Michael Long has over 13 years of frontline clinical and operational experience and is the Founder and CEO of Break The Stigma Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving mental health outcomes in high-stress, high-risk professions. 

He is currently in the final months of completing his Master's of Science in Psychology degree. Allowing him to draw from both professional experience, education, and personal insight Michael examines how stigma, organizational culture, and environmental pressures within emergency and trauma-exposed professions contribute to mental health decline. 

His work highlights the downstream impact on workforce sustainability, family systems, professional identity, meaning and purpose, and overall psychological well- being. 

Michael's approach emphasizes proactive and preventative, moving beyond crisis-only models and to better support long-term resilience and healthy organizational cultures. 

Dr. Mark Slidell, MD, MPH, FAAP, FACS, is an associate professor of surgery and attending surgeon at The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center at John Hopkins University in Maryland. He also serves as associate chief for health services research and clinical integration, associate program director for the pediatric surgery fellowship, and associate chief medical officer for the John Hopkins Children’s Center and the Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center. Dr. Slidell is a nationally recognized leader in pediatric trauma and health services research, with a prolific body of work focused on improving outcomes, advancing equity in access to pediatric surgical care, and strengthening pediatric trauma systems both nationally and internationally. His research has significantly influenced trauma triage, injury severity scoring, and policy development, including the widely adopted pediatric Medically Necessary, Time-Sensitive—or pMENTS—framework for surgical prioritization during the COVID-19 pandemic. His other research interests include the area of adult and pediatric chest wall deformities, pediatric biliary atresia, and pediatric pancreatic islet cell program.

Shannon Lawton is an Injury Prevention Nurse at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, where she has devoted nearly 14 years to pediatric critical care. Her career began in the Emergency Department after obtaining her paramedic license, which sparked her passion for working with children. Having served as a Level I trauma nurse, Shannon witnessed firsthand the impact of severe, often preventable injuries, leading her to focus on the critical need for injury prevention. 

In her current role in the Injury Prevention department, Shannon uses her extensive experience to educate families on effective strategies to keep their children safe. She provides valuable resources, education, and support, empowering parents to reduce the risk of injuries at home and in the community. Shannon also works with community partners, including local fire and police departments, fostering agencies, and others, to ensure they have the resources needed to support their community members. 

Finally, Shannon is a mom to two energetic boys, ages 3 and 4-proof that she's an expert when it comes to Injury Prevention!

Dr. Connie Rossini, MD, FAAP, FACS, is a board-certified pediatric surgeon with extensive expertise in minimally invasive, neonatal, and congenital pediatric surgery. She currently practices at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and serves as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. Dr. Rossini has held multiple surgical leadership roles, including director-level positions in intestinal rehabilitation, ECMO, fetal evaluation, and adolescent bariatric surgery, and is nationally recognized for her contributions to pediatric surgical education, research, and multidisciplinary care.  Her scholarly work spans pediatric trauma, simulation-based surgical education, minimally invasive techniques, neonatal and congenital surgery, and outcomes research, with numerous peer-reviewed publications and national and international presentations. Dr. Rossini has contributed to advancing pediatric surgical practice through NIH-adjacent institutional research initiatives, multicenter collaborations, and ongoing leadership in academic surgery and trainee education.

Dr. Rebecca Tracy, DO is an emergency medicine physician and EMS medical director with extensive expertise in prehospital care, disaster preparedness, and systems-based emergency response. Dr. Tracy serves as an emergency physician at SSM DePaul and SSM St. Mary’s Hospitals in St. Louis and is the EMS Medical Director for SSM Health. She completed her fellowship in Emergency Medical Services at Washington University in St. Louis, Her academic and scholarly work focuses on prehospital airway management, trauma and coagulopathy, disaster response, and EMS education, with multiple peer reviewed publications and national presentations. Dr. Tracy is a dedicated educator and national speaker recognized for her leadership in advancing evidence-based, innovative EMS and emergency care.