Howard Center announces its spring conference, Perspectives 2025: Confronting Stigma, Cultivating Compassion, on May 13, 2025, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This year’s event will be at the DoubleTree by Hilton in South Burlington, with a virtual livestream option. Registration is open at howardcenter.org.
The conference will feature speakers Alexandra Collins, Ph.D.; Ashley C. Ford; Anne Lamott; and Damon Tweedy, M.D. Guests will also enjoy multicultural music, art by members of Howard Center’s Arts Collective, and a sponsor exhibition featuring businesses and organizations from Vermont and beyond. Sandy McGuire, Howard Center’s CEO will serve as event host.
Each speaker brings unique expertise, diverse perspectives, and their presentations will rely on their experiences as authors, physicians, or researchers to address a shared theme: confronting stigma and cultivating compassion to foster strong communities. The event will highlight Howard Center’s work to address mental health and substance use disorder.
Jane Lindholm, executive producer and creator of Vermont Public’s But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids will host a conversation with bestselling author Anne Lamott. Howard Center’s Chief Client Services Officer Beth Holden and Howard Center’s Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Catarina Campbell will serve as conference moderators.
The daylong conference will bring together attendees for a day of learning and connection from throughout Vermont and the broader region including mental health and substance use providers, educators, clients and families, representatives of state and local government, healthcare providers, law enforcement, the judiciary, and the public.
Registration is $209 and CEU credits are pending for a variety of professions. Visit Howard Center Spring Conference for more information about conference presenters and to register.
The conference is supported by Dominion Diagnostics, the University of Vermont Medical Center, BlueCross BlueShield of Vermont, Bristol Myers Squibb, Champlain Toxicology Lab, Marsh McLennan Agency, Fidelity Investments, the Vermont Division of Substance Use Programs, and others.
For information about conference sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, visit Howard Center Spring Conference, contact conference@howardcenter.org, or call 802-488-6912.