STAY CONNECTED | Subscribe to our newsletter

Annual Resilience Conference

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.

2026

Notable Speakers:  Jennifer Evins (CEO, United Arts of Central Florida), Margery Steinmetz (Pabst Steinmetz Foundation), Art Woodruff (Mayor, Sanford, FL), Dr. Kiminobu Sugaya (Professor Of Medicine, UCF) Akayo Yonetani (Professor of Violin, UCF)

Themes: Neuroarts, Healing, Creativity, Social Connection, Belonging, Collaboration, Thriving

Videos: 

2025

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: 

2024

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: 

 
 

2023

Notable Speakers: Dr. Lori Desautels, Honorable Judge Steven Leifman

Themes: Trauma-informed Criminal Justice System, Applied Educational Neuroscience, Punishment vs. Discipline

Videos: 

2022

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: Dr. Asim Jani – Let’s Make the Shift 

2021

Notable Speakers: Dr. Donna Jackson Nakazawa

Themes: Trauma and the Brain, Resilience, Protective Factors, Epigenetics, Neurogenesis, Parenting

Videos: 

2020

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: 

2019

Notable Speakers: Dr. Vincent Felitti

Themes: Original ACE Study, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Trauma, Chronic Stress, Individual and Community Wellbeing

Past Conference Sponsors

css.php