A multi-dimensional approach to survivorship requires a multi-dimensional team!
Our team
ADVOCATE, SURVIVORSHIP COACH, SPEAKER, LAC-PRESIDENT & FOUNDER
Vanessa Walker, CPC, MPH Candidate UNC, LAC Founder
Vanessa Joy Walker is a Health Consumer Advocate, Survivorship Coach, and founder of Living After Crisis Inc. With over 15 years of dedicated experience in healthcare, impact storytelling, advocacy, and operations, Vanessa brings a wealth of expertise to her mission.
Vanessa knows the power of community and support for anyone facing the journey of survivorship. Her lived experience expertise includes abandonment, adoption, multiple cancers, infertility, early onset menopause, anxiety, and depression conditions.
Currently pursuing an MPH at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, Vanessa collaborates with esteemed organizations to harness her deep knowledge in managing adversity and the power of personal stories to drive meaningful change.
Her insights on perseverance, patient engagement, social equity, and joy have been featured in prominent outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The American Cancer Society, K-Love Radio, Psych Congress, and Menopause Today.
Dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Vanessa partners with transformative educational firms like The 2043 Project and Point Made Learning, shaping her contributions through a compassionate lens.
As a published author, sought-after patient advisor, consultant, and coach, Vanessa infuses authenticity and captivating storytelling into every aspect of her work. From conference rooms to virtual platforms, she fosters empathetic connections through engaging presentations that explore communication's power to ignite change.
Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn for insights and inspiration.
For collaborations and inquiries, email vjw@vanessajoywalker.com, and join her in creating a world where health and well-being are human rights.
FILM-MAKER, PHILANTHROPIST, LAC-BOARD MEMBER
Barb Lee
Barb Lee is the founder and president of Point Made Films, a documentary film company focusing on American identity, and Point Made Learning, a consulting company providing organizations with creative, story-based education regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion issues.
Barb has dual degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she has volunteered in numerous leadership roles, including Chair of the UNC Board of Visitors, Vice-Chair of the UNC Performing Arts Board of Advisors, Chair of ACRED (Alumni Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity) and as a member of UNC’s Hussman School of Media and Journalism’s Board of Visitors. She is the 2015 recipient of UNC’s Alumni Diversity Award, the university’s highest honor for work in racial justice. She was also the 2016 commencement speaker for the UNC School of Media and Journalism. She served on the foundation board for The John Jay School of Justice from 2018-2021 and is on the board of The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University.
PSYCHIATRIST, AUTHOR, INTEGRATIVE & ADDICTION MEDICINE SPECIALIST, LAC-ADVISOR
Dr. Arwen Podesta, MD
Practicing in New Orleans, Arwen Podesta, MD, is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with sub-specializations in addiction medicine, forensic psychiatry, and integrative medicine. She opened Podesta Psychiatry LLC in 2012 with a team of top providers- a multidisciplinary collaborative model with nutrition, psychotherapy, acupuncture, and psychiatry. Dr. Podesta’s primary focus is access to integrative mental health and addiction treatment, with a whole health focus for all. She teaches (Tulane and LSU), consults for courts (civil, Re-entry, Drug), is a board member of the Alliance for Benzodiazepine Best Practices (www.benzoreform.org), is chief medical officer of the newly opened NOLA Detox, Medical Director of Lake Wellness IOPs, and recently released her book, HOOKED. She is the immediate past president of the Louisiana chapter of the American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and currently serves on national committees. She consults with the Louisiana governor’s HOPE committee and is a member of Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Opioid Abatement Taskforce. She was recently honored as a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the American Society of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Podesta regularly travels to teach and speak on Addiction Medicine and Integrative Psychiatry.
SURGEON, PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT, AUTHOR, CEO & LAC-ADVISOR
Rachel B Wellner, MD MPH FACS
Dr. Rachel Wellner is a Board-Certified general surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In addition to her MD and medical and surgical training at Dartmouth, Connecticut College, and The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Dr. Wellner earned a Masters in Public Health from Columbia University, reflecting her interest in global health. Dr. Wellner has worked to establish clinical rotations in underserved regions of Nicaragua, Guatemala, India, and The Dominican Republic. Most recently, she founded the biotech start-up Caelum Diagnostic Solutions, Inc. She has been featured as a guest expert on several local and national news networks, including WPLX 11, Fox and Friends, and CNN.
DEIA PRACTITIONER, LAC-BOARD MEMBER
Lenny Walker, BS, DEIA Certified Facilitator
As a managing member of Point Made Learning, Lenny is a highly-requested facilitator and trainer who manages every detail of programming and engagement for the company. As a master facilitator, Lenny has led hundreds of workshops nationwide. His ability to call people in instead of calling them out makes him an outstanding trainer. Lenny received a B.S. from Trevecca Nazarene University and his DEIA Certifications from Cornell University.
PROFESSOR, FILM-MAKER, LAC-ADVISOR
Keisha Thompson, PhD
Dr. Keisha V. Thompson is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York. A Native of Trinidad & Tobago, Dr. Keisha grew up in Brooklyn, NY. As a first-generation immigrant and college graduate, it is important to Dr. Thompson that her work addresses issues of cultural diversity. Her clinical experience includes college counseling, community mental health, the federal prison system, VA medical center, and various K-12 school settings. Her professional interests include diversity issues in higher education, themes of psychosocial development, and mental health in Black youth and women. There All Along: The Women of Trinidad & Tobago 1970 Black Power is her first film project.
Dr. Keisha also hosts two podcasts: “Misadventures of an Inspired Woman,” which highlights personal goals and achievements in women, and “Black and Saved,” which aims to foster community at the intersection of Blackness and Christianity.
In her spare time, Dr. Keisha enjoys singing and convening spaces where women can encourage, share ideas, and build community.