The Healthy Minds Lab is proud to announce the launch of its Community Engagement Board (CEB), a new advisory body designed to ensure that research, digital mental health interventions, and dissemination efforts are deeply informed by community voice, lived experience, and professional expertise.
The Community Engagement Board will play a critical role in guiding research projects involving youth and families, particularly those impacted by behavioral health challenges, trauma, and justice-system involvement. Through collaborative review and ongoing partnership, the CEB will help shape recruitment strategies, participant-facing materials, digital workflows, and community-facing communications to ensure they are accessible, culturally responsive, ethical, and aligned with real-world needs.
The CEB will also advise on participant experience, equity safeguards, and potential barriers to engagement or retention, while supporting the responsible and transparent sharing of research updates and findings with youth, caregivers, and community partners. This work strengthens trust, accountability, and impact, core values of the Healthy Minds Lab.
The launch of the Community Engagement Board marks an important milestone for the Lab, reinforcing its commitment to community-engaged research and to elevating the voices of those most closely connected to the populations it serves. By embedding community insight into every stage of research, the Healthy Minds Lab is better positioned to design solutions that are not only evidence-based, but also meaningful, practical, and sustainable.
Inaugural Community Engagement Board Members
We are honored to introduce the inaugural members of the Healthy Minds Lab Community Engagement Board, leaders and practitioners whose collective experience spans education, behavioral health, juvenile justice, trauma-informed care, and family systems.
Dennis P. McFatten
Dennis serves as Chief of Police for the Marion County School Board Police Department in Ocala, Florida, a role he has held since 2019. A U.S. military veteran, Dennis brings over 30 years of law enforcement experience, including 21 years with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office where he rose to the rank of Captain. His work centers on protecting students, staff, and school communities, with a strong emphasis on proactive safety and youth well-being. A devoted husband and father of seven, Dennis is also a deacon in his church and a committed community leader.
Emily Gilbert, LCSW-QS, CCTP, MCAP, CTP, MBA
Emily is the owner of Meridian Counseling Center and a licensed clinical social worker with advanced certifications in trauma treatment, addiction recovery, telehealth, and clinical supervision. She specializes in working with school-age children, adolescents, young adults, and families, with a focus on trauma, emotional and behavioral health, crisis intervention, and recovery. Emily brings extensive experience supporting at-risk youth and families, including work related to human trafficking and complex trauma, and offers a valuable clinical perspective to the CEB.
Dr. Shalia Moore-Hayes, Psy.S., Ed.D., NCSP
Dr. Moore-Hayes is a former educator, licensed school psychologist, and founder of Aplomb Consulting and Education Solutions, LLC. Her work focuses on accessible assessment, social-emotional learning, and play-based mental health supports for children and families. With extensive experience supporting at-risk youth, homeschool families, and students with diverse learning and behavioral needs, Dr. Moore-Hayes brings a trauma-informed, culturally responsive lens grounded in strengthening caregiver–child relationships and building resilience in underserved communities.
Karen Denehy
Karen holds an advanced degree in mental health counseling and has clinical experience supporting LGBTQ+ youth, adoptive and foster families, and children impacted by trauma. Her background includes studies in criminal justice, education, and human services. Now working in education, Karen specializes in trauma-responsive classroom practices. Her professional expertise is deeply informed by her personal experience as a foster and adoptive mother, and she is dedicated to creating safe, inclusive learning environments where all children can thrive.
Rose-Lissa Regnier, LCSW, QS
Rose-Lissa is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Board-Approved Qualified Supervisor with over 15 years of experience across clinical, administrative, and educational settings. Her professional background spans child welfare, healthcare, and the juvenile justice system, with a strong focus on serving underserved youth populations. Rose-Lissa brings expertise in program development, interdisciplinary collaboration, and mental health service delivery, making her a vital contributor to the CEB’s work.
Dr. Oddette P. Adderley, LMHC
Dr. Adderley is a veteran educator and licensed mental health counselor with more than 30 years of experience working with adolescents in urban and underserved settings. She holds a master’s degree from Florida State University and a Ph.D. from Union Institute and University in Adolescent Psychology. Dr. Adderley’s career reflects a deep commitment to supporting at-risk youth through education, counseling, and trauma-informed care.