Evan is joined by Lucas Wolfe and Scott Prendergast as they talk about mental health among males. Evan is also joined by special guest narrator Eric Katz, owner of Katz Dogs K9.
Scott Prendergast is a graduate of Temple University with a B.A in Public Relations, specializing in Public Speaking. Scott has worked in sales and marketing for the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia 76ers prior to joining the Minding Your Mind team as a speaker. He uses his experience in the business world to communicate with administrators and school districts across the country about educating youth in mental health and wellness. As Outreach Coordinator, Scott uses his passion for mental health advocacy to connect with new organizations and share information on the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding mental health. Contact Scott at scott@mindingyourmind.org.
Lucas Wolfe , author of My Perfect Life has been writing and speaking publicly as a mental health advocate for over three years now. As someone with a great life, he had no idea depression could affect him and mistook the early warning signs as a moral failing on his part. Many young people today make the same mistakes. This is why Lucas became a speaker for Minding Your Mind, an organization dedicated to preventing mental health crises, where he has shared his personal story of inspiration and hope.
Over the past few years, Lucas has spoken to tens of thousands of people about his struggle with depression and suicide, and how he ultimately found purpose through his pain. He has been featured in articles with CNN affiliates, and on the blog Beyond the Interview. He has also written articles for The Mighty, an online community where people seek support and solidarity for the mental health issues they face. Lucas currently lives in New Jersey with his fiancé, Erica.
Eric Katz explains there were only two things in life his mother said he could never have, a motorcycle and a dog…
Well, fast forward years later and here he is with his right-hand man, or dog, Rico, running his own business. People thought he was crazy for raising a dog during college, some of the most important years of Eric’s life, but he knew it was the right decision and pushed through. His passion for dogs started as a hobby, but his entrepreneurial spirit moved me to turn it into a business. Along with his business classes, he enrolled in three service dog classes over two years and spent summers being trained by his mentor, Joe Moldovan, who has almost 50 years of experience working with dogs. With him, Eric learned how to train all types of dogs, from pet dogs to working dogs.
He has always wanted to give back in life and make an impact in this world, and now he is finally able to do that by bridging the gap between humans and dogs. Eric truly believe that any dog can learn to be a great member of the family with enough guidance and leadership. He looks forward to helping you and your dogs!