Cameron University’s Festival XII to examine “Care and Health: A Generational Approach”

Cameron University has selected “Care and Health: A Generational Approach” as the theme of its 12th academic festival.

Using presentations that include nationally recognized speakers, Cameron will consider three distinct aspects of the festival theme: child and adolescent mental health, adult mental health and mental health support for caregivers and the individuals they support.

“Every day, news outlets report stories focusing on bullying, mental health issues and the struggles faced by those who need full-time care as well as their caregivers,” says CU President John McArthur. “I dare say that every individual will be forced to deal with at least one of these issues during their lifetime. We are pleased to present engaging speakers to address these concerns as part of Festival XII.”

Headlining the academic festival will be internationally renowned educator and award-winning author Dr. Michele Borba, Sept. 14; neuroscientist and mental health advocate Dr. Nii Addy, Nov. 6; and stand-up comedian, keynote speaker and author Leighann Lord, Feb. 27.

Michele Borba, Ed.D.

A parenting child expert recognized for her solution-based strategies to strengthen children’s character, resilience, and reduce peer cruelty, Borba will address child and adolescent mental health on Thursday, Sept. 14. She is recognized globally for her work in bullying and youth violence prevention.

Borba is a former classroom and special education teacher with a wide range of teaching experience, including work in a private practice with children with learning and emotional disabilities.

Nii Addy, Ph.D.

An associate professor at Yale University, Addy will offer strategies for adults who struggle with mental health issues on Monday, Nov. 6. Addy engages audiences through his expertise in the brain biology of anxiety, depression and addiction, his familiarity with effective psychological interventions, his perspective as a black scientist in the midst of ongoing racism and racial injustices, and as a person of faith.

Addy is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Yale University. At the Yale School of Medicine, he directs a federally funded research program investigating the neurobiological bases of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. He and his team also investigate new potential therapies for mental health challenges.

Addy is the host of “The Addy Hour” podcast, where he explores the same subjects with community leaders, scientists, professional athletes, entertainers, faith leaders and mental health experts.

Leighann Lord

Drawing on her personal experiences as a caregiver for her own parents, Lord will bring a realistic yet humorous perspective to her presentation on mental health support for caregivers and the individuals they support on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

When launching her podcast, “People with Parents,” Lord referred to the role reversal she has undergone with her parents as “scary, exhausting, enlightening and funny.” “People with Parents” has been named to the Wall Street Journal’s list of “10 Podcasts for Older Adults that Promise to Entertain – and Enlighten!”

Lord also co-hosts “Point of Inquiry,” the podcast for the Center for Inquiry. She is the creator of “Hanging In There with Leighann Lord” on YouTube and has a daily social media post called #LightheartedHistory, which takes a humorous, tongue and cheek approach to random events in history.