Top 10 Mental Health Keynote Speakers for Colleges and Universities in 2026
31 Aug 2026
Why Mental Health Keynote Speakers Matter on College Campuses
Mental health has become one of the most important issues shaping the college experience. Students are navigating academic pressure, burnout, anxiety, grief, identity, recovery and the challenge of building healthy relationships while adapting to constant change. The right mental health keynote speaker can help a campus open meaningful conversations, reduce stigma and give students practical ways to think about well-being.
The strongest college mental health speakers do not all approach the topic the same way. Some draw from lived experience, while others bring neuroscience, elite athletics, humor, recovery or expertise in neuroinclusion. The 10 speakers below offer distinct perspectives that can support student wellness initiatives, leadership programs, campus-wide conversations and other signature college and university events.
Who are the top mental health keynote speakers for colleges and universities?
Chamique Holdsclaw: Mental Wellness, Breaking Stigma & Resilience
Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, Olympic gold medalist and WNBA icon Chamique Holdsclaw pairs elite athletic achievement with a deeply personal mental health story. After privately navigating severe depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, she chose to speak openly about treatment, recovery and the strength required to ask for help. For colleges and universities, Chamique brings a powerful message about breaking stigma, prioritizing wellness and recognizing that outward success does not make anyone immune from mental health challenges.
Tara Schuster: Self-Care, Anxiety & Building Healthier Habits
Tara Schuster is a bestselling author and former Comedy Central executive who transformed her own experience with anxiety and depression into practical tools for self-care. Her books and speaking programs combine humor with accessible strategies that help audiences strengthen mental health without abandoning ambition or professional goals. On campus, Tara can help students think differently about inner criticism, self-esteem and the everyday habits that support a healthier life.
Mike Veny: Mental Health, Emotional Wellness & Belonging
Mike Veny is a globally recognized mental health speaker and Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist® known for combining lived experience, storytelling and rhythm. His work explores mental health alongside professional development and inclusive excellence, helping audiences move from awareness toward practical action. For college communities, Mike creates approachable conversations around stigma, resilience, burnout and emotional wellness while giving participants tools they can use beyond the event.
Aly Raisman: Mental Health, Self-Care & Finding Your Voice
Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman has used her platform beyond gymnastics to normalize conversations around mental health, positive body image and self-care. A two-time New York Times bestselling author and leading advocate for survivors, she also speaks about boundaries, personal agency and the courage to use your voice when something needs to change. Her message resonates with college students navigating pressure, expectations and the process of learning how to advocate for themselves.
Dr. Nii Addy: Neuroscience, Resilience & Student Mental Health
Dr. Nii Addy is a Yale neuroscientist, professor and mental health advocate whose work connects brain science with the realities of stress, anxiety, depression and addiction. Through his research, speaking and Addy Hour conversations, he makes complex neuroscience accessible while exploring how community, culture and personal habits influence well-being. For colleges and universities, Dr. Addy can address both student mental health and the broader campus systems that help people feel supported.
Nora McInerny: Grief, Loss & Emotional Honesty
Nora McInerny is a bestselling author and podcast host known for creating space around subjects people often avoid, including grief, illness, trauma and mental health. Drawing on profound personal loss and years of conversations with people navigating difficult experiences, she uses humor and candor to show that pain does not need to be hidden or neatly resolved. Her college programs help students and campus communities talk more honestly about grief, resilience and what it means to move forward without pretending everything is fine.
Matt Kovatchis: Self-Compassion, Burnout & Sustainable Success
Matt Kovatchis is a mental health and self-compassion keynote speaker who helps students step out of chronic stress and the pressure to constantly perform. Drawing on his own experience with burnout and emotional exhaustion, he uses research-backed strategies to address perfectionism, the inner critic and the belief that self-criticism is necessary for achievement. His college keynotes give students practical tools for mindfulness, resilience and sustainable success while reinforcing that self-compassion does not require lowering their standards.
Kevin Kreider: Recovery, Mental Health & Rebuilding Your Life
Actor, entrepreneur and mental health advocate Kevin Kreider is known to many audiences from Netflix’s Bling Empire and Peacock’s The Traitors. Behind his entertainment career is a story of adversity, depression, anxiety, substance use, financial struggle and eventually sobriety, giving him a candid perspective on what it takes to rebuild a life after hitting a low point. For college students, Kevin offers an accessible message about recovery, asking for help and creating a new direction when the life you were living no longer works.
Pasha Marlowe: Neuroinclusion, Mental Health & Campus Belonging
Pasha Marlowe is a global neuroinclusion and mental health expert with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations and institutions support neurodiverse communities. Her work encourages campuses to move beyond reactive accommodations by proactively designing environments, communication practices and policies that better support a diversity of minds. For colleges and universities, Pasha connects mental health with neuroinclusion in a way that can engage students, faculty, staff and campus leaders.
Matthew Emerzian: Mattering, Purpose & Mental Well-Being
Matthew Emerzian is a four-time bestselling author and founder of Every Monday Matters whose work centers on a simple but powerful idea: people need to know that they matter. After a successful career in the music industry was interrupted by a severe panic attack, chronic anxiety and depression, he began rethinking success, purpose and the role of human connection in mental well-being. His Mattering Mindset™ gives college audiences a framework for recognizing personal value, strengthening connection and creating communities where more people feel seen.
How Do You Choose the Right Mental Health Speaker for Your College or University?
The best speaker depends on the conversation your campus wants to create. A program focused on stigma and help-seeking may call for a different voice than one centered on grief, burnout, recovery, neuroscience or neuroinclusion. It is also important to consider whether the event is primarily for students or whether faculty, staff and other members of the campus community should be part of the conversation.
For more than 60 years, APB has worked with colleges and universities to identify keynote speakers who align with an institution’s goals, audience and budget. Mental health programming can support student success, campus wellness initiatives and broader efforts to build communities where people feel better equipped to seek support and care for one another.
Explore more mental health keynote speakers at APB or contact the APB Higher Education team to discuss the right fit for your campus.
Related Resources
Looking for more keynote speaker recommendations for your campus? Explore these additional APB Higher Education resources:
Drew Sullivan is a leader in the speaking industry, talent advisor, and strategist with nearly 15 years of experience helping speakers, colleges, universities, and organizations create meaningful connections through ideas. As Senior Vice President at APB Speakers, he works with authors, academics, journalists, entertainers, athletes, and thought leaders to grow their platforms and navigate an ever-evolving industry. Having spent nearly his entire career serving higher education, Drew is passionate about the power of campuses to spark curiosity, challenge assumptions, and change lives. His perspective is shaped not only by his professional experience but also by a personal journey of recovery that continues to influence his approach to leadership, relationships, and service.