The 2026 Mental Health KC Conference is proud to welcome two extraordinary keynote speakers whose work and lives reflect the heart of this year’s theme: Hope, Healing, and the Human Experience. From the science of human goodness to the courage of personal vulnerability, these voices will set the tone for two days of learning, connection, and community.
Thursday, May 28 – Dr. Jamil Zaki: The Science of Hope and Human Goodness
What if cynicism isn’t realism — it’s just a habit we can break?
That’s the challenge Dr. Jamil Zaki brings to the Mental Health KC 2026 Conference. A psychologist at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, Dr. Zaki has spent his career studying one of the most fundamental and most misunderstood aspects of being human: our capacity for empathy.
In his keynote, Dr. Zaki draws from his book Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness to explore what the research actually tells us about connection, compassion, and optimism. At a time when it’s easy to assume the worst about people and the world, Dr. Zaki offers something more powerful than reassurance – he offers evidence. Science-backed, rigorously researched, and deeply human, his message is that hope isn’t naïve. It’s a basic necessity.
Friday, May 29 – Krizz Kaliko: Vulnerability, Resilience, and Honest Conversations
Kansas City knows Krizz Kaliko as an artist, but he’s also a mental health advocate.
One of KC’s most recognized musical voices, Krizz Kaliko has built a career on authenticity and that same honesty extends to his personal mental health journey. In his keynote, Krizz will speak candidly about navigating mental health challenges while living life in the public eye: the weight of visibility, the work of healing, and why vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s the beginning of resilience.
His keynote is a reminder that mental health doesn’t look one way, and that the most powerful conversations often start when someone is brave enough to go first.
Join Us: Mental Health KC Conference 2026
May 28–29 | Johnson County Community College | Overland Park, KS
Whether you’re a mental health professional, a community leader, an educator, or simply someone who believes this work matters, these keynotes are just the beginning. Conference attendees will also choose from 70+ breakout sessions covering depression and anxiety, trauma-informed care, substance use, neurodiversity, peer support, resiliency, workplace mental health, youth mental health, and more.
Early bird registration is just $60 through May 10 — after that, registration is $80.
