Advance Your Campus Mental Health Tech Strategy

Chris Dawe

University of Houston

For more than 30 years, Chris’ experience includes working in both Canada and the U.S. with a focus on a systems and settings-based approach to creating wellbeing. Now at his fourth campus, he serves as the Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellbeing at the University of Houston where he has increased investment in mental health resources both in person as well as utilizing technology.

Michelle Laabs, MSN, FNP-C

Concordia University Irvine

Michelle is the Associate Dean of Student Wellness at Concordia University Irvine, where she leads a broad portfolio of wellness initiatives encompassing mental health services, health education, crisis response, and care coordination. With nearly two decades of progressive leadership in higher education, Michelle is dedicated to building inclusive, student-centered systems that promote well-being, resilience, and academic achievement.

A board-certified nurse practitioner, Michelle brings a unique blend of clinical expertise and a public health perspective to her work in higher education. She holds a Master of Science in Nursing from California State University Fullerton and earned her Nurse Practitioner Certificate from the University of California Irvine School of Medicine. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the Royal and Pontifical University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines.

Michelle served as Region VI Representative (2023–2025) on the American College Health Association (ACHA) Board of Directors, and has long been an active leader within the Pacific Coast College Health Association (PCCHA), where she served as Immediate Past President (2020–2022), President (2019), and held multiple officer and conference leadership roles since 2010.

As a proud first-generation college graduate and immigrant, Michelle is especially passionate about fostering access, equity, and culturally responsive care in campus health. She is also committed to mentoring future healthcare leaders and driving broader institutional improvements that support the evolving needs of today’s students.

Ryan Patel, DO, FAPA

The Ohio State University

Dr. Patel is a Board Member of the American College Health Association for the 2023-2025 term and has held various leadership positions, including chair, and current chair-elect of the ACHA Mental Health Section. He also created and leads the inaugural ACHA Mental Health Technology Symposium workgroup. Dr. Patel is board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. He is the author of the book “Mental health for college students”, and emotionalfitness.blog.

His expertise extends to numerous clinical research projects, committees, programs, media appearances, and legislative initiatives related to college mental health. With over a decade of experience working with college students and young professionals, Dr. Patel employs a personalized approach that integrates lifestyle strategies, medication, and counseling to promote mental well-being. He aims to help people flourish to the best of their abilities.
His workshop program on nutrition, sleep, and exercise strategies for mental health is highly regarded at OSU.

Dr. Patel is a renowned speaker and consultant specializing in young and emerging adults using technology and AI for mental health, and mental health promoting strategies for public and private sector, with a focus on corporations, universities, schools, non-profits, and professional organizations.

Michele Richardson, MDiv, ThM, MBA, CSAEd, SHRM-CP

Bowie State University

Michele F. Richardson, MDiv, ThM, MBA, CSAEd, SHRM-CP, is a career administrator who is passionate about holistic human and student development. With more than 15 years in higher education, Michele currently serves as Director of Wellness and the Henry Wise Wellness Center at Bowie (pronounced boo-wee) State University in Maryland.

Michele is a clinically-trained Chaplain who is committed to guiding others toward better relationships and better lives, in general. She has spent most of her adult life devising and writing about strategies and techniques in personal development, healing, and transformation, emphasizing a holistic and integrated view of the spirit, soul, and body. She draws on her miraculous healing from cancer to share personal experiences and author writings that focus on helping readers in their everyday lives.

As a professional, Michele is also dedicated to servant leadership at the institutional, local, regional and national levels. Since becoming a member of ACHA, Michele has served ACHA as an active member of several committees and coalitions, including in leadership as Ethics Committee Chair. Michele currently serves on the ACHA Board of Directors as the Region IV Representative.

Dana Tasson, MD

Portland State University

Dana Tasson is a board-certified psychiatrist and has worked in the field of college health and wellbeing for 27 years. He currently serves as the AVP for Student Health and Wellbeing at Portland State University where he oversees Student Health and Counseling, Campus Recreation, Confidential Advocacy, and campus-wide health initiatives. He is a past president of the American College Health Association and an ACHA Fellow.