Denny’s Together: Mental Health/Wellness Series 4 with Emory University

Denny’s partnered with USC Upstate, Emory University, and Meharry Medical College to develop a series of mental health and wellness summits to advance the narrative around mental health issues and their impacts within the workplace and educational environments.

The event features a keynote address by Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., Senior Vice President of Global Health Equity and the Executive Director of the Institute of Global Health Equity at Meharry Medical College, panel discussions with industry leaders, and audience surveys to garner feedback on how to address and mitigate mental health issues within the communities.

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Sharon Lykins, Vice President, Product Innovation, Denny’s, Inc

Sharon Lykins is a food science graduate from the University of Kentucky. While there, her contributions to the study of the effect of fermentation on protein digestibility were published in The Journal of Food Science. She has continued her culinary education with short courses at both Johnson & Wales and the Culinary Institute of America. Throughout the last 29 years, she has leveraged her culinary expertise when creating innovative products for the restaurant industry.

Shaneeta M. Johnson, MD, MBA, FACS, FASMBS

Dr. Shaneeta Johnson serves as Chief of Minimally Invasive, Robotic and Bariatric Surgery at Morehouse School of Medicine and is a Senior Fellow in Global Health Equity at the Satcher Health Leadership Institute in Atlanta, Georgia.

Dr. Monique May, “Physician in the Kitchen"

Dr. Monique May, known as the “Physician in the Kitchen”, graduated with honors from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and obtained her masters in healthcare administration from George Washington University. Dr. Monique is the two-time bestselling author of MealMasters: Your Simple Guide to Modern-Day Meal Planning and Doc, Fix My Plate! The Physician in the Kitchen’s Prescriptions for Your Healthy Meal Makeover. She also studied plant-based culinary arts at the Auguste Escoffier Culinary School. Dr. Monique is passionate about educating people on the health benefits of plant-based foods while showing them ways to save time in the kitchen. She welcomes any opportunity to share her knowledge in any format, including social media, consulting, speaking, and blogging.

Kelli Valade, CEO, Denny's, Inc.

Kelli Valade is the Chief Executive Officer of Denny's Corporation. She joined Denny's in June 2022 and has spent more than 30 years in the restaurant industry as a purpose-driven leader with an uncompromising dedication to serving guests and her teams.

Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., Senior Vice President of Global Health Equity and the Executive Director of the Institute of Global Health Equity at Meharry Medical College

Daniel E. Dawes, J.D., is a widely respected healthcare and public health leader, health policy expert, educator, and researcher. As our keynote speaker, he will highlight his health equity tracker and address the path forward for a healthier society.

Dr. Bennie L. Harris, Chancellor of the University of South Carolina Upstate

Dr. Bennie L. Harris is the fifth chancellor at the University of South Carolina Upstate, where he fulfills his purpose to inspire and develop people to change the world. The first African American to lead USC Upstate, he believes higher education offers unlimited opportunities and possibilities. Dr. Harris has more than three decades in higher education, serving at Washington State University, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, DePaul University, and Lipscomb University. At Morehouse School of Medicine, he served as senior vice president for Institutional Advancement, Marketing, and Communication. Dr. Harris serves on several boards: the Spartanburg Academic Movement, Upstate Alliance, One Spartanburg, the Greenville Chamber of Commerce, Prisma Health Medical Scholars, United Way of Piedmont, NCAA President Forum, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, Coalition of Urban & Metropolitan Universities.

Rebecca O. Bagley, President and CEO, The Kennedy Forum

Rebecca oversees the organization’s efforts to advance evidence-based practices, policies, and programming to ensure mental health is essential health. Utilizing a vast professional network of experts and resources to forge partnerships, Rebecca is deeply focused on inspiring cultures of progress and innovation. Her previous experiences include being CEO of Cannex Scientific, Vice Chancellor of Economic Partnerships at the University of Pittsburgh, and CEO of NorTech and JPMorgan in NYC, and engagement in global efforts and organizations including the Clinton Global Initiative, SSTI and the federally appointed National Advisory Council on Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, United States