The Mental Health Lived Experience (MHLE) group strives to annually recognize important people that are facilitating the work of providers with lived experience so that they may continue to bring their unique contributions to the field. The first is the Jennifer Boyd Award, for high achieving professionals with lived experience who challenge stigma by coming out of the closet with their lived experience. The second is the Jennie Leskela Award, for an ally who supports professionals with lived experience by taking on major projects to address stigma toward professionals with lived experience and allow those with lived experience to fully bring their gifts to the field. The third is new this year, the Peer Support Anti-Stigma Award, for peer specialists who take on special projects to challenge stigma in their work settings and the broader culture.

MHLE members are invited to write nominations for each award, which are collected and reviewed by a committee of at least three members of the organization. The winning nominees are determined by consensus.

Please join us in recognizing the amazing work of our awardees!

Jennifer Boyd Award

Dr. Zoesch

Dr. Zoesch is the Associate Chief of Staff of Research and the Designated Educational Officer for Mann Grandstaff Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, and Associate Clinical Professor for Washington State University Elson S Floyd College of Medicine. Dr. Zoesch has 20 years of leadership experience in research and academic activities.  Her medical career has given her various opportunities including practicing internal medicine and pediatrics in inner-city Cleveland, as a Soldier stateside, and while deployed to Afghanistan, along with working for VHA since 2018. For the last two years, she has devoted time to discussing lived mental health experiences and sharing her story to empower others. Her daily mantra is “one step at a time…inhale two three four, exhale two three four.”

Dr. Tim Smith

Dr. Tim Smith is a psychologist who has held clinical and leadership positions in VHA. He is currently the National Director of Psychosocial Recovery and Rehabilitation Centers (PRRCs/Local Recovery Coordinators (LRC)s in VACO. He held leadership positions at the facility level including, Associate Chief of Staff of Mental Health, Substance Use Disorder Director, and Director of Psychosocial Rehabilitation. Dr. Smith is committed to the availability of effective recovery-oriented care for all individuals with mental health challenges, especially those recovering from Serious Mental Illness (SMI). His motivation to effect positive change and improve services across the enterprise is due in part to his personal recovery from a SMI.

Jennie Leskela Award

Dr. Shirley M. Glynn

Dr. Shirley M. Glynn is a licensed clinical psychologist with a Ph.D. in clinical/social psychology. As she grew up, many members of her family lived with serious mental illness, and she decided to commit herself to promoting recovery for those living with these challenges. She joined the UCLA Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System at West Los Angeles to begin a program of research on psychosocial interventions in 1987. Her research highlights the critical importance of the environment in recovery from a serious psychiatric illness such as schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and PTSD. The work has involved being principal or co-principal investigator on VA and NIMH studies examining the benefits of family intervention in schizophrenia, combat-related PTSD, and for consumers with serious psychiatric disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders, as well as testing innovative strategies to involve families in the care of their loved ones with serious psychiatric illness and supported employment for individuals living with schizophrenia. Glynn oversaw the group responsible for the development and implementation of the family component of the NIMH-funded Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode- Early Treatment Program (RAISE-ETP) and is now part of the leadership team for the VA Early Psychosis Intervention Coordination (EPIC).  She also currently oversees the national training and dissemination of evidence-based family interventions for the VA.

Peer Support Anti-Stigma Awards

Robert Hickox

Robert “Buzz” Hickox is an Army Veteran and VHA lead peer specialist. He’s the national Honest Open Proud (HOP) facilitation lead and a Master Trainer, a Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Facilitator, a Whole Health Coach, and a Forensic Peer Specialist Master Trainer. Buzz is also a recognized speaker on Veteran’s issues. He’s a mentor with the Peer Supervisor Mentorship Committee, and on the Peer Supervisor Webinar Committee. Buzz currently works in Suicide Prevention at SAVAHCS in Tucson. Recently, he received the VISN 22 Peer of the Year.

E. Joseph Sanders, BS, CPS

E. Joseph Sanders BS, CPS is a 39 Year Veteran of the US Army and USAR. He is currently assigned to the Acute inpatient unit of the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA. He serves as the Network Peer Specialist Point of Contact for VISN 7 Dept of Veteran Affairs and the President/Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN). In addition to being a CPS since 2006 he is also a Certified WRAP Facilitator, a Georgia and VA certified Whole Health Coach, a State Certified Cultural Competency Instructor, Certified in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Ask Care Escort (ACE) Trainer Certified, and is trained in both Trauma Informed Peer Support and Trauma Informed Systems of Care. He is also the Primary Author of the Army Reserve's first suicide prevention and intervention regulation and a member of the Atlanta VA Suicide Postvention, Military Sexual Trauma, and Intimate Partner Violence teams. He has presented at several conferences and workshops to dispel stigma and was named to Who’s Who Among Health Care Providers in 2023 for his work in Peer Support and Stigma Reduction.