Effective Solutions for Student and Staff Wellness

About the Presenters

As an experienced entrepreneur and CEO, Jay Goyal loves bringing innovation to solve large, thorny problems. He founded Alongside to combat the youth mental health crisis, with the goal of providing every adolescent with research-based support that they like and trust. Prior to this, Jay founded and scaled Actively Learn to millions of students, empowering them to engage in deeper learning across subjects. Jay has taken on startup roles within the private, nonprofit, and public sectors, including helping launch Bing at Microsoft, providing microfinance to rural women in Honduras, and determining manpower and security requirements as one of the first 15 employees of the Transportation Security Administration. Jay also enjoys being part of the Seattle community, coaching youth baseball and serving on school and nonprofit boards. He graduated from Duke University and completed his MBA from Harvard Business School.

As the Vice President for Professional Learning at Kaplan, Laura Wilhelm, Ed.D. draws on decades of experience teaching young children and early childhood professionals, starting with toddlers in the 1980s, followed by PreK-third grade in urban and suburban schools, and as a university lab school director. Since earning her doctorate in ECE curriculum and instruction in 1999, she has served as a program director, full professor, national validator for the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and a site visitor for the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Programs (CAEP). She enjoys planning professional development, speaking at conferences, leading study tours, visiting early education programs around the world, and returning home to her family. She is the author of The Neglected Child: How to Recognize, Respond, and Prevent (2013); Treasure Baskets: Heuristic Learning for Infants and Toddlers (2017); Enticing Environments for People Under Three (2021); and Living Loose Parts: Creatures of Curiosity (coming in 2024), all from Gryphon House.

Brandy Samuell has had an extensive and diverse career in public education, with decades of experience in various settings and roles. From classroom teacher to assistant superintendent, Brandy’s expertise in general education, special education, mental health support, and school turnaround is valuable for addressing the complex needs of students and staff. As the Director of Mental Health and Related Services at eLuma, Brandy is involved in developing and implementing strategies to support students’ mental health and well-being.

Brandy’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Texas Tech University, a Master of Education in School Counseling from Texas Christian University, and additional post-master’s work in Educational Diagnostics and Educational Leadership from the University of the Southwest. She is also certified in Critical Incident Stress Management and has experience responding to and managing crises in school settings. In her spare time, Brandy enjoys spending time outdoors, caring for her animals, and gardening.