Ray Merenstein has over three decades of experience in fundraising, public relations, lobbying and market research benefiting not-for-profit organizations. After a decade of health care advocacy in Washington, DC (where he first collaborated with NAMI), he served as Vice President at Children’s Hospital Colorado Foundation during its $250 million comprehensive campaign. Through RDM Communications, a consultancy he started in 2005, Ray has served as lead consultant for education, environmental, health, housing, and human service organizations. He holds a B.A. in American Studies from Tulane University and an M.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Florida. He and wife, Ilana Steinberg, are Colorado natives with one son and two daughters. They share a passion for social justice, mental health, travel, NPR’s Sunday Puzzle and desserts (Ray especially likes lemon meringue and key lime pies).

AbdulAziz is a practicing psychotherapist at Khalil Center (Illinois Chapter), an international non-profit wellness center that aims to bridge the gap between the psychological sciences and the Islamic tradition. He is registered as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and School Social Worker in the state of Illinois and is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. AbdulAziz believes that every person is an expert on their experience and that by creating a safe, welcoming and warm environment, we can all begin our journey towards healing. He has been serving Muslims from across the globe and hopes to continue to find more innovative and dynamic ways to serve all people. He considers himself to be a lifelong learner and continues to take professional development coursework and engage in his own spiritual journey. He earned his Master of Social Work Degree from Governors State University.

Dafna Michaelson Jenet represents Colorado’s House District 30, which stretches from northern Aurora to rural Adams County east of Denver International Airport and back into parts of Thornton and Commerce City, where she resides. Representative Michaelson Jenet serves on the House Education and Public Health Care & Human Services Committees (vice chair), as well as Legislative Audit Committee (vice chair), and this is her third term as a Colorado State Representative. Rep. Michaelson Jenet’s legislative work primarily focuses on youth, particularly foster care youth, mental health, and healthcare access. Her big goal for the 2020 session is to push Colorado to be the first state to require insurance companies to cover annual mental health wellness exams for all Coloradans at no cost to the consumers.

Prior to her work in the legislature, Rep. Michaelson Jenet traveled to all 50 states, one state each week for 52 weeks, in search of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to solve problems in their communities. She chronicled her experiences in “It Takes a Little Crazy to Make a Difference,” published by Motivational Press. The book won the social change category of the International Book Awards and earned her a place on Conversation Magazine’s “25 Women Changing the World” list and a mention in CNN’s Intriguing Person column.

After the 50 States Project, Representative Michaelson Jenet and her husband, Michael Jenet, co-founded the Journey Institute, which works with schools, businesses, organizations and individuals to train in community problem solving and next-level team building. She then published her second book, “Peanut’s Legacy,” detailing the loss of the pregnancy of her son at 20 weeks and her journey through her grief. “Peanut’s Legacy” was named as a finalist in the International Book Awards in the social change category.

Representative Michaelson Jenet has an MBA from the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business and a bachelor’s degree from Yeshiva University’s Stern College for Women. She and her husband have three children: Eytan and Gavriella Michaelson and Ryan Jenet, an active-duty U.S. Marine.

Aimee Resnick is a Senior at Cherry Creek High School in Centennial, Colorado. Aimee has a passion for policy, currently serving as the co-chair of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, a statewide youth-serving organization that allows Coloradans ages 12-18 to introduce policy directly to the legislature. Aimee is also the former chair of the City of Centennial Youth Commission, a group that encourages youth to participate in community engagement and betterment. Finally, Aimee works with a variety of other groups to provide youth voice such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of Colorado, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. At school, Aimee is the chapter founder and past president of her high school’s National English Honors Society, a group that develops literacy with service, president of the Interact Club, a service society connected to Rotary International, and president of No Place for Hate, an equity group derived from the Anti-Defamation League. Next year, Aimee will be beginning college for Public Policy, and she hopes to one day become a legislator herself.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser was sworn in as the State’s 39th Attorney General on January 8, 2019. As the state’s chief legal officer, Attorney General Weiser is committed to protecting the people of Colorado and building an innovative and collaborative organization that will address a range of statewide challenges, from addressing the opioid epidemic to reforming our criminal justice system to protecting our land, air, and water.

Attorney General Weiser has dedicated his life to the law, justice, and public service. Before running for office, Weiser served as the Hatfield Professor of Law and Dean of the University of Colorado Law School, where he founded the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship and co-chaired the Colorado Innovation Council.

Weiser served as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the U.S. Department of Justice and as Senior Advisor for Technology and Innovation in the Obama Administration’s National Economic Council. He served on President Obama’s Transition Team, overseeing the Federal Trade Commission and previously served in President Bill Clinton’s Department of Justice as senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Antitrust Division, advising on telecommunications matters.

Before his appointment at the Justice Department, Weiser served as a law clerk to Justices Byron R. White and Ruth Bader Ginsburg at the United States Supreme Court and to Judge David Ebel at the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, Colorado.

The son and grandson of Holocaust survivors, Weiser is deeply committed to the American Dream and ensuring opportunity for all Coloradans. Weiser lives in Denver with his wife, Dr. Heidi Wald, and their two children.

Babu grew up in India. Before moving to the U.S.A. in 1994, he had over 2 decades of experience in Sales & Marketing in the Graphic Arts and Printing Industry and later from the U.S. in Sales & marketing of Prepress Systems and Semiconductor Packaging Supplies to Asian Subcontinent and Far Eastern Countries.

His life would change for ever in 2010 committing to a lifelong journey, supporting his daughter in mental health crisis through her therapy recovery and pathways to wellness. From 2010 till 2015, he had collaborated with Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) connecting with their support Groups in the region. He found a “Home” and support at NAMI in 2015 starting with the local NAMI Family Support group. He is certified as a Teacher for the NAMI Family-to-Family program and Program Leader for the NAMI Family & Friends. He has completed the Mental Health First Aid training, as well. Babu has attended 5 NAMI National Conventions from 2016 and the CIT International Conference in 2020. For 2 years from 2014, he led a Refugee Mentoring Project from his church in collaboration with the Lutheran Family Services & the Denver Rescue Mission.

As a passionate Mental Health advocate, Babu has been serving as the President on the Board of Directors at NAMI Colorado from January 2020. Prior to that he was the Vice President for a year. He also serves on the Executive Committee as Secretary on the NAMI State Presidents’ Council. From January 2019, Babu has been a member of the National Advisory Group of NAMI Faithnet.

Brad Allen Reubendale is the executive director of So All May Eat / SAME Cafe, a nonprofit donation-based restaurant with a mission to serve healthy food to everyone, regardless of ability to pay.

He has many years of experience working to deliver quality programs to under-resourced people. His history includes Urban Peak, a nonprofit which addresses youth homelessness, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), a program to advocate for children in foster care, testifying at the Colorado Capitol on behalf of foster children and LGBTQ youth, and being a youth pastor.

Brad has a Bachelor in Psychology/Criminology from Missouri State University, a Master of Divinity from Denver Seminary, and a graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management from University of Colorado Denver, but the most important education he ever receives is when he shuts up and listens to other people's experiences.

Brad lives in Denver with his husband Michael, kittens Kiki & Phillip, and step-dog Bandit, where he happily walks, bikes, or busses everywhere.

Camryn Byrne is our Addiction Specialist at Heart Mind Connect. Her goal is an inclusive recovery residence that is open to all walks of life. As a transgender woman, Camryn understands and respects the challenges and needs of all the residents, especially those in early recovery. She has worked in the recovery field for over three years, from managing a large sober living community to most recently creating the therapeutic aspect in a Recovery Center. Camryn is accomplished as a Certified Addiction Specialist with the State of Colorado and is trained as a Recovery Coach through the CCAR organization. Her passion and empathetic presence allow her to engage individuals where they are. She believes that the Human aspect of the individual is the most important aspect of every involvement.

Prior to working at Heart Mind Connect, she developed a women’s recovery program and a consultant in the technology and broadcasting fields. Working with DIRECTV and XM Radio in their infancy. She is an Army Veteran with the Strategic Dissemination Company, 4th Psychological Operations Group, 1st Special Operations Command. While her permanent duty assignment was Ft. Bragg, NC Her tours spread from Central America to Alaska in the 1980’s. She has two Army Commendation Medals and an Army Achievement Medal. Camryn learned the technical side of broadcasting while in the Army and spent over 18 years in the broadcasting industry.

You can usually find Camryn grilling, barbequing, cooking, baking, or gardening when she is not at work. Camryn stays busy with her three daughters, four grandsons and wonderful husband.

Daniel Schreiter served as a Noncommissioned Officer in both the United States Marine Corps and the US Army. He is a combat veteran who is currently working with veterans in the clinical mental health field. He is the Community Programs Manager of Veteran Services for the Family Care Center, a private mental health clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is completing his M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Colorado Christian University. In addition to his clinical work, he speaks about veterans and their family’s mental health struggles in a wide variety of settings. Daniel and his wife, Jessica Schreiter, live in Colorado Springs with their two children Conner and Josie.

Jesse grew up in Silver City, New Mexico, known for its beauty. It is also near the Mexican border, and Jesse’s Hispanic heritage includes Mexico.
Growing up with an awareness of social justice issues was a strong part of his upbringing. He grew up in a poor household where domestic violence was a norm. This ignited his passion to stand up not only for his mother, but for all women and for children who are victims of domestic violence.
He attended college at Western New Mexico University with an emphasis in Business. This education jump started his long and successful career as a General Manager in the retail industry. He held various store and regional management positions with The May Co., Foley’s, Mervyn’s, Sears and Kohls. After 17 years he felt drawn to utilize his skill sets in the non-profit world. His first employment in the non-profit sector was for an organization that supported Developmentally Disabled Adults and their families. For 6 years he helped to build their Development and Community Relations Arm. In 2013 he joined the team at Firefly Autism and in 2014 became the Executive Director. He and the organization have never looked back and today they are leaders in the field of behavior and autism treatment.
For over 30 years Jesse has served on the boards of nonprofit organizations that have significant impact on the underserved communities. His first nonprofit board experience was on the Colorado Aids Project and then on boards of Clinica Tepeyac, Kemp Foundation, Latina Safehouse, Newsed, Adams Camp, MSU Presidents Cabinet, and others. Jesse saw the writing on the wall about 10 years ago that in order for nonprofits to survive, they would have to begin to operate with an understanding that “It’s all about relationships”. People give to people, who lead them to causes…not the other way around. He has used this understanding to benefit nonprofits he serves. Jesse is an Actor/Singer and a member of one the nation’s prominent Latino Theatre companies, Su Teatro. He has done local and national TV spots and commercials. Today he’s often supports nonprofit organizations by hosting events, being part of planning committees or performing. Jesse continues to lead Firefly Autism, providing leadership in its recent capital campaign for its state of the art new facility. He is always ready to share his talents for the greater good of all people.

Jessica Muhlenberg is the Vice President of Global Benefits, Well-being & Mobility for VF Corporation, one of the world’s largest apparel, footwear and accessories companies connecting people to the lifestyles, activities and experiences they cherish most through a family of iconic outdoor, active and workwear brands including Vans®, The North Face®, Timberland® and Dickies®.
Jessica has over 25 years of experience in Total Rewards and has worked in a variety of industries, including hospitality, biotech, and professional services. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and holds the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation.

Jonathan is Of Counsel to JLongtin Law where he practices in civil arenas relating to mental health matters. He focuses on guardianship and conservatorship for severe mental health issues, mental health law, estate administration, and drafts estate plans for individuals and families. He is a member of the Property, Trusts, and Estates section of the American Bar Association, the Trust & Estates and Elder Law Sections of the Colorado Bar Association, serves as the chair of the Mental Health Subcommittee of the Elder Law Section, and chairs the Quarterly Mental Health CLE. He serves on the board of directors of the Colorado Guardianship Association (and NAMI Colorado), and he fields NAMI Law Line phone calls. Jonathan earned his juris-doctor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, and his dual bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing and Communication at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Maree is a passionate mental health activist and advocate. Her life experience in the trenches of a broken mental health care system ignited a deep call to action in her to start Heart Mind Connect. Maree is active on Capitol Hill as provided key testimony in support of critical mental health bills and legislation, partnering closely with our top Mental Health Organizations. She also serves on the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) public policy committee in Colorado. Maree has earned certifications in Family Intervention, Principles of Addiction, Science of Mind I, II and III (3-year study), Course in Miracles (1 year study) and taught a Making Choices program for many years for incarcerated women. In any spare time, she can be found volunteering at hospices, with her angel dog, Samson. Maree is a Music Ambassador for Mental Health and speaker for Mental Health Public Forums.

Moe Keller is Director of Advocacy for Mental Health Colorado since 2010.
Before her work with Mental Health Colorado, Moe served for six years on Wheat Ridge City Council, eight years in the Colorado House of Representatives and eight years in the Colorado Senate, where she concentrated on legislation and policy for individuals who have mental health conditions and for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Moe successfully sponsored two mental health parity bills, legislation restricting the use of seclusion and restraint and created the Children’s Mental Health Treatment Act in state law. She also successfully sponsored Expedited Permanency Planning for children in the Child Welfare system.
Moe also created psychiatric advance directives in state law and is currently heading up the implementation of advance directives with a broad stakeholder group. She recently worked with the Kennedy Forum to pass mental health parity compliance bill in the state legislature which is considered model language for mental health treatment compliance in the country.
Currently, Moe is implementing her bill establishing 988 as the new suicide prevention hotline number in the state of Colorado. This will be active in July of 2022.
Prior to her work in the legislature, Moe was a special education teacher for deaf and hearing impaired children for 25 years.
Moe has been married to Stephen Keller for 49 years and has two adult children.

Judy Amabile is the Colorado State Representative for House District 13. One of her three sons has schizoaffective disorder with Co-occurring substance misuse disorder. Frustration over good treatment options caused her to get involved in making the system better. She was formerly on the board and advocacy committee for NAMI Boulder and Broomfield Counties and was on the board of Mental Health Colorado. She lives in Boulder.

For over twenty years, Rev. Amy Petré Hill, JD, has served people living with mental health challenges and neurodiversity. She pursued a disability rights attorney career after graduating from the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. Later in life, she answered a call to ministry, becoming ordained by the United Church of Christ as its first congregation-based mental health minister. After completing two units of Clinical Pastoral Education in Colorado psychiatric hospitals, Amy was selected as the 2020-21 Spiritual Care Fellow at the University of Colorado Medical School’s JFK Partners Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities. She recently launched Mental Health & Inclusion Ministries (www.mhiministries.org), an interfaith community chaplaincy focused on ensuring people living with mental health challenges and neurodevelopmental differences experience radical belonging in faith communities of their choice. In addition, Amy has served as the UCC Mental Health Network’s board chair, offers interfaith spiritual support groups at the Aurora Mental Health Center, and volunteers with NAMI Colorado and the Voices for Veterans Mental Health Council of Eastern Colorado.

Chris Kolker was born in Guttenberg, Iowa, and was raised on a farm — where he quickly learned the value of hard work — by a John Deere factory worker and a school secretary.
Chris earned a bachelor's degree from Clarke College in 1994. After graduation, he worked as a high school social studies teacher and in 1999 he moved to Colorado where he became a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and small business owner.
On January 13th, 2021, Chris was officially sworn into the Colorado State Senate. As a legislator, he is committed to fighting to ensure that everyone in the state has equal opportunity to succeed, and that mental health is treated with the same importance as physical health in a holistic manner.
Among the bills he wrote are:

SB21-154
988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline Network, creates the 988 Crisis Hotline Enterprise to accelerate the implementation of the 988 national suicide prevention lifeline network in Colorado.

SB21-239
2-1-1 Statewide Human Services Referral System, requiring the Colorado 2-1-1 to provide referrals to behavioral health services and requires the state to partner with Colorado 2-1-1 to conduct targeted outreach for the hotline. It expands the necessary referral services to include behavioral health services and other social service resources in the state, particularly for individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis.

HB21-1273
Colorado Department Of Education Report Concerning School Psychologists, requires the Colorado Department of Education to report on the number of licensed school psychologists employed in schools.

HB21-1122
First Responder Interactions Persons With Disabilities, creates the Commission on Improving First Responder Interactions with Persons with Disabilities in the Attorney General's office. It evaluates and improves training for first responders interacting with people with mental health disorders.

HB21-1130
Expand Transition Specialist Program, redefined "high-risk individual" to include people with mental health disorders so those individuals can access program services such as housing or residential placement, behavioral health treatment or benefits, family supportive services, among others.
He currently serves as a member of the Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force, the Pension Review Subcommittee, the Business, Labor and Technology Committee, the Local Government Committee, and the Joint Technology Committee.
Chris and his wife Tara have two young daughters.

Taleen Sample (she/her/hers): Taleen is a senior at Kent Denver. She serves as Policy Director of the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, and works with other youth-led organizations to promote education equality.

Tanya joined NAMI in January 2013. Initially as Project Manager, then Project Director, for the STAR Center (a National Technical Assistance Center for SAMHSA), she assisted peer-run organizations develop infrastructure, organizational sustainability and capacity in advancing peer-driven approaches in HHS Regions 2 and 6. Tanya also provided national technical assistance in youth leadership development and areas related to systems transformation towards recovery and peer-directed approaches.
Currently, as the Director of Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, she leads initiatives for individuals with lived mental health experience with a focus on equity, trauma-informed approaches and culturally responsive content.  Tanya’s lived experience with mental health diagnoses and trauma are at the center of her passion for transforming how we support individuals and change systems and services. 
Tanya provides a variety of experience working with underserved and multicultural communities. Her previous employment in program development and project management includes the Department of Family Services for Fairfax County Government, the Hispanic Committee of Virginia and the American Red Cross.
Tanya holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Sociology from Trinity University-Washington and a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from George Mason University.
Tanya is a wife, mother of 2 girls, 4 Boston Terriers and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Her passions are coffee, reading, running and podcasts. As a person in recovery, her faith and family are her cornerstones. She believes that recovery and healing are possible for all.