Speakers and Bios

Raphael's vision is to implement a variety of sustainable infrastructures and community projects in order to bring peace, security, and health to his native Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Raphael is the Executive Director and Pastor for Fundación Casa de Luz de la Frontera, a non-profit organization based in Pedernales, Dominican Republic, serving both the DR and southeast Haiti. Raphael's organization works to support local communities by providing clean, fresh water and infrastructure for villages and towns, monthly groceries for 6,000 families and by building schools and libraries. Raphael also brings groups to Haiti from different parts of the world to serve as teachers and provide medical care. Raphael has studied English, computer and Theology in the DR as well as Leadership and Sustainable Development in the US. Helping others is what makes Raphael come alive: advocating for those in need, building bridges in our society, and creating equal rights for all.

Carolina's greatest passion is providing access to free, high-quality education and healthcare to vulnerable populations on the island of Hispaniola. Raised by missionary parents in the Dominican Republic, she witnessed health disparities and social inequality firsthand. While at UC Davis, Carolina was selected as a McNair Scholar; her research on how language barriers affect immigrants' health outcomes in her native island inspired her to intern at Partners in Health and travel to low-income countries. Simultaneously, she co-founded Ann Prepare Lavni (APL), a US 503c non-profit organization, whose main goal is to create a strong, healthy, and independent Haitian nation one student at a time. In 2019, Carolina completed Harvard University's Global Health Delivery Intensive Program and went on to improve APL's medical programs. Carolina's life motto is to create sustainable change in the midst of crisis and chaos.

Dr. April Aycock is the Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director and president/ CEO of Awareness Counseling Services with over 10 years of combined Behavioral Health, leadership, and public speaking experience. She is the first African American Monroe County Office of Mental Health Director. In this role, she oversees public mental health services to improve the quality of life for people suffering from mental health, addiction, and intellectual developmental disability. As a private practice CEO, she provides individual and group therapy, organizational mental health, addiction, diversity, and leadership workshops.

Dr. Aycock’s executive leadership experience includes strategic planning, coaching, mentoring, critical thinking, developing programs, and developing creative solutions. Dr. Aycock is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Master Level Credentialed Alcoholism Substance Abuse Counselor. She holds an Ed.D. Program in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University. She is also an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Delta Nu Omega chapter member.

Dr. Aycock’s wealth of experience has gained her national recognition as one of 14 National Association of Counties Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission members. This commission is tasked with developing policy and programmatic recommendations at federal, state, and local county levels to address systemic issues contributing to the mental health crisis. Dr. Aycock has been selected to be a member of the NYS Office of Mental Health Multicultural Advisory Committee, where they are tasked with advising the NYS Office of Mental Health on policies and activities that can reduce disparities in quality, access, and treatment outcomes. Additionally, she has been a keynote speaker at the National Association of People Supporting Employment First 2023 Conference, Urban League of Rochester’s Interrupt Racism 2022 Conference and Roc the Future Alliance 11th Annual State of Our Children Address.

Theresa Richardson is originally from Wynantskill/Troy, NY. She attended Russell Sage College and graduated with a BA in Biology and Chemistry in 1994. Theresa worked in transplant immunology research for 3 years at Albany Medical College before returning to school at Albany Medical where she graduated in 1994 as a Physician Assistant. Theresa met her husband, Tom, in PA school and moved to Rochester in 1994 and worked at Rochester General Hospital (RGH) for 3 years before joining Rochester Cardiopulmonary group in 1997. She predominantly worked inpatient cardiology and in 2015 her group moved to University of Rochester where she continued in inpatient cardiology but eventually transitioned to outpatient in 2019. Theresa has a strong passion for lifestyle medicine and its impact on chronic disease and is focused on engaging in health care, not just sick care. She has 3 grown children, Nate, Abby and Alexandra, her dog Java and her husband Tom. She enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, mission trips, photography, pottery, drawing and gardening along with anything active.

Nabintu Kalimira is dedicated to serving her community and advocating for vulnerable populations. Currently employed at the Tuberculosis Clinic for Erie County, Nabintu brings a wealth of experience to her role. Previously, she spent five years as a Case Manager at Catholic Charities Refugee and Immigration Services, where she provided crucial support to individuals and families navigating the challenges of resettlement. Prior to that, Nabintu served as an Interpreter for Journey’s End Refugee Services, facilitating communication and access to services for refugees in need.

In addition to her professional endeavors, Nabintu is a devoted mother of six children, balancing her career with her responsibilities at home. She holds a B.A. in French Literature and a Masters in French Francophone, reflecting her passion for language and culture. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy at Niagara University, Nabintu is committed to furthering her education and making a lasting impact in her field.

Nabintu's journey to her current role is deeply personal; she was once a refugee herself, spending six years in Zambia before being resettled in America. This experience has shaped her dedication to serving others and advocating for those in need. With her diverse background and unwavering commitment to her community, Nabintu Kalimira continues to make a positive difference in the lives of others.

Dr. Jason Rich is a lecturer of exercise science at RIT within the Wegmans School of Health and Nutrition, where he lectures on a broad range of topics such as sport psychology, psychology of athlete injury, motor behavior, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning. Dr. Rich follows a line of research exploring accessibility in sport and exercise for individuals with sensory impairments through the lens of self-determination theory. In addition to his role as a lecturer, Dr. Rich privately provides mental performance consulting with numerous individuals and teams with experience ranging from middle school to the Olympic level. Dr. Rich holds a doctorate in sport and performance psychology, a master’s degree in coaching and athletic administration, and maintains credentials as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant ©, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a Certified Performance and Sport Scientist.

Soni Sayana graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester, NY with a BS in Electrical Engineering and got her Masters in Engineering from Cornell University. She had a 17-year career at Fidelity Investments in Boston and was VP of Global Network Engineering. She took a break from the corporate scene in 2013 and decided to focus on home life with the family. In her ‘retired’ life, she pursues her passion in the field of Mindfulness, focusing on Raja Yoga Meditation. She has been a student of Raja Yoga Meditation since 2011 and shares her practical implementation of meditation practices in daily life to experience peace and happiness. Pre-COVID, she held meditation sessions in community senior centers as well as in a women’s State Prison outside Boston. She was also part of Shine Bright Workshops LLC which focuses on mindfulness classes in elementary and middle schools. Her primary focus since Jan 2021 has been on running a semester long on-line course in Meditation at RIT. This course is being offered under the Wellness Department and is title Meditation | Empower Your Mind.

Dr. Rupa Kalahasthi is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and research faculty member at Rochester Institute of Technology, USA. Her experience in both New York and India involves working with individuals who have severe and persistent mental illness. Her current clinical interests lie in working with the underserved population, creating mental health awareness and increasing access to care. Additionally, her research interests focus on the cultural applicability of digital therapeutic platforms and digital screeners to accurately diagnose and treat the underserved. Her clinical work also focuses on a biopsychosocial approach to mental health and she is currently working on building a pain management program with a health system in Rochester, NY.