2024 SpEakers

Dr. Russel Toll is a military veteran who currently serves as an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwest. He received his Ph.D. in 2018, having been inspired to pursue research on new treatment methods for PTSD and depression through EEG, MRI, and Transcranial Magnetic Simulations (TMS) to help his brothers and sisters in arms. He operates as the director of Compassion Neuroscience – the first TMS non-profit–whose mission is to provide no-cost treatment to Gold Star Family members and make TMS more accessible to the most vulnerable.

Russell owns Foundations Counseling, PLLC, based out of Colleyville, TX. He specializes in helping adolescents and young adults find a healthy balance with technology and navigate their way to adulthood. He is passionate about helping people find direction and meaning in a distracting world. Russell is also the author of "Sharing Your Heart, Sharing Your Treasure," a helpful guide for couples to learn how to discuss money within their relationship.

Vicki Steine is a Doctor of Science in Holistic Nutrition and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who specializes in treating neurological disorders, addiction, and trauma in children and adults. She is passionate about utilizing the brain/body connection in her practice, combining lifestyle education, mind/body therapies, and talk therapy in her work. She is a board-certified nutrition professional, integrative nutrition certified practitioner, certified heart math practitioner, and brainspotting therapist. Dr. Vicki has also trained in emotional freedom techniques, cognitive behavior therapy, and exposure therapy. She is a national speaker for PESI and an international speaker for essential therapy training, teaching integrative approaches to psychotherapy to other professionals.

Richard Heflin has been in education for over 35 years, mainly as a counselor for students with severe emotional or behavioral concerns. He has led parent groups, family workshops, and marriage classes in school and community settings. He has enjoyed being married to his wife, Carole, for over 40 years and has raised two wonderful children in their thirties with two incredible kids of their own. Richard & Carole enjoy sharing their successes and failures to help others continue their parenting journey.

Wendy D. Bradley is the Director of Health Integration at TMF Health Quality Institute, where she is responsible for learning system guidance, quality improvement consultation, and staff training for mental health, chronic pain, and substance use issues for healthcare organizations across the country. She has over thirteen years of experience overseeing and implementing behavior health integration, patient and caregiver engagement, team-based care, care coordination, managing high-risk patients, and community engagement approaches to address social needs. During her career, she has garnered national attention through the results of her programs.

Shahla Ali, MD, is a double board-certified (ABPN, ABPM) interventional Psychiatrist with 15+ years of extensive experience in treating common psychiatric conditions and specializes in addiction medicine. She is a seasoned physician, having graduated from Rawalpindi Medical College, and has successfully treated thousands of patients in her outpatient practice and at many well-known hospitals, including private, state, and federal facilities. She regularly updates her field knowledge and stays current on scientific studies to ensure patients get the best treatment approved by the scientific community.

Dr. Heather Twedell is the CEO and Co-founder of F1RST, a comprehensive wellness program specifically for first responders. It fosters preventative action from departments, the first responder, and their family members by focusing on training, treatment, and wellness methods for high-stress fields. As a first responder psychologist, Dr. Twedell is deeply dedicated to supporting first responders and their families and is relentlessly paving a new standard of wellness for state and federal agencies. Her work with first responders and her family ties to law enforcement gives her a strong appreciation and understanding of the culture and stressors specific to this line of work.