Keynotes

 

Leadership For Community Engagement: How to Make it Not About You

Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. ET

 

One common form of leadership in community engagement is consultation. However, this approach can lead to challenges if the leader does not consider barriers to community engagement and subsequently community ownership. By embracing the community as a full partner, leaders can foster distributed leadership, consider the pathways to community ownership, and apply a developmental framework that encompasses various approaches for community engagement. This framework aids in identifying the leader's role and supports capacity building within the community. With over 35 years of leadership experience, the presenter, a seasoned leader in community engagement, will share successes, challenges, lessons learned, and practical tools that promote collaboration and community ownership. Participants will have opportunities to reflect on their own leadership styles in relation to community engagement and learn how to approach every action as an opportunity to build deeper relationships, honor community participation, and recognize local expertise. 

Stephanie Brooks, PhD, LMFT, LCSW

Stephanie Brooks, Ph.D., LCSW, LMFT, is the inaugural dean and professor of the newly formed College of Health at Cleveland State University.  She seeks opportunities to eliminate health disparities, promote health equity, and build an inclusive workforce prepared to make that difference through education, research, practice, and service. Her scholarly interests include interdisciplinary practice, integrated health care, behavioral health, couple and family therapy education, supervision and training, health equity, substance use and misuse. She recently co-edited a book entitled The Opioid Epidemic: Medical, Nursing, Counseling and. Behavioral Treatments. Dr. Brooks is a clinical fellow and approved supervisor in the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, a licensed clinical social worker, and a licensed marriage and family therapist.  

Leading without Losing Yourself: Navigating Burnout, Resilience, and Leadership through Uncertainty

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET

 

As leaders, we often hear that “self-care” is the antidote to exhaustion. But for those navigating chronic uncertainty, funding delays, shifting institutional priorities, and the emotional weight of meaningful work, the truth is far more complex. Our closing keynote speaker for LS26, Dr. Amy A. Morgan, invites us into a more honest, and far more sustainable, conversation about leadership. 
 
Drawing from her experiences as a clinician, educator, and community-engaged researcher, Dr. Morgan offers a candid exploration of how burnout, redirection, and resilience have shaped her leadership journey. Her work in community mental health and post-incarceration resilience—particularly throughout the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic—reveals how trauma stewardship can help leaders stay grounded when everything around them feels uncertain. 
 
This keynote blends powerful storytelling with interactive elements that encourage immediate application. Participants will examine their own leadership inflection points, identify early signs of depletion, and practice concrete strategies for leading with clarity and steadiness through complexity. Expect partner reflection, small-group conversations, and space to reconnect with your own purpose—without losing yourself in the process. 

Dr. Amy A. Morgan

Dr. Amy A. Morgan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Science at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and core faculty in the Couple and Family Therapy Master’s Program. A licensed marriage and family therapist and intervention scientist, her work centers on the belief that relational health is public health. She develops trauma-informed, resilience-based interventions addressing incarceration, mental health inequities, and social marginalization, with support from organizations including The AAMFT Foundation and the Maryland Catalyst Fund. Dr. Morgan is nationally recognized for excellence in teaching and mentorship and is committed to leadership rooted in connection, equity, and collective care.