Heather Proctor
Founder & CEO | Illinois
Heather is a leader in the systems, coalitions, and frameworks that make trauma-informed care and mental health infrastructure possible at scale. Her work bridges nonprofits, government, healthcare, and grassroots advocacy — connecting the people doing the work with the resources, policy, and visibility they need to make healing visible, accessible, and possible.
Heather brings nearly two decades of experience across operations, human resources, finance, communications, and marketing, with leadership roles spanning the nonprofit, public, private, and government sectors. Her annual #WeHealUS May Mental Health & Trauma Awareness Campaign has grown into a national grassroots movement reaching municipal, state, and federal audiences providing free resources to individuals, organizations, and elected officials working to make healing happen.
Heather is a frequent speaker, advisor, and convener on trauma-informed leadership, public-private partnership design, and healing-centered systems change. She partners with leaders across the country who are doing the long, patient work of building systems that heal.
Dr. Tracey Smith DNP, PHCNS-BC, MS
Public Health Subject Matter Expert | Illinois
Tracey Smith serves as the Associate Executive Director for Public Health Practice at the Illinois Public Health Association (IPHA), where she leads statewide initiatives to strengthen community health, advance health equity, and support the public health workforce.
She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with a focus on health literacy and holds a Master’s in Community Health Nursing with a minor in Multicultural Nursing. Prior to joining IPHA, she served as Population Health Manager at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where she guided the integration of trauma-aware policies, training, and procedures into clinical and community settings.
Dr. Smith brings extensive experience across healthcare, public health, and community systems. She has designed and led programs that embed Community Health Workers (CHWs) into interdisciplinary teams serving police departments, schools, healthcare clinics, and community-based organizations. She played a pivotal role in establishing one of the first CHW training programs in downstate Illinois and continues to advance the CHW workforce through training, capacity-building, and policy leadership.
A recognized trainer and advocate for trauma awareness, she has worked with organizations across Illinois to implement trauma-informed practices and deliver trainings to diverse audiences statewide. She also serves as a Representative on the Illinois Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Committee and the Community Health Worker Review Board.
Kristina Manuel
WeHealUS Ambassador | Texas
Kristina Manuel is an author, AI strategist, founder, and mission-driven leader focused on innovation, education, and impact. She is the Founder of Boardrooms to Backroads Consulting LLC, a strategic advisory and implementation firm dedicated to bridging executive leadership, emerging technology, and real-world operational execution.
She is also the Founder of The Lucky Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose tagline is “Let United Compassion Keep You.” The Lucky Foundation raises funds for the families of fallen or seriously injured Military Service Members and First Responders, as well as provides scholarships for the children of these Heroes. Supporters from across the country join together to celebrate service, community, and the beauty of the nation we call home. Since its founding in 2021, The Lucky Foundation has continued to evolve and expand its impact. The organization is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, cultivating a culture where volunteers and constituents are empowered to share their voices and perspectives. This commitment fosters an environment centered on belonging, growth, positivity, and meaningful change across all areas of the Foundation.
Kristina is also an internationally certified advanced AI practitioner and builder, working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, leadership development, and operational transformation. Through her books, workshops, portfolio platform, and field insights, she equips organizations and leaders with practical frameworks to navigate change, reduce burnout, and build future-ready systems.
Across all endeavors, her work is grounded in clarity, execution, and measurable impact. She has been an avid supporter of WeHealUS initiatives for years and deeply believes in the organization’s mission and continued influence.
Jazmin Lopez, MA, CDVP
WeHealUS Ambassador | Illinois
Jazmin Lopez is a dedicated advocate with nearly two decades of experience in legal services, nonprofit management, domestic violence intervention, and mental health advocacy. She holds a BA in Legal Studies from Dominican University and an MA in Human Services from Concordia University Chicago. As an Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professional, she has worked extensively to support survivors through crisis intervention, advocacy, and education. She has developed and facilitated domestic violence education programs, co-created life skills initiatives, and conducted outreach to increase awareness and accessibility of resources for survivors.
In addition to her work in domestic violence advocacy, Jazmin is deeply committed to mental health awareness and accessibility. She has led initiatives to expand mental health education, increase community engagement, and improve service accessibility for underserved populations. She is Mental Health First Aid trained in both adult and youth interventions and has worked to bridge gaps in care by fostering partnerships between service providers, policymakers, and local organizations.
Jazmin is passionate about empowering individuals impacted by domestic violence and mental health challenges, working to break cycles of abuse and stigma through education, prevention, and policy change. She is committed to strengthening community partnerships and ensuring that individuals and families have access to the support and resources they need to thrive. Through her leadership, advocacy, and dedication, she continues to drive meaningful change in both the domestic violence and mental health fields.
Maryann McEvoy, EdD
WeHealUS May Campaign Ambassador | Pennsylvania
Maryann is an executive leader with over 20 years of experience advocating for vulnerable populations. She has dedicated her studies and professional career to humanitarian and educational programming, beginning her work in the classroom.
Maryann has proven success in the development, management, and evaluation of programs dedicated to the protection and empowerment of women, children, and individuals with disabilities. After spending 10 years in the classroom working with students with I/DD, Autism, and Multiple Disabilities, she worked in various developing countries with a focus on creating inclusive educational programs. Maryann has experience as an advisor for educational programs in Africa, Asia, South America, and Latin America. Maryann has extensive experience in humanitarian leadership, advocacy, education, communications, and strategic planning.
She has worked in a variety of contexts including state government, nonprofit leadership, and the United Nations. Most recently, Maryann served as the Child Advocate for Pennsylvania under Governor's Tom Wolf and Governor Josh Shapiro. Maryann is an elected member of the Executive Steering Council of HEAL PA, a coalition of close to 300 trauma experts within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania working to implement the Trauma Informed PA Plan and a co-chair for the Prevent Child Abuse America Pennsylvania Chapter.
She is a graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor's in special education, New York University with a master's in international development, and Drexel University with a Doctorate in Education and Global Advocacy.
