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Community
Hollywood & Mind connects our robust community through in-person events, online support and media. Together, we are identifying key areas of need to uplift the mental health and wellbeing of those who work in music, entertainment and other influential sectors and working to create solutions to fill them.
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Connection
The heart of our venture is bringing together stakeholders from across the entertainment and industries of influence with mental health professionals and advocates for intersectional conversations that yield the establishment of best practices and new partnerships. We do this work primarily through events:
The Hollywood & Mind Summit is our premier annual event that gathers an intersectional swath of executives, creatives and thought leaders to delve into a range of conversations.
Hollywood & Mind On Location is our tour through which we immerse with the local community in cities across the country and stand up events. 2026 stops include Atlanta, Nashville, Washington DC, New York.
Hollywood & Mind Backstage events are explicitly off-the-record gatherings around the table for a small group of power players.
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Collaboration
Hollywood & Mind's position as a social impact company means we have the agility to open our doors to partner with thought leaders across every sector of the entertainment and brain health ecosystems, as well as optimize opportunities to funnel funds to organizations and companies.
OUR TEAM
Cathy Applefeld Olson
Founder & Principal
Nick Berray
Digital Media Producer & Designer
Cathy is a social impact entrepreneur and veteran entertainment industry journalist who is passionate about bettering, sustaining and championing positive mental health. Through decades of reporting for publications including Forbes, Billboard, Cynopsis, Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News, she has had the opportunity to talk with both talent and industry executives about their own mental health struggles, approaches to solutions and ways in which the industry can make an impact. These exchanges coupled with conversations around her own kitchen table catalyzed her to launch Hollywood & Mind.
She’s currently a requent contributor to Billboard and has a platform on Forbes.com, where she interviews culture influencers about their mental health journeys for her column “Mind Reading.” Michael Phelps, Jewel, Josh Johnson, Busy Philipps, Jay Glazer, Chris Olsen, Tinx, Naomi Raine, Mike Posner, Bretman Rock, and Al Roker are among interviews.
Cathy and her husband Brent are the parents of two young women who inspire them every day. When not she’s not working or immersed in family time, you can likely find her out experiencing live music.
Nick is a digital content creator and graphic designer who loves applying his visual design skills to tell stories. With a background in entertainment and advertising, he played a crucial role in establishing the unique style and branding of Hollywood & Mind. Through his work, Nick has discovered a newfound passion for mental health advocacy. He draws constant inspiration from the brilliant collaborators at Hollywood & Mind and is eager to further his growth as a designer while contributing to meaningful change in the mental health space.
ADVISORY COUNCIL
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Joe Belliotti
SVP Brand Strategy, Mayflower Entertainment
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JohnMark Conklin
VP, Communications, Publicis Groupe's MSLGroup
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René Jones
Chief of Social Impact & Partner, United Talent Agency (UTA)
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Deborah Radel
President, DRPR
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Kelle Rozell
Founder, Black Dollar Index & CMO, Color Of Change
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Jared Schoenfeld
Founder & Principal, 4B Advisory
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Valerie Van Galder
CEO, Depressed Cake Shop
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Zak Williams
Entrepreneur, Investor & Mental Health Advocate