Featured Presenters, Panel Discussions, Workshops, & Facilitators

We've brought all of your favorite LMTI presenters together, added some new faces, and have assembled a great team of workshop facilitators and panelists to bring you knowledge, skills, and inspiration. Check below to learn more!

  • Featured Presenters
  • Panel Discussion- Racism
  • Panel Discussion- Alumni
  • Youth Workshops & Facilitators
  • Adult Workshops & Facilitators
Featured Presenters

Featured Presenters

Kevin Wanzer has spoken in front of well over 3,000 audiences all over the world including 49 states, Canada, China, Europe and Singapore. Early in his career, Kevin served on the staff of and appeared on Late Night with David Letterman. As a result of working with First Lady Nancy Reagan, President Ronald Reagan appointed Kevin to serve as a delegate to the White House Conference for a Drug Free America, on behalf of which he spoke at the United Nations. He has been noted nationally as one of the most effective and entertaining speakers for corporations, organizations, schools, colleges and to audiences of adults who work with and empower the lives of youth. His program encourages audiences to discover their hidden passions, embrace diversity and celebrate the laughter in us all.​


Matt Matkovich and Phil Januszewski are a nationally known motivational speaking duo who bring energy and positivity like no other! They are proud to work towards their life-changing mission daily and spread their message to audiences across the entire nation. M&P's mission is to model a healthy lifestyle, promote lifelong learning and education, spread positive energy, and lift up people's successes through presentations, social media, and the "Train of Positivity" short films.


For the past decade, De’Marco Fomby has been working to live out his passion — inspiring and motivating young people to become the absolute best they can be. Using his background in music, sports, and mentoring, he encourages middle and high school students to think for themselves and to make choices based on what benefits them in the future, rather than the here and now. De’Marco aims to help teens understand that there is power in their passions, and through those passions, they can change the world with their influence.


As a keynote motivational speaker, Marlon Smith guides his audiences and students on a journey into their own life enabling them to be enriched and empowered to do and be more. Marlon has been blessed with opportunities to inspire, teach and motivate thousands of individuals in 45 states and 14 countries throughout the world. Because of his unique presentation style and inspirational messages, Marlon has traveled abroad on numerous speaking tours throughout the former Soviet Union (in Moscow, Gorney-Altay, Kazakhstan), Canada, Mexico, Japan, England, the Caribbean, Botswana, LeSotho, Ghana, Swaziland, Australia, and South Africa.


Sean V, O'Beirne, Sr. first attended TI in 1989 as a high school student. Sean has been sharing his story of person struggle and growth with the TI community for over 20 years. He inspires audiences with his candor, relatability, humor, and hope. A h A high school social studies teacher by profession, Sean has also been an integral part of the LMTI Staff for over 2 decades, serving as the Co-Director of the LMTI Summer Leadership Conference. Sean also is a member of the Partners in Prevention Board of Trustees, and of the Lindsey Meyer Memorial Foundation. He inspires audiences with his candor, relatability, humor, and hope. Sean has been sharing his story of person struggle and growth with the TI community for over 20 years.


The catalyst for Dr. Matt Bellace's speaking career was attending LMTI (then known as TIGS), as a high school student, where he watched some of the best motivational speakers in the country and was inspired to get involved in prevention. Matt has a Ph.D. in clinical neuropsychology, and blends comedy with science to deliver his messages. Matt believes that young people need to feel empowered in their schools and communities. It is not enough to ask them to stay away from drugs and alcohol, we need to show them there are positive things they can do for themselves and others. They must all be leaders in their lives.


For fifteen years John Morello has been traveling the country and performing in crowded theaters, basement classrooms, small towns, and big cities. Regardless of the setting, he is always overwhelmed by the response he gets from young people, educators, and parents. While many disconnect and spend their lives in front of screens or gadgets, John invites his audience to connect with one man on a stage. He is most known for creating the critically acclaimed one-man show "Dirt" and, in 2012, he published its accompanying graphic novel. In 2016 he published a collection of poems and short stories, Buckshot Words,  illustrated by noted artist Kira Beaudoin.


Kira Beaudoin is an artist from Massachusetts who works predominantly in the medium of painting and drawing. She completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design with a concentration in Illustration from Rivier College in Nashua, NH. Most of her pieces are extremely colorful and expressive.


John and Kira will be performing and creating together at the Virtual Summer Leadership Conference.

See Kevin's presentation on Monday, August 24 @ 2:00pm!

See Kevin's workshop on Wednesday, August 26 @ 1:00pm!

See M&P Presentations on Monday, August 24 @ 7:00pm!

See DeMarco on Tuesday, August 25 @ 2:30pm!

See Marlon's Real Talk About Racism Panel on Tuesday, August 25 @ 7:00pm!

See Sean on Wednesday, August 26 @ 2:30pm!

See Matt's workshop on Tuesday, August 25 @ 1:00pm!

See Matt's Alumni Panel on Wednesday, August 26 @ 7:00pm!

See John & Kira on Thursday, August 27 @ 2:30pm!



Panel Discussion- Racism

See this panel on Tuesday, August 25 @ 7:00pm.


Panelists

Real Talk About Racism: A Panel Discussion Facilitated by Marlon Smith

LMTI always strives to connect people from varied backgrounds so that we can all learn and grow together. However, we know that as an organization, we have an absolute responsibility to better support and show up for our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Color) youth, volunteers, and alumni, and to provide learning opportunities that go beyond "diversity & inclusion." We must actively engage the youth and adults we work with in trainings and experiences that are developed and implemented through a much more equitable lens, and that are rooted in anti-racism. This panel is the first of many commitments and opportunities that will follow (more info on what's to come, soon!)


Led by Marlon Smith, this panel discussion (open to youth and adults) will bring together BIPOC LMTI participants, alumni, and other educators/experts to candidly talk about racism, what youth leaders and adults who work with youth can do in their lives, schools, and communities to address racism, and how we can collectively move forward.


In order to make this conversation safe and comfortable for our panelists, and productive for all, we ask that all participants commit to the following:

Prepare

Please click the button to review a few videos, articles, and terms before the start of the session. It is critical that you take the time to look this over before the start of the session. This will help ensure the the conversation is as productive as possible.

Listen

This space has been specifically created to amplify the voices of our BIPOC panelists, who have graciously offered to share their experiences, thoughts, feelings, and expertise with the LMTI community. We will have many opportunities for non BIPOC folx to participate in these conversations moving forward (we need all hands on deck if we are going to truly make change), but for this session, we will be collecting all questions in advance and participants will be muted to allow for respectful listening.

Keep An Open-Mind

It is essential to keep an open-mind in order to learn from one another and to grow. We will all come into this space with different experiences and points of view, and everyone's personal experiences are valid and important. However, if you've worked on the "Prepare" step above, if you've already begun this work on your own, or if you are living this daily, you know that racism is a complex, pervasive, painful, and deeply rooted systemic issue. Be open to the fact that your experience is not the only experience.

Reflect

This panel discussion is meant to be the start of a continued conversation, and a springboard for action. This cannot happen if you simply leave this session and never think about it again. We ask that you take time to truly sit with and reflect on what you hear during this session. Did the conversation surprise you? Challenge you? Anger you? Upset you? Why or why not? We all must continuously reflect and question why we think the way we do, what kind of unconscious biases we have, and how we can hold new information/insights with us as we move forward. We've put together some post-session questions to help get you reflecting & thinking about what comes next.

Commit & Do The Work

After the discussion is over, the work must continue. As an organization, LMTI is committed to identifying ways to take action around racism, both in our own work environment, and in the ways that we provide services to youth. How will you commit to addressing racism in your own life, and in the work you do in your school or community? What actions can/will you take? How will you show up for BIPOC in your life, your neighborhood, your school, and your community? What actions can/will you take?


There is a wealth of helpful information out there to help you on this journey, and we've compiled just some of these resources here for you to work through. Continue to learn and grow. Allow your thoughts and ideas to be challenged. Sit with discomfort. Acknowledge mistakes and learn from them. Lift each other up.


Now, let's get to work.

Panel Discussion- Alumni

Check out this panel discussion on Wednesday, August 26 @ 7:00pm!

Alumni Connections: A Panel Discussion Facilitated by Dr. Matt Bellace

The Teen Institute in New Jersey started back in 1987 and was then known as TIGS- Teen Institute of the Garden State. This means that we have almost 35 years of individuals who have been through this incredible program-- well over 10,000, in fact! Whether you attended the program 25 years ago, or just last summer, we are all connected by the TIGS/LMTI experience- and we want to talk all about it!


For this panel, we are bringing together generations of Alumni to share how the program impacted their lives when they were participants, and how it continues to impact them as adults. The panel will be celebrated by our very own Matt Bellace (an Alumnus, himself!), and will feature stories, laughs, and all the feels. This session is for everyone and you are not going to want to miss this special opportunity to come together to celebrate life!


Panelists

Learn more about our incredible panelists, who represent generations of TIGS & LMTI Alumni, and who are ready to talk about the impact this program has had on their lives!


Youth Workshops & Facilitators

Youth Workshops & Facilitators

Developing Your No:

Understanding Your Own Personal ATOD Philosophy

What's your philosophy on alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) use by high school students? Have you thought about it before? Have you made a decision for yourself? Through this interactive and engaging webinar, you will be challenged to think beyond the typical reasons for not using to better understand your own philosophy. You will leave this session equipped with the knowledge and the tools you need to understand and voice your thoughts, as well as have real conversations with peers about this topic.


Leading with Laughter

Kevin Wanzer has been edu-taining audiences for nearly 30 years, and he knows a thing or two about finding the funny in every day life- and how to connect this to leadership. In this session, Kevin will take participants on a wild ride filled with stories, laughs, and leadership takeaways. If you love his keynotes, you'll extra love this very special workshop session, perfect for youth and adults alike!


Ready, Set, Routine: Setting Yourself Up for Success This School Year

Are you setting yourself up for success each day? Even when things are uncertain and a lot seems out of our control, choosing to purposefully create and engage in routines on a regular basis allows us to save time, manage energy, improve focus, and build confidence. In this interactive online workshop, you’ll learn about the power of routines and have fun exploring and practicing various new skills. You will leave with your own unique, step-by-step morning routine to put into action tomorrow, therefore stepping into your own success!


Catch Pam's workshop at 3:45pm on Monday, 8/24!

Catch Kevin's workshop at 1:00pm on Wednesdsay, 8/26!

Catch Abby's workshop at 3:45pm on Thursday, 8/27!

Adult Workshops & Facilitators

Adult Workshops & Facilitators

Let's Talk About Race, Racism, and Anti-Racism: Guiding and Supporting Adolescents As They Navigate Today's Social Climate

 It may sound intimidating to engage in conversations with adolescents about race, racism and racial justice, but if adults don’t engage, it's missed opportunities to help them understand and value ethnic and cultural differences that exist and enrich our society.  We must recognize when nothing is said, a lot is being communicated; by not acknowledging racism and its operation in our society we reinforce the structures that allow racism to thrive.  In this one-hour presentation, the current social climate and the historical origins and impact of structural racism in our lives, agencies, and communities we live and work in will be discussed. We will explore our struggle against COVID-19 and the dire health disparities Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) are experiencing, as well as how the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor reveal the ongoing existence of discrimination and racial inequitable conditions. Participants will identify their role in engaging adolescents from a developmental perspective, in conversations on racism and approaches and strategies they can utilize to help adolescents understand the need for anti-racism, inclusion, accountability, and racial justice.


Youth Resiliency During COVID-19

The teen brain is not a just smaller version of the adult brain. During the teen years, it is critical to educate young people that mental health is brain health. The adolescent brain is uniquely vulnerable to risk-taking and addiction, and during times of stress, it is imperative that youth are able to identify and practice positive coping strategies. This workshop will focus on how to help youth be resilient in the face of adversity, which, during this global pandemic is essential.


Leading with Laughter

Kevin Wanzer has been edu-taining audiences for nearly 30 years, and he knows a thing or two about finding the funny in every day life- and how to connect this to leadership. In this session, Kevin will take participants on a wild ride filled with stories, laughs, and leadership takeaways. If you love his keynotes, you'll extra love this very special workshop session, perfect for youth and adults alike!


Adding to Your Toolbox:

Tools for Engaging Youth Virtually & In-Person

If you've worked with youth for any amount of time, you've already got a toolbox that's full of your "go-to" ways to play, teach or connect with them. In this fast-paced, highly interactive and FUN (yes, it's possible) online training experience, participants will engage in a multitude of techniques, tips and tricks for inspiring and motivating youth engagement whether in-person or online to add to what you're already doing. Participants will walk away with (at least!) a few new ideas, a list of resources and an activity guide that can be used immediately with middle and high school youth!  


Catch Dr. Hubbard's workshop on Monday, August 25 @ 3:45pm!


Catch Dr. Bellace's workshop on Tuesday, August 25 @ 1:00pm!

Catch Kevin's workshop on Wednesday, August 26 @ 1:00pm!

Catch Jessica's workshop on Thursday, August 27 @ 3:45pm!