Fri, Apr 03
|Foundation House
Being REAL: Community, Connection, and Mental Health
Registration will open March 2026
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
Who's in the Room
Check back soon!