Presenters

Katrina Walier Why kids are the funniest philosophers you’ll ever meet

Katrina Walier is a senior at the University of Rhode Island pursuing a B.A. in Psychology and a B.S. in Human Development and Family Science with a concentration in Counseling and Social Services, along with a minor in Philosophy. She is deeply committed to supporting children and adolescents, especially those impacted by trauma and those from marginalized communities.Her dedication has been strengthened through rigorous coursework, contributions to two research labs, and participation in conferences and presentations. She is currently in the process of publishing work focused on intergenerational mental health risk among child-welfare-involved families.

Beyond research, Katrina works at the URI Child Development Center, where she applies her passion in hands-on fieldwork with young children and their families. Katrina plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and aspires to become a psychologist and therapist specializing in child and adolescent mental health—continuing her commitment to advocacy, healing, and equitable access to care.

Regina Bartlett When laughing at yourself goes too far

Regina Bartlett is the author of the book Food, Sweat, & Fears about losing 250lbs with RNY Gastric Bypass and a lot of faith going on to live her dream of running the NYC Marathon. She’s a blogger and speaker from the gorgeous Rhode Island coastline where she spends her days with her amazing husband Jeff. They filled their empty nest from their combined family of six adult children with two very tiny, adorable Chihuahuas named Sid Vicious and Starling Estrella Betances.

Shana Francesca The risk of missing Mozart: Why we need neurodivergent minds

Shana Francesca is a speaker, founder of Concinnate LLC, and a consultant who transforms her experience as a cult survivor into a powerful framework for ethical leadership. Having walked away from an unhealthy home life and a high control religious organization at twenty six and rebuilt her life from the ground up, she now challenges leaders to view their organizations not as machines, but as living ecosystems that require curiosity, respect, and radical accountability to thrive. Featured on over 135 podcasts and in many publications including Thrive Global and Medium’s Authority Magazine, Shana’s work proves that when we honor every voice within the community, we don’t just build healthier cultures, we ignite innovation and drive sustainable success.

Rachel DiCioccio What doesn’t kill you might make you laugh

Co-presenting with Brian Quilliam

Dr. Rachel L. DiCioccio is a Professor of Communication and the Director of the Office of Innovation in General Education at URI. Her research utilizes a social psychological perspective to examine interactive aggression processes. Working to better understand interpersonal relationships, her research explores how and why people use humor and teasing communication and the ways in which these communication tools impact our sense of self and our relationship satisfaction. She has published a number of book chapters on the topic of humor as a means of building resilience and coping with death and dying and edited the book, Humor Communication: Theory, Impact, and Outcomes. Dr. DiCioccio enjoys teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on humor, conflict management, and family communication and loves introducing her students to the critical communication skills necessary for building healthy relationships.

Brian Quilliam What doesn’t kill you might make you laugh

Co-presenting with Rachel DiCioccio

Dr. Brian Quilliam is a professor at University of Rhode Island (URI) in the College of Pharmacy. As an epidemiologist and pharmacist, his research focuses on improving the safety of medications in vulnerable populations, particularly older adults. He has a long-standing interest in using humor as a powerful form of communication in public health and by healthcare practitioners and has occasionally woven humor into healthcare interventions. In the fall of 2015, he co-coordinated the URI Honors Colloquium, The Power of Humor, which explored the use of humor across many topics including medicine, politics, science, law, and disability, amongst others.

Since the fall of 2015, he regularly co-teaches a course in the URI Honors Program on Humor Communication. Recently, Dr. Quilliam co-authored a book chapter on how patients, caregivers and healthcare practitioners use humor to confront, cope with, and build resiliency related to death and dying. He uses teaching and seminars to connect others to humor as a powerful tool to develop resiliency while avoiding some of the challenges and pitfalls that using humor can bring. Dr. Quilliam uses humor in both his personal and professional lives to connect with family, friends, patients, coworkers, and students.

Tara Brown The Laughter Assignment: What purple lipstick taught me about owning my voice

Tara Brown didn’t wait for permission to reinvent herself. At 45, she stepped onto a comedy stage for the first time—a bold move that would ultimately transform her into a headlining comedian performing across the country and beyond and living proof that audacious dreams have no expiration date. Today, Tara is an award-winning comedian, inspirational speaker and corporate emcee whose clean, family-friendly humor bridges generations and backgrounds. She is the winner of the Jeanne Robertson “Comedy with Class” Humor Competition and was recognized by the Carolinas Chapter of the National Speakers Association with the Jeanne Robertson Award of Excellence. She was also named “Best Comedian” in 2019 by Queen City Nerve.

Her work has been featured on Dry Bar Comedy, KLOVE On Demand, “Stand Up Nashville,” and on Nateland, while her performances on Carnival and Norwegian Cruise Lines bring joy to audiences worldwide. From major corporations like Blue Shield of California and Belk to faith-based organizations and nonprofits, Tara’s sharp observations resonate universally. A Brooklyn native who has called Charlotte and Nashville home, Tara weaves New York grit with Southern warmth, reminding us that laughter connects us all—and it’s never too late to begin.

Dawn Mattera Corsi When was the last time you did something N.E.W.?

For over twenty-five years, Dawn Mattera Corsi has helped people over 40 create a life of purpose, passion, confidence, and connection. A former engineer (and URI graduate), Dawn is also a best-selling author, an award-winning speaker, and a certified coach. Her communication style offers proven techniques, heartfelt empathy, and a dash of tough love. With the mindset of “it’s never too late”, Dawn has a three-part approach to design an inspiring second act:

• LEAD—going from burnout to breakthrough in your career
• LIVE—designing your best life with her signature DOLCE Vita Effect
• LEGACY—Dawn’s passion project of connecting to your heritage

In addition to her standalone books, Dawn has co-authored best-sellers with legends such as Jack Canfield and Lisa Nichols. She has spoken for the American Cancer Society, Hallmark, the March of Dimes, WeightWatchers, and a defense industry contractor. A regular guest on CBS and Fox News, she has been featured in numerous media outlets. Dawn and her husband, Bob, have participated in Astronaut For A Day at NASA, taken gladiator lessons in Rome, and driven vintage Vespas in Tuscany. Her research for the best gelato continues.

Jess Stratton Humanizing history, one mysterious book at a time

Jess Stratton (Nerd Girl Jess) is a technology coach, trainer and productivity expert specializing in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 (PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Word, Teams and Copilot). As a former Senior Staff Instructor with LinkedIn Learning, her courses have even been featured on several in-flight entertainment systems. You can find her at nerdgirljess.com or listen to some of her podcast episodes titled Nerd Girl Jess Untangles Tech, where she breaks down technology for end users. She’s currently working on a second edition of her book Copilot for Microsoft 365: Harness the Power of Generative AI in the Microsoft Apps You Use Everyday. Outside of work, Jess is a singer and keyboard player in multiple bands and a high-performance driving enthusiast, advocating for teen driver education and safety.

Spencer Reece Hark: How laughter saved a church

Father Spencer Reece of St. Paul’s Wickford, RI, graduated from Wesleyan where he studied with Annie Dillard. Reece went on to York University in the UK and Harvard Divinity. He then worked for Brooks Brothers for 12 years. A Guggenheim Fellow, long-list nominee for the National Book Award, Reece’s first manuscript, The Clerk’s Tale, was selected for the Bakeless Prize by Nobel Laureate Louise Glück. James Franco made a film from the title poem. Reece returned to seminary at Yale, in mid-life and was ordained in Madrid, Spain, in 2011. He was awarded a Fulbright to teach poetry at Our Little Roses in San Pedro, Honduras, where he lived and worked with the girls at the orphanage. The work was made into an award-winning film, Voices Beyond the Wall: 12 Love Poems from the Murder Capital of the World. He moved to Madrid and assisted the Episcopal Bishop of Spain for a decade. His third book of poems Acts was published in May of 2024. In 2025, he was awarded the John Updike Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters for “profound elegance” of the body of his work. His collected poems is forthcoming.