‍PROJECT HEALTHY MINDS GALA, HOSTED BY NBC’S TODAY CO-HOST & “THE VOICE” HOST & PRODUCER CARSON DALY, TO TAKE PLACE OCTOBER 9 AT SPRING STUDIOS IN NYC

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World’s Largest Festival, Free to the Public, to Feature Mainstage Sessions with Influential Leaders from the Arts, Sports and Publishing Including Deepak Chopra, MD, Author and World-Renowned Pioneer in Integrative Medicine and Personal Transformation; Jonathan Haidt, New York Times Best Selling Author and Social Psychologist; Katie Couric, Award-Winning Journalist and Wellness Advocate; Boardroom Co-Founder Rich Kleiman; Parenting Expert Dr. Becky Kennedy, Katie Sturino, MEGABABE Founder and Body Acceptance Advocate, Kendall Toole, NKO Club Founder, and Influencers including Kelsey Wells, Timm Chiusano, Hellah Sidibe, and Raymond Braun

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Full Day of Mental Health-Focused Activities with lululemon and Equinox, Including an Influencer Led Run,  Guided Meditations and Mat-Based Workouts To Take Place in New York’s Meatpacking District; Festival Sponsors Include lululemon, PepsiCo, Equinox, Nespresso, ServiceNow, LVMH and Tiffany & Co.

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Third Annual Gala on October 9 To Feature Musical Performance by Grammy Award-Nominated Lukas Graham and Honor Celebrated Mental Health Pioneers;  Indianapolis Colts Owner Kalen Jackson To Receive First-Ever 'Sports Visionary of the Year Award' Presented by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell; Keith Lissner, Former Executive VP of Design at Vera Wang, Named Gala's Artistic Curator

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New York, September 10, 2025 - Project Healthy Minds, a next-gen mental health tech non-profit, today announced the first set of participants for their fourth annual World Mental Health Day Festival, taking place Friday, October 10 in New York City’s meatpacking district. 

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As the world’s largest gathering on World Mental Health Day, the all-day festivities, free to the public, will unite world-renowned thought leaders, celebrities, executives and visionaries to delve into the defining public health issue of our time. 

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Onsite at The World Mental Health Festival, attendees will hear from a dynamic lineup of thought leaders and changemakers in conversations designed to destigmatize the topic and reshape the future of mental health. Featured speakers are Deepak Chopra MD, world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, Jonathan Haidt, New York Times best-selling author and social psychologist, Katie Couric, award-winning journalist and wellness advocate, Boardroom Co-Founder Rich Kleiman, parenting expert Dr. Becky Kennedy, Founder of MEGABABE, author and body acceptance advocate, Katie Sturino, NKO Club Founder Kendall Toole,  and influencers including Kelsey Wells, Global Fitness Trainer, Speaker and Founder of Redefine Fitness, Case Kenny, mindfulness expert and author, Timm Chiusano, speaker, author, creator and former Fortune 100 Creative Executive, Hellah Sidibe, Run Streaker & Global Running Ambassador, and Raymond Braun, Broadcast Host, Olympics Mental Health Correspondent and World Record Triathlete with others to be announced. 

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Sessions to include a meditation and conversation about AI led by Chopra, Haidt’s How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Caused an International Mental Health Crisis, and How We Can Reverse It (moderated by Couric); as well as What Parenting Has Taught the Comedians (moderated by Kennedy), Unfiltered: The Mental Health Toll of Influence, a panel about the pressure behind social media posts; Body Image in the Age of GLP-1s, a conversation on bodies, mental health, and shifting cultural ideals; and Changing the Game, a look at how sports leaders can reframe and amplify the mental health conversation and unlock a championship-forward mindset. 

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On October 9^th, the evening prior to the festival, Project Healthy Minds will host its third annual World Mental Health Day Gala at New York’s Spring Studios. The event supports the nonprofit’s mission to connect over 10 million Americans with mental health services through its groundbreaking free digital marketplace over the next 10 years. Featuring impactful storytelling, awards, special guest performances including Grammy Award-nominated Danish pop-soul artist Lukas Graham, and more, the gala is hosted by Board of Directors member Carson Daly. As previously announced, Kalen Jackson will be the recipient of the organization’s first-ever Sports Visionary of the Year Award in recognition of her work as a leader in mental health advocacy. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will present Jackson with the award. Other honorees will be announced in the coming weeks. 

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Today, Project Healthy Minds also announced that highly accomplished designer, creative visionary and fashion executive Keith Lissner, Former EVP of Design for Vera Wang, has been named Artistic Curator for the Gala. The curator’s role is to conceive of an immersive experience that is their personal commentary on mental health, bringing this important topic out of the shadows and into the zeitgeist. Lissner’s installation, as well as the gala itself, will be produced in association with Rafanelli Events. Previous curators include artist Peter Tunney and Stacey Bendet, CEO of Alice and Olivia LLC. 

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Michael D. Ratner, honored with last year’s inaugural Storyteller of the Year Award for his work to destigmatize mental health in pop culture, and his wife Lauren Ratner, will serve as Gala Dinner Chairs alongside Chris Barbin, Jacqui & Joseph Canney, Susanne & Stan Galanski, Jody Gerson, Savannah Guthrie & Mike Feldman, Jimmy Horowitz, Naeem Kahn, Rich & Jana Kleiman, Lisa Licht,  Carolyn Risoli & Joe Silvestri, Stephen M. Ross, Jennifer & Rob Ryan, Becky Schmitt, Danny Sillman, Vincent C. Tizzio & Victoria Tizzio, Peter Tunney, and Jeff & Gail Yabuki.

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World Mental Health Day Festival is sponsored by lululemon, PepsiCo, Equinox, Nespresso, ServiceNow, LVMH and Tiffany & Co. World Mental Health Day Gala is sponsored by PepsiCo.

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Commenting on this year’s Festival and Gala, Project Healthy Minds Founder & CEO, Phillip Schermer, said, "Every year, this community reminds us just how powerful it can be when people come together to change the way the world thinks about mental health. This first look at our lineup reflects voices that are breaking barriers, sparking dialogue, and inspiring action. We couldn’t be prouder to stand alongside them as we continue building a movement for change."

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Carson Daly, Project Healthy Minds board member and Gala host, host and producer of NBC’s “The Voice” and co-host of NBC’s TODAY, added: "The Project Healthy Minds Festival and Gala have become two of my favorite moments of the year — where passion meets purpose and the energy is electric. Both events mean so much to me personally – they are proof of how far the mental health conversation has come, and how much further we can go when we do this together. I’m incredibly proud to be on the board of this remarkable nonprofit and want to thank everyone that contributes their time, energy and dollars to supporting our cause.”

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In recent years, headliners have included prominent mental health advocates including Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, former Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, former US Attorney General Sally Yates, pop superstar Demi Lovato, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Free to the public, the event blends powerful storytelling with physical and mindful wellness programming including cycling rides, yoga sessions, guided meditations, and influencer-led community runs. Sizzle Reel Here.

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ABOUT PROJECT HEALTHY MINDS:

Project Healthy Minds is a next-gen mental health tech non-profit dedicated to expanding access to mental health services across the country. Project Healthy Minds is building the world’s first free digital mental health marketplace, destigmatizing mental health by partnering with culture-makers, and improving access and affordability by advocating for innovative workplace investments in employee mental health. The non-profit is focused on closing the treatment gap in America by attacking these primary barriers to care: stigma, discoverability, and affordability. Project Healthy Minds’ programmatic initiatives serve more than 200,000 people annually.

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PRESS CONTACT:

FerenComm on behalf of Project Healthy Minds

TeamPHM@ferencomm.com 

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