The Creating a Resilient Community Conference is an annual initiative that hosts cutting-edge keynote speakers and convenes participants to explore community wellness, positive and adverse childhood experiences (PACEs), and trauma-informed practices that can transform our region into one of prevention, hope, healing and resilience for all.
Save the Date: April 9-10, 2026
Notable Speakers: Madeleine K. Thakur, (Executive Director, Children’s Movement of Florida), Rachel C. Allen (Executive Director, Peace and Justice Institute)
Themes: Loneliness, Social Connection, Community and Belonging, Positive Childhood Development
Videos:
Notable Speakers: Dr. Thomas Insel, MD (Former Director, National Institute of Mental Health)
Themes: Community Resilience, 3 P’s for Mental Health & Recovery (People, Place, Purpose), Restorative Justice, Trauma Informed Practices, Juvenile Justice
Videos:
Notable Speakers: Dr. Lori Desautels, Honorable Judge Steven Leifman
Themes: Trauma-informed Criminal Justice System, Applied Educational Neuroscience, Punishment vs. Discipline
Videos:
Notable Speakers: Dr. Asim Jani
Themes: Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PACEs), Salutogenesis, Systems Thinking, Intersectionality and Inclusivity, Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), Community Resilience
Videos: Keynote: Dr. Asim Jani – Let’s Make the Shift
Notable Speakers: Dr. Donna Jackson Nakazawa
Themes: Trauma and the Brain, Resilience, Protective Factors, Epigenetics, Neurogenesis, Parenting
Videos:
Notable Speakers: Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, Dr. Wendy Ellis
Themes: Pair of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences vs. Adverse Community Experiences), Strengths-Based Community Approaches, Community Resilience, Building Resilience in Adolescents, Positive Youth Development
Videos:
Notable Speakers: Dr. Vincent Felitti
Themes: Original ACE Study, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Trauma, Chronic Stress, Individual and Community Wellbeing
