SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
10:00 – 11:00 AM
Check-In and Networking
11:00 AM – 11:10 AM
Welcome
11:10 – 11:30 AM
A Conversation with Lexi Thompson – moderated by Zora Stephenson, Play-by-Play Reporter, NBC Sports
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Networking Luncheon and Table Discussions
12:00 – 12:45 PM
Fireside Chat on Advocating for Mental Health – moderated by Zora Stephenson
Kelly Graves, Chief Executive Officer, Kellin Foundation
Valerie A. Leschber, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Cone Health
Jenna Mendelson, Ph.D., Behavioral Medicine, Psychology, Cone Health
12:45 – 1:00 PM
Closing Remarks
1:00 – 1:45 PM
Dessert Bar
BIOS
Kelly Graves, Chief Executive Officer, Kellin Foundation
Dr. Kelly Graves is a clinical psychologist in NC and spent almost 16 years in academia in the UNC system. As a retired tenured Associate Professor, Dr. Graves felt the call to move from the classroom to the community. So, she founded Kellin, PLLC, and its non-profit partner the Kellin Foundation, which has now been recognized nationally and a partner with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). She is sought after as a trainer and technical assistance provider across the United States and the globe in the areas of trauma and resilience, assisting in Guam, Japan, Hawaii, and several other countries and states. She was invited to the White House to participate in Think Tank sessions on building community safety and resiliency and is a consultant with the Office for Victims of Crime, OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) with the United States Department of Justice as well as the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill AHEC Training Partnership program.She serves o multiple boards and workgroups, including the NC Institute of Medicine Editorial Board and the NC ACES-Informed Task Force formed by Chief Justice Paul Newby. She is an accomplished scholar with dozens of peer-reviewed publications, books, and book chapters, and has extensive experience providing direct clinical services as well, which provides a unique perspective in her trainings and workshops.She has received numerous awards, including the American Psychological Association Division 56 Trauma award, named as a Top Psychologist with the International Association of Health Care Professionals, and most recently, a Coin of Excellence for her service and support for military and veteran families.
Valerie A. Leschber, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Cone Health
Valerie Leschber, M.D., is chief medical officer for Cone Health. Leschber helps establish process and goals to guide Cone Health to ever higher levels of health care quality. Besides setting the stage for continuous improvement, she is also responsible for keeping the organization in constant compliance for regulatory review.
Leschber is medical director of physician and advance practice provider recruiting for Cone Health. She serves as medical director for the Elon University Department of Physician Assistant Studies in Elon, North Carolina.
Most recently, Leschber served as Cone Health’s chief medical information officer.
Leschber joined LeBauer HealthCare, Primary Care in 2003, practicing internal medicine through 2016 and serving as division chief. Leschber was also medical director for Cone Health Medical Group’s Primary Care Division.
Leschber earned a medical degree from The University of Texas Medical School at Houston, and a Bachelor of Science degree at Texas A & M University. She completed her executive Master of Health Administration from University of Providence in 2021.
Leschber is a graduate of The Academy GE Fellows Program and the Health Management Academy’s Chief Medical Officer fellowship. She is an inaugural graduate of the Physician Leadership Academy in 2013, a collaborative between Cone Health and Center for Creative Leadership.
A board-certified internist, Leschber is board-certified in clinical informatics. She was in the 2015-2016 class of the Disparities Leadership Program associated with the Disparities Solutions Center at Massachusetts General Hospital.
Jenna Mendelson, Ph.D., Behavioral Medicine, Psychology, Cone Health
Dr. Jenna Mendelson is a licensed psychologist with expertise in behavioral medicine and clinical psychology. She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of developmental disabilities, with a particular focus on autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Her clinical work emphasizes comprehensive diagnostic evaluations for individuals across the lifespan—starting as early as 18 months.
Dr. Mendelson also provides cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents and adults (age 12 and up), both with and without ASD, who are navigating mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
She earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and completed a clinical internship at the Marcus Autism Center through Emory University and Children’s Hospital of Atlanta. She went on to complete a fellowship at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development at Duke University Medical Center.
Currently, Dr. Mendelson serves as Co-Director of the LeBauer Behavioral Medicine Autism and ADHD Clinic.
Zora Stephenson, Play-by-Play & Reporter, NBC Sports
Zora Stephenson is an Emmy Award-winning reporter, play-by-play broadcaster, analyst, and host for NBC Sports.
Stephenson serves as the play-by-play voice for Peacock’s exclusive slate of Big Ten Women’s Basketball and as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports’ coverage of Notre Dame Football, Big Ten Football, and various Olympic sports. She was both the gymnastics and basketball reporter at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Prior to her time at NBC Sports, Zora was the sideline reporter and fill-in play-by-play announcer for the Milwaukee Bucks for four seasons. Stephenson made history in 2021, becoming the first woman to do play-by-play for the Bucks.
Stephenson came to Milwaukee from Denver, Colorado where she was an Emmy Award-winning news reporter and anchor at FOX31 and Colorado’s Own Channel 2.
Originally from northern Virginia, Stephenson played basketball at Elon University, an NCAA Division I school in North Carolina.
Lexi Thompson, LPGA TOUR Professional
Lexi Thompson is a world-class professional golfer who has become one of the most recognizable and respected figures on the LPGA Tour. Turning pro at just 15 years old, she quickly made history as one of the youngest players ever to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open and later became the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA tournament at the time. Known for her powerful swing and competitive fire, Thompson has consistently been a force in major championships and international team competitions like the Solheim Cup.
Beyond the fairways, Lexi has emerged as a vocal advocate for mental health awareness in sports. She has courageously opened up about the pressures of life on tour, the emotional toll of high expectations, and the importance of prioritizing well-being. Her honesty and vulnerability have helped reshape the conversation around mental health in professional golf, inspiring both fans and fellow athletes to seek balance and support. Lexi Thompson’s legacy continues to grow—not just through her athletic achievements, but through her impact as a mental health champion and role model for the next generation.
