This in-person inclusive leadership session provides attendees with leadership development, strength-based assessment activities, and experiential learning opportunities to enhance inclusion efforts within sleep research and application. Attendees will participate in individual reflection activities and case study exercises and be introduced to inclusive leadership as a best practice.
Date and Time
Sunday, June 8, 2025
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Location
Foundation Oasis Room – 2A/2B
Seattle Convention Center
705 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101-2310
Required Prerequisite:
All attendees must take the Clifton Strengths Top 5 assessment before the workshop. While the workshop is free of cost, attendees must purchase the assessment on their own here: https://store.gallup.com/p/en-us/10108/cliftonstrengths-top-5?c=1
Who should attend? All sleep and circadian researchers and clinical educators attending SLEEP 2025.
Our Facilitators
Dr. Christopher A. Clarke
Dr. Christopher Allen Clarke serves as the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Community Belonging & Success at Austin Peay State University where he provides strategic oversight of the Adult, Non-Traditional, & Transfer Student Center, the Office of Career Services, the Latino Community Resource Center, and the African American Cultural Center. He brings over 16 years of higher education experience, most recently serving as the inaugural Assistant Dean for Belonging and Inclusion at the University of Miami School of Law where he developed, implemented, and evaluated a comprehensive plan that advanced belonging and inclusion for faculty, staff, and students. Prior to joining the University of Miami School of Law, Dr. Clarke served as the Director of the University of Miami Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, the Director of Diversity & Inclusion at the University of Chicago – Law School and has worked at the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois at Chicago in similar capacities. Dr. Clarke has been recognized twice as a 40 Under 40 Higher Administrator by the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust and by Legacy Magazine Miami. He was also named the 2022 Administrator of the Year by the University of Miami Toppel Career Center and named the 2023 Patricia A. Whitely Unsung Hero by the University of Miami Undergraduate Student Government.
Teena François, MPH
Teena François is a public health expert and capacity builder. With over 20 years of experience in social justice, leadership development, and organizational strategy, she helps people and organizations grow with clarity, purpose, and the tools to sustain real change. Teena is an epidemiologist, educator, and entrepreneur. She leads François-Blue Consulting focusing on public health research, strategy, and creative data-driven solutions. She is currently launching Supportive Opportunities Space (SOS), a social enterprise providing infrastructure and capacity-building support to women-led and mission-driven ventures. Teena is also expanding her work internationally, supporting women, communities, and organizations in building equitable pathways to healing, growth, and collective impact.
Katie Sharkey, MD, PhD
Dr. Katie Sharkey is an associate professor of Medicine and Psychiatry & Human Behavior and the Associate Dean for Gender Equity at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Dr. Sharkey earned her MD-PhD at Rush University in Chicago, IL where she also completed a combined internal medicine and psychiatry residency. She is board certified in Sleep Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Psychiatry and serves as the Medical Director of the Sleep for Science Research Laboratory. Dr. Sharkey is a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American College of Physicians. She is an Associate Editor of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and serves on the editorial board of Sleep Health. Dr. Sharkey’s research is funded by grants from NIMH and NIGMS and focuses on sleep and circadian rhythms, particularly as they relate to mood regulation and women's health.