KURTIS BAKER, YMHFA, CFP®

Co-Founder, Board Member

Kurtis Baker is a co-founder of Everybody Loves Kenny Project, Inc. dba Attitudes In Reverse^® (AIR) with his wife Tricia, daughter Katelyn and father Silas in 2010 shortly after losing their son/brother/grandson Kenny to anxiety and depression. The discrimination before and after their loss, as well as the stigma associated with mental health disorders, compelled them to embark on a mission to eliminate stigma and help save lives by educating students, teachers and school faculty about mental health disorders, and the effectiveness of mental healthcare services. Kurtis is a certified Youth Mental Health First Aider and Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor. He is also a Certified Financial Planner™ and wealth management advisor, assisting individuals, families and small businesses since 1986.

“Our goal is to eliminate stigma, which imposes a harmful barrier for youth to seek the services they need – services that can alleviate or even prevent hopelessness, which all too often has devastating consequences.”

TRICIA BAKER, YMHFA, CPDT-KA

Co-Founder, Board Member

Tricia Baker, along with her family, established Attitudes In Reverse® (AIR®) in 2010, soon after her son Kenny died by suicide following a long battle against severe depression and anxiety. AIR’s mission is to create a community of understanding, kindness and empathy through mental health and suicide prevention education. Since January 2011, Tricia has presented to more than 150,000 students, parents and school staff in New Jersey.

Dogs are an integral part of Tricia’s work with AIR®, including K-12 mental wellness educational programs. Administrators say that the retention rate of the mental health material is far greater than other programs, as the students associate the materials with visiting the dogs. Tricia has recently launched a program for K-4thgraders, teaching young children to identify their emotions through discussions of dogs.

In addition to being a mental health advocate and educator, Tricia is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA), AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Instructor and a Certified AIR Therapy Dog Evaluator. Tricia has partnered with schools to train staff with their personal dogs to be school-based therapy dog teams. The goal - at least one certified therapy dog on each school campus, every day.

KATELYN BAKER, YMHFA

Co-Founder, Board Member

Katelyn Baker created AIR along with her parents, Tricia and Kurt, soon after her brother Kenny died by suicide. Katelyn came up with the statement, “Mental illness is like air. Just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. It’s all around us.” This profound statement earned Katelyn an Ambassador’s Award from the Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma in 2010. Katelyn is a student at The College of New Jersey and will continue her college career. Katelyn is a certified Youth Mental Health First Aider. She is also a dog trainer at a PetSmart store, enjoys writing fiction and is a big fan of the television show Supernatural.

“It’s important to my family and me to tell people it’s okay to get help. We don’t want anyone else to have to go through what we did.”

SILAS K. BAKER

Co-Founder, Board Member

Silas Baker is a Professional Engineer in the State of Florida and a Retired after a career at Lockheed Martin Corp., where he served as Atlas Program Director and Chief Launch Conductor. During his career, he was honored by the National Space Club with a Lifetime Achievement Award and served as Vice Chairman of the Florida Space Authority and as a member of the Space Advisory Council for Florida’s 8th Congressional district. Prior to his career, Silas earned a Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Outside of his profession, Silas had served on the Brevard County School Board in Florida and was the Florida Education Chairman for the White House Conference on Children & Youth.

“The health of a person is the foundation upon which happiness demands. No deeper tragedy exists than when day- to-day crisis is cast upon our young. Where to go? What to do? I have known these facts within the family. The mission of Attitudes in Reverse^® to aid those who are hurting must continue and it must spread.”

SHAUNA MOSES, YMHFA

Board Member, Communications Director

Shauna Moses has a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from what was at the time called Trenton State College, class of 1991. She is the Vice President, Public Affairs and Member Services of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA), a trade association representing mental healthcare and addiction treatment providers throughout the state in its advocacy for adequate funding, reduced regulatory requirements and other issues that affect members’ ability to deliver their services to everyone in need.  In January 2013, Shauna was elected to serve on the AIR Board of Directors. She writes a variety of materials to promote AIR, its educational program, advocacy and the tremendous impact it has in the lives of youth and young adults with mental health disorders and their families. Shauna also exhibits for AIR at numerous events and helps plan and promote AIR’s annual event, and she is a certified Youth Mental Health First Aider.

 “Once I learned about AIR, I immediately felt a connection and an even stronger passion for helping people receive mental health services. Tricia, Kurt and Katelyn are an inspiring, strong family and I’m honored to work with them on our vital mission.”

Jennifer Walters

Jennifer Walters has been an elementary and middle school counselor with Princeton Public Schools since 2007.  She is currently a counselor at John Witherspoon Middle School in Princeton where she remains with her students as they move through grades 6, 7 and 8.  Jennifer has been appointed to numerous district-level committees that focus on social and emotional learning, positive psychology and equity in education.  At John Witherspoon Middle School, Jennifer also serves as an Anti-Bullying Specialist, 504 plan Coordinator, and School Safety Team member.

In addition to her role as a school counselor, Jennifer has been a Licensed Professional Counselor since 1998.  She has worked in numerous clinical settings both as a practicing mental health counselor and as a supervisor of an outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment center.  Jennifer has extensive training in child and adolescent mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, ADHD, and learning disorders.

Jennifer received a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Temple University in Philadelphia in 1992.  She earned a teaching certificate from Trenton State College in 1998, and most recently obtained her post-master’s supervisor certification in Educational Leadership from Thomas Edison State College in 2012.  She is also an active member of the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) and is an ASCA Bullying Prevention Specialist.

Jennifer was delighted to help bring AIR to John Witherspoon Middle School in March 2017 to educate both staff and students about the importance of mental health and wellness.  Jennifershares AIR’s passion and enthusiasm for saving lives through educating young people about emotional health and wellness, and is honored to be part of AIR’s life-saving mission.

LEE HORNICK

Lee Hornick is the Chief Program Director of Business Communications Worldwide, a business conference and webinar development and sponsorship organization. He has produced worldwide conferences for the Conference Board, IABC, the American Marketing Association, and other organizations that focus on a variety of business issues and trends. Topics include: marketing, branding, corporate communication, change management, employee benefits communication, crisis and issues management, corporate image and reputation, and social media. Lee has worked with companies in every major industry sector, senior communication and marketing executives from Fortune 500 companies, and top business consultants. Lee has also written articles on corporate branding and reputation. He also served as a senior corporate communication executive with the J.C. Penney Company. Lee received the IABC Chairman Award and IABC Research Foundation Friends Award and is an IABC Fellow.

“I am thrilled to volunteer with the wonderful folks at Attitudes In Reverse. My joy is working on the Taste of Hope event with Kurt, Tricia and Dennis. This is a great event to promote the importance of mental health education and suicide prevention,” Lee said.

MICHAEL D. MUMOLA, ESQ.

Mike Mumola, AIR’s 2019 Champion of Hope honoree, is a trial attorney, entrepreneur, business/personal consultant, public speaker and social media influencer helping others in their personal and professional lives. He is also an actor, jiu-jitsu competitor, and fledging Yogi focused on physical, mental and financial health. Mike has built a vast network of high net-worth partners, clients and companies. He has been married to his college sweetheart for 17 years, does not have children and enjoys traveling nationally and internationally, learning and sharing methods for living a more fulfilling way of life.

Mike has served as a partner of the law firm of Kalavruzos Mumola Hartman & Lento in Trenton since 2005. His areas of practice are personal injury, medical malpractice, criminal defense and municipal court. Mike is currently licensed to practice law in the New Jersey State and Federal Courts.

J. ROBERT BRATMAN

J. Robert Bratman is an expert Civil Trial Attorney as certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Mr. Bratman is also a member of the firm’s (Stark & Stark) Accident & Personal Injury practice, where he represents individuals that have been catastrophically injured or killed due to the negligence of others.

Mr. Bratman is a past member of the Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America, George Washington Council, where he served as the chairperson of Sustaining Membership Fund raising. He also founded and ran an Explorers post in law at Stark & Stark.

He is a prior member of the Bill Bradley Young Citizen Awards Committee. He served as board member and secretary of the Chapin School Board of Trustees. He sat on the Tulane University Central New Jersey Admissions Committee.

Mr. Bratman served as a board member of Hope for The Animals, a no-kill, nonprofit dog and cat rescue organization. He currently sits on the advisory board for the Crossings Animal Sanctuary, a non-profit animal protection organization whose goal is to build a no-kill animal sanctuary.

PATRICIA MARIE BETZ

Patricia Betz graduated from Miami University with a microbiology and chemistry pre-vet
degree. She later completed a Masters Degree in Education with an emphasis in math and
science. She is clinical researcher at Merck & Co and is involved with in diabetes and
endocrinology. As an active volunteer, she is very involved with MISE (Merck Interactions
with Science Educators), Adult Literacy Volunteers, Franklin Food Band and Second
Chance for Animals. She has also maintained an active presence in her five children’s
school and sports activities, including Little League and Girl Scouts. Her love of animals
has led to her most recent involvement with the AIR dogs and assisting at the school visits.

“I met Trish through canine training at 20 Paws with my dog Nomie. She acquainted me.
with the work of Attitudes in Reverse, AIR dogs and the army of phenomenal volunteers
supporting their cause. Within a few months, Nomie and I attained certification as therapy
dog and handler. This incredible experience has opened a door for turning a journey of
grief from the loss of my son into becoming an active volunteer supporting this most
important cause. The work of AIR is amazing, and being involved with Trish and other AIR
volunteers has provided an incentive to help others become aware of good mental health
and removing stigmas!”

CRAIG J. HUBERT

Craig J. Hubert, Esq., Partner and Executive Committee member of Szaferman Lakind Blumstein & Blader, P.C., a law firm in Lawrenceville, NJ, received the inaugural Champion of Hope award during AIR’s first Taste of Hope event in October 2016. Hubert heads Szaferman Lakind’s Personal Injury Group. He is a distinguished trial attorney whose practice focuses on complex litigation involving serious accidents, nursing home negligence, product liability and justice for victims of criminal acts. Hubert is a Certified Trial Attorney and Certified Criminal Trial Attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court. He has been named a New Jersey SuperLawyer™ for 10 consecutive years, has been listed among the Best Lawyers® in America every year since 2013 and was named Mercer County Bar Association’s 2016 Professional Lawyer of the Year. Hubert is Past President of the Mercer County Bar Association, current Trustee for the New Jersey State Bar Association and maintains an ongoing active presence in the State and local Bars.