Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Howard Center’s conference Perspectives 2025: Confronting Stigma, Cultivating Compassion will feature international speakers bringing diverse perspectives, hope, and inspiration to our Vermont community.
Please join us for a day of learning, connection, and rich conversations. Our sponsor exhibition will feature businesses and organizations from around Vermont and beyond. You’ll be inspired by our speakers, multicultural music, and art by the members of Howard Center’s Arts Collective.
Thank you to our lead sponsors for supporting Perspectives 2025.
Our Speakers
We are delighted to announce Ashley C. Ford, Anne Lamott, and Damon Tweedy, M.D. will be joining us in Vermont in May to talk about their work and experiences related to mental health and substance use. Check back as we will be announcing additional speakers soon.
Ashley C. Ford
Ashley C. Ford’s New York Times best-selling memoir, Somebody’s Daughter, was published by Flatiron Books in June 2021. Ford is the current host of Into the Mix, a Ben & Jerry’s + Vox Creative podcast, and formerly hosted: The Chronicles of Now podcast, and The HBO companion podcast Lovecraft Country Radio. She currently lives in Indianapolis, Indiana with her husband, poet and fiction writer Kelly Stacy, and their chocolate lab Astro Renegade Ford-Stacy. Ford has written or guest-edited for GQ, ELLE Magazine, Marie Claire, Slate, Teen Vogue, New York Magazine, The New York Times, Domino, Cup of Jo, and various other web and print publications.
Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott writes and speaks about subjects that begin with capital letters: Alcoholism, Motherhood, Jesus. But armed with self-effacing humor – she is laugh-out-loud funny – and ruthless honesty, Lamott converts her subjects into enchantment. Actually, she writes about what most of us don’t like to think about. She wrote her first novel for her father, the writer Kenneth Lamott, when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. She has said that the book was “a present to someone I loved who was going to die.” In all her novels, she writes about loss – loss of loved ones and loss of personal control. She doesn’t try to sugarcoat the sadness, frustration and disappointment, but tells her stories with honesty, compassion and a pureness of voice. As she says, “I have a lot of hope and a lot of faith and I struggle to communicate that.” Anne Lamott does communicate her faith; in her books and in person, she lifts, comforts, and inspires, all the while keeping us laughing.
Anne Lamott is the author of seven novels. She has also written several bestselling books of nonfiction. Lamott has also authored several collections of autobiographical essays on faith. Her newest book, Somehow: Thoughts on Love is a #1 New York Times bestseller. Publishers Weekly praised “…her ability to distill complex truths with a deceptive lightness” in their star review.
Lamott has been honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship, and has taught at UC Davis, as well as at writing conferences across the country. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Freida Mock has made a documentary on Lamott, entitled Bird by Bird with Annie (1999). Anne Lamott has also been inducted into the California Hall of Fame. Lamott is a columnist for the Washington Post. Her next book, a collaboration with her husband Neal Allen, will be Good Writing (Avery Penguin Random House, 2026). She also has a new podcast series with Allen titled The Big Questions, available exclusively on the Ritual app.
Damon Tweedy, M.D.
Damon Tweedy, M.D. is a professor of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine and staff physician at the Durham Veteran Affairs Health System. His 2015 book, Black Man in a White Coat, was a New York Times Bestseller, selected by TIME magazine as one of the Top 10 Non-fiction books of that year. He has also published articles about race and medicine in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). His columns and op-eds have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, and various other print publications. His latest book Facing the Unseen explores the marginalization of mental health care within society and medical practice. Damon Tweedy lives outside Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.
Sponsorship Opportunities
Sponsoring this event provides your business or organization the opportunity to connect with a diverse audience, including healthcare providers, educators, law enforcement professionals, community members, and many others. We believe relationships are at the heart of our work, and your support can help advance important conversations about reducing stigma and fostering compassionate care.
If you are interested in sponsoring Howard Center’s 7th Spring Conference, please review the sponsorship information sheet below and join us in making this a meaningful and impactful event.
To learn more, please contact:
Denise Vignoe, Director of Development and Communications
dvignoe@howardcenter.org | 802-488-6912
Meet Our Event Host
Our host Sandy McGuire, MBA is Howard Center’s Chief Executive Officer. Sandy joined Howard Center in 1999 and has been in several roles since, including leading the effort for Howard Center to become a licensed Child Placing Agency and serving for a decade as chief financial and operations officer. Her work with the agency through significant growth and service expansion has shaped her perspective about the interdependence and importance of all roles in carrying out Howard Center’s mission. Sandy’s financial background has sharpened her focus on sustainability to ensure Howard Center’s services balance need, impact, and resources to best support those we serve. Sandy is a Certified Therapy Dog Team handler and holds a B.S. in psychology from Virginia Tech and a M.B.A. from Champlain College. She serves as president of the Vermont Foundation for Children and Families board and on the Collaborative Solutions Corporation and Navigator Casualty, Ltd. boards and is a member of the Green Mountain Care Board Advisory Committee.
Meet Our Moderators
Moderator Catarina Campbell, M.Ed, (they/them) is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Howard Center. They come to the role with a background in grassroots organizing, trauma-informed advocacy, and affinity-based programming at community centers in the United States and Brazil. Previously, Catarina served as the Director of the SafeSpace Anti-Violence Program and the Coordinator for Programs and Leadership at the Women & Gender Equity Center at the University of Vermont.
Catarina has also served on the boards of the Vermont ACLU and the Woven Collective. Honoring and celebrating our right to be embraced for all of who we are, Catarina strives to bring joyful and meaningful connection to their communities by tending to interpersonal connection as a conduit for social change.
Moderator Beth Holden, MS, LCMHC, LADC, is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor in the state of Vermont. She holds a Master of Science degree in community counseling from the University of Vermont. She has worked as a clinician, supervisor, and administrator in the mental health and substance use fields with adults, youth, and families for 30+ years.
Beth is Howard Center’s Chief Client Services Officer and previously held the position of Director of Home and Community Services, as well as serving in the Children’s Co-Director role in the state designated agency system. She has specialty training in emergency mental health services, co-occurring disorders, trauma integrated practice, managing suicidality and supervision.
Beth is a believer and supporter of community mental health services and provides leadership in developing increased competencies for all staff providing integrated services, trauma informed practice, and suicide care. She is level two trained in EMDR, a certified state of Vermont Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) trainer and has been a clinical supervisor for 25+ years. Beth is an experienced presenter and provides workshops on many topics related to trauma-informed practice and mental health. She has also served an instructor for the UVM Graduate Counseling Program and taught classes on trauma-informed care and counseling children and adolescents. She previously served her disciplines on the Vermont Addictions Professionals Association Board and the UVM Graduate Counseling Program Advisory Board.
Phoenix Books is our conference book seller and will be onsite at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Burlington with our speakers’ most recent books. Some speakers will offer in-person book signings throughout the daylong event. Speaker books will be available soon through the Phoenix Books online catalog.
Thanks to our 2025 Conference Sponsors
More Conference Details:
Registration Information
Registration for Perspectives 2025 is $209 and includes speaker presentations, CEUs, sponsor exhibition, continental breakfast, lunch, speaker book signings, and parking. We offer a five percent group discount for ten or more registrants.
The conference rate is the same for both in-person and virtual attendance. The consistent rate reflects the significant investment required to deliver a seamless experience for both audiences. This includes advanced technology for streaming and interactive features, as well as the logistical support needed to host a hybrid event.
Regardless of how you join, we provide high-quality programming, including access to expert speakers, rich conversations, and valuable resources.
Accommodations Needed?
If you need support with accommodations, please contact us by May 1. Email conference@howardcenter.org or call 802-488-6912.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
We will offer CEUs for attendees for several professional disciplines. We will post the CEUs available as soon as we receive approval. CEU certificates will be available following the conference by emailing ceu@howardcenter.org.
Hotel and Travel
The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Burlington will accommodate our event in their conference center at 870 Williston Road, South Burlington, VT 05403. We have reserved a block of rooms with special pricing available for conference sponsors and attendees. To book a room, click here >>
The Burlington International Airport serves the region as the closest airport and is two miles from the conference center.
Substitution Policy
Paid registrants unable to attend the conference may send an alternate. Requests must be made in writing and may be accommodated until May 6.
Cancellation Policy
Paid registrants may cancel for a refund, less a $25 administrative fee until April 8. After April 8, refunds will not be provided, but attendee substitutions will be accommodated through May 6.
If the event is cancelled due to circumstances beyond our control, we will post the cancellation on our website at www.howardcenter.org and registrations will be non-refundable.
Health and Safety
We are committed to the health and safety of all conference attendees. We will follow all local and state health and safety guidelines at the time of the conference.
Photo Policy
By registering for a Howard Center event, you grant permission to the event organizers and its representatives to take photographs and/or videos of you during the event. These photographs and/or videos may be used for promotional purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please notify a member of the event staff on-site.
Our speakers: Videotaping and/or taking photos of our speakers on stage is not permitted. You may take photos with the speakers with their permission only.
About Howard Center
Howard Center has a long and rich history as a trusted provider in the community. With a legacy spanning nearly 160 years, we provide progressive, compassionate care and supports to those in need.
As Vermont’s largest social service organization, our 1,500 staff help more than 19,000 people each year in over 60 locations throughout Vermont in collaboration with hundreds of community partners.
We offer an array of exemplary mental health, substance use, and developmental services across the lifespan. Our conference, numerous professional trainings, and free public education events help to improve care, inform our community, and decrease stigma.
Our events are designed to accommodate a broad audience, including mental health and healthcare providers, educators, clients and families, representatives of state and local government, law enforcement professionals, and community members.
Previous Conferences
Photo above are from the 2018 Opiates: Scientific, Political, and Social Perspectives conference.
2023 Conference
Breaking Barriers: Finding Purpose and Possibilities Together
April 19, 2023
The 6th annual Howard Center Spring Conference, Breaking Barriers: Finding Purpose and Possibilities Together, featured internationally renowned speakers discussing topics such as adverse childhood experiences, awe and transcendence, end-of-life care, gun violence policy, and the power of recognition. Speakers included Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Dr. Dacher Keltner, Dr. BJ Miller, Dr. Jeffrey Swanson, and Dr. Anna Malaika Tubbs, with Beth Holden serving as host and Dr. Jude Smith Rachele as moderator.
2022 Conference
Vision, Visionaries, and Voices
April 9, 2022
The 5th annual Howard Center Spring Conference, Vision, Visionaries and Voices, was held virtually and featured international speakers discussing topics like COVID-19 and health inequities, gender violence and inequality, self-inquiry, drug policies, and trauma and resilience. The conference was moderated and hosted by esteemed professionals and the speakers included Mary Bassett M.D., M.P.H., Anita Hill, Byron Katie, Ethan Nadelmann and Tara Westover.
2021 Conference
Perspective on Connection, Compassion, and Belonging
March 30, 2021
Howard Center offered various perspectives on connection, compassion, and belonging, including themes of confronting stigma, improving access, continuing advocacy, advancing policy, and giving voice.
Speakers shared their perspectives and stories–inspiring attendees to consider how connection, compassion, and belonging impact overall health and well-being and how we create new pathways to improve care and treatment, influence policy, and improve access to quality care that is inclusive and available for all. Conference speakers included Dr. Laurie Santos, V (formerly Eve Ensler), and Rev. Angel Kyodo Williams.
2019 Conference
Overcoming Adversity: Bold Perspectives on Mental Health and Addiction
June 3, 2019
The conference reflected on current and future trends in mental health and addiction treatment, including themes of confronting stigma, improving access, continuing advocacy, advancing policy, and giving voice. Speakers shared their perspectives and personal stories–inspiring attendees to think boldly about current approaches to treatment and challenging them to create new pathways to overcome adversity, influence policy, and improve access to quality care that is inclusive and available for all.
2018 Conference
Opiates: Scientific, Political, and Social Perspectives
May 22, 2018
Opiate use impacts individuals, families, workplaces, and communities everywhere. Presenters discussed various aspects of the current opiate crisis, including the effects of opioid use on the brain, current research and evidence-based treatment options, obstacles to treatment, and practical solutions for reducing opioid-related deaths. Conference speakers included Drs. John Brooklyn, Sally Satel, Stefan Kertesz, and Carl Hart.
2017 Conference
A Day with Gabor Maté
January 25, 2017
Renowned speaker and author Dr. Gabor Maté addressed a range of topics, from addiction to mind-body wellness. The 2017 conference included a full day of presentations and discussion with the well-known author, including The Hungry Ghost: A Biopsychosocial Perspective on Addiction” and “When The Body Says No: Mind/Body Unity and the Stress-Disease Connection.