Kaitlyn Chana is a passionate and diligent healthcare leader, storyteller, philanthropist, entrepreneur and is known to many as a servant leader. She obtained her Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Administration from the University of North Florida in December 2021. Following a decade in the news industry with a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Central Florida, Kaitlyn felt compelled to amplify people’s voices to create change. As a teenager, she volunteered with children with life-threatening illnesses through her previous nonprofit organization, Love Letters: Random Cards of Kindness, Inc. These kiddos overcame adversity, showed fearless tenacity, and defied the odds. She wanted to see their stories on the 5 o’clock news, which led her into journalism – telling real stories about real people. But she wanted to do more, so she dreamed bigger. Her strengths lie in her commitment and vision for the future by leveraging quantitative data in a qualitative format to forge better connections that capture the why behind her actions. Previously, she asked people to tell their stories daily, which, in turn, compelled her to share her story. Kaitlyn is a survivor of three different eating disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorders.

Amanda Rabbitt is a native of California and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chapman University in 2013. She received her Master of Business Administration from American Military University in 2017 and completed a Master of Healthcare Administration from University of North Florida in 2020. Amanda is a U.S. Navy Healthcare Administration Officer and currently serves as the Department Head of Human Resources at Naval Hospital Jacksonville. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys painting and loves to travel.

Dr. Amit Vijapura completed his residency training at Mount Sinai Health Systems; he has been practicing as a board-certified psychiatrist in Jacksonville, Florida since 1991. He has additional expertise in addiction medicine, bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, and Dr. Vijapura has been at the forefront in the development and testing of novel treatment options for eating disorders such as binge eating disorder. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Vijapura has been actively involved as a principal investigator for more than thirty clinical trials for the development of therapies for mood disorders to help patients struggling with mental illness and addiction. Simultaneously, Dr. Vijapura has made significant contributions to several advisory boards focusing on drug development and disease state education at the national level.

Lanna Micukic, MHA, is a quality improvement analyst, philanthropist, continuous educator, mental health advocate, and bi-lingual speaker. She’s spent nearly a decade working in youth-related programming to engage young people in intentional, productive, and constructive ways while recognizing and enhancing their strengths. Lanna’s ability to relate to people has allowed her to tackle different career projects in customer service, business strategy, database development, and quality improvement. Her current platform will enable her to strengthen the professional development of today’s colleagues as she simultaneously works on building tomorrow’s future leaders within her career at the Jacksonville Center for Reproductive Medicine. Her passion and expertise lie in wanting to create a holistic approach to addressing mental health by looking at the whole person and evaluating their emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual needs. Lanna sits on the board of directors as Communicator in Chief, as she believes coming together for our youth will aid us in beating the stigma surrounding mental health. Additionally, she wholeheartedly promotes the practice of yoga, meditation, and self-care.

Alejandra Sosa is a St. Petersburg native who obtained a Bachelor’s in Science in Biology with minors in Medical Anthropology and Finance at the University of Central Florida. As a research assistant, Alejandra was heavily involved in the Technology and Aging Laboratory. Alejandra has also become a published author of a study, “Searching for Affective and Cognitive Restoration: Examining the Restorative Effects of Casual Video Game Play.” In addition to her research, Alejandra was a member of the UCF Student Health Advisory Committee, advocating for students’ health needs. After her undergraduate studies, Alejandra went on to receive a Graduate Certificate in Global Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and her Master of Medical Science at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. In January 2021, Alejandra joined the St. Pete Free Clinic as a Drug Assistance Program Coordinator, connecting patients to Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs that provide eligible patients with vital medications to treat their chronic illnesses. She has since then transitioned into her current role as Prescription Health Program Manager connecting patients to their healthcare and pharmaceutical needs.

Karen Chana has an ardent love for children and has been involved in education for about three decades as a teacher and advocate for students. She is especially passionate about teaching deaf and hard of hearing students by helping them acquire the skills needed to be successful. Her interest in education sparked at an early age, after seeing she could make a profound difference in the lives of others. Karen was elated to join the board of directors as treasurer, after seeing the projects they’re taking on to enrich the lives of children through storytelling. She is very meticulous, well organized; Karen has been the treasurer in other nonprofits and volunteer organizations. Through her help, she believes Reel Stories. Real People., Inc. will be able to give kids an opportunity to learn in a dynamic way, so they fulfill their capacity to go conquer their dreams.

Christina Carter holds a master’s degree in music education from the University of Central Florida and a bachelor’s degree in music from Belmont University. She is a Google Certified Educator with 25+ years teaching experience. She has taught at all levels from pre-k to collegiate education, and currently directs a high school a cappella group that successfully achieves accolades in international competitions. Christina also has worked on international research teams as a developer and editor of early music education curricula that is now published. Outside the classroom, she has assisted with recording projects as a rehearsal conductor, choral singer, and soloist. In her free time, Christina loves to travel, read, arrange choral pieces, and spend time with her daughter, Kylee, and her husband, Chance.

Amanda is a Jacksonville, Florida, native who endorses integrative wellness, holistic health, functional fitness, intuitive living, and combating mental health stigma. She received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Florida State University in 2013, and her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Jacksonville University in 2021. Before pursuing a career in mental health, Amanda worked in the fitness and wellness industries, where she discovered the importance of the mind-body connection. This awareness served as the foundation for her continuing holistic outlook ambitions. She is actively involved in eating disorder awareness and recovery advocacy and has contributed to speaking and writing engagements within the eating disorder sector. Research interests include trauma-informed care, nervous system regulation, and exercise/movement integration in the eating disorder recovery model. Her personal victory in eating disorder recovery served as the primary motivating factor for her mental health profession.