Keynote Speakers
A page within Adolescent Health Symposium
Keynote Presenters
Thursday, February 12, 2026
Peter Gray, Ph.D.
Peter Gray, Ph.D.Peter Gray is a research professor of psychology and neuroscience at Boston College who has conducted and published research in behavioral biology, developmental psychology, anthropology, and education. He is author of an internationally acclaimed introductory psychology textbook (Psychology, Worth Publishers, editions 1-6), which views all of psychology from an evolutionary perspective. Much of his research focuses on the role of play in human evolution and how children educate themselves through play and exploration, when they are free to do so. He has expanded on these ideas in his book, Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, and Better Students for Life (Basic Books), which has been translated into 18 languages. He also author a blog called Freedom to Learn, for Psychology Today magazine and a Substack series entitled Play Makes Us Human. He is one of the founders of the nonprofit Let Grow, the mission of which is to renew children’s freedom to play and explore independently of adult control. You can follow him on Facebook and find many of his published articles on his website .
Ryan McKelley, Ph.D., LP, HSP
Ryan A. Mckelley, Ph.D., LP, HSPRyan A. McKelley, Ph.D. is a Licensed Psychologist, Professor of Clinical/Counseling Psychology, Interim Program Director for the School Psychology Graduate Training Program, and Program Coordinator for the Neuroscience Interdisciplinary Minor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He earned a B.S. in Organizational Communication from Northwestern University, and a M.A. in Educational Psychology and Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from the University of Texas at Austin. He regularly teaches courses on health psychology, behavior modification, abnormal psychology, group counseling, and men and masculinities. He has taught summer sessions abroad in England, Ireland, Spain, China, Costa Rica, & Thailand. He previously served as the Chair and Associate Chair of the Psychology Department.
Dr. McKelley has co-authored over 20 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, mostly in the area of men and masculinities. Specific research and presentation topics include men’s emotions, help-seeking, alternative treatment models, non-traditional work and family roles, fatherhood, men and depression, marketing mental health, and the placebo effect in biofeedback.
In addition to his teaching and research, Dr. McKelley has provided clinical services in a community mental health center, three university counseling centers, and a pain clinic. He currently provides contract clinical services in individual and group therapy, and clinical supervision. He’s been a weekly discussant on the internet radio show and iTunes podcast The Secret Lives of Men, and is Past-President of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinities, a division of the American Psychological Association.
Dr. McKelley has been interviewed extensively in the area of men’s mental health and changing gender roles. In the last few years, he has been quoted in outlets including the New York Times, USA Today, ABC News, Upworthy, Vox Media, documentaries, and local papers in U.S. and abroad. He has also appeared on several radio stations such as National Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ABC Radio News, has a TEDx talk on social connection and masculinity, interview on masculinity and culture on the Here We Are science podcast, La Crosse Thinkers podcast, the ManKind Project, Men's Therapy Online, and teach-in presentations on rape culture and toxic masculinity.
Friday, February 13, 2026
Invited: Paula Walker-King, M.D., M.P.H., M.P.A., MCHES
Paula D. Walker-King, M.D.Dr. Paula D. Walker-King (aka Dr. Paula) is a physician, award-winning educator, author and Harvard-trained leader in health policy.
Dr. Paula earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Wayne State University, and completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at St. John Hospital and Medical Center.
Dr. Paula earned her Master of Public Health degree from Emory University and her Bachelor of Science degree from Howard University.
In 2023, Dr. Paula graduated from Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government with a Master in Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree. In addition to her M.P.A. degree, while at Harvard Kennedy School, Dr. Paula also earned the highly esteemed certificate in Management, Leadership and Decision Sciences.
Dr. Paula is board-certified in Public Health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners and is nationally accredited as a Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) with the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC).
Dr. Paula is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She is passionate about health promotion and using evidence-based methods to prevent disease and to stay healthy naturally.
Dr. Paula has presented extensively on prevention science.
She is currently serving in the federal government at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve U.S. healthcare efficiency by rooting out fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare, Medicaid and the Marketplace exchanges.