Live Discussion Panelists

Olympia Della Flora

Stamford Public Schools Associate Superintendent for School Development

Olympia Della Flora has served as a teacher, principal, and now Associate Superintendent in public school both in Columbus, Ohio and Stamford, CT. She has a passion for helping to remove barriers to academic learning and opportunities for students and families to experience success. She is a strong advocate for providing mental health supports for both students, staff, and families.

Kaitlin Comet

Americorps Prevention Corps Member, The Hub

Kaitlin is an Americorps Prevention Corps member serving at The Hub (RBHAO for Region 1). Her work at The Hub includes community-focused solutions in opioid education, awareness, and stigma reduction. She is a Narcan trainer and hosts trainings for community members and organizations. She is a fierce advocate, community organizer, educator, and activist.

Contact:

The Hub is the Regional Behavioral Health Action Organization (RBHAO) for Region 1 of Southwest CT:

https://www.thehubct.org/

info@thehubct.org

kaitlin@ryasap.org
 RYASAP Prevention Corps of Connecticut: http://www.ryasap.org/what-we-do/prevention-corps/ 

Joe O'Callaghan, LCSW

District Department Head Social Work Stamford Public Schools

Joe O'Callaghan is supervises social work and mental health services for the Stamford Schools. His areas of expertise include School mental health, trauma informed practices and grief and loss as well as the training of social workers.

Matthew Laskowski

Principal, Rippowam Middle School

Mr. Laskowski has been an educator for 16 years serving the Danbury and Stamford communities. Mr. Laskowski began his career as a physical eduction and health teacher is currently the principal at Rippowam Middle Schoo. He resides in Stamford with his wife and two children.

Reverend Dr. Robert Augustus Jackson, Jr., D.Min., Pastor,

Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church

The Reverend Dr. Robert Augustus Jackson, Jr. is married to the former Ms. Moninya Denise Hovington of Rehoboth, DE. They are the proud parents of four sons. Reverend Dr. Jackson attended Hagerstown Community College. He is a graduate of Andersonville Bible College where he received a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Payne Theological Seminary. The Reverend Dr. Jackson has also successfully completed one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education from the Dayton VA Medical Center in Dayton, OH. Reverend Dr. Jackson earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from New York Theological Seminary with a focus on Transformational Leadership and Faith Rooted Organizing. Since 2015, he has served as the pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church Stamford, CT.

Contact:

www.bethelstamford.org