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Staff Type: Executive Board Member

Partner, Bartlit Beck, LLP
Chicago, IL

Rebecca Weinstein Bacon is a nationally recognized trial lawyer with over two decades of experience trying and litigating complex cases for Fortune 500 companies. Her representations span a broad range of matters, including pharmaceutical products liability claims, antitrust cases, consumer class actions, and commercial disputes.  She has served on DBSA’s board since 2021.

Weinstein Bacon graduated from Columbia University School of Law as a Kent and Stone Scholar and earned her BS from UCLA with honors. She lives in Chicago with her husband and three teenagers.

“I’ve seen firsthand—with family members and friends—the real challenges and pain endured by those living and caring for people with mental illness. DBSA is a beacon of light and hope for the people who struggle with their own mental illness and the loved ones who support them. I hope that I can make a difference in furthering DBSA’s mission as science makes strides to provide more options for treatments.”

 Click here to donate in honor of Rebecca.

Rachel is a trial lawyer who specializes in commercial litigation. Rachel recently returned to the practice of law after taking a year off to travel and write a satirical spy novel. Prior to her time off, Rachel was deeply involved in Colorado’s vibrant arts scene. She is a graduate of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts Leadership Training Program and served on the young professionals’ board of the Colorado Symphony.

Rachel is a graduate of the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where she was a member of the English Honors Program. Before transferring to the University of Texas, Rachel was a Peabody Scholar at Vanderbilt University.

In her free time, Rachel enjoys going to the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, brunch with her friends, and reading military history.

“Mood disorders can have a tremendous impact on individuals, but with diagnosis, treatment, and strong support such as the education and communities DBSA champions, people who live with mood disorders can lead full, joyful lives. DBSA has a long history of creating meaningful change for people who suffer from mental illness, and I am excited to be a part of that work.”

System Analyst
Humana
Louisville, KY

Michael Kuhl has been involved with DBSA for more than 20 years, having served on the board in the past and currently leading the DBSA Louisville Chapter.

“I think DBSA has the opportunity to make the peer support specialist role a respected and valued professional on medical teams. This, along with the staff’s hard work can make DBSA the top mental health non-profit in the country.”

Click here to donate in honor of Mike.

Managing Director, Infrastructure Investments, Nuveen a TIAA Company
New York, NY

Isela Bahena leads infrastructure investment origination and structuring across renewables, digital, transportation, and energy transition assets for Nuveen Infrastructure. She joined Nuveen in 2004 and has over 20 years of investment and portfolio management experience across a variety of sectors and asset classes. Today, serves on the board of multiple portfolio companies in Europe and North America. Isela graduated with a B.S. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a
M.B.A. from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.

“I’m excited to be able to contribute to an organization providing services and support to too often taboo topics that leave those impacted by them and their loved ones feeling isolated.”

Click here to donate in honor of Isela.

Development Director
CHADS Coalition for Mental Health
St. Louis, MO

 

Christy Beckmann has been a longtime supporter of DBSA, having first served on the board in 2007. Beckmann has served as a senior communications and public affairs executive for corporations including Abbott Laboratories and for nonprofits such as the United Way of Greater St. Louis. She has recently worked as the development officer for a number of mental health and arts organizations. Christy has served on the board of twelve nonprofits organizations, and been the chair of four. Her commitment to mental health began when her late daughter was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Consultant, Department of Psychiatry & Psychology
Stephen & Shelly Jackson Family Professorship in Individualized Medicine
Mayo Clinic
President, National Network of Depression Centers
Rochester, MN

Dr. Frye is a Consultant in the Department of Psychiatry & Psychology at Mayo Clinic. He is the past Chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Psychology (2010-2020) and is recognized with the distinction of the Stephen and Shelley Jackson Family Professorship in Individualized Medicine.

Born and raised in Rochester, Dr. Frye received his M.D. from the University of Minnesota and completed his psychiatric training at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He subsequently completed a fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda, Maryland with a research focus on the neurobiology of treatment resistant depression and bipolar disorder.

Dr. Frye and his team established the Mayo Clinic Individualized Medicine Biobank for Bipolar Disorder to identify the underpinning mechanisms of bipolar disorder through genomic studies. An active clinical investigator, he has received research support from NIMH, NIAAA, Mayo Foundation, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, and industry partners, and has published more than 425 peer-reviewed papers. He has received numerous awards including the American College of Psychiatry Mood Disorders Research Award (2018), Gerald Klerman Senior and Young Investigator Awards from the Depression Bipolar Alliance (2014, 2003), the  International Society for Bipolar Disorder Robert Post MD Mentoring Award (2022) and Mogens Schou Education Award (2011),  2 Mayo Clinic Rome Mentorship Awards (2011, 2012), and  3 UCLA departmental medical student and resident teaching awards (1994, 2003, 2005). In addition to this work with the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance, he is  the Scientific Co-Director for the Integrated Network for BD2 (Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder), a new non-profit foundation that is dedicated to funding research, specifically, into bipolar disorder.

Click here to donate in honor of Mark.

Partner, A.T. Kearney, Inc
Los Angeles, CA

John Kurtz’s career in management consulting has unfolded over 30 years across several continents. He is a Partner at A.T. Kearney, Inc and served as Kearney’s head of Asia Pacific for ten years. He also served on its Board and as head of its Compensation Committee. John is known for his deep client relationships around the world and has a particular passion for advising family-owned companies.

Alongside Board service with leading US and international institutions at the secondary and university level, John has served as a Board advisor to USINDO, the leading business organization supporting and enhancing US-Indonesian relations.

Currently based outside of Los Angeles, John has an MBA in Finance and Organization Behavior from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

“My dedication to advocacy for mental health and my path to serving on DBSA’s Board is due to family experience with the deep challenges of bipolar disorder. DBSA serves a vital need in providing unmatched levels of support for those with mood disorders as well as their families and partners. I embrace DBSA’s goal of reaching everyone they can to help those who are challenged every day by bipolar disorder and depression.”

Click here to donate in honor of John.

General Counsel of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck LLP
Chicago, IL

Bridget provides legal counsel to the firm’s executive management team, oversees the firm’s legal operations, receivables, and client intake. Bridget also serves as the firm’s Ethics and Professionalism Officer.

She works closely with the Chief Operating Officer and executive committee to ensure the firm’s legal policies are in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Bridget handles internal legal matters and filings on behalf of Schiller DuCanto & Fleck, including post judgment enforcement proceedings, claims in bankruptcy, and probate matters. Prior to her role as General Counsel to the firm, Bridget served as the firm’s Staff Attorney.

Bridget previously worked for a full service creditors rights and debt collection law firm in Chicago where she spent the vast majority of her time litigating on behalf of financial institutions, including both consumer and commercial collections and post judgment proceedings. Bridget also has experience working as in-house counsel for a large credit union where she developed compliance policies and procedures for its legal department and managed the credit union’s litigation cases.

Bridget earned her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 2013 and received her B.B.A. from Western Michigan University in 2010. Outside of the office, she enjoys participating in competitive ping pong, traveling and cooking.

“I joined the DBSA community because I feel everyone should have access to free, local peer support when struggling with mood disorders. I am passionate about expanding DBSA’s reach and helping as many people as possible find the support they need.”

Click here to donate in honor of Bridget.