Summit Presenters
Keynote Speaker
A Broken Man: Learning to Feel After Loss
9 a.m.
Earl Dotson probably hugged his dad about three times in his whole life, and now he wishes he had three more times to hug his son who he lost to suicide. For the longest time, he hid the issues he was going through, like depression and anxiety. Dotson had always felt he was broken because mental health wasn't talked about. His Green Bay Packers teammates helped save his life. He is forever grateful for that and now wants to help others. By not being able to fix himself, Dotson wasn't able to help his son, and now it is his calling to give people the tools to safely feel and cope and know that they are not alone. Together, we can show the youth in our life that we all have emotions, and therapy is one of the strongest, most important things you can do, not a weakness.
Part of the established program for the virtual option
Intended for: All
Earl Dotson
CEO, Super Bowl ChampionCurrent CEO of Green Empire Group and Super Bowl champion Earl Christopher Dotson is known as one of the premier offensive linemen in Green Bay Packers history. Dotson protected Brett Favre and blocked Reggie White in practice as a right offensive tackle starter. The champion lineman was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas.
Dotson earned All-State Offensive Player of the Year while at West Brook High School. He later was named All-American tackle by Associated Press, Kodak, Football Gazette and NFL Draft Report, among other honors. Dotson started in Super Bowls XXXI and XXXII and later earned from his teammates the Ed Block Courage Award. He was inducted into the Texas A&I Javelina Hall of Fame in 2003, the same year Dotson retired from the Packers following back injuries and surgeries. Dotson owned and operated The 50-Yard Line bar and grill and operated a custom car shop. The former NFL star is proud and fulfilled to participate in charitable outreach organizations and events in Wisconsin and Texas, where he currently lives.
Breakout Sessions
VA S.A.V.E. Training
10:30 a.m.
VA S.A.V.E Training helps you act with care and compassion if you encounter a veteran who is in crisis or having thoughts of suicide. The acronym S.A.V.E. (signs, ask, validate, expedite) helps you remember the important steps involved in suicide prevention: Know the signs that indicate a veteran might be thinking about suicide. Ask the most important question of all, "Are you thinking of killing yourself?" Validate the veteran's experience. Encourage treatment and expedite getting help.
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Kylene Occhietti
Suicide Prevention CoordinatorKylene Occhietti is the Suicide Prevention Coordinator for the Milo C. Huempfner VA Health Care Center in Green Bay and VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic in Cleveland.
Kylene fills several roles related to tracking/reporting of suicidal behavior, enhanced care delivery for veterans, access and referral for VA and community services, suicide prevention outreach and awareness, training for VA staff and community partners and data collection for VA evaluation and research purposes. Kylene is dedicated to assisting Veterans with their health care needs, as well as supporting collaboration between VA and community partners to make strides in suicide prevention.
Compassion Resilience in Practice
10:30 a.m.
Fostering resilience helps encourage and nurture genuine compassion in professionals and the clients or patients they serve. This session will help participants understand the characteristics of genuine compassion and how to maintain its "flow" in their practice.
Part of the established program for the virtual option
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Ricky Ferrari Traner
ManagerRicky Ferrari Traner was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He is a transracial adoptee, and he reunited with his biological family when he was 23 years old.
In 2020, he graduated with a master's degree in public administration and joined the Wisconsin Department of Children & Families (DCF) team a year later as a Human Service Area Coordinator with the Division of Family & Economic Security. He was promoted to Manager of the Prevention and Early Intervention Section with the Division of Safety and Permanence. He received a certificate in Trauma-Informed Care.
Multicultural Approaches to Trauma-Informed Care
10:30 a.m.
This training helps participants learn about trauma and implications of traumatic experiences on the brain through a neuroscience perspective that offers a broadened perspective to behavior and intervention. Understanding these concepts and incorporating a new multicultural trauma informed lens can reshape our interactions with minoritized communities. Knowing this approach helps participants advocate and implement new strategies in their professional settings.
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Sheng Lee Yang
President & Executive DirectorSheng, a first-generation Hmong refugee, has transformed challenges into opportunities, creating a profound impact on her community.
Resettled in Wisconsin as a child, she became a licensed clinical social worker and perinatal mental health therapist, dedicating her career to integrating social justice and cultural humility into behavioral health care. Her diverse professional background spans public, private, nonprofit, and government sectors, enriching her perspective as President and Executive Director of Us 2 Behavioral Health Care, providing accessible and culturally-sensitive mental health services.
Dudes + T.A.C.O.S.
10:30 a.m.
Middle-aged men have the highest rates of completed suicides, and they are less likely than women to seek mental health support. How do we address this crisis? What can we do, right now, to reverse the trend? Dudes + T.A.C.O.S., an initiative from Foundations Health & Wholeness, is leading the charge to tackle these alarming statistics. T.A.C.O.S. stands for Trailblazing Adventure of Connection, Outreach and Support, a powerful framework aimed at improving the mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of middle-aged men. By fostering connection, outreach and support, Dudes + T.A.C.O.S. is creating a sense of belonging and community that helps men take an active role in their own health and well-being. In this session, Ryan Good and Eden Weller will share the progress of the initiative, the outcomes they've achieved so far and the key lessons they've learned. They will also explore the future of this initiative and engage participants in brainstorming innovative ways to scale its impact. Together, let's discuss how we can raise awareness, build stronger support networks and ultimately save lives by shifting the culture around men's mental health.
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Eden Weller
Facilitator, Coach & CollaboratorEden Weller is a facilitator, coach and collaborator at the innovation consultancy he founded in 2021, WELLER workshops, LLC. He works with teams to demystify and democratize innovation utilizing empathy + radical collaboration.
Ryan Good
President & CEORyan Good is President and CEO at Foundations Health and Wholeness, a nonprofit organization in Green Bay that provides mental health counseling and foster care services. Ryan has over 20 years of experience serving in the counseling/foster care.
Suicide Prevention and Postvention Efforts in Response to a Major Event
1 p.m.
R. Paul Perales and Nicole Mazzoleni have implemented the Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS) with service members in Wisconsin, which includes a unit stabilization model that can be applicable to any postvention efforts with a group when there is a traumatic event that occurs within a system or organization. They have also worked to bring the Star Behavioral Health Program (SBHP) to the state, which is a free clinical network for civilians providing care to service members, veterans and their families at all organizational levels. They plan to review this program and how it can benefit providers in the state of Wisconsin when working with service members or veterans.
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
R. Paul Perales II, LCSW
LeaderPaul Perales currently leads a team of licensed clinical social workers who provide services to a joint force effort in the state of Texas. His experiences in social work are civilian and military, inpatient to outpatient and ages five-88 with a focus on crisis intervention, suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.
Nicole Mazzoleni
Behavioral Health SpecialistNicole is a Behavioral Health Specialist for Akima Global Logistics, a military contractor whose current client is the Texas National Guard. Throughout her career, she has consistently specialized in crisis response, resources connection, case management and suicide prevention.
Intersectionality in Mental Healthcare/Countering Influential Implicit Bias
1 p.m.
A look into how intersectionality of a person in combination with implicit bias from the provider impedes the ability to see a person holistically and therefore find them proper interdisciplinary care. Working together to analyze specific dialogue and confronting implicit bias and harmful assumed narratives to become a more approachable, effective provider.
Part of the established program for the virtual option
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Anna Leis
AdvocateAnna, a recent graduate of UW-Green Bay alum, is a passionate advocate for suicide prevention and mental health awareness.
With an academic background in psychology, Anna is dedicated to promoting resilience, reducing stigma and fostering a better understanding of mental health issues. She is committed to using her knowledge and experience to support those affected by mental health challenges and to inspire positive change in the community.
Teen Mental Health: Trends, Challenges & Surprising Realities
1 p.m.
Shaney will discuss teen mental health from her perspective as a teacher in a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital in Madison and as a parent of someone who struggled. She will address common trends from two sides of the coin and also teach some tools for mental health professionals to use with teens.
Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Shaney Andler
Special Education TeacherShaney is a trained special education teacher and a teen mental health advocate, currently teaching in Meriter's Child and Adolescent Psychiatric hospital inpatient unit.
Shaney has written two books on teen mental health, a coping skills book for teens and a coping skills book for parents of teens. Along with the books, she has developed a coping skills workshop to be taught to teens in schools, hospitals, clinics and anywhere teens are served. Shaney lives in Madison, Wisconsin.
Suicide in the Tribal Community
1 p.m.
Participants will gain insight into how building strong community ties among urban Native Americans fosters a sense of belonging, connection, and purpose, enhancing individual and collective well-being. Strategies for Fostering Connections: Attendees will learn practical strategies for developing and strengthening community networks, focusing on culturally relevant approaches that both resonate with and support urban Native American populations. Impact on Mental Health: Participants will explore the correlation between community engagement and mental health outcomes, including understanding how stronger social connections and practicing traditional culture can lead to healthier lifestyles, and lower suicide rates. Intended for: Mental Health Professionals
Urban Indigenous League
OrganizationUrban Indigenous League is a small four-person, volunteer-run organization that provides safe community spaces, promoting connection, culture and wellness to our local Indigenous communities.
Our mission is to strengthen and unite the Native American community of the Greater Milwaukee area. With a grassroots approach, we aim to keep culture at the forefront. Honoring our elders and past, and making way for the next generations - our future.
It's OK to Not be OK
2:30 p.m.
One man's journey to help others while helping himself along the way. Let's work together to end the stigma around seeking help for suicidal ideation.
Part of the established program for the virtual option
Intended for: All
Jeffrey Ditzenberger (Ditz)
Certified Mental Health CoachNearly 30 years ago, Ditz survived his own suicide attempt. In 2015, he founded TUGS to promote mental wellness in rural communities.
Today, he is a certified mental health life coach and peer specialist in mental health and addiction recovery, and is a qualified Question Persuade Refer (QPR) instructor. He travels throughout the Midwest speaking about mental health and suicide prevention. A Navy veteran and former corn and soybean farmer, he brings a vast array of life and professional experiences to his work.
Register for the Summit
Our annual Northeast Wisconsin Suicide Prevention Summit takes place on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at Brown County Central Library in Green Bay. Join us to increase understanding of suicide, its prevalence and the risk factors for specific populations.
Need Guidance?
We’re here to help. If you have questions about the conference, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our Program Specialists.