Dr. Sungah Kim is a leading researcher and director of assessment dedicated to understanding student mental health and academic stress. Her work focuses on the data behind why young people feel so much pressure today—and how that pressure affects their well‑being.

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In this video, Dr. Kim presents a compelling breakdown of the metrics, trends, and hidden factors behind student stress—exploring how academic demands, social expectations, and personal pressures combine to impact emotional and mental health. She emphasizes the urgent need for awareness, early intervention, and supportive environments that prioritize students’ holistic health.

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Through her research and presentation, viewers will learn not just that stress exists among students—but why, how, and what can be done. For educators, students, parents, and institutions alike, Dr. Kim’s insights serve as a call to action: to look beyond grades, to build resilient systems, and to create communities where youth feel seen, supported, and heard.

Sam Ingalls is the Director of the Mayor’s Youth Council at Oasis Center in Nashville. In this leadership role, Sam brings his extensive background in education and youth advocacy to support high school students across the community. The Council he oversees empowers young people to serve as civic liaisons, amplifying youth voice within local government and community decision-making.

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Prior to serving as Director, Sam taught for two years in a low-income community and was an advisor for a Youth in Government program. These experiences gave him a first-hand understanding of the challenges faced by young people—both inside the classroom and in the civic sphere. Under his direction, the Mayor’s Youth Council has engaged dozens of students from across Nashville, working in schools and civic spaces to contribute to more than a thousand hours of community service. 

 

Sam is dedicated to giving youth meaningful opportunities to lead, influence public policy, and shape their community’s future. His work bridges education, advocacy, and civic engagement—ensuring that young people are not just heard, but also empowered to make change.

Ben Ho Park serves as Director of the Vanderbilt‑Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) and is the Benjamin F. Byrd, Jr. Chair in Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. 

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Dr. Park earned his undergraduate degree from University of Chicago and completed both his MD and PhD at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He then completed residency and fellowship training in Internal Medicine and Hematology/Oncology, followed by a post-doctoral research fellowship in cancer genetics at Johns Hopkins University. 

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Dr. Park’s research focuses on identifying and validating genetic targets for breast cancer therapy and diagnostics, with notable work in “liquid biopsies” (using plasma tumor cell-free DNA) and studying hormone therapy resistance. He has also worked broadly in precision oncology, translating laboratory discoveries into clinical interventions and guiding molecular tumor boards to improve individualized patient care. 

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As leader of a major cancer center, Dr. Park oversees programs that bring together basic science, translational research, clinical care, and community outreach—ensuring that the latest discoveries are turned into real-world treatments and support for patients. 

Laura Eicher serves as Senior Event Support Manager and Staff Partner to the Gold Together National Ambassadors at the American Cancer Society (ACS). As part of the Gold Together initiative—an ACS-effort dedicated to childhood cancer awareness, advocacy, and fundraising—Laura plays a key role in event strategy, volunteer engagement, and program expansion across the country.

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Her journey into this work is deeply personal: in 2014, her son fearlessly battled brain cancer, and it was through that experience and a dedication to creating better outcomes for families facing childhood cancer that she helped expand the Gold Together initiative nationally in 2018. 

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In her role, Laura manages a diverse portfolio of events, from coordinating logistics to mentoring volunteer leaders, all while building meaningful relationships with survivors, caregivers, sponsors, and youth. She has brought a vision of hope and systematic change—ensuring that every dollar raised supports research, advocacy, and vital support services for children and families confronting pediatric cancer. 

Todd Drummond is the founder and CEO of Defend Our Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing school safety through innovative solutions. A New York native, Todd began his career as a machine technician and later transitioned into the aerospace composites research and development industry. 

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After a long career in R&D, Todd served as a law-enforcement officer and School Resource Officer, gaining first-hand experience in school security. In 2018, following the tragic school shooting in Florida, he developed a unique classroom protection system known as the “Safe Space Security Desk”—a ballistic-rated desk designed to provide immediate shelter for students during an active-shooter event. 

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Under his leadership, Defend Our Children has partnered with schools and communities across the U.S. to implement these desks as part of a layered strategy to protect students and enhance existing protocols. Todd’s work exemplifies a commitment to turning technical expertise into meaningful protection for children in learning environments.

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Defend Our Children: https://www.defendourchildren.org

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Don Loiacano, Chief Program Officer at NAMIDavidson County, Tennessee’s largest NAMI affiliate, and Jace Wilder, Youth Advocacy Coordinator at the same organization. Both share their professional journeys in mental health advocacy, highlighting the importance of mental health awareness, particularly among youth.

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Don Loiacano brings a wealth of experience in building supportive, peer-led mental health programs. His work emphasizes the importance of workplace accommodations, community support, and creating environments where individuals can thrive while managing their mental well-being.

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Jace Wilder focuses on engaging young people in mental health advocacy through leadership, education, and peer support initiatives. He promotes strategies that empower youth to communicate openly about mental health, build resilience, and take part in community-driven programs.

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Under their leadership, NAMIDavidson County provides free programs, including support groups, educational classes, and youth-focused initiatives such as Ending the Silence, Young Minds United (YMU), and NAMI on Campus. Their work demonstrates the power of community, peer support, and proactive advocacy in reducing stigma, fostering understanding, and creating sustainable pathways for mental health awareness.

Dr. Peter Jongho Na is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and a leading voice in suicide prevention, addiction psychiatry, and public mental health policy. 

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In this video, Dr. Na reframes suicide not as a personal failure, but as a systemic crisis rooted in cultural stigma, social pressures, and structural inequities. He uses his clinical and research experience to call for coordinated national and community-level action, arguing that mental health must be treated as a collective responsibility—not just an individual struggle. 

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Dr. Na’s advocacy is deeply informed by his background: he completed his MD in South Korea, earned his MPH in the U.S., and now studies how environmental and psychosocial factors contribute to suicide and addiction. He also serves on South Korea’s Presidential Committee on Mental Health Policy Innovation, pushing for evidence-based reforms to reduce stigma and expand access to mental health care.

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Through his media appearances, including this talk, Dr. Na reminds viewers: “It’s okay to not be okay.”

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Senator Heidi Campbell (D‑Nashville) is leading a bold effort to transform Tennessee’s recycling system with her Tennessee Waste to Jobs Act, an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) proposal that shifts the financial burden of recycling from taxpayers to packaging producers. 

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In this video, Senator Campbell presents a compelling vision: recasting waste as economic opportunity. Her bill would create a statewide Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) funded by manufacturers, not local governments. By doing so, it aims to generate more than 7,700 new jobs, bring in $300 million annually, reduce landfill pressure, and supply raw materials back to Tennessee’s industries. 

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Sen. Campbell stresses that this is not just about environmental policy — it’s fundamentally about building a circular economy that works for business, communities, and the planet. She argues that EPR doesn’t have to be partisan: when framed around economic growth, job creation, and innovation, it can find support from both companies and lawmakers. 

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This is a story of sustainability meeting smart policy — and how Tennessee could lead the Southeast by turning its packaging waste into prosperity.

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