Praise & Testimonials

 Company and Organization Testimonials

“We couldn’t be more grateful for the knowledge and hands-on training provided by LEAD […] As we reshape our programs to address the pressing needs of young adults in our city, it is essential that we are aware of the risk factors, warning signs, and opportunities to support the mental health and emotional wellbeing of those we serve." -Tracey Sero, DC Central Kitchen

“I recently hosted a Work Better Day event where Kyrah Altman lead a group of individuals through L.E.A.D’s Work Smarter, Not Harder program.  To call it a success would be an understatement.  The crowd thrived under Kyrah’s leadership.  The combination of hard facts mixed with practical takeaways makes this a must for any organization with a desire for a more in-tune and productive staff and a transformation in their thinking around ‘wellness’.” -Natalie Kapoulas, OPX Work Better Programs 

“This training would not have been the same without the instructor’s clear direction and enthusiasm. Thank you for your passion!”

“I believe we all need education and skills on how to help identify people that are struggling with themselves..The fact that I can train my employees to help identify people in need of support is amazing.” -Steven Seiden, President at Acquired Data Solutions

“LEAD gave me the life-saving and necessary skills to start difficult conversations with youth who are served by my nonprofit."

“Not only has our time with LEAD been valuable in introducing the concepts of mental illness to our staff, but we have also gained useful skills to address crisis situations when we see them and developed strategies for promoting mental health among ourselves and the larger organization as a whole." -Anonymous Participant, DC Central Kitchen

“Social Impact 360 participated in the ‘Work Smarter, Not Harder’ training, and we found the tools, technology, resources, and approaches provided to manage workflow and self-care in the workplace both useful and novel. Many we hadn't heard of before, and we look forward to using these new tools moving forward to help us become both more efficient in our work and manage our self-care throughout the workday.” -Allison Alt, Executive Director of SI360

"It was difficult at times, but so necessary. I wish these types of courses were more common."

“LEAD's 'Work Smarter, Not Harder' workshop was incredible! I’ve already started adapting some of your suggestions into my day. Honestly, your workshop helped to put things in perspective and truly set me in a better mind-frame for a HUGE meeting and the rest of the day." -Erica Smith, Membership Development Director at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

Summer Camp Testimonials

“I intend to use my knowledge to do everything I can to make camp a supportive and safe environment, and if a camper is ever in a crisis situation,  I can help them to the best of my ability.”

“LEAD’s Camp Mental Health certification is a great introduction for camp counselors to the very real challenge of working with campers who suffer from mental illness. At our camp we see more and more campers each year struggling with mental illness and this course did a great job of normalizing these campers as well as gave my staff some real life tools to help campers in need.” -Sarah Camp, Director of Camp Unalayee in CA

“I will use this certification to be more aware about my campers and how they are acting and communicating with others. However, I will not jump to conclusions simply due to the fact that I am more aware. In contrast, I will look more deeply into the situation.”

“When I first learned about the Camp Mental Health certification last fall, I knew it was something we had to bring to our Camp Gottalikachallenge staffers. Working with LEAD has been wonderful, the training itself was delivered in a professional and compassionate way, and all of our staffers really got a lot out of it that we'll be able to put into practice this summer.”

“I intend to use my knowledge to do everything I can to make camp a supportive and safe environment, and if a camper is ever in a crisis situation,  I can help them to the best of my ability.” -Maia, Camp Wildwood

“I will use this certification to be more aware about my campers and how they are acting and communicating with others. However, I will not jump to conclusions simply due to the fact that I am more aware. In contrast, I will look more deeply into the situation.” - Anonymous 

“I think the information I learned from this certification will be really helpful as a camp counselor.

Not only will I more easily be able to identify warning signs of mental illness in children, but I will also know how to respond to them.” -Anonymous

“So many kids are struggling with either toxic masculinity or depression or other things that might make them think they are ‘weak’, and I'll try to make them understand that is NOT something to be ashamed of; we are all humans, we are all struggling, and it's okay to seek help...I'll try to help every kid I see through empathy and respect.” -Anonymous

 Sports Team & Athletic Department Testimonials

“Mental health has touched all our lives in some capacity be it family, friends, teammates or ourselves. It's great that we have the opportunity to educate our student athletes and open a dialogue that can further their knowledge and understanding about mental illnesses.” -Anonymous College Coach

“We as educators can play a huge role in breaking down the barriers and stigma that may have previously been associated with mental illnesses. I have been passionate about this topic for many years and it’s finally coming to the forefront on campuses around the country and certainly within the sporting arena which is a huge positive when raising awareness in our communities...In the sporting arena our athletes face additional challenges and risks in their daily lives and if they get one thing from the course then I’d want them to know that there are avenues to use and resources available if they or someone they know is struggling with any sort of issue." -Craig Jones, coach of GW Men's Soccer Team

“I want YMHFA to be mandatory for all athletic professionals. It was very powerful, helpful, and interactive...essential for communities."

“For coaches, this might mean training in Mental Health First Aid so that they are better able to read and respond to signs of emotional distress among their players. Jolee Paden, a high-school cross-country coach in Washington, D.C., took an eight-hour class on addressing players’ mental health and told me that it helped her unpack the stereotypes surrounding mental illness and develop a vocabulary for addressing the problems she sees. Paden now feels confident that she’ll know what to do if one of her players starts to struggle. ‘I walked away with some actual tools for responding rather than far-off theories’ she said.” Link to Full Article 

PreK-12 & Higher Education

“I am grateful to have gained so much new knowledge...I thought it was very well orchestrated and easy to understand.”

“I left this presentation with a greater understanding of community, professional, and self-help mental health resources to refer my students to."

“After watching LEAD’s ‘Decoding Teen Mental Illness’ Presentation, I was more confident in my ability to identify high-risk behavior in students and signs and symptoms of mental illness in youth.”​

“I had no idea how many ways I could improve the mental health of my students by changing very small habits and ways of teaching inside the classroom.”

“My staff all concurred that is was by far the best training they have had at Fusion and even thought it should be mandatory and part of NFO. This was especially impressive given that several of the staff members who came are notoriously critical. So five stars from Team DC!” -Dr. Laura DeLima, Head of School, Fusion Academy, Washington, DC

“The feedback I received was all positive, and everyone stated how important it is to continue the conversation on this topic so we can better serve our students. We plan to share some key takeaways at our next staff meeting. Teachers appreciated the resource book as they can continue to expand on the main foundations of the course. The key takeaway was that teachers felt better prepared to handle a crisis situation, should one occur, as well as being more mindful if a student’s behavior changes/escalates.” -Anonymous School Administrator

“Thank you so much for the training. I loved the way you led the room and encouraged honest and candid conversations.”

"It was a wonderful course and explained to me how to help those affected by mental illness and has given me the confidence and knowledge required to help people." -Anonymous sMHC Participant

"I just took a look at the follow up surveys, and only five people took the time to do the follow up survey.  But on the bright side, of those five people, Kyrah had a perfect score on the five questions. The narrative responses were: This was a great help, thank you and It was quick, informative, and gave applicable things we can implement. In regards to my experience. I thought Kyrah was very professional and that the presentation went smoothly and appreciated LEAD's willingness to provide this information to the charter school community." -Anonymous Charter School Educator

 Health Educator Toolkit

“This year, I had a student come to me realizing he was depressed and he asked for help. We, as teachers, are more than just educators, for some, we are a lifeline.
We listen, we cry, and we hurt with them. For some we are their only source for nurturing and consistency.”

- De Wisuri, Health Educator at Leominster High School

Praise from Interns and Fellows

“LEAD has motivated me be to be an advocate for not only my community, but for all communities. This internship has shown me what it takes to be a leader, to be an advocate, and to inspire change."

Awards & Accomplishments

​2019

• Kyrah was featured in the New York Times & GW Today!​​

• ​Lauren was named a finalist in the Tiger Launch Regional Competition in New York City.

• Kyrah was named 3rd National Global Student Entrepreneur Award(GSEA) Champion.

• LEAD began piloting the Health Educator Toolkit at Dearborn Academy High School.
  

2018

• Kyrah was named 1st Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA) DC Champion

• LEAD generated over $60K in revenue through YMHFA certification and training of 800+ educators, students, and community members.

• Lauren won 1st prize in the E for All Venture Competition, winning $1,000.

• Kyrah was nominated as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Leaders of Boston by the Boston Chamber of Commerce & as a 2019 Glamour College Woman of the Year.

• LEAD instructors spoke on expert panels, as a keynote speaker, and as a professional development instructor to over 3,000 youth-serving individuals at national and regional conferences.

• Kyrah and Lauren represented LEAD at the Social Entrepreneurship World Forum (SEWF) in Edinburgh, Scotland.

• Reganne Rapp wins GWU’s 10th Annual Pitch George Venture Competition.

2017

• Lauren and Kyrah were credentialed as the nation’s youngest Youth Mental Health First Aid instructors via the National Council for Behavioral Health.

• Kyrah won $2000 seed funding in venture competitions, including the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards DC.

• LEAD’s co-founders were featured on ABC-TV WCVB Chronicle in Boston, MA.

• LEAD received 10 awards for the development of TryHealth, including the Changemaker of the Year Award!

2016

• ​Kyrah won $32,500 of seed funding in the George Washington University New Venture Competition, as the only freshman & one of the only females in the competition (2nd Prize, Best Undergraduate Venture and Best Nonprofit Venture).

• LEAD’s co-founders collaborated with Senator Jennifer Flanagan to pass Bill. S.2112 in the MA Legislature, encouraging 700 high schools to incorporate TryHealth-inspired frameworks into existing health courses.

• LEAD launched its first TryHealth pilot program in Leominster, MA, improving the mental health and wellbeing of 400+ students and saving a life!

• Kyrah was named United Way Youth Venture’s Alumna of the Year in Gardner, MA.