her articles regarding Asian American voices have been published in TinyBeans.com, Mochi Magazine, Memoir Magazine, and Writerly Magazine.
Megan Kennedy is the Director of the UW Resilience Lab. As a leader and facilitator, Kennedy aims to build healthy and compassionate learning communities. She believes that building high-quality wellness and educational programs requires teamwork at every level. Currently, Kennedy is developing and evaluating systems-based approaches to well-being that combines applied research, education, and collaborative programming across campuses. This includes partnering with academic departments, student wellness groups, and community-based organizations seeking to deepen their capacity for mindfulness and resilience. Kennedy earned her master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Science from Bastyr University and is a licensed therapist with over a decade of experience in public and private practice.
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