Thursday, April 10
Turning Pain into Purpose
Martha and Chris Thomas, The Defensive Line
Join Martha and Chris Thomas, Co-founders of the The Defensive Line as they share their family’s story. This keynote pushes through the stigma that comes with discussing mental health and suicide prevention and offers the Co-Founders story, resources, data, and solutions. This leads to improved connections, leveraging the use of vulnerability to create a supportive environment for all. As we open the Meeting of the Minds conference in 2025, we are thrilled to have Martha and Chris join us to kick off our event and remind us of the important work we all do to build supportive environments on our campuses.
Learn more about these presenters here
Martha Thomas
Co-Founder and Chief Education Officer
Martha Thomas exudes warmth and welcome to everyone she meets. Her 30-plus years as an educator have proven invaluable to The Defensive Line where she serves as Chief Education Officer. Her insight of the realities of the classroom provides an understanding of what teachers are faced with everyday. She left teaching in 2022 to work full-time with The Defensive Line where she continues to educate through our Suicide Prevention Workshops and D-LINES training.
Martha co-founded The Defensive Line to honor her daughter, Ella, and to bring a message of hope and help to other at-risk young people. She is a respected voice in the field of mental health, a popular podcast guest, an inspiring keynote speaker, and the true north of our organization.
She has led programming partnerships in Dallas ISD, Fort Worth ISD, Clark County SD, Baylor University and Stanford University. Speaking engagements include Mental Health America/GD, Neuroscience Education Institute Congress, and United Healthcare Town Hall. She and Chris serve as faculty members of American Academy of Pediatrics, Echo Program, and have appeared on NFL Network, ESPN, and CNN. The Thomas family were honored to receive the 2019 AFSP Lifesaver award.
Martha is the roots of her family and believes and demonstrates fundamentally that connection is our greatest source of strength together. She resides in Coppell, Texas with her husband, Chris, and two rescue dogs Mickey and Rebel. She is a marathoner, gardener, and a huge football fan – especially of the New York Jets!
Chris Thomas
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Chris has yet to meet a stranger. During his 30-plus years in corporate management of consumer goods and products, both domestically and internationally, Chris has literally made thousands of friends through his innate ability to connect with and care for others. People are put at ease by his big laugh and zest for life, and by his ability to communicate a message of positivity and hope.
A gifted college athlete, Chris played an integral role in coaching and developing the athletic achievements of his children, Ella and Solomon. Chris often jokes that, as Solomon’s dad, he had the rare privilege of raising his own favorite NFL player, and no player has a more enthusiastic father in the stands.
Chris’ passion for suicide prevention programming developed by The Defensive Line is only surpassed by his insistence that people of color are provided mental health care on an equitable basis. His lived experience helps train others on recognizing and reacting appropriately to micro-aggressions when they occur. This level of nuanced discussions makes for a deeply meaningful and purposeful presentation.
Chris brings the same drive for excellence that earned him outstanding sales awards to The Defensive Line. His thirst for learning about the mental health field is fed by numerous podcasts and webinars on a daily basis. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Operation Happy Nurse, as well as Touched By Suicide (TBS) board member, AFSP Project 2025 board member, and College of Wooster Ad Hoc Alumni Trustee. Martha, Chris, and Solomon were recipients of the 2019 AFSP Lifesaver Award.
Friday, April 11
Considering Cannabis: The Importance of Prevention on College Campuses
Jason R. Kilmer, Ph.D., University of Washington School of Medicine
In this keynote, we will consider recent science on cannabis and the relevance to college students. Additionally, we will highlight the importance of addressing cannabis use on college campuses through a mix of strategies, including but not limited to policies, enforcement of those policies, education, prevention, and intervention.
Learn more about this presenter here
Dr. Jason Kilmer is a Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences in the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine and an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at UW. He is principal investigator of Washington’s Young Adult Health Survey, now with 11 years of data, evaluating the impact of cannabis legalization among young adults in Washington state.
Saturday, April 12
How We Think About Substance Use Matters: Transformative Reflections for Student Support
Dylan Dunn, MS, Assistant Director of SAFE Campuses, Training & Professional Development
As reflective practitioners, it’s critical to grapple with underlying frameworks that shape our understanding of students and their behaviors. One place where biases often go unchecked is in our approaches to student substance use, addiction, and recovery. This session will engage each participant in a systematic review of their own assumptions and beliefs that also develop our collective professional and personal approaches to addressing student alcohol and other drug use. Through guided discussion, we will consider ways that our paradigms show up in our policies, procedures, and our collaborations. Data will be shared regarding the findings of this process from groups around the country.
Learn more about this presenter here
Dylan Dunn (he, him), has dedicated his career to transforming cultures, systems, and programs to empower individuals in recovery and those impacted by addiction and overdose. In his current professional role as the Assistant Director of SAFE Campuses at SAFE Project, Dylan has worked with students, staff, and faculty at over 500 college campuses and in all 50 states to implement opioid overdose prevention/response, collegiate recovery, and stigma reduction programs. His trainings and lectures have helped over 15,000 people find their unique role in overcoming the addiction and overdose crises.
Prior to his work at SAFE Project, Dylan served as a Collegiate Recovery Program Coordinator where he developed and launched award-winning recovery-support, stigma reduction, and naloxone availability programs in memory of Jonathan Winnefeld. Before his focus on substance use and mental health, Dylan served as a staff member within residence life, student conduct, and case management. Much of Dylan’s work is informed by his experiences growing up in rural Ohio, the youngest child of a large family involved in the drug trade, and later through the journey of helping his father find recovery from his relationship with prescription opioids.
Dylan holds a Masters of Science in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Colorado State University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology/Criminal Justice from The Ohio State University.