Fri, Apr 03
|Foundation House
Being REAL: Community, Connection, and Mental Health
Mental health is not a personal failing. It is a collective responsibility. Join us for a morning of honest conversation and REAL connection. For leaders and advocates ready to move mental health beyond awareness and into action.
Time and Location
Apr 03, 2026, 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Foundation House, 124 Old Mill Rd, Greenwich, CT 06831, USA
About the Event
Mental health is not a personal failing. It is a collective responsibility. And the conversation starts here.
Being REAL: Community, Connection, and Mental Health, hosted by Foundation House and THE REAL Mental Health Foundation, is a gathering that builds on a global movement reaching 1,000+ leaders across 50+ countries who believe that when people are given a safe space to speak openly, real change follows.
Seating is limited and attendance is by invitation.
What to Expect
The morning opens with a fireside chat with Shawn Lesser, founder of THE REAL Mental Health Foundation. Shawn will share his personal journey and how it sparked a global movement, along with outcomes from their strategic retreat at Foundation House earlier in the week and the vision they are building toward.
From there, hear directly from THE REAL Ambassadors and Allies, men and women who have turned their own experiences with mental health into purpose, advocacy, and community. Their stories set the stage for what comes next.
The morning closes with breakout conversations over lunch, designed for honesty, depth, and the kind of connection that does not happen at a conference.
You will leave with more than inspiration. You will leave with a community.
Who Should Attend?
Leaders, advocates, and changemakers who are ready to move beyond awareness and into action on mental health. The people in this room are here because they are ready to shape what comes next.
Speakers
Shawn Lesser
Founder, THE REAL Mental Health Foundation
Richard Zimmerman
Executive Director, Foundation House
* subject to update
Agenda
9:30 AM
Registration opens & Informal networking over coffee.
10:00 AM
Welcome Remarks by Richard Zimmerman (Foundation House)
Fireside Chat with Shawn Less (THE REAL Mental Health Foundation)
Panel with THE REAL Ambassadors
Panel with THE REAL Allies
Closing Remarks
11:40 AM
Breakout sessions over lunch
Informal networking
1:00 PM
Event Concludes
* subject to update
REAL Ambassadors, Allies & Supporters in the Room
*The RSVP list will be updated on an ongoing basis. If you prefer to keep your name private, contact Jaclyn at jaclynl@foundationhousect.org
Vera Anderson
Dr. Bindu Babu
Amy Bennett
Gregg Berger
Harry Brandler
Amy Brodsky
Lisanne Canty
Francesca Columbo
Joe DeLuca
Ava Diamond Dreyer
Georgia Ellis, THE REAL Mental Health Foundation
Mary Fetchet
Peter Fusaro
Francie Heller
Heather Kelly, THE REAL Mental Health Foundation
Scott Kelsey
Shawn Lesser, Founder, THE REAL Mental Health Foundation
Matthew Lewis
Michael Levy
Jen Libby
Jackie Ourman
David Ricca
Clayton Risher
Betsy Schwartz, THE REAL Mental Health Foundation
Ken Steeves
Tom Tamberrino
Michelle C Tenzyk
Patrick Whitaker
Lauren Young
Hanadi Zakour
Richard Zimmerman, Foundation House