OUR TEAM

Elena (She/Her)

Director of Social Media

Elena believes in the power of creativity and storytelling to bring people together through their shared experiences. As a graduate of The City College of New York, she holds a BA in English, with a Creative Writing concentration, and a minor in Journalism. Elena has reported on local community events, elections, and equitable education. As the Director of Social Media, she brings her experience writing about education and working in audience engagement for digital newsrooms to develop social strategies and create content that educates and inspires young people to care for their mental well-being so that they can thrive. She has a deep interest in studying mental health and believes that sharing information and resources about mental wellness can help smash the stigmas about mental illness. In her free time, Elena enjoys writing poetry and short stories, reading, and spending time in nature.

Email Elena at elenakjohnson8@gmail.com

Read Bio

Jaden (He/Him)

Co-Director of Diversity & Equity

Hi changemakers! My name is Jaden and I am a second year at The Ohio State University. I’ve been an ambassador for YTP since 2019 when I attended an international service conference and truly connected with the organization’s mission of “smashing the stigma” surrounding mental illness. Since then, I’ve become passionate about speaking out against inequalities and destigmatizing healthcare related topics for the betterment of our society. I continue this work outside of YTP within my own community, working with student organizations on my campus and in St. Louis, Missouri (my hometown). Besides activism, I love exploring the world, creating music, trying new foods (and learning how to cook), and swimming. I always enjoy meeting new people and would love to hear from you, so feel free to email me at jaden@theyellowtulipproject.org!

Read Bio

Mia (She/Her)

Director of Ambassador Programming

Hi Changemakers! My name is Mia and I am the Director of Ambassador Programming for YTP. I am a second year at Northeastern University with a combined major in Criminal Justice and Political Science. This will be my second year with YTP and I am so excited to broaden our work in smashing the stigma. Besides my passion for mental health advocacy, I also enjoy tennis, walking my dog, and watching movies to post on my letterboxd. Feel free to reach out to programs@theyellowtulipproject.org if you have any questions!

Read Bio

Breanna (She/They)

Co-Director of Diversity & Equity

Hi! My name is Breanna. I currently attend the University of South Carolina-Aiken as a Molecular Biology major. I am one of the Co-Directors for Diversity and Equity! After hearing about YTP at Key Club International, I felt so moved by the movement that I knew that I needed to join! Having first-hand experiences with mental illness, I feel as though it is imperative to not only “Smash the Stigmas” that evolve around mental health, but also to give young people the opportunity to speak about their struggles in a safe and accepting space. The Yellow Tulip Project not only allows me to become an advocate for mental health awareness, but it also allows me to create a bigger impact in my home, school, and community with my amazing team. I also personally love advocating for different societal issues such as racial, gender, and LGBT+ issues as well. Always remember that there is always hope and that you matter! <3 dei@theyellowtulipproject.org

Read Bio

Danielle (She/Her)

Director of Ambassador Outreach

Hey Changemakers! My name is Danielle, and I’m a Junior at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I am the active, passionate, and enthusiastic Director of Outreach for the Yellow Tulip Project. 

In 2018, I joined the Yellow Tulip Project after a presentation at my high school and after learning more during my time at Seeds of Peace. Once I heard our momentum’s message, I knew, in my heart, that I had to get involved. The journey to healing and finding inner peace is far from linear, and it’s time we started walking together on this long and winding road. Hope does happen, and we are truly never alone. We are all endlessly worthy and innately deserving of the purest form of happiness. 

Together, we can and will ‘Smash the Stigma’ and save lives. I’m ready to change the world and thrilled to immerse myself in this beautiful community of mountain movers! Feel free to reach me at outreach@theyellowtulipproject.org.

Read Bio

Our Core Team

Julia Hansen (She/Her)

Co-Founder & Blog Editor

Julia considers herself a fearless learner. Trying to make a difference in this hectic, yet beautiful world energizes her. She loves diving into the unknown and finding the constellations of small details that make up people’s’ lives. During Julia’s sophomore year of high school, she lost her two closest friends to suicide. While struggling with her own of depression, she was faced with how to cope with the loss of these two incredible people in her life. She experienced great darkness and sadness, but always was and still is able to find the beauty in the world. Because of this, she created The Yellow Tulip Project, which is meant to smash the stigma associated with mental illness, and remind people that even in the darkest places, there really is always hope. This is a message she hopes to spread so no one ever has to feel alone.

Read Bio

Suzanne Fox (She/Her)

Co-Founder & Director of Global Initiatives

Suzanne co-founded The Yellow Tulip Project with her daughter Julia in 2016. She currently serves as the Director of Global Initiatives, on the YTP Board of Directors and as an advisor to YTP’s special projects including the I Am More:Facing Stigma and Young Men Moving Mountains exhibits, Storytelling Alchemy and other community partnerships.   She is an out of the box thinker and a creator who loves working on projects that make a positive impact on this messy but beautiful world. She served as YTP’s Executive Director from its creation until June 2023.  Prior to her work as a mental health activist, Suzanne has over 30 years of experience in building understanding and cross-cultural awareness as an adjunct professor, principal of an intercultural consulting company and a facilitator.  She has a B.A. in Asian Studies from Bowdoin College, an MA in Chinese Politics from the School of Oriental & African Studies in London and will be pursuing a masters in Global Mental Health from the University of Edinburgh this fall. She looks forward to combining her background and experiences in cross-cultural understanding with mental health activism.  There she will be exploring stigma across cultures and working globally to expand YTP’s youth driven, community focused message of hope and stigma reduction. She loves sharing her story and the story of YTP and believes in the simple and compelling message of  YTP and wants to spread it both nationally and internationally since mental illness impacts one in five people worldwide. She is the recipient of The New England Patriots Foundation Myra Kraft Community Volunteer Award, United Way of Southern Maine Individual Advocate Award and the Maine Biz NEXT Award recognized as one of  seven individuals who are changing Maine’s economy and making a significant impact in their industry.

You can reach Suzanne at: suzanne@theyellowtulipproject.org

Read Bio

Ysanne Bethel (She/They)

Director of Youth Engagement

Ysanne believes in the transformative capacity of hope. In her eyes, hope is an essential ingredient in bringing communities together to make positive change. A graduate of the University of Southern Maine, Ysanne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a Minor in Race & Ethnic Studies. Utilizing a sociological perspective, she is aware of how seemingly personal issues –like mental health–may actually be community issues. Indeed, when people come together in meaningful conversations that smash the stigmas associated with mental illness, they are not only creating courageous spaces where individuals can find connection, but they are also investing in the health of their communities at large. 

Ysanne loves supporting and amplifying the work of young leaders. A strong believer that everyone has their own change-making style, Ysanne enjoys supporting youth and adults in growing their unique leadership on the issues they are most passionate about. As young leaders continue to be at the forefront of important conversations about mental wellness and de-stigmatizing mental illness, Ysanne is excited to work alongside them as the Director of Youth Engagement. You reach Ysanne via email at Ysanne@theyellowtulipproject.org.

Read Bio

Anaïs DerSimonian (She/Her)

Executive Director

Anaïs DerSimonian combines a creative background in writing, filmmaking and media production with passion for youth mental health activism by serving as Executive Director at The Yellow Tulip Project. Holding a BA in both Screen Studies and Culture Studies from Clark University ’17, DerSimonian understands the importance of youth agency in narrative storytelling–and is fiercely dedicated to uplifting those voices in the pursuit of intergenerational and culturally competent mental health awareness. DerSimonian was formerly the Filmmaker in Residence at the Jacob Hiatt Center for Urban Education. In her free time, she enjoys making mood-based playlists and cooking elaborate dinners for her friends.

Email Anaïs at anais@theyellowtulipproject.org.

Read Bio

Lisa DelGuidice (She/Her)

Administrative Assistant

Lisa DelGuidice is a seasoned Project Manager with over a decade of expertise in the apparel industry. A recent epiphany sparked her journey to live with greater intention and make a positive impact on the world. This newfound purpose led her to launch a lifestyle blog, dedicated to empowering busy moms with strategies for staying organized and finding tranquility in our ever-changing world. Lisa’s passion for mental health advocacy brought her to the Yellow Tulip Project team, where her organizational skills shine in an administrative role. As someone who has personally grappled with anxiety for much of her adult life, Lisa is deeply committed to erasing the stigma surrounding mental illness. She stands as a compassionate listener and a guiding voice to help others navigate their darkest moments because, as she believes, it’s a beautiful world, and everyone deserves happiness.

Email Lisa at lisa@theyellowtulipproject.org.

Read Bio

Susan Teare (She/Her)

Education Advisor/Senior Research Associate

Susan Teare joined the Yellow Tulip Project in 2019 after a long and rewarding career in landscape and architectural photography. Susan is pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Studies at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, after completing a certificate in Arts in Health at Lesley. She has a BA in Art History from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, ME, and an MFA in Photography and Media Studies from Maine Media College in Rockport, ME. She is a SEA Facilitator, having received her training and certification in Social Emotional Arts through UCLArts and Healing. Susan is a member of NOAH (National Organization for the Arts in Health) and IACAET (International Association for Creative Arts in Education and Therapy). She is an avid gardener, teaching artist, and dedicated bocce player. Please feel free to contact Susan if you have any questions or want to introduce yourself at susan@theyellowtulipproject.org

Read Bio

Our Board

Julia Hansen (She/Her)

Co-Founder & Blog Editor

Julia considers herself a fearless learner. Trying to make a difference in this hectic, yet beautiful world energizes her. She loves diving into the unknown and finding the constellations of small details that make up people’s’ lives. During Julia’s sophomore year of high school, she lost her two closest friends to suicide. While struggling with her own of depression, she was faced with how to cope with the loss of these two incredible people in her life. She experienced great darkness and sadness, but always was and still is able to find the beauty in the world. Because of this, she created The Yellow Tulip Project, which is meant to smash the stigma associated with mental illness, and remind people that even in the darkest places, there really is always hope. This is a message she hopes to spread so no one ever has to feel alone.

Read Bio

Matt Buonopane (He/Him)

Treasurer

Matt is a finance professional with experience in commercial and corporate banking as well as financial planning and analysis. Meticulously focused on finding solutions that drive straight to the center of an obstacle, Matt prides himself on the deeply analytical approach he takes to financing, development, and mentorship. During his time in commercial banking, he’s worked with non-profits and businesses ranging from small startups middle-market companies. Matt has also mentored entrepreneurs through SCORE, recently provided a series of financial management trainings to farmer cooperatives in the Philippines, and – during a hiatus from banking – taught 6th grade Common Core math and science in Southeast Asia.

 

Matt personally understands that everyone’s life, regardless of its outward appearance, contains numerous challenges. One such challenge is often mental health and the perceived stigma attached to sharing struggles and feelings. Matt is excited to be a part of an organization that illuminates these struggles, seeks to eliminate this stigma, and help those grappling with their mental health to feel heard. He lives with his wife in Portland, ME. They enjoy skiing, tennis, traveling, and being active in the Portland community together.

Read Bio

Bill Wahrer (He/Him)

Bill is a practicing attorney specializing in labor and employment law at Bernstein Shur in Portland, Maine.  Prior to attending law school, Bill completed a yearlong fellowship at the Dismas House of Massachusetts, a multi-faceted non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the reentry of ex-prisoners and recovering addicts into society.  At Dismas House, Bill was tasked with raising funds through grant writing and implementing strategic policy initiatives across its various programs.  Bill’s experience highlighted to him the need for society to rethink how it handles mental health, especially among teenagers and young adults, and the need for more mental health resources and outlets overall.  Bill is excited to use his experience and skillset to promote the YTP mission and remove the stigma that surrounds mental illness.

 

A Maine native, Bill resides in Gorham, Maine, with his wife, Bonnie, and their two pets.  In his free time, you can find Bill watching any of the New England sport teams and remodeling his 200-year old home.

Read Bio

Conrad Gabriel

Board Member

Hi everyone! I’m Conrad Gabriel and I am a senior at Tulane University in New Orleans! Having grown up in Maine, I am fond of the outdoors and try to spend my time outside when possible. I have spent a few years with YTP through various roles but have always remained passionate about the mission of this beautiful organization. The world can be such a great place for everyone and I think we all deserve the support to feel that in whatever capacity may be needed and am so happy YTP is actively doing that!

Read Bio

Johann Sabbath (He/Him)

Board Member

Johann Sabbath is a strategy consultant by trade and changemaker at heart. He loves bringing people together around big ideas and building campaigns and organizations that seek to address meaningful problems.

He currently works with a small global consulting firm that helps companies understand competitive landscapes and make strategic decisions. He specializes in global financial services and insurance. Prior to his work as a consultant, he held strategy positions at IDEXX and WEX, two Maine-based publicly traded companies.

A generalist by any measure, in previous lives Johann started a wedding photography SaaS company, earned an MBA from Babson, roamed the South Island of New Zealand, rebuilt a regional Chamber of Commerce in Maine, pounded pavement on on federal healthcare reform and state marriage equality campaigns, ranch handed in Montana, aided for a U.S. Senator in Washington, DC, and interned at the White House.

He was introduced to community organizing as a UC Santa Barbara student where he worked with collaborators across the US System to implement environmental building and procurement policies.

Johann lives in Cape Elizabeth with his wife Yasmin, two young children Pemma and Bodhi, their dog Fozzie, and cat Lola.

Read Bio

Suzanne Fox (She/Her)

Co-Founder & Director of Global Initiatives

Suzanne co-founded The Yellow Tulip Project with her daughter Julia in 2016. She currently serves as the Director of Global Initiatives, on the YTP Board of Directors and as an advisor to YTP’s special projects including the I Am More:Facing Stigma and Young Men Moving Mountains exhibits, Storytelling Alchemy and other community partnerships.   She is an out of the box thinker and a creator who loves working on projects that make a positive impact on this messy but beautiful world. She served as YTP’s Executive Director from its creation until June 2023.  Prior to her work as a mental health activist, Suzanne has over 30 years of experience in building understanding and cross-cultural awareness as an adjunct professor, principal of an intercultural consulting company and a facilitator.  She has a B.A. in Asian Studies from Bowdoin College, an MA in Chinese Politics from the School of Oriental & African Studies in London and will be pursuing a masters in Global Mental Health from the University of Edinburgh this fall. She looks forward to combining her background and experiences in cross-cultural understanding with mental health activism.  There she will be exploring stigma across cultures and working globally to expand YTP’s youth driven, community focused message of hope and stigma reduction. She loves sharing her story and the story of YTP and believes in the simple and compelling message of  YTP and wants to spread it both nationally and internationally since mental illness impacts one in five people worldwide. She is the recipient of The New England Patriots Foundation Myra Kraft Community Volunteer Award, United Way of Southern Maine Individual Advocate Award and the Maine Biz NEXT Award recognized as one of  seven individuals who are changing Maine’s economy and making a significant impact in their industry.

You can reach Suzanne at: suzanne@theyellowtulipproject.org

Read Bio

Liz Bengis (She/Her)

Liz is a mental health volunteer with Crisis Text Line in the USA and Shout in the UK. She has her MSW from The University of Pennsylvania and spent her early career working in Foster Care and Adoption. She has since been certified in a Mindfulness in Schools program and in Family Mediation, both in the UK. Liz is committed to helping people overcome mental health obstacles. Her mantra while working with young people is to ensure they see themselves as lovable, capable, worthwhile, and responsible beings. She is excited about helping to make an impact on Mental Health awareness and “smashing the stigma” while working with Yellow Tulip Project. Liz resides primarily in London, UK and spends her summers in Boothbay, Maine. She has one daughter, a loving and devoted life partner, and a feisty and energetic English field spaniel. In her spare time, Liz enjoys hiking, cooking, and reading.

Read Bio

Caitlin Dersimonian (She/Her)

Secretary

Caitlin joined Maine Medical Center’s Philanthropy Department in 2016. In her role as the Leadership Gifts Event Manager, she supports the Major Gift Officers and Executive Leadership at the Medical Center by planning and executing first-class events.

Caitlin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Design degree from Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Utilizing her skills and knowledge, she brings a creative and fresh approach to her work in event coordination.

Before joining MMC, Caitlin’s professional career was in the field of Higher Education Administration. Most recently, she served as the Executive Assistant to the President of Union College in Schenectady, New York, where her duties included supporting the President’s fundraising efforts, organizing campus-wide and special events, as well as conferences and meetings for its Board of Trustees.

Caitlin resides in Portland, where she enjoys its vibrant art and music scene, diverse culinary offerings, and the State of Maine’s beautiful great outdoors. Additionally, she is inspired by positive change through giving back and is delighted to be participating on the board of the Yellow Tulip Project.

Read Bio

Dan Featherstone (He/Him)

Board Chair

Dan Featherstone is a seasoned digital strategist, currently serving as Unum’s Digital Marketing manager. Prior to Unum, Dan spent five years on the digital marketing team at CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) as their Sr. Digital Marketing Producer where he was responsible for developing and implementing digital marketing campaigns across a wide range of platforms.

An alum of UNE, Dan received his degree in Political Science. He currently lives in Portland, ME with his beloved dog Nori. Someday, Dan aspires to be a professional boat captain, and can often be seen sailing around Casco bay.

Read Bio

Brook Fulton (She/Her)

Brook Fulton has been the office/operations manager of a thriving Medical Aesthetic practice in Fairfield CT for the past 7 years.  Prior to that, she launched her own social media consulting company in 2013.  Brook previously spent many years in the education world and worked at Alex. Brown & Sons in the investment research department planning Health Care seminars after graduating from Boston University.

Brook and her husband Mike recently lost their son tragically after his struggle balancing life and work.  Pierce Fulton was a world renowned music producer and instrumentalist and the Fulton family has made it their mission to help remove the stigma associated with mental health and afford people access to necessary care.  They are committed to harnessing the powerful reach music has to bringing awareness to mental health needs and continuing the outstanding momentum YTP has made in the past 5 years.

Brook has extensive experience in event planning and fundraising from years of chairing scholarship auctions and events at Stratton Mountain School and Maple Street School in Manchester, VT where the Fultons raised their 3 children.  She looks forward to offering whatever Yellow Tulip Project may need from her event planning/fundraising and marketing background.    Brook splits her time between Stratton VT and Fairfield where she enjoys yoga, paddle tennis, hiking, skiing, and spending as much time as she can with her new granddaughter, Freddie. 

Read Bio

Anna Mullen (She/Her)

Hello! My name is Anna Mullen and I am serving as the Co-Director of the Regional Network. I am a sophomore at Assumption University in Worcester, MA and am originally from Milton, MA. I became a YTP ambassador during my senior year of high school at Fontbonne Academy and established a chapter at my school that year as well. I became more involved with the leadership team by serving as the Director of Social Media for a year and a half. I also took part in our new Storytelling Alchemy course in the Summer of 2020. I am incredibly excited to continue developing our Regional Network. I am looking forward to continuing this journey with YTP and spreading our hopeful message far and wide!

Read Bio

Danielle (She/Her)

Director of Ambassador Outreach

Hey Changemakers! My name is Danielle, and I’m a Junior at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. I am the active, passionate, and enthusiastic Director of Outreach for the Yellow Tulip Project. 

In 2018, I joined the Yellow Tulip Project after a presentation at my high school and after learning more during my time at Seeds of Peace. Once I heard our momentum’s message, I knew, in my heart, that I had to get involved. The journey to healing and finding inner peace is far from linear, and it’s time we started walking together on this long and winding road. Hope does happen, and we are truly never alone. We are all endlessly worthy and innately deserving of the purest form of happiness. 

Together, we can and will ‘Smash the Stigma’ and save lives. I’m ready to change the world and thrilled to immerse myself in this beautiful community of mountain movers! Feel free to reach me at outreach@theyellowtulipproject.org.

Read Bio

Our Advisory Board

Shelley Cohen Konrad

Dr. Shelley Cohen Konrad is Professor and Director of the University of New England School of Social Work and founding Director (2009) of the Center for Excellence in Collaborative Education (formerly IPEC), an initiative that promotes shared learning, research, collaborative practice and service. Shelley received a BA from Boston University in Developmental Psychology, and an MSW and PhD from Simmons University in Boston. In 2007 she was awarded the Simmons College School of Social Work Harriett Bartlett Award for Scholarship in Health Care; and in 2014 she was inducted as a Distinguished Scholar & and Fellow in the National Academies of Practice and the Social Work Academy. Shelley is a prolific scholar. Her most recent publications in peer-reviewed journals focus on interprofessional education and practice as well as on the integration of arts and experiential learning in the health professions. Recognition of the global impact of her interprofessional scholarship and curricular redesign is evidenced by invited keynote presentations at the national IPEC Institute, the Nexus Innovation Summit, All Together Health in Oxford England, Collaborating across Borders, the Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland, and at Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Beer Sheva, Israel where she spoke on the integration of interprofessional learning and the humanities. She is currently working on an edited book for Oxford Press that brings together international scholars on this topic.

Shelley has 30 years of clinical social work experience. She co-founded two community programs, Kids First and Touchstone that offer low barrier services to children, adults, and their identified family systems. A second edition of her book, Practice with Children and Families: A Relational Perspective, first published in 2013 is now available.

Shelley has keen interest in developing transformative education and training methods that prepare the future workforce with collaboration-ready, compassionate, team-based skills to serve youth to aging populations. She is an avid reader, art collector, gardener, baker, and enjoys time with her family on the coast of Maine.

Read Bio

Raffi Dersimonian

Raffi Dersimonian brings a wealth of marketing and communications expertise within a range of industries. Prior to serving as Director of Marketing & Communications at Maine College of Art (‘12-’18), his professional experience includes leading marketing efforts for a range of industries and institutions including The Royal Festival Hall in London, Providence Performing Arts Center in Rhode Island, Orient-Express Hotels, Trains & Cruises, Becker College, and a various other academic institutions. He is founder and principal of Dersimonian LLC, a boutique marketing firm that specializes in the orchestration of large-scale initiatives that require strategy, creativity and technology.

He has also served in leadership positions for the Worcester Arts Council, Maine Academy of Modern Music, FORK Food Labs, The Armenian Cultural Association of Maine, Maine Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, Portland Downtown Marketing Committee, Portland Bach Experience and Creative Portland.

Dersimonian received his graduate degree in professional marketing and communications Since receiving his graduate degree from Clark University in Worcester, MA. He enjoys tennis, sailing, outdoor adventure, live music, and promoting all the finer things Portland has to offer. He lives in Portland with his wife, Caitlin.

Read Bio

Christine Linnehan

Christine Linnehan, M.S., LCPC, BC-DMT, FT has been in private practice, Riverview Counseling, in Scarborough, ME for the past 21 years focusing on grief, loss, and trauma.

She has been a clinical consultant in the Bereavement Support Program at the Center for Grieving Children since 2004. She is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and a Board-Certified Approved Clinical Supervisor. Drawing from her training as a board-certified dance/movement therapist, she utilizes mind/body strategies in her clinical work designed to promote resilience and wellbeing.

Christine is certified as a Fellow of Thanatology (FT®) by the Association of Death Education and Counseling. She completed the Suicide Bereavement Clinician Training sponsored by the American Association of Suicidology and the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Locally, Christine is active in the Maine chapter of AFSP and is a facilitator for their annual International Suicide Survivors of Loss Day. She has a special interest in the impact of suicide loss on children and families.

Read Bio

Chris Mclaughlin

Chris McLaughlin, LCSW is the Executive Director of the Maine Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and is the owner and lead consultant of Inspired Consulting Group, LLC. A lifelong resident of Maine, he obtained both his BA in Psychology (1996) and his MSW (2001) from the University of Maine in Orono. Chris has spent the last 20+ years providing behavioral health services to youth and families across a variety of clinical settings including treatment foster care, residential treatment facilities, public schools, private practice, community-based case management programs, and psychiatric hospitals. Chris is an adjunct faculty member at both the University of Maine in Orono and Husson University in Bangor.  He served on the Maine Board of Social Work Licensing for 5 years and is a member of both the NASW and the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care (SSWLHC). He is a graduate of the Disney Institute leadership program and Maine’s “Daniel Hanley Health Leadership Development” (HLD) program.  Locally, Chriswas recognized in 2019 for his advocacy work with LGBTQ+ youth and was named Health Care Social Worker of the Year in 2019 by the Maine Hospital Association and the Maine Chapter of the SSWLHC. Nationally, he was the SSWLHC’s 2019 recipient of the Eleanor Clark Award for Innovative Programs in Patient Care for his work on youth suicide prevention. Chris and his husband live in Hermon, Maine with their 3 dogs, Anna, Becky, and Sawyer.

Read Bio

John Powers

John Powers, a former board member, has continued his support for the Yellow Tulip Project by staying on as an advisor. He is willing to help anywhere, but is mostly focussed on large, community-based installations of our I Am More exhibit. The exhibit was on display at the Portland International Airport in 2018 and is now at Logan Airport in Boston, MA.

He has also served on the board at the Maine College of Art and still is on two of their advisory committees. Powers received his BFA in Interdisciplinary Arts at the Maine College of Art in 1995. After many years working in the arts, he transitioned to healthcare, and currently works for Baxter Healthcare. He is a living kidney donor, avid runner, poker player, artist, entrepreneur. He lives in Cape Elizabeth with his wife, Zuleika, while his twin daughters both attend Connecticut College.

Read Bio

Cameron Rosenblum

For as long as she can remember, Cameron Kelly Rosenblum has loved stories in every form. Raised in southern Connecticut, she studied English Literature at Kenyon College and earned her M.Ed. from Lesley University. She’s spent half her career classroom teaching (Greenwich, CT and Cape Elizabeth, ME) and the other half as a school librarian, developing her writing craft all the while. Losing a childhood friend to suicide inspired her to write a young adult novel, THE STEPPING OFF PLACE (HarperCollins). It made Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2020 List and was further lauded as a top ten book discussing mental illness. Cameron lives in Cumberland Foreside with her husband and two children. She is committed to the Smash the Stigma campaign, and has joined YTP to spread the word through speaking engagements.

Read Bio

Elizabeth Sanborn

Elizabeth Sanborn has been a public school teacher since 2001 and is currently the gifted and talented teacher for the Sacopee Valley school district in western Maine. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English Education (2001) and Master of Arts in Teaching (2003) at the University of New Hampshire and is currently a doctoral candidate in the curriculum & instruction Ed.D. program at the University of Louisiana Monroe. Elizabeth is a National Board certified teacher in English Language Arts and a teacher-consultant through the Southern Maine Writing Project. Besides education, her other great passion is horses, and Elizabeth is an accomplished adult amateur in dressage and three phase eventing competition. If she’s not at school or spending time with her family, she is probably in the barn or on the back of a horse! One of Elizabeth’s amazing middle school students asked her if they could bring the Yellow Tulip Project to their school community in the spring of 2019, and since then the SVMS Tulip Team has created a true momentum! Elizabeth’s own journey of mental wellness, coupled with her desire to empower young people and serve as an influential role model, makes being a part of the Yellow Tulip Project quite fitting! She feels it is incredibly important to create a healthy middle school environment in which the importance of mental wellness is recognized and built on a foundation of advocacy, education, and awareness. Elizabeth hopes to be a resource for other middle school educators who want to bring the YTP to their schools.

Read Bio

Tim Wilson

Tim Wilson has more than 50 years of experience in education, public service and athletic coaching. Currently, Tim serves as Special Advisor to Seeds of Peace, an organization that he has been with since its founding in 1993, and Director of its Maine Seeds Program. Until 2006, he was the Director of both the Seeds of Peace Camp in Maine and the Seeds of Peace Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem. Prior to and during the early years of his appointment with Seeds of Peace, Tim served as the Director of Multicultural Programs for Pierce Atwood Consulting in Portland, Maine. Tim has been appointed by three Maine Governors to posts including Chair of the Maine Human Rights Commission, State Ombudsman, and Associate Commissioner of Programming for the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation & Corrections.

Tim’s work in the community includes serving as Chair of the Abyssinian Church Restoration Committee in Portland, Maine, on the Community Mediation Center Board of Directors, on the Maine Hospice Council Board of Directors, on the Kents Hill School Board of Directors, and as a Trustee of Bridgton Academy.

In 1997, the late King Hussein of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan presented Tim with a Medal of Honor. The Maine Youth Camping Association has honored him with the Halsey Gulick Award, and Seeds of Peace has recognized his efforts with a Distinguished Leadership Award.Most recently, he was awarded the Gerda Haas Award for Excellence in Human Rights Education and Leadership from the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine.

Read Bio
Scroll to Top